Cool and windy today quickly lifted the crown board of hive 4. Removed the spent Apilife Var remains and laid the final strips on the top of the frames. Quick glance at the end frame and comb drawn nicely with about half capped. Quickly back on with the crown board and a feeder then left them in peace. Hope next weekend is warmer so I can get an assessment of preparedness for winter.
Yesterday's association apiary session was a demo of application of feeders to the hives. Two of the hives were fitted with the large rapid feeders which sit directly onto a National brood box. Each was given 8 litres of syrup with Hive Alive.
Other hives were fitted with large white rectangular rapid feeders from Th****s using super boxes as ekes. The poly nucs were fed using the integral feeders with plastic pea netting to enable the bees to climb in and out.
One calamity was found as the access disc door to a nuc had been disturbed and closed off. Sadly the bees had consumed all their stores then starved. A hard lesson learned by all who saw all the dead bees in the bottom of the box! Glad my hives are at home and seen every day. Perhaps the design of the disc should be modified to prevent unintentional movement? Something along the lines of a spring on a longer centre screw and a peg to locate in holes on the disc periphery?
Yesterday's association apiary session was a demo of application of feeders to the hives. Two of the hives were fitted with the large rapid feeders which sit directly onto a National brood box. Each was given 8 litres of syrup with Hive Alive.
Other hives were fitted with large white rectangular rapid feeders from Th****s using super boxes as ekes. The poly nucs were fed using the integral feeders with plastic pea netting to enable the bees to climb in and out.
One calamity was found as the access disc door to a nuc had been disturbed and closed off. Sadly the bees had consumed all their stores then starved. A hard lesson learned by all who saw all the dead bees in the bottom of the box! Glad my hives are at home and seen every day. Perhaps the design of the disc should be modified to prevent unintentional movement? Something along the lines of a spring on a longer centre screw and a peg to locate in holes on the disc periphery?
