Inspecting Bees After The June Gap

[@just_alex]

I didn’t believe people when they talked of the June gap being so bad... until I checked my two hives yesterday and they’d both eaten a whole super they’d just filled up! Crazy! Enjoyed learning from your video as usual Gruff!

[@gwenyngruffydd]

They can eat it faster than they can make it! It’s been especially bad in this part of the country. Thanks Alex much appreciated 😊👍🏻

[@mickhoyle4064]

I was wondering how you found the time to inspect the hives, run the shop and make these great videos etc., now we have to wait till next month to find out 🤔but we can guess. Whatever your plans are, please don't stop these video's as personally, they got me through the Corvid Gap.

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Hi Mick! Glad you enjoy the channel....were definitely not stopping KZbin! 😄👍🏻

[@markmurphy8303]

Hi Gruff lad, looking good mate, clover and the bramble are out in force here in Liverpool, bees are busy just waiting on 3 virgins to get mated so fingers crossed the weather has been good so they should have definitely been on a couple of mating flights.Thx for taking us along with you at your apiary mate.

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Same here now mark. Saw the first bee working bramble today!! 😄😄😄👍🏻👍🏻

[@mytube8630]

Lovin the Reg plate 🐝🐝

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Thanks 😊🤙🏻

[@simonward7653]

I noticed that too. 🤣🐝

[@gwenyngruffydd]

😄😂

[@vivsgardenflowersbees]

So interesting to watch and learn from you I'm quite a new subscriber with a keen interest in bees, thanks for filming look forward to next video.

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Thank you 😊

[@petervanstone4097]

In 2023 the June gap never did end .The spring was beyond fantastic.Mid Devon.

[@simonward7653]

Great timing! I'm just about to inspect mine but this video has come up!

[@gwenyngruffydd]

😄

[@timberwolf2353]

Thank you for your heads up on the June gap in an earlier video. I checked my hive afterwards to find it full of empty comb (bar a few brood) and all my bees. I fed them plenty of syrup to see them through and the brambles have just started coming out this week in the valley. They're absolutely f*n covered in flowers this year! Should be a good year for them. Thank you again for your videos. I would like to offer my pair of hands to you for a day. I'd like to get a bit more hands on experience with them if I can. Let me know if you'd be up for it. 🐝👍

[@gwenyngruffydd]

No problem Tim glad your finding the videos useful. I hope it’s going to be a good year too! 😅 Thank you that’s very kind of you. Il let you know if I’m stuck for help 😊👍🏻

[@albigensian4655]

out walking the dog this evening here in maesteg wales, looking at all the blooming bramble and noticed the first himalayan balm just starting to flower, looked at others plenty are budding or close to it but that's the first one i've seen with flower so far.

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Hopefully we will get a crop from the balsam this year too!! 😅

[@TH-cl5be]

hello have you an opinion on the jolanta bees. are they a breed you have used

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Hi, Thants one queen I have not tried. But I have heard very good things about them.

[@apisincognito8173]

Love the video and love your narration but you should have fed those bees. Fill them with syrup in the brood box and then add supers.

[@gwenyngruffydd]

100%

[@paulflaherty2264]

Hi Gruff. New beekeeper! Was wondering why there are supers on before the brood box is drawn?

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Once the brood box is 3/4 full of bees I add a super on. Give them space to reduce swarming instinct. Because the super was already drawn they moved up and ignored the foundation below. Because it’s an out apiary I try and do as many jobs I can while I’m there. It maybe 2-3 weeks before I get back there. Not adding supers would have certainly meant that every hive would have swarmed.

[@spike2111982]

are the swienty supers compatable with national wooden boxs

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Yes, they are the same external measurement as the timber hives. 😊👍🏻

[@spike2111982]

@@gwenyngruffydd ok great ill take a ook at them. thanks for such a fast response

[@gwenyngruffydd]

No problem. We sell them on our website too 😊

[@arronbwabw504]

Hi, I've just put my first Nuc into B.S. hive, which I can fit 12 frames in. On beekeeping sites people have picked up on my photos I have 12 frames so I just counting yours as it is a new Nuc put in to a full hive. In one I counted 11 frames with a gap at each end and on another box I counted 12 frames. What is your advice on number of frames for a new Nuc going into a B.S. box?

[@gwenyngruffydd]

If 12 fits in easy go with 12. If it’s tight go with 11 and a dummy board 😊👍🏻

[@ollysue69]

One my hives looked like the second one you inspected and they swarmed 😪

[@gwenyngruffydd]

It’s a job to keep on top of it

[@ollysue69]

@@gwenyngruffydd defo I was happy to see someone with more experience had same issue thought it was me 🤷‍♂️🐝

[@gwenyngruffydd]

It’s everyone

[@joemurphy9974]

Have you ever had to deal with EFB or AFB? If so, how disruptive was it to your beekeeping business?

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Hi, I’ve had AFB once on one hive. It’s stressful but I’m much more aware of disease now. So that’s a big bonus of it.

[@joemurphy9974]

@@gwenyngruffydd how contagious is EFB and AFB. Did you have to destroy a whole apiary over one case just in case it could pop up in another hive later on?

[@gwenyngruffydd]

No just destroyed the hive with AFB. But whole site was under lockdown for 6 weeks. It’s pretty contagious so you want to catch it early

[@teachingandlearning]

What type of bees are you running?

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Buckfast and black bees

[@patrickwalsh6873]

Hi Gruff, could you tell me please what your ideal feeding strategy for these colonies, if you could go back in time ? ie One or two feeders full to the brim of 1:1, or lots of visits with smaller amounts. It matters a lot whether it's a home apiary or not, I know, but does it matter at all to the bees ? Thanks in advance !

[@gwenyngruffydd]

I like to feed syrup instil all the brood box is drawn and started to fill with stores. That’s my ideal case. It would be full the 6l feeder full maybe twice. Depends on the honey flow at the time. Everything is easier on the home apiary because your there all the time

[@patrickwalsh6873]

@@gwenyngruffydd Great, thanks for replying, appreciate it.

[@gwenyngruffydd]

No problem, thanks for watching 😊