What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Curly green fingers]

I have normal Paradise boxes. Older boxes are 2 cm thick poly boxes and they work as well.

I have snow 20 cm.

Paradise boxes? Never heard of them before.

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[alldigging]

Paradise boxes? Never heard of them before.

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http://paradisehoney.net/en/beebox-beehives/

 

[Goran]

Yesterday was about 7-8 C, bees out for some time while was sunny, even gathering pollen. Gave fondants, colonies seems slightly stronger. Cause of little warmer weather I don't rely that is exact strength, but as indication all is going in right direction. Significant is to see these on 4 seams don't go down with strength. Few stronger which reduce by one seam is for think about, but still are 5-6 seams.
Today is about 1-3 C, cold with some snow periods.

 

[B+.]

Yesterday was about 7-8 C, bees out for some time while was sunny,

Did you take an umbrella?

 

[Curly green fingers]

http://paradisehoney.net/en/beebox-beehives/

Thanks for that I'm going to try Poly's in years to come if all goes well!

 

[JWF]

Quick tidy up of the hedges around the apiary. All colonies flying in the bright sunshine this afternoon, with a fair bit of pollen going in. Even the hive I thought was a gonner a few weeks ago seems to have plenty of activity, and they're on the fondant finally.

Topped up fondant on one of the hives.

Need to find a bit of time to make up some frames and boxes!

 

[Goran]

Did you take an umbrella?

" I knew I forgot something.." Bees were relieved to see me..

 

[Finman]

" I knew I forgot something.." Bees were relieved to see me.. :

Good idea to go to apiary when they do cleansing flight. Relieved to get rif of poo.
.

 

[Heather]

Whilst cleaning the last of equipment, a queen bumble bee came to investigate.. get back into the warmth girl, a cold front coming.

 

[maddydog]

Even the hive I thought was a gonner a few weeks ago seems to have plenty of activity, and they're on the fondant finally.

Hopefully not robbers from the other hives!

 

[Podilia]

Until the end of this month we have cold weather (-15 at night). The most difficult periond has started. Many colonies already have brood. I checked on them and added frames with food under the nests. Two colonies happend to be near starvation. Sometimes it's easy to see whether a colony has brood just looking at the roof of that hive. A circle of melted snow on the roof shows warm of the nest with brood.

 

[Beefriendly]

Are you adding insulation to your roofs? It conserves heat and the snow just sits there, at least it does in the "mild" winter temps we get, don't know about -15C.

 

[Podilia]

The roofs have insulation 3 cm styrofoam. The space between styrofoam and a nest is 3 cm. Nests also are covered with thick cloth. More insulation in winter is more moisture and problems (early brood, spoiled honey).
The weather was quite mild in general.

 

[Finman]

More insulation in winter is more moisture and problems (early brood, spoiled honey).
.

Noooooouuuuuuuu! Something wrong in whole system.
.

 

[JWF]

Whilst cleaning the last of equipment, a queen bumble bee came to investigate.. get back into the warmth girl, a cold front coming.

I saw a couple of big queens over the weekend buzzing around under the hedge, presumably looking for somewhere to nest. It's a bit too cold and wet for them for the rest of the week though!

Hopefully not robbers from the other hives!

It didn't look frenzied so fingers crossed

 

[Podilia]

Noooooouuuuuuuu! Something wrong in whole system.
.

What's wrong? Few insulation in winter, good ventilation (through roofs in my hives), cold hives, quiet bees, no brood, no problems. I have styrofoam in roofs, other men have some kind of pillows etc. All beekeepers of our forum has no insulation, only a thin pillow on tops. I watched many videos of our beekeepers, from Belarus and Russia. Only a few covered their hives. May be we talk about different things?
I have a book "If you have bees". This is classical book. It writes: the temperature inside of a hive and outside is equal. Moisture is harmful for bees... Beekeepers in Finland keep bees in thin vertical hives with all entrances opened and free ventilation through the top of nests. Langthrot says this is the natural ventilation.

 

[Finman]

.
Wrong is your saying: More insulation, more condensation.

Condensation happens in coldest surface. IT has nothing to do with "more insulation".

 

[Finman]

Beekeepers in Finland keep bees in thin vertical hives with all entrances opened and free ventilation through the top of nests. Langthrot says this is the natural ventilation.

Langstroth lived in USA 150 years ago. They are not able to over winter their hives when now.

Finnish Style... Not at least what you write.

All holes open and even an open hole on the top. I have never meet that. Do you think that 20 kg winter food is enough in that system for 9 months ?

Where you have seen that " all holes open " style?
.
But no problem what you think. We do what we do.
We have several styles. Bees stand many styles.
.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Where you have seen that " all holes open " style?

.

Maybe he gets the BBKA magazine

 

[Finman]

.
Some guys use nails between solid floor and box. It means that rain water drills via gap onto floor.

"Remind the gap !"