Our last inspection of the season

Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #22 2023

Mike and I completed the last inspection of the season, today (Bank Holiday Monday). The bees are doing well, bringing in stores due to some better weather and still as calm as you please. There are eggs, larvae and sealed brood over five frames of comb.

No sign of our red queen today, but she has been very visible of late. Andy, our Beekeeper by the Hive last Tuesday, said that she had been on the outer frames, in full view, for the most part of the afternoon.

Museum staff member Sally-Anne recorded this video of her last week, with a lovely clear view of her lowering her abdomen into the bottom of a cell to lay an egg. You can see how attentive the house bees are as they surround her. A great recording and many thanks-Sally Anne.

Tomorrow’s Beekeeper by the Hive will be Emma. This will be the final session for the summer holidays.

Next Monday evening, Steve and I will be taking the bees to our ABKA Apiary for their winter break. So that’s it for this season! Thank you for your continued interest in and support of the honey bees of Cliffe Castle.

We hope to return them in time for the Easter holidays next year, weather permitting. We will certainly bring them back as soon as it is safe to do so.

Many thanks to team members: Steve, Mike, and Lee, without whom none of this would have been possible. Well done those beekeepers!

Linda