Mistakes in no particular order.
1st mistake
Shouldn’t have tried to be clever and just done a straight split back in august. Wanted to try to keep our fantastic queen and took some advice to take out the honey frames on the edges and put fresh frames in. Didn’t work! Swarmed twice.
Cockiness.
2nd mistake
Then stuffed up when we thought there was a queen in there laying, when it was actually workers laying. Didn’t recognise the signs. Inexperience.
3rd mistake
Left it all too long and didn’t check often enough. (we looked every 2 to 3 weeks)
Inexperience.
4th mistake
Should’ve taken the super off.
Plain stupid.
There are probably other mistakes, and would actually love to hear of any we didn’t realise we made.
We’re very sad, but we have learnt from it. I’d like to say it won’t happen again, but I’m not that stupid.
Our 2nd hive , which is actually the 1st swarm from the dead hive is going great guns and we harvested 10 litres from it today.
Highs and lows huh?
Still planning to come for a visit around Feb, if it works for you Pete. Desperate for a queen spotting lesson.
Thanks for everyone’s support and advice.
A minutes silence now for the yellow hive.
And 3 Cheers for the blue hive!
Cheers
Ron