Treating for Varroa

This week on Wednesday I worked all my colonies checking stores and treating Varroa, number two out of the three required treatments. The sun was out and bees were bringing in basket loads of pollen. These particular bees are working a field of Mustard next door.I am seeing a lot of drones in colonies this year which at this time of year may mean queenless colonies. I have checked all those with drones and with only one or two exceptions they are all queenright with plenty of brood. Maybe they know we are in for an indian summer and they have an opportunity to spread their genes around a little more.
There was one colony with hatched queen cells, I would usually unite these with a queenright colony but I have left them to see if they can produce a laying queen.
Last week I gave all colonies a pound of pollen substitute to improve the quality of winter bees. On checking I see that all have taken the feed with the exception of this colony who have just a little left to clear up. For future reference its useful to know that it takes the average colony about a week to consume a pound pollen patty.

Most of the colonies look like this and have cleared all the patty.