Very interesting Peter. I have a small colony that has been definitely slow to build up. Two or three times I’ve inspected expecting them to be ready for a bigger box but they’ve taken ages to finish drawing out the last frame. I’ve wondered if the queen was inadequate but they might have been going slow because the conditions aren’t optimal.
Don’t blame the queen Cathie, I have some hives, much bigger ones, that are doing ok but the weaker hive are struggling, heaps of pollen being collected, actually too much. But although the natural bush is flowering, what hasn’t been burnt in the bush fires, what is flowering isn’t producing nectar.
I went to a hive in Noosa today, really in a sad way and in a very weak state. Heaps of pollen, a little capped honey but no cells containing nectar, so the colony has shut down the queen laying as she would normally do.
Up here it is a re-run of last Summer. Talking to Jeff earlier and he has had rain I haven’t got and is extracting some honey, but way down to what is normal. I’ve cleaned up my extractor and de-capping gear.
Jeff is the exception I know of, today I have got 3 emails and all asking for advice as to why their hives are down in numbers and no honey, one even says there is none in any of the brood frames in one of his hives. Feeding, feeding and more feeding till we get good rain and the flowers in the trees have nectar.
Cheers
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