A visit to check on the hives ahead of some very cold weather, just to check they were able to get to the food, and to swap liquid to fondant on two hives. My stingy friend decided to have ago at me again, but I think I might have found out why they are so upset. On taking the crown board off, I found that a mouse had found its way inside, munched away a comb and a half and brought in leaves and assorted bits and bobs to make a nest. Unfortunately their annoyed nature, the sting and the cold, persuaded me to put the lid back to return another day. It was my fault for not making a mouse guard for it.
In other news, of the five hives, two were a bit light, one had bees down below, and the other two boiled with bees as soon as I moves the fondant. The other apiary has the boiling with bees effect too as I swapped them from liquid to fondant.