What did you do in the Apiary today?

[YorkshireBees]

Check all of my colonies, found one Q- no idea why, nice QC but very late for a new Q. Will probably have to combine on my inspection.

Moved 2 MM jumbo feeders to other hives and filled them up with 5 litres of syrup.

Just have to move another jumbo feeder today and check levels in all other feeders.

 

[Firefly]

"ha, your tongue is firmly in cheek !"

hope it did fly too high over the heads of new forum members!!!

welcome back.

Certainly well over my head, but N Wilts sounds nice. Earlier this summer I took a lovely canoe trip - 14 miles to Bath and back - along the Kennet & Avon canal. There were 2 splendid hives on either side of a well tended lawn facing the canal. One looked like a new colony this year. Stopped and enjoyed them for a while but, stupidly (and twice!), forgot to take a photo. Anyone we know?

 

[Haughton Honey]

Set up four more double hive stands in a new out-apiary.

That lovely blue flower on the right is chicory, which my local farmer grows loads of for his silage.

Bless him. He even cleared the site with the JCB!

 

[Skyhook]

Check all of my colonies, found one Q- no idea why, nice QC but very late for a new Q. Will probably have to combine on my inspection.

One nice QC- are you absolutely sure they're Q-, not just planning a supercedure?

 

[Chris Luck]

That lovely blue flower on the right is chicory, which my local farmer grows loads of for his silage.

Sadly French bees don't use it although it grows wild here all along the road and track sides. Never seen it grown as "a crop" though, a field of it must be stunning.

Chris

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One nice QC- are you absolutely sure they're Q-, not just planning a supercedure?

same thought crossed my mind

 

[Haughton Honey]

Sadly French bees don't use it although it grows wild here all along the road and track sides. Never seen it grown as "a crop" though, a field of it must be stunning.

Chris

It only ever gets to flower on the 8ft field headlands which are left to their own devices.....otherwise the pastures are cut two or three times a year to feed his 1200 head of dairy cattle!

I've seen it in France too as we have a place near Charolles in Burgundy. Good for pollen at this time of the year, although the flowers tend to close from mid-afternoon.

 

[Gardenbees]

Set up four more double hive stands in a new out-apiary.

Whoo - there's posh hive stands! Reckon you could put a tablecloth over those and eat off 'em!

Went to gaze fondly at my recently-united hive. Now just have the two, both looking strong for the winter and foraging madly on balsam. It's starting to look as though I might not need any extra feed for either of them, which would be a first - Thank you, invasive problem plant!!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Set up four more double hive stands in a new out-apiary.

Yup nice ones - all your own work?

 

[itma]

Set up four more double hive stands in a new out-apiary.
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Nice stands! What are the 'feet'?

However, as a newb reading about the problems of drifting and appropriate apiary layout, isn't that layout a bit too regular for its own good?

 

[Haughton Honey]

Nice stands! What are the 'feet'?

However, as a newb reading about the problems of drifting and appropriate apiary layout, isn't that layout a bit too regular for its own good?

Aye, all my own work. Redwood sealed with green plasti-kote paint.

They sit in 2" x 2" Fencemate fence post supports that are driven 18" in to the ground for stability.

As regards positioning, they're each 3ft apart and the hives will be facing north, east, south, west + north, east, south, west to avoid drifting.

 

[YorkshireBees]

One nice QC- are you absolutely sure they're Q-, not just planning a supercedure?

I say Q- as there was no eggs visible and a nice plump QC at the bottom of one of the frames.
As I am working away next week I will not rush into combining but as the weather is starting to turn colder I just hope the new Q can mate in time otherwise I will have to combine.

Went round topping up the feeders and moved a jumbo feeder (MM green one) onto the last hive that needs feeding. Most of the hives I have been feeding have slowed down in their intake of syrup, however it was a lovely sunny, relatively warm and windless day so a lot of outside activity on most hives.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Half way through inspecting no1 hive when my mobile went - it was the local bee inspector calling on the offchance as he was in the area (we've both been hard to get hold of the last few months he with AFB in Tenby and me just work as usual) so ten minutes later he was with me to inspect all hives and help me mark two of my queens - one I had marked ten days ago but she seems to have managed to get rid of all the paint.
Let him carry on and do all the manipulations himself - and why not! and glean a lot of good advice - advised me not to Apiguard the two splits as Varoah isn't too bad and they needed as much brood as possible for the winter, advised to OA Christmas.
Put a MM second quality jumbo feeder on one hive - slightly warped (as they warned) so a bit wobbly but the weight of the syrup and roof sorted that out - plopped a breezeblock on as well to make sure.
All in all a very productive day

 

[YorkshireBees]

Rushed round like crazy between the heavy showers topping up any feeders that needed it before my week away!
Glad to see the 3 hives that have the MM jumbo feeders on were going great guns on the syrup!
Most of the other hives have slowed down / almost stopped taking down syrup so should be just about ready for winter.

As it was raining not much activity until I reached the last 3 hives and it had stopped raining and a few brave bees came out to see what I was up to.

 

[VEG]

Put clearer boards on my hives (first time using them)

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Checked the stores - one is overflowing, one is about right and one which I'd been relying on clearing some stored frames, was a bit light, so some syrup for that one later.

 

[northernsoul]

Changed blocks of Apilifevar.

Filled all rapid feeders again. Wife as usual fed up of endless syrup preparation. Sugar hidden in boot of my car so she doesn't actually know how much sugar I use! (Cash payments at supermarket too. It's like having an affair, not that I'd know)

 

[busybee53]

In the rain: Cleared out the varoa trays and replaced. Fed syrup.

Last year the syrup crystalised and stuck the plastic dome down so well we had to use a hammer and chisel to get it off. Broke it. This year replaced it with a squashed flowerpot and loads of lavender stalks for the bees to walk about on. They love it and its much cleaner. Thinking of using the same in the feeder I didn't break.

Keeping fingers crossed that the queen in that hive is having a rest from laying. Planning when to do a test frame just in case.

Got soaked. On the way home the sun came out.

 

[Jimmy]

Last year the syrup crystalised and stuck the plastic dome down so well we had to use a hammer and chisel to get it off. Broke it.

Why not dissolve the crystallised syrup in water?

 

[Cazza]

. Sugar hidden in boot of my car so she doesn't actually know how much sugar I use! )

That made me laugh. I hide mine in a wardrobe.
Cazza