Kerry's bees

Kerry's bees were living in his chimney until this summer when he had the builders in to extend his house. That meant that the chimney the bees were living in was going to be taken down and re-built so the bees had to be moved.

Yesterday I paid them a visit in their new home. They were left on my last visit with a regular brood box on a floor (not open mesh) with board on top with four holes it in with two supers on top of that containing the wax that had been removed from the chimney. The intention was that as the bees traveled through the brood box to get to their honey comb they would decide to use the brood frames in the brood box instead and lead the queen down into it.

On this visit I opened the top board that was gaffa taped down over the two supers was able to see what was going on with the old wax. It looks as though we have been successful as little new wax had been made on the old wax from inside the chimney and there was no fresh brood there.

We won't open the brood box until next year. I was able to take one of the empty supers off and put a super of empty frames on top of the remainder so the bees old wax from inside the chimney is now sandwiched between the brood box at the bottom and a super of empty frames on top. That super now has a new board will holes in it on top of it and a bucket feed on top of that.

I put a tray of Apiguard in with the old wax and some crystals on the lugs of the super frames.

The floor needed an entrance block fitted and I fitted a mouse guard to that as well.

I intend to visit again in a couple of weeks time (weather willing) and put on more food and a new roof.

Kerry's bees links
Tuesday, August 12 2008