On the cusp …

After the magnum opus last week, I thought I'd write something shorter, easier to digest and covering a mix of topics … albeit with much less easy queen rearing.

Whether I actually achieve that remains to be seen 😉.

Cusp has several meanings, but I'm using it to mean 'A point of transition between two different stages or states; a verge, brink, or threshold.'

It seemed appropriate considering where we are with the 2026 beekeeping season.

It's on the way … but it hasn't really started.

A few days ago it was mid- to high-teens (°C), with lovely warm sunshine and a gentle breeze. The bees were really hammering the gorse and willow. It was a perfect day to inspect a few colonies and see how things were progressing after the long winter.

I didn't.

Today is cold, grey, and wet. It was predicted to be 12 °C, but barely reached 8 °C.

Many weather forecasts these days include a 'feels like' guide to the temperature. This takes into account the actual temperature, and things like wind speed and humidity.

I'm well aware what the 'feels like' temperature felt like. I walked the dogs this morning, and it felt like I should have stayed at home and had another coffee.

Looking ahead {{1}}, the predicted temperature doesn't exceed 11 °C for a week, and the 'feels like' high wobbles between an underwhelming 7 °C and a very disappointing 3 °C … with overnight frosts {{2}}.

False starts

Those temperatures are why I didn't have a quick rummage through the brood boxes last weekend.

The small amount of information I might have gleaned would have been more than outweighed by the disruption it would have caused the colony.

The bees might not thank me, but they'll benefit from keeping the propolis seals intact. The only hives briefly opened were the couple that got more fondant to tide them over the next week or two.