I can't even express my disdain for this weather. Two weeks of 60s and 70s in early February; the red maples are to seed and the ornamental cherries have half their petals on the ground already. Then it got cool and wet, "normal" February temps up into the 40s, overcast most days, rain some. And back and forth, warm and sunny for a day or so; then cold and wet.
And I work a day job, so no bees on the M-F (which I also have some disdain for but that's another thing). This weekend will be the third in a row it's forecasted rainy.
Neighbors report drones in their hives; none in mine that I've seen (two weeks ago). But I just dread that there are swarm cells in my hives and I can't get to them on a sunny day. So I might have to do it in the rain.
Tips and tricks for working bees in the yuck? If I have to shake a false swarm into a box on a wet day that won't make them want to abscond will it (that would be very sad indeed!)?