What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Goran]

Our forests are all in white.. flowers.. Wild cherries prevail.. I am on carousel job-bees-hazels.. catching the rhythm..
Comb got white note, filling with wild cherries pretty fine. Black locust awaken, I hope it will come around 6th May.. I usually extract when black locust start to flower, then I have purer black locust if it offers nectar.
Colonies still can't sell, competition is a waay too strong, they decrease the price for 30-40% according to me. I can't go so low - if I don't respect myself, no one will.. I said if I sell I will sell, if I donate I will donate and I have plenty of acquaintances to who I can donate.. I gave one colony today, hopefully new owner will have luck with black locust, 8 frames of brood+2 frames of food..

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Full inspection on all colonies.. Floors cleaned
All is well

 

[gregior]

Inspected last 3 of my 10 today all doing really well with between 7 and 12 frames brood all queens have really good laying patterns too.Held off supering as they're not quite ready for it yet but if the weather stays as forecast will add some next week.

Also repaired and removed any dodgy equipment and gave everything a really good scrape to remove any old brace comb and propolis,should make future inspections easier.Knackered!

 

[Insy]

Just ran up and chucked on a super to 5 colonies as 7-8 frames of brood in all stages and bees on all frames last inspection.
Was intending to move to **** 1-2 days ago but haven't done so yet and probably wont be able to for a week and leaving a week with this forecast and all the floral about might just fill the brood causing a block in space. I'll just have to remove the supers a day before moving and shake bees into brood box before I eventually move them.

 

[justsmith]

Frist drone of the year spoted.
Hives are starting to laying in a nice patten just the odd drone cell and the odd drone walking around on the comb.

 

[bjosephd]

4 hives into winter.
1 dead-out.
1 dlq
2 laying well.
None hungry. Plenty of stores. Probably too much actually.

Sad about the dlq. She was a good queen and was hoping to breed from her this year. She’s still there. Looks fine and healthy - but with a hive of drones, drone brood, and dwindling bees.

If I’m quick I might be able to order a queen and grow from a nuc size.

Would be sad to squish the old girl though

 

[bjosephd]

(OR she’s a late unmated supercedure. Te old queen had a habit of swiftly rubbing off her marking. So is this her clean of marks? Or a daughter?! Anyone’s guess!)

 

[madasafish]

Full inspection: all eight full jumbo langs, two jumbo nucs and three mini nucs overintered.
Marked one queen in mini nuc - last year's supercedure. Marked one hive for requeening - stung twice 9 days ago and twice today. Could not find queen (again) in biggest hive - 6 frames brood..

Going to have to rehive one side of of BE double mating nuc - three frames out of three capped brood.

Cleaned all floors. At least two weeks off supering - three weeks behind 2017.

Installing one nuc tonight at a beginner's hive.. bursting at the seams of a five frame jumbo nuc. .

 

[masterBK]

Inspected 28 of my colonies. One hive completely empty (presumed died out but no dead bodies), one failing queen and one colony probably queenless. Quite pleased with most of the rest (while most had 8 some had over 10 combs of brood). Only two colonies with a bit of chalk brood and no signs of dysentery or woodpecker damage . Not been to see them since Xmas and was surprised by how much stores they all still had. Adjoining fields of OSR will be in flower by end of next week so must think about getting the supers on soon

 

[bjosephd]

Inspected 28 of my colonies. One hive completely empty (presumed died out but no dead bodies), one failing queen and one colony probably queenless. Quite pleased with most of the rest (while most had 8 some had over 10 combs of brood). Only two colonies with a bit of chalk brood and no signs of dysentery or woodpecker damage . Not been to see them since Xmas and was surprised by how much stores they all still had. Adjoining fields of OSR will be in flower by end of next week so must think about getting the supers on soon

Where in the UK are you seeing imminent OSR?

I’m tempted to take mine up the road a few miles where I know there some gigantic fields of OSR each year.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Where in the UK are you seeing imminent OSR?

I’m tempted to take mine up the road a few miles where I know there some gigantic fields of OSR each year.

Driving home at lunchtime today I noticed a field of OSR starting to show patches of yellow flowers.
Also noticed the blackthorn hedge on my far paddock is coming into flower and the fruit trees are breaking buds.
It's going to be manic in East Yorkshire!

 

[colinc]

Blackthorn in this week and smelling great. OSR near us showing sparse yellow bits. That’s in Worcestershire.


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[enrico]

Here in Somerset there are fields of yellow, everything has come into flower at once. My bees are spoilt for choice,.. at last
E

 

[Bakerbee]

Performed my first bailey comb change. Found the queen on the first frame i got out. Beginners luck!. Fed some 2 to 1 syrup as the OSR is not quite in flower here yet. Then hubby opened back door and our 14 week old puppy ran out and got stung 5 times. One trip to the vet later i am sat with a very sleepy puppy who is having quite a nasty reaction. Hives going up and down and up again on her, clock watching till i can give her more doggy antihistamine. Shes a french bull dog but at the moment looks more like a Shar Pei! Think it will be a sleepless night watching her breathing tonight.

 

[SDM]

Finished clipping queens bar 1 black ***** that who's off like a shot every time.
Discovered I was close to getting caught out by stronger hives. Double broods well filled with bees and and a surprising amount of nectar dripping from frames. I'm off now with supers for them as they'd be running short of laying space real soon if not.

 

[maddydog]

Finished clipping queens bar 1 black ***** that who's off like a shot every time.
Discovered I was close to getting caught out by stronger hives. Double broods well filled with bees and and a surprising amount of nectar dripping from frames. I'm off now with supers for them as they'd be running short of laying space real soon if not.

Forecast cool and damp here from Monday. Damned if you do, damned if you don't

 

[birdsandbees]

was going to wait until the weekend to add space but I'm glad I didn't..

couple of strong colonies desperate for space, added a brood box of Foundation over QE as I want it drawn out but on checking while doing so found a few queen cups with eggs!

also started a Bailey Comb change on one with manky old frames that I acquired last autumn.

definitely taking some Supers out with me at the weekend as OSR now coming out and hedgerows full of Dandelions and blackthorn in flower!

yipee!

 

[B+.]

Checked the two 14*12's I look after for a lady. They are both white marked daughters of Celle queens. The first had a little over 7 frames of brood and the second had a little over 6. The other frames were full of food which they were steadily working on. I added a super with alternating comb and foundation to each. The OSR is almost ready but there is plenty of fresh nectar and pollen coming in from the hedgerows.

 

[madasafish]

Added 1 super to my largest hive - 7 frames brood .. Brood box flooded with nectar.. I know the weather will be short lived but better that than they swarm (Q of Carnie descent)

Last year this was my best honey producer 90 odd pounds...

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not in the apiary but in the garden.
Caught a swarm