Uploading: 5294523B-5D0B-4FEA-AD89-7BDC3D855ECB.jpeg…Uploading: 86BFA502-E765-49B8-82AD-E121BB191484.jpeg…Uploading: B9C1E038-191F-40B5-9214-004F5624C26D.jpeg… Hello,
We are fairly new to bee keeping and we have learned a lot through the various posts on this forum.
We are in London, UK, and today, our bees displayed a strange behaviour for this time of the year. They spent the very warm day (we are having 3 days of heatwave in the U.K.) to kick-out the drone from the hive.
They seem to go up to 4 bees at a time to remove the drones, prevent them to enter the hive and bring them to the hedges of the landing platform.
Some drones have tried to push their way in but the bees don’t give up and carry one pushing them away.
At the end of the day, we can see some cluster of drone on the external wall of the hive and a huge cluster of them u see the platform. I will try to post some pictures.
I have read this behaviour is normal in Autumn and also that if this behaviour occurs in late summer, this could mean that the bees feels they have low stock of honey.
Should we be worried?
We also read that it could mean something is wrong in the hive.
So here are the questions:
1/ is this behaviour normal at this time of the year (25th August)?
2/ should we be worried about the health of the hive?
3/ Could our bees struggle to survive the winter of this is a sign they do not have enough honey stored?
Perhaps one last question not so related.we placed our super in mid-July/ 3rd week of July. We have seen one or two bees through the windows of the super box but so far, no honey whatsoever
is that normal?
Sorry for the many questions, any reply will be appreciated
Yes, absolutely normal. The bees know that winter is coming, and even if queens mate at this time of year, they won’t be able to build up a new hive in time for winter. So drones are hungry mouths which don’t benefit the hive. Out they go!
Nope
Only you can answer that with an inspection of your brood box(es). Your pictures didn’t upload, so I can’t tell how many brood boxes you have or what size each is. If you have 2 full brood boxes below the super, the bees should be fine. If you only have one, you will need to develop a feeding plan. I would join a local bee club (don’t mention Flow hive, just say Langstroth hive - it is true as Flow hives are Langstroths). Ask them what they feed. I would have feed syrup until about mid to late September when I was keeping bees in the UK, and then fondant after the frosts look possible. @Paras is not far from you, he may be able to help with advice.
Too late. It needs to go on in April or early May at the latest, as long as the hive is strong. Take it off for this year and try again next season.
I am in oxford. I saw same this evening. Expelling drones is normal at this time of year. A drone has little use if queens are not laying so keeping them is a waste of time and as they contribute very little then why feed them.
You will find some articles debating the role of a drone.
The expelling of drones is nothing more than a seasonal preparation for winter. I have suspended feeding because I want the bees to forage. In London the foraging will last some time more. I have read articles that bee keepers in London report the micro climate supports foraging for most of the clement days of the year. Given a good hive of bees you are far less likely to be short of foraging and stores than I will be in oxford.
If you register your bees with Beebase, which as a responsible beekeeper you should have done already, then you will get warning emails about food shortages and instructions to closely monitor stores and feed early. Beebase website gives good feeding instruction booklets.
I just responded and then saw your response. Sorry mine is somewhat repetitive. Clearly sing off same sheet. Interesting that in the main same principles apply.
