Winter/Spring 2009
We had quite cold, snowy weather over Winter this year and it meant that we did not get to the hives at Flaxton to give the bees their Winter feed but Dad and Paul were able to put some sugar “candy” on the three hives in the Monk Avenue apiary.
A snowy February Scene
On February 16th bees were flying from all three hives in the Monk Avenue apiary which was a good sign that all three would survive the winter
The corner hive was feeding. Hive 1 was not - The small swarm was doing well however but seemed a bit aggressive. -
On22nd February we jarred up the remainder of our extracted Honey. Just enough to sell over the coming months.
We had a lot of hive boxes and frames stored in the garage from last year so Dad borrowed a “steam cleaner” from the York Beekeeping Association to make the job easier.
Dad loads the steamer with old frames
The end of March was mild and dry so our first “Spring” inspection took place on 31st March.
before 
After, (mouseguards off)
1st April: All three hives had survived at Monk Avenue but two are very small so we must keep a “close” eye on them. As Varroa is becoming resistant to chemicals we put on trays of “Api-guard a Thymol” based treatment. Hope it works!
The first inspection at Flaxton on 6th April showed that both the surviving hives had been attacked by mice - one hive had sadly died, but one still remaining ok this shows the importance of getting mouseguards onto the hives in Autumn.
We brought back the wax-moth riddled frames and old boxes to be steam-cleaned, the steam cleaner gets rid of most of the wax but there is still a lot of cleaning to do afterwards.
Lots of empty boxes from Flaxton
On April 10 we removed the Api-guard from Hive 1 and on to Hive 2.
April 19 Apiguard removed from hives 2 and 3. A honey Super was put on to Hive 2 as it is expanding rapidly. Brood Super put on to Hive 3. We are going to try Brood and a half hives this year.
Steam cleaning of frames continued.
Dad (Grandad) cleaning boxes with Matthew
John scrapes a box
April 29 A trip to Flaxton was done, the single hive checked and second brood box applied. Eggs found in brace comb, so it is expanding nicely.
Dad with the one small Flaxton hive and two stacks of empty boxes
Wednesday, May 6th: Dad & John were away at Southport Hospital for Johns review away so Paul inspected the Monk Stray hives;-
Hive 1 - recovering - saw queen
Hive 2 - expanding slowly
Hive 3 - expanding rapidly - some queen cells - put on a honey super.
A super put on hive3
Tuesday, May 12th: Dad and John back. Inspected Hive 3 and removed some Queen cells
May 21: Hive3 had 4 capped queen cells removed. This hive is very busy.
May 24: Hive 3 swarmed onto next-doors pear tree. We should have seen the signs! We removed and re-housed in a nucleus box into our garden.
Housing the swarm
MAY 25: The swarm absconded from the nucleus box and swarmed to a bush in garden. We encouraged them to pass upwards into our basket “Skep” prior re-housing in box. We transferred them hive- box later and still OK next morning.
Dad in the foliage with the swarm & skep
From the skep to a nucleus box
MAY 27: The swarm was transferred to Brood box (full size). Now appears settled.
