Here comes Spring !!!

[kevboab]

Well out and about today and finally seeing the first signs of gardens coming back to life. Crocus starting to pop through, mini Salix budding up nicely and the odd bee on loo flight any time weather favourable. Mines seem pretty well tucked up in bed yet but heres hoping the temps start risin n the bees get flyin !!!

[Adam]

My bees were flying well yesterday (13 degrees and blue sky/white cloud). However I've not seen any pollen coming in yet.
Lots of deposits on hive roofs and cars. Some crown-boards are warm so there's definite activity.

[Rosie]

I spotted frog's spawn today for the first time this year. It seems late considering how mild it's been compared with the
last 3 winters. No sign of my bees as it's so windy and there's no forage for them in any case. I saw some bees out last week at my apiary in a garden centre and they were bringing pollen of varying colours. Sadly it's too far away for any of my others apiaries so I think they will have to sit tight until the willow flowers.

Rosie

[susbees]

16 of the 17 here flying today in spite of wind and showers...snowdrop and possibly first of the hazel going in.17th a bit pathetic and heading for thymol syrup and fresh comb. Grrr. Littlest found the frog spawn today...the pond was virtually dry in the Spring drought last year so good to see. That was before the ten weeks of no water in the autumn. Wet wales...hmm....

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[madasafish]

Frog's spawn today.. earliest for years.. it will no doubt be frozen as often happens to early spwan.

Bees very busy going for pollen.

[Jon]

I have had frogspawn in the garden pond for well over a week and it also has large tadpoles which never developed into frogs last year and have overwintered.

[Troutnabout]

I always find myself going stir crazy this time of year. Christmas and New Year are over, managed to survive till the end of January and the first wage of the year. now its a long long wait till the trout season starts, but on the plus side this year i have kept a hive in my garden over winter and on Thursday and Friday afternoon the bees were working hard bringing in various pollens. This colony is a swarm I captured last summer and its all the better for me as I had to take over looking after the bees on my own last year when my father became too ill to do so, and this was the 1st swarm i had ever captured. Not only did i catch it, I took a few bars of honey off it and managed to feed it enough syrup for it to survive the winter.

[Trog]

Well done with your swarm, Trout.

Only 11 days to the start of the trout season; I have tied more flies this winter than usual and can't wait to try out some of the wee beauties on the 15th!

Himself checked the bees' candy stores and removed mousguards from the strongest colonies on Friday while I was en route to an SBA meeting. All alive :)

[Neils]

Frogspawn here for a week or two and the frog chorus that was onging for the past month seems to have died down a bit. The Cherries seem to be in blossom but not much else at the moment, no idea how good, if at all they are for honey bees but a lot of stuff is now in bud and seems poised to make an appearence.

[gavin]

.... on Friday while I was en route to an SBA meeting. All alive :)

I know that there are a few oldies in that SBA crew, but beekeepers do almost go on forever you know!

:D

[Adam]

No frogspawn yet for me. There's a wild plum tree that's about to break out into flower in the gardenand a few days ago bees were finally bringing in mixed pollen. Orange, yellow and pale yellowy/grey.

[madasafish]

Frogspawn frozen yesterday am.. but by lunch bees flying happily.Loads of pollen..

Rain and cold wind today - 8C at best...No self respecting bees seen.