MARCH

Well, Spring is officially upon us, or so rumour has it, and I’m sure the experts are right, after all, we have seen the sun on at least two occasions this week. Enough to bring the bees out in some numbers and to turn my thoughts to the season ahead. Gone are the feelings of doom and gloom that had beset me since my hospital excursion. I have ordered two new queens to bring the colony numbers back up to strength and have started giving the empty hives their annual coat of Cuprinol, so as I said, things are looking up.

Coming to the end of the month now and pleased to say, things are really beginning to shape up. All the empty hives have had their Spring-clean, brace comb and propolis removed prior to a quick scorching with the blowlamp. Cuprinolling finished,

fresh cuprinol all station hives 005

CUPRINOLLING HIVES FINISHED

fresh cuprinol all station hives 001

AND MOST OF THE EMPTY SUPERS

all the old wax removed and most of the frames boiled up to await their new foundation, in fact, I started re-waxing yesterday. It was a lovely day and it seemed a shame to waste it. What with the weather we’ve endured of late and now this blasted virus hanging over us it was a simple decision to make. Sitting in the sun, outside the shed in front of my workmate with a cup of coffee and a packet of crisps, I’d finished re-waxing thirty frames in no time, and enjoyed every minute of it. I’d have done more but for stupidly allowing myself to run out of foundation, something which I set about remedying the moment I got home. With luck, the postman should have ten new packs in his sack for me the beginning of next week.