top of page

Blooming marvellous

  • Writer: Linda
    Linda
  • Apr 13, 2024
  • 1 min read

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #3


Mike and I completed the first check on the Cliffe Castle colony on Monday 8 April. Not the best of days, cool and overcast when we started the task – of course, a few hours later it was sunny and warm!


All is going well. The bees have settled into their new home nicely. We saw our red queen and her four frames of brood. There is still plenty of space for her to lay and signs of some nectar and pollen on the frames.


The park is a great source of different forage (flowers, trees and shrubs) for the older bees to collect the nectar and pollen that the colony needs to survive and raise healthy young. At this time of the year, from the window by the hive, two glorious magnolia trees can be seen in full bloom.


See if you can spot them in the park. You can also see them from the Pavilion Café!


Linda


 
 

Recent Posts

See All
2026 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog 14

Lee and checked the colony this morning (27 July). I’d hoped it would be the last inspection for a few weeks, until we return them to our ABKA Apiary site. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot the blue queen

 
 
2026 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog 13

Anthony and I checked the bees yesterday (20 July) and found all in order. Our trusty blue queen is still laying over 6 frames, and the bees have drawn comb on the wax foundation template frames given

 
 
2026: Cliffe Castle Bee Blog 12

Anthony and I checked the bees today (13 July) on a very warm morning. Lots of bees in the hive, but a slight reduction in the queen’s rate of lay – eggs, larvae and sealed brood on 6 frames this week

 
 

2024 Airedale Beekeepers Association 

Affiliated to

BBKA logo.png
YBKA.JPG
bottom of page