Pollen in bound

Today has been the only day in last week forecast for sun and the next five days look like rain too, well according to my I Phone!

I took this film earlier this morning it was showing 6 degs, so bang goes that story about bees only flying when it's warmer than 10 degs

If you look closely you can see the bees flying in pollen, I wonder what plant is giving them that bright orange pollen?

Anyway they seem a bit happier with me, as you can see they let me up close to the hive without seeming to notice me, maybe just maybe they will let me cut the grass! :-), well they might but the weather won't it's raining again, I make that everyday bar one since the hose pipe ban started!

Umbrella beekeeping

I was rather hoping that I might get some good weather over the weekend so that I could transfer the new colony into their new home, but no joy, in the end today I decided that come what may I would need to transfer them, Aman's cricket match for Surrey 2nd XI was cancelled so he volunteered to help.
So armed with that vital piece of beekeeping equipment, an umbrella, we set to, the smoker then decided to go out with the lid off the nuc, had to move a bit quick as the bees were less than impressed, no detailed checking of the frames, just get them in the hive and close up quick. But couldn't help but see what looked like queen cells, will have to be on my guard, this was a swarm last year so the queen may well be past her sell by date, can ill afford them to swarm again, now caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, I shouldn't really disturb them again and looking at the weeks weather forecast it seems to be rain and more rain, but I really need to get in there and look!
Later I did take a quick peek in the other old colony two, didn't take any frames out but could see the bees were limited to just one bee space, time is running out for this colony, so if I have got some queen cells in the new colony them just maybe I can kick start another colony?
I wonder if I can wait until next Saturday to check out the colonies for real?
What I do know though is that the new bees looked pretty hacked off with me, hope they have short memories!

Bees all belted up

I think I have been here before, an early morning drive from Gillingham with a colony of bees sitting beside me in the car, this time though the lid wasn't secured, is no sharp breaking! Journey home successfully negotiated, but decided as such a miserable day will leave them in the nuc and keep fingers crossed that better weather is here on Sunday or Monday so I can transfer them into a hive, at the same time can check up on the old colony, not that I am expecting to see much in there.

These bees seem a lot darker in colour, they are a swarm that was caught late on last year so they may not survive through to summer either, Clive the supplier refused to take any money for them which is a sign surely that he's not 100% convinced they will make it through! Oh well nothing ventured nothing gained. On opening the door they were soon out and about checking out the local area, one even decided that perhaps she need a lift back to Gillingham, either that or she has good taste in cars :-)