Saturday March the 28 th was a blustery and showery day for us, but after a successfully morning on the allotment, and a very enjoyable "All day breakfast" treat from Georgina I ventured over on my normal weekly winter check at the Corner Field Apiary.

The "Victoria" swarm looked fine  but in the "Anne" swarm" bees  had moved over from under the sugar syrup feeder to emerge from another and many had found there way in where they shouldn't and had drowned!

Urgent attention was needed. The bees were not impressed with me taking their top roof off and started buzzing about a bit. I walked away to decide what to do and this was to block the second exit. I returned thinking I could do this in a quick and easy operation. But the bees had other thoughts and I had my first stings ! three to be precise and this morning.

So I am typing with a fat earlobe, and lip and an itchy wrist!!

Disgression is the better part of valour, so I retreated home to get my suit and kit.

By the time I had returned back they had calmed down and I was able to put things right.

I also had a peek inside the "Mary" swarm, you will remember from my last blog that this one had had Nosema or disentry in the last few weeks, and I had thought they had been lost. but no! I was please to see a small swarm in the front left of the hive. So I was able to put some sugar syrup on and hopefully when the weather warms a little more . If the queen is still alive it will rapidly expand.

I will write again soon.