What did you do in the Apiary today?

[drex]

T shirt today, so had a quick look, mainly to put frame feeders in. One colony has really dwindled, but there was bias. Did not bother to look for HM. Dummied them right down and will let nature take its course. It was the only hive in trouble. Do not mind if I lose it, as they were bad tempered last year. Put monitoring boards in. Apart from topping up the syrup will not disturb them again for a while

 

[nantmoel]

Nucs starting to expand nicley, even the two queens in a queen castle are starting to lay, they could do with a few more bees really. It was a late experiment due to having to move queens out of mating hives.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

.... Some deep yellow pollen going in..

Anyone know what this is likely to be - loads up my way as well

 

[alldigging]

Anyone know what this is likely to be - loads up my way as well

How yellow?
http://www.sheffieldbeekeepers.org.uk/tools/pollen-chart/

 

[pargyle]

Anyone know what this is likely to be - loads up my way as well

Nice to see you back - been in hibernation ? Willow and/or Blue crocus I reckon down here - plenty of both and nice deep yellow pollen in buckets full going in. Snowdrops are also a possibility but they are coming to an end where I am.

 

[Heather]

Catkin? Piling it in here..

BUT one colony, last checked 2 weeks ago, has 2 day larvae, no eggs... and 4 queen cells! . No sign of a demised queen or a rubbish one walking about.. What are they thinking?... dumped the queen cells and joined to another small- queenright- colony.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Not far from you Monsieur. This from today. I'm guessing willow.

. . . Ben

 

[BMH]

Wow. Seems early.

However, on my inspections earlier in the week I saw a good amount of drone brood and a handful of mature drones!

 

[Erichalfbee]

We went to take the nadired shallows off four colonies but as it was warm, still and sunny the exercise morphed into a look in.
Lots of brood BUT lots of stores, I had to take a couple of frames of stores out of all the hives.
First time ever I'm hoping for a little bad weather so that they get eating!
The bee shed smells, not unpleasantly, of ivy honey. Perhaps it matures a little?

 

[bjosephd]

Both double brood langs flying well, and not eating huge amounts of fondant and patty on top bars. But I have a feeling there are some big colonies in there since I can see them tonight clustering low in bottom box if I shine a torch up through the OMF. Which probably means they are reasonably filling both boxes!

The single lang brood hive has polycarbonate crown board and they are over every frame and busy in 9 seems. AND building wild comb on top! Space needed!

However, very reluctant still to lift an entire bb at this time of year as she seems a wonderful new queen (first winter)...

So she has a little extra laying space on top with my celotex dummied shallow. (And then on top goes my celotex cosy... so yes they have space up above to warm, but it's better insulated than your house!)

 

[Tremyfro]

Anyone know what this is likely to be - loads up my way as well

It could be gorse.... it's not orange...just a deep yellow. Couldn't look through our third Beehaus as the fog rolled in. Later it cleared but when we went to get the horses in...within minutes you could see to the other end of the field.

 

[Bee Bumble]

Looked at hives at an out apiary - all had 4 or 5 frames of brood and the rest solid stores. The forecast here is for cooler weather for the next two weeks, so will check again afterwards with a view to remove some of the excess stores if appropriate.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

All good possibilities - there are a lot of crocuses about at the moment so could well be they - as you say snowdrops coming to an end. Laurel another poss, its flowering around here

 

[masterBK]

Bee covered in pollen most likely to be crocus pollen (bees often get covered like that when working crocus)

 

[nantmoel]

Finally moved the hives from the garden into the new apiary, all complete now. Moved a few nucs from an out apiary into the new one, so bring on the fine weather!

 

[madasafish]

Sold two nucs

 

[Goran]

Tomorrow I will be blessed among the ladies.. Took day off to take first frame in my hands in new season.. Beeks keeps calling for colonies to buy ( a bit annoying with panic in their voice, like there is end of the world and I must give as many colonies as they want and price they think..).. Will see after inspection what I have. Still all on number but the quality is yet to be determined. If it keeps going on my nerve, I won't sell any..

 

[Plenty of honey]

Lovely day, had garden work planned but soon cancelled that when sky was blue and temp was 17, so, checked about 80 colonies in total., All good, a few weaker ones and 3 drone layers but absolutely loads of pollen going in on the Mimosas and Blackthorn amongst other things. Glad they had a good day because the next week or so it a lot colder.
Loads of frames of Larvae, glistening royal jelly in the sunshine, its been a long time coming. A nectar flow too, whats not to like. even if it goes colder the food and pollen the have stored will see them a while. So all good, onwards and upwards, back to the other job tomorrow worst luck, but its work!

 

[Brigsy]

This time of year is magic.


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[Goran]

Took frame into hands, checked 1st apiary and half of 2nd, now I am in notes.. So far, again showed to me location, location, location.. Just 500m distance and such difference.. I had to manage frames carefully cause when I lean it, pollen is pouring off it literally.. Mostly from goat willow and some cornel. Whole day bees can be heard on goat willow..
I wanted to take pics of bees and comb, but new "shiny" gloves don't let me open my mobile phone.. odd.......