August 2001
Actually taken in September but a rare shot of Lynn,
Pauls long suffering Girlfriend in full beekeeping gear:
She sold our first honey this month!
As July finished so did Dads' beekeeping course. Now he
is a fully qualified apiarist and he is therefore entitled to his share
of any profits we make from the bees.
But his hive, hive number 4, alas, still has no queen so we will have
to decide what to do with it.
The first August hive inspection on Sunday 5th was only of our 3 main
colonies. The super on hive 1 was nearly full of honey and between 3 and
4 frames inspected in hive 2 were full. This was the same in hive 3.
Paul checked the swarms - Dad's hive and 1 other swarm we had collected
- but found neither had a queen or any brood in them so he put a frame
of young, fresh brood from hive 1 into this colony.
Hopefully, this colony will produce a new queen ready for the Winter.
On Sunday, 12th August Lynn (our one and only member of sales staff) attended
a car-boot sale with friends so we made up some factsheets and prepared
some of our honey to sell. It definitely sold quite well in 5 1 lb. jars
and 1 one lb. jars being sold. Some income at last!
We made a massive £11.70!
Not enough to retire on, but it's a start.
(John observing the filling supers frames on hive 3)
(A newly added frame of foundation being "drawn out"
and a frame of capped honey)
Paul checked the swarms again on Wednesday, 15th August. He found that
the smallest swarm had completely died out. Dad's hive still had no queen
but the bees in the hive where he had put the brood were forming a queen
cell.
Hopefully this will hatch.
As August continued to a close we were faced with a few decisions. Dad's
hive or the newest swarm under the fence still had a queen.
We wondered what to do and eveutually decided to unite them.
It was very complicated to do as we can only move bees 3feet or 3 miles.
The hived swarm from under the fence was moved to Lynn's house (about
3 miles away) while the swarm at Paul's bungalow replaced Dad's hive.
Hopefully, any flying bees from Dads hive will fly back to the hive and
unite with it.
But we still have to decide what to do with the hive in Lynn's garden
which hasn't a queen in it.