Spring does seem to be here at an accelerated pace this year in the UK too.

On the last day of February I went to look at a colony that was a swarm of
NZ/Italians last year because I have been noticing drones thrown out with
other dead bees all winter. Thought I'd check if they were queenright.
Normally I would not examine bees so early in the spring for fear that they
might ball the queen but as I am planning to do some queen rearing this year
(not of this strain) I am planning to requeen anyway, and I don't want these
drones flying either, so I thought an early peak would be permissible.

To my surprise I discovered that they were not only queenright but the queen
was laying full frames of brood, with a 1 inch strip of drone brood too on
the middle frame, so these drones are this years. I've never kept NZs before
and was astonished at their precocity.

But this spring is rushing in fast. My signal for first manipulations is
when the flowering currant begins to flower (something I've inherited from
my Dad) - last year that was mid-March and that was early - yesterday I
noticed that it is indeed breaking bud here in London already. Buddleiah,
daffodils, crocus and prunus are all in fullbloom too.

Madeleine Pym
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