What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Last week one of my farmer neighbours destroyed a 100 metre long stand of mature Hawthorne groaning in berries, then put a stock fence each side.

How 'good' was the hedge though? it could have been part of the Glastir higher stewarship scheme - they sometimes encourage the cutting of overgrown/straggly hedges back down to the base to encourage stronger lower level growth

Does not matter, gone off the Welsh already,

I can assure you the feeling was reciprocated a long time ago

 

[Millet]

So your bees are little snowflakes ? Presumably they post on Facebook and Twitter?

If you spot a post on either please tell me.. these can be sneaky little Devils at times..

 

[Angry_Mob]

Received a black queen from Jonathan Getty; split a national AMM hive to make up two strong nucs. The one with the new queen is closed in. Bees were very well behaved.

Feed both nucs at 22:00. One of the other nucs I have looks to be a very promising; when I went up with the torch 20 or 30 were coming out the front of the hive; on my other colonies that late they don't even bother except maybe 1 or 2.

 

[foghornleghorn]

These guys simply sell crop off as no animals left...except bed & breakfasting pigs. What gets bigger price wildflower hay bales or silage?

Higher yields off silage and unless they have fools lined up silage will get the higher price.
The problem is that feeding quality declines the later it's cut, there'd be a few litres less produced by a cow on wildflower hay vs silage, unless it's something like sainfoin

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Higher yields off silage and unless they have fools lined up silage will get the higher price.
The problem is that feeding quality declines the later it's cut, there'd be a few litres less produced by a cow on wildflower hay vs silage, unless it's something like sainfoin

Horses are often better being fed on poorer stuff. Too many overfed with all sorts of hoof and health issues as a result. There's a happy medium between over and underfeeding.

 

[Beefriendly]

Higher yields off silage and unless they have fools lined up silage will get the higher price.
The problem is that feeding quality declines the later it's cut, there'd be a few litres less produced by a cow on wildflower hay vs silage, unless it's something like sainfoin

Interesting thanks.
Most of the farmers I talk to are more interested in the well being of their animals. Outdoor reared pigs, grass-fed beef, free-range chickens etc. All attract a premium price
A bit like proper honey does.

 

[simonforeman]

Watching the hives this morning in the warm sunshine... they are bringing in orange and yellow pollen like there's no tomorrow....
There must be more going in than at the height of summer....

 

[B+.]

As some of you know, I have apiaries all over the Duke of Bedfordshires Estate at Woburn. I also look after a couple of 14x12's in the Dowager Duchess' walled garden.
I was asked some time ago to train some of the Estate staff and to provide them with bees which will be located in the private gardens behind the Bedford Estate offices just off Russell Square in London.
I completed that task this morning when the bees were loaded into the back of a van and transferred to their home on Montague Street.
I will, of course, continue to mentor the team in London but I wish them luck in their endevours.
The queens are open mated daughters of 55-35-9-2017 (extremely docile as all the NL Line are) and have developed quite well at one of my apiaries through the summer (see attached photo).

 

[enrico]

Watching the hives this morning in the warm sunshine... they are bringing in orange and yellow pollen like there's no tomorrow....
There must be more going in than at the height of summer....

I have this bright orange pollen too. I just can't find where it is coming from!
Any ideas?
E

 

[simonforeman]

Ivy around my garden and other gardens is about ready to burst so there may be some out somewhere else that they are bringing in...... They look to be 50-50 the bees with pollen and I'm hopeing nectar... 21 degrees here and as still as it can be so perfect for them to get winter stores built up.

 

[beeno]

I have this bright orange pollen too. I just can't find where it is coming from!
Any ideas?
E

Hawkesbeard?

 

[Erichalfbee]

As some of you know, I have apiaries all over the Duke of Bedfordshires Estate at Woburn. I also look after a couple of 14x12's in the Dowager Duchess' walled garden.
I was asked some time ago to train some of the Estate staff and to provide them with bees which will be located in the private gardens behind the Bedford Estate offices just off Russell Square in London.
I completed that task this morning when the bees were loaded into the back of a van and transferred to their home on Montague Street.
I will, of course, continue to mentor the team in London but I wish them luck in their endevours.
The queens are open mated daughters of 55-35-9-2017 (extremely docile as all the NL Line are) and have developed quite well at one of my apiaries through the summer (see attached photo).

Brilliant work Paul.
Good job you’re keeping an eye open for them.

 

[Popparand]

Hawkesbeard?

My girls are bringing in a lot of light yellow through to orange pollen. I think some of it might be from mustard (?) planted by a local farmer as part of a wild flower/pollinator field margin as I have noticed quite a few honey bees on it.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Posh bees mwahahaha

 

[B+.]

Brilliant work Paul.
Good job you’re keeping an eye open for them.

Apparently, they weren't too happy when they arrived. I'm not surprised really - they've been sealed up all day and transferred to a new site in the back of a van. The driver was asked to drive carefully, but, who knows what the roads were like. They may have been bumped around a bit.

 

[B+.]

Posh bees mwahahaha

Very much so

 

[taurus]

I opened one of my hives which had formed a supercedure cell at the end of July. I was rather surprised to find a new queen sat right on top of one of the frames - so surprised she scuttled down before I could reach for my marking kit.

Could I then find her again? - Of course not!

But I did find the old queen still wandering around quite happily. No eggs anywhere though. They produced very few drones this summer and I haven't seen any for weeks so I just hope the new queen managed to get mated.

 

[beeno]

My girls are bringing in a lot of light yellow through to orange pollen. I think some of it might be from mustard (?) planted by a local farmer as part of a wild flower/pollinator field margin as I have noticed quite a few honey bees on it.

Mine have found the ivy which in my subjective view is classified as egg yolk yellow. I would expect mustard to be the same colour pollen as OSR of which I get none. Mustard is usually grown as a 'green manure' at this time of the year to be plowed back in i.e. a cover crop. Hawksbeard is luminous orange.

 

[Millet]

I have this bright orange pollen too. I just can't find where it is coming from!
Any ideas?
E

I know where mine are getting bright Orange pollen from and it is Dalia .. i have been watching them collecting it in good numbers and fairly large loads..

 

[Millet]

As some of you know, I have apiaries all over the Duke of Bedfordshires Estate at Woburn..

Mine little darlings are on the Duke of Northumberlads Estate not far from Alnwick Castle... does that qualify my bees as posh bees..