What did you do in the Apiary today?

[maddydog]

You have swarmy bee stock then.
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Probably no more or less than most

A 2017 queen won't swarm this year but will likely try next year if I don't give her enough room.

 

[B+.]

I'm passing my colonies on to another over the next year, and yesterday was her first inspection. Went very well, she spotted an unmarked queen immediately, something I'd failed to do on numerous occasions, which we then marked. All three colonies showing good laying and sufficient stores, if down on pollen and not a lot of extra honey for an eventual harvest. Two previously grumpy colonies very well behaved. Varroa boards put in.

It must be hard to pass on something that you have worked on. Will you continue to mentor the lady? It sounds like she is very competent already.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

It must be hard to pass on something that you have worked on. Will you continue to mentor the lady? It sounds like she is very competent already.

Done it for nine years now (realise this is insignificant compared to many here) and getting out while still some enjoyment. The lady who is taking over hasn't done it before, beyond a couple of inspections with me, but is a good learner, I have said I'll help her out for the first year at least

 

[B+.]

Done it for nine years now (realise this is insignificant compared to many here) and getting out while still some enjoyment. The lady who is taking over hasn't done it before, beyond a couple of inspections with me, but is a good learner, I have said I'll help her out for the first year at least

That sounds like a smooth transition. I don't know how I would feel about giving up. I suppose it's something we all have to face though

 

[Anduril]

One of my swibine mini nucs decided to abscond, found it in a five frame nuc. Discerning bees turned down a poly mating nuc for a much larger 14x12 5 frame 9mm ply nuc. They had only been in there for 2 weeks.

 

[Hachi]

Did my first cut out today, a colony in a chimney top turned into a garden ornament. Tipped it over to smoke underneath but had to dig out a red ant nest first.

Managed to get all the comb into frames using the rubber band trick. Didn't see Queenie so hope she's in the new brood box. Going back later to collect.

 

[Fusion_power]

The spring flow ended about a week ago. We are now in mid-summer dearth. I have a few colonies hauling larvae out of the hive. The fall flow will start in about 4 weeks give or take 2 weeks. A total break from brood rearing gives the bees time to clean up any varroa mites in the hive.

 

[Brigsy]

All four colonies behaving for the last three weeks. New queens laying. No problems showing. I'm suspicious. They're up to something. I know it.


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[colinc]

Newest colony has a mated laying queen but suspect she is scrub. Poorly mated. 1 frame of brood only and nothing like wall to wall and she is quite short on abdomen size. She failed the hive tool test but her colony is now merging onto my old girls colony. Back to my preference of 3 colonies again.


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[Erichalfbee]

Watched the tree bees in the garden. They have found the himalayan balsam

 

[MadAnt]

Picked one of the traps with some "tennants".

 

[Fusion_power]

I've been setting up 2 queen colonies for winter with a divider in a square Dadant hive. Today I had to separate two of the nucs putting them in individual hives. The reason is unusual. We have had very high rainfall this year which prolonged the spring flow at least a month longer than normal. As a result, bees continued to produce brood long after they would normally have halted and taken a mid-summer break. There was a huge positive in having an extended flow. I was able to raise queens with ease at a time when it would normally have been difficult. The nucs I was setting up continued to produce brood with the result that the 6 frame nucs became overcrowded. One of the nucs in this hive had expanded so much that bees were hanging in a permanent beard on the front of the hive. If I let them continue, they would eventually have killed the second queen. The best choice was to put them in separate hives.

 

[nantmoel]

One of my swibine mini nucs decided to abscond, found it in a five frame nuc. Discerning bees turned down a poly mating nuc for a much larger 14x12 5 frame 9mm ply nuc. They had only been in there for 2 weeks.

I have had quiet a few abscond this year, early season. They seem to be staying put know (thank god). I have a few in Queen Castle waiting to mate as well. I have 8 vigins, and have manage to get two mated so far.

 

[madasafish]

Inspected all (except horrible one) hives this am.. Sunny and war. Most productive# has superceded, found and marked queen
# extracted 55lbs to date from two supers last week, another two now full so vortex clearer board on again...

Only two stings.. wearing vinyl gloves for a change as 15 stings last week was enough for a while..(mainly climbing up my legs

 

[Eyeman]

Inspected all (except horrible one) hives this am.. Sunny and war. Most productive# has superceded, found and marked queen
# extracted 55lbs to date from two supers last week, another two now full so vortex clearer board on again...

Only two stings.. wearing vinyl gloves for a change as 15 stings last week was enough for a while..(mainly climbing up my legs

your Lang supers hold a lot more that my nationals which average 17-18lb / super.
Did your season start late this year?

 

[Hebeegeebee]

A 2017 queen won't swarm this year but will likely try next year if I don't give her enough room.

if from swarmy stock she could!

 

[madasafish]

your Lang supers hold a lot more that my nationals which average 17-18lb / super.
Did your season start late this year?

Late May flow followed by early June and now..

Lang shallow supers hold about 14 -15kg when fully capped. I run 9-10 frames /box - depends if Manley then 10, others 9 - and the really full ones weigh about 22kg - which is hard work lifting on/off a stack of 4 or 5.. I extract as they fill as the weight can be too much..

Average is 110 pounds over 5 supers or 22 lbs... I have another three fully capped to extract later this week.. Wheelbarrow job from garden to house..

And about 5-6 full brood frames - about 4kg of honey each..I tried using a brood box as a super - immoveable!

 

[maddydog]

if from swarmy stock she could!

I was using my own bees as the yardstick after finnie suggested I had swarmy bees

I've not had a queen in it's first year swarm but neither have I had 3 or 4yo that hasn't tried

 

[Finman]

.
I took a swarm from pine from hight of 10 metres. Not easy job.
.
First hive bursted the level of 100 kg. The nucs, what I made at the beginning of May, have 60 kg.

.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Last of the splits has re-queened
Marked her and fingers crossed for worker brood.
One queen has laid two frames of drone and to my horror I think it's my fault. I gave the colony two empty free drawn combs with lots of drone cells on it. I could kick myself....what a waste of effort. I am now in two minds whether to take them out and sacrifice the 25% of worker brood or bung the two frames over a queen excluder!!!!!!!!!!
My one and only queen that didn't make swarm preps looks like she is being superseded.