Hi all
 
Just had a gret weekend of bee events.
 
Went through to a town about 120kilometers down the coast from my
town in South Africa to collect a swarm from a friends back yard as
well as to get some bee bits and pieces.
 
This year our year seems to be starting about a month early so
everything is already hotting up, way before spring.
 
The hive I fetched was in a barrel, so was able to lift the lid and
prop it between bricks then cutt of the combs and fit them into
frames. Was able to cut the comb so it fitted the frames exactly and
fix them with elastic.
 
Next I was able to scoop up eight kilograms of bees!! So got a full
langstroth of bees in one scoop and one super to fit all of them!!
They also had a few kilograms of wild honey which was in nice fresh
drawn comb which goes into the family supply. Lovely eucalyptus tang
to it.
 
Secondly checked my hives and found all of them running over five
frames of brood, one with ten frames. This same hive had also drawn
one full super of foundation and half filled it! All this with daily
temps never going much above 18 degrees and night temps often leaving
frost on the hives bodies.
 
Oh well, can't imagine what spring will be like with all these bees
around already. This is supposed to be when the hive is declining.
 
Just my few highlights.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
---
Garth Cambray       "Opinions expressed in this post may be those
15 Park Road         of Pritz, my cat, who knows a lot about
Grahamstown          catfood."
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South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
 
In general, generalisations are bad.
But don't worry BEEEEEE happy.