The split up donor hive has settled down to a more normal routine, but the queen-right hive placed in front of the donor is lacking in foragers I fear. On the 17th May I discovered that a European hornet had entered via a back door hole inadvertently left open. It had begun nest building from a top bar in the void behind a follower board. I removed the bars adjacent to hers and doused her with a cap-full of metholated spirit, normally used to light the smoker. She fell to the floor but quickly revived,to fly off at speed only to return five minutes later. Meanwhile I had stopped the entrance hole and she gave up after a few minutes.
Back in the village, our churchyard has plenty of trees in blossom and three colonies in the church stonework; all quite active, except for one on the north wall.
I had deployed my bait hive 18 feet up into a tree a couple of days earlier, and yesterday the 19th, was delighted to see bees entering during a lovely warm afternoon. A swarm appeared later and hung about for a few minutes, and gradually made for the north face wall. It moved into a void some twenty feet above ground level. Next day only one or two bees are entering the bait hive - probably scouts. Our Vicar is quite happy for me to work in this way, since the bees have occasionally put fear into the hearts of wedding parties entering the church.
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European hornet beginning her nest in my hive |
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