Summer 2008
It was a quiet Summer for us here at the Monk Stray apiary, we don't seem to have a lot of time. Paul is busy with the new family edition, Matthew and health problems are slowing us down.
A second swarm was collected from Mr Cooks Apple tree. (Why are they attracted to his garden all the time).
John suveys the swarm (Circled) The swarm from Mr Cooks Garden (Swarm & John Circled)
Quite a Swarm!
Hived!
We continued to look after our two hives and two swarms but were too busy to do much work at Flaxton. After a promising start we found on 12 June that one of the hived colonies did not have a queen so we transferred the honey Supers onto the other hive and placedthe swarm box collected from the neibours apple tree next to the queenless hive. On 16th June we “united” this with the hive.
The queenless hive just before the supers removed
The queenless hive and the swarm box on 12th June. On 16th June we united the two. (Note the newspaper dividing them).
After the end end of June the bees appeared to have stopped expanding (the colony) and making honey. The cool, wet Summer weather (and health problems) being blamed.