What did you do in the Apiary today?

[wendyt]

Totally agree, . Makes it even worse when you see lovely weather in London at the athletics or in Goodwood at the races. Think Ammanford is the wettest place on earth... grrr.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not good here either
Honey being eaten
I wonder how mbc is doing? ....not far from me

 

[Millet]

Cut most of my privet hedge then sat in the house looking out at the bloody rain! Starting to really piss me off now, three bloody weeks of it. Wind is howling its more like a November night, someone did mention it was August mind..

The weather this month is the same here as it was last year and everything that could panned out ok ..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Gower show today - the Brynmair floor got a first in the home made equipment section, got a few other prizes as well including a second in the commercial class.

 

[colinc]

Quick check of all 3 hives good number plenty of brood and stores for now but brood nest seems to be contracting, extracted a full super which I suspect will be my last this year. The rest of anything we get now this year will probably just go into stores unless a miracle happens and weather leads to more flow....

 

[Millet]

Gower show today - the Brynmair floor got a first in the home made equipment section, got a few other prizes as well including a second in the commercial class.

Brilliant Result i hope you told SWMBO that she done you proud.

 

[Jambo]

I was standing watching my strongest hive today when a front was approaching - wind speed up, temperature down. Tens of thousands of bees must have been out foraging and all returned within 5 minutes, high speed one way traffic, astounding to watch.

Also while they had been out I had restricted their entrance a little with half a sponge at each side as there are more wasps about. This bamboozled many of them completely!

 

[Anduril]

Given clean bill of health from the Bee Inspector.

 

[gregior]

Not been to mine for 2 weeks and wasn't expecting anything special,didn't open any up but there is a huge balsam flow on here with bees so heavy they were dotted about on any available resting spot.It's only 16 degrees here today and quite breezy and overcast but the bees are working like the clappers. Was worried a lot of the honey in the supers would have been munched (i'm extracting this week) but now i'm concerned there's gonna be too much fresh nectar to extract. I picked and sucked a few balsam flowers and could taste the nectar.

Hardly any wasps knocking around (they're all on the balsam too) but did spot one or two bees with dwv which isn't surprising at this time of year so will treat after the supers are off.

 

[madasafish]

Last queen rearing underway . Nicot cupkit and Cloake Board. Queen reluctant to lay - given the weather not surprising.. Looks like three QCs started .. which will do fine.
Inspected most other colonies. The strong ones have stores in supers despite my extracting, the weak ones have nothing in supers...More requeening to come.

One queen in last batch is DLQ. Squished.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Watched a few scouts exploring the bait hive I have in the field next to the apiary.........for heaven's sake!!!!!!!

 

[theeggman]

Watched a few scouts exploring the bait hive I have in the field next to the apiary.........for heaven's sake!!!!!!!

They're not reading the book you are reading ericA.

 

[wessexmario]

Gower show today - the Brynmair floor got a first in the home made equipment section, ...

Well done, that floor design well deserves a prize.

 

[Erichalfbee]

New queen into one hive.
Stan persuaded his two granddaughters, 6 and 8, to don bee suits and have a look in a hive. Their best bit was poking honey out of a frame....bless!!!
Not in the apiary but in the garden....the bees in the tree box were busy orientating

 

[Beelzebub]

Caught a couple of Asian Hornets; double yesterday's catch.

Let them go to observe their flight direction.

 

[madasafish]

Caught a couple of Asian Hornets; double yesterday's catch.

Let them go to observe their flight direction.

I hope you reported them...

 

[Anduril]

Caught a couple of Asian Hornets; double yesterday's catch.

Let them go to observe their flight direction.

Where are you based? Jersey by any chance!!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Caught a couple of Asian Hornets; double yesterday's catch.

Let them go to observe their flight direction.

With a packed lunch of Fipronil?

 

[Dadnlad]

Miserable weather again, managed to get out in a break in it and fed all our nucs

Feels autumnal already -starting to keep an eye on sugar prices in early August !

 

[madasafish]

Cleaned extractor with a hose in nice sunny pm..194lbs of honey extracted from 3 hives. 120lbs bottled todate. 46lbs sold.
Six full supers left for bees as I am running out of jars .


Queen rearing almost finished. Last batch affected by weather - only 2 QCs raised..Will emerge 19th August - interesting to see if they get mated successfully.

I am going into winter with 8 full hives and likely 4 nucs. Far too many if we have a good summer next year -if all hives produced as this year I would be drowning in honey. It will never happen.. something will go wrong! But I think I may have to downsize ...