Click HERE or on the logo for the full report. Gillian Turner led today’s inspection; we did this on Saturday, 22nd April, due to Sunday’s weather. Today we practised grafting and making up a mini mating Nuc (Apideas). Grafting was an interesting exercise, and we tried different grafting tools, with the consensus being that the Chinese grating tool for us was the easiest to collect the larvae. This may change over time as we perfect the art of grafting.
On top of one of the crown boards, Gillian noticed loads of ants and suggested using cinnamon as a preventative method for them. Whilst Drones were on the frames, we practised picking them up so that this could be applied to handling queens.
One of the hives Gillian identified as having bald brood, and she explained in great detail about this and sacbrood (see the 15th April inspection sheet).
Bald brood
Bald Brood is the name given to a condition of brood where there is a straight line or small patch of developing brood with no cappings. It is caused by greater wax moth larvae tunnelling under the sealed cappings of worker brood.
If we find capped queen cells in any hives, we will transfer these to the failing Nuc & Hive. For the Apiades, a group of members are working together to learn and raise calm queens for the Apiary and others if successful.
I was interested in what Gillian applied to her gloves when one of the colonies was more attentive to us than normal; this was “Fletch bee quick”; once applied, they kept off her gloves. A great inspection with Gillian and her knowledge and experience transfer.
