Moving day

Expanding Our Apiary: A Thrilling Time

We recently welcomed new colonies into our apiary, marking an exciting phase of expansion. In the photos and videos, we share two recent swarms collected in Barrow-in-Furness, previously covered in our blog.

Quarantine and Inspection

Upon arrival, these bees spent a brief period in quarantine. During this time, we conducted thorough inspections to ensure they were free from diseases or pests that could harm our existing colonies.

The First Colony: A Small Cast Swarm

Our first new colony is a small cast swarm rescued from a bathroom vent. Currently housed in a nuc box, they will remain there until they have built enough resources on the frames to be moved into a full hive.

In our last blog, we detailed the rescue operation. After locating the queen, we left our transport box at the site until late evening. Once all the bees were inside, we secured the box and brought it to the apiary. Khyla and Phil’s children named our queen and future hive.

Our queen, Jess, settled quickly into her new home with her attendants, who are now busy creating their new abode. We will allow them some time to establish themselves before moving them into their new hive, affectionately named Buzzy Bee Hive by the children.

The Second Swarm: A Strong Colony

The second swarm was significantly larger and had already started developing cells, storing pollen, and creating food reserves. This colony is much stronger than the first, with a larger number of bees and a head start in resource building. They were moved directly into a hive as they had already made considerable progress.

We will feed this colony until they are strong enough to rely solely on foraging. Depending on their progress, we may take a small amount of honey or consider using them for further splits.

Looking Ahead

We look forward to continuing to name our hives and share stories and updates. Stay tuned for more blogs to keep up with the latest happenings in our apiary.