The sun puts its hat on

We went up North for Easter for a week and returned to a London bathing in glorious sunshine. Yesterday morning I took time to look at the bees. By mid morning they were in full foraging mode flying in and out of the hive in groups. Their happy humming sound filled the air.

The photo, resembling to a piece of modern art, is my varroa board. Before I left for Easter I left it in the hive and when I pulled it out yesterday I could see the physical evidence of the bees busy time.

The bright colours cluster of pollen droppings shows where the main activity inside the hive. I think the bees favour one side because that is the more shelter side. I know that one can get pollen charts whiich will help to identify the type of pollen. The faint white bands (on the right half of the board, are, I believe, drops of bee wax. If so this would indicate that the bees are also working on the other frames in the hive.

As the air temperature is warming up fast my thoughts turn to when I should be adding a super on top of the brood box. Last Sunday I got my hive tools and a super box down from the loft. As this is my second season and from what I have seen so far the number of bees I am seeing indicates that the colony is growing. As we shall be entering the swarming season soon (next month) so space will be an issue for the colony. At the last bee talk I attended, three weeks ago, the beekeeper said he took the opportunity of a few days of warm weather in March to check his hive, and interesting enough he said he has already put his super on. My plan is to wait and see what the weather will do for the next few days and if it continue to be fine and warm I shall install the super. This will give the little darlings a early start in preparing the frame for honey storage. Oh happy days.