The spring blossoms have been and gone. The first two days of May have been like summer. Indeed at 15:00 the first swarm of the year (for me) arrived in my garden. The previous day I had witnessed a lot of activity around the stack of boxes just on the other side of the fruit cage to my single hive at the top of my garden. Hardly worth the name of an Apiary though I have had three hives there in previous years.
As the brood box was stacked between two supers and the bees were exploring a hole in one corner of the brood box (should have repaired that by now) I twisted the brood box so that entry under the corners would be easier. I did not have time to move the brood box onto a stand and floor last night as I twisted my back doing this manipulations without my suit on (always a mistake). So this afternoon I had to watch helplessly as the swarm took up residence in the wrong place.
This is a timely reminder to continue the weekly inspections I started in April. I was lucky to find that all five colonies had survived the winter without the ravages of moth wax which many beekeepers suffered last season. The colonies were Queenright, evidenced by the biscuit coloured sealed brood. No queen cells.
Now in May the likelihood of swarming is increasing and it is important to check your hives regularly for the early signs of swarming. And don’t forget to be keeping a lookout for the health of the colony.