Hello my one reader !
So the feeding has been completed - bar the dregs combined onto the hive that was luckiest (the one at the end of the Apiary !) I can't believe how they have taken the Maisemore Ambrosia this year. Not used it before and a darn sight easier than having to make up syrup myself. That said I know many do and going the 'pre mixed' way isn't the cheapest.
Like many I struggle to make really 'Thick' syrup as it seems to not only take ages and loads of gas/electricity to boil the water, but all to often it crusts either in the pan or in the feeder.
The hives are pretty much there for winter now - mouse guards and entrance blocks in, 2nd ApiGuard on and feeders and ekes removed.
I was amazed though to check through some of the hives that had supers on them to find the syrup had been taken into the brood chambers - and drawn comb along with freshly drawn comb in the supers containing honey that has come in during the past month since I removed the main honey crop.
Not being sure whether it was honey (it probably was) or syrup and as it wasn't capped, I opted to leave it on - free feeding for the winter !
The hives all had brood inside and pollen coming in by the barrel-load - but I suspect this activity will be curtailed this week as colder wetter weather is on it's way. Most of the hives had BIAS and also plenty of bees spilling out of the brood chambers. I only hope there aren't too many bees for the suggested Extreme winter we're meant to be getting, and that there are enough stores.
I had a chat to the foreman of the railway gang working near-by and he said mid week he couldn't place the 'hum' when he paused midday - it wasn't his machinery - then he realised it was the bees.....I hope it wasn't a late swarm emerging !!! That said on a quiet day you really can hear them. Music to my ears.
Sunday has been spent finishing off bottling and labelling up the first 144 jars, cleaning buckets and feeders, tidying up and planning to fit some flight boards to the hive stands.
I was having a good chat to Eric Hiam at Maisemore last week and he suggested fitting them to the stands as if the bees fly in the cold, it often saves a bee rather than it missing the entrance and falling to the floor. Good advice from a great beekeeper !
The only thing on my mind now is what do I do next season...I made increase this year successfully to 13 colonies, lost 2 to swarms, 1 went Queenless and united - only 2 weeks ago.
So do I aim to split next year and get to 20 ?
I do need 5 colonies as have agreed to take under management 5 WBCs at a local hotel for a friend. Thankfully I never got rid of all my old WBC brood chambers and supers so these will come in handy. But I need to complete a stock check and I can see a large list being created for the sales....OUCH !
Hey ho. It's almost the end of the year. Here's to it being a quick winter, great spring and a better summer than 2015 in 2016 !
VBW
Somerford
So the feeding has been completed - bar the dregs combined onto the hive that was luckiest (the one at the end of the Apiary !) I can't believe how they have taken the Maisemore Ambrosia this year. Not used it before and a darn sight easier than having to make up syrup myself. That said I know many do and going the 'pre mixed' way isn't the cheapest.
Like many I struggle to make really 'Thick' syrup as it seems to not only take ages and loads of gas/electricity to boil the water, but all to often it crusts either in the pan or in the feeder.
The hives are pretty much there for winter now - mouse guards and entrance blocks in, 2nd ApiGuard on and feeders and ekes removed.
I was amazed though to check through some of the hives that had supers on them to find the syrup had been taken into the brood chambers - and drawn comb along with freshly drawn comb in the supers containing honey that has come in during the past month since I removed the main honey crop.
Not being sure whether it was honey (it probably was) or syrup and as it wasn't capped, I opted to leave it on - free feeding for the winter !
The hives all had brood inside and pollen coming in by the barrel-load - but I suspect this activity will be curtailed this week as colder wetter weather is on it's way. Most of the hives had BIAS and also plenty of bees spilling out of the brood chambers. I only hope there aren't too many bees for the suggested Extreme winter we're meant to be getting, and that there are enough stores.
I had a chat to the foreman of the railway gang working near-by and he said mid week he couldn't place the 'hum' when he paused midday - it wasn't his machinery - then he realised it was the bees.....I hope it wasn't a late swarm emerging !!! That said on a quiet day you really can hear them. Music to my ears.
Sunday has been spent finishing off bottling and labelling up the first 144 jars, cleaning buckets and feeders, tidying up and planning to fit some flight boards to the hive stands.
I was having a good chat to Eric Hiam at Maisemore last week and he suggested fitting them to the stands as if the bees fly in the cold, it often saves a bee rather than it missing the entrance and falling to the floor. Good advice from a great beekeeper !
The only thing on my mind now is what do I do next season...I made increase this year successfully to 13 colonies, lost 2 to swarms, 1 went Queenless and united - only 2 weeks ago.
So do I aim to split next year and get to 20 ?
I do need 5 colonies as have agreed to take under management 5 WBCs at a local hotel for a friend. Thankfully I never got rid of all my old WBC brood chambers and supers so these will come in handy. But I need to complete a stock check and I can see a large list being created for the sales....OUCH !
Hey ho. It's almost the end of the year. Here's to it being a quick winter, great spring and a better summer than 2015 in 2016 !
VBW
Somerford
