It was the wettest May on record and our bee's did not like the weather. It meant they could not forage and had to be fed throughout the whole month because it was so cold and wet. May is usually a month when the brood is expanding rapidly and there is a high chance of swarming from your hives. This was rare, however all that swarming activity will be passed over to this month which is much warmer and the weather is ideal for the bee's. In May I lost hundreds of bee's who sadly died due to the cold and wet conditions.
As you can see this month , the wild flower garden is in full blossom and the hives are in a great environment for them to thrive. I've inspected all my hives, and have placed supers on each hive now, but the brood boxes are not full enough to expand fully into the newly added supers ready for honey production.
Anyone wishing to visit the apiary should get in touch, I few people have asked me if I am delievering any more courses, so I am on the lookout for four more enthusiastic people who want to try something new and learn about the life of bee's.
I will run a special course in July for a group of people who want to learn about how important bee's are, and give you an insight into the skills you will need if tiy decide to buy a hive and some bee's for yourself.
Lets hope the weather we've just had - hot and dry stays with us throughout June, so the bee's can make the most of the environment and gather much pollen that will be available during this month.