What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Supers of uncapped stores under five hives. Frame of foundation in the middle of the brood nest in two colonies bulging with stores. Not much feeding if any needed this year unless ivy fails

 

[Dadnlad]

Checked through our production hives and all are queenright with suprisingly more stores than expected

Has been a record year here for us - only our seventh but nearly double last years production

Shouldn't need to buy any sugar this year, just fondant for emergency spring feeding

 

[Angry_Mob]

Made up two vaping boards, one for the Abelo poly hives which slides in nicely on the metal runners; the other for nucs. The nuc one was very successful, no leakage at all.

After vaping the native black bees must of buzzed for several minutes before calming down, it didn't seem to phase the Buckfast colonies at all.

Give all hives the first vape then give a feed after.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Put clearer boards on the association hives in the morning, all bees flying strongly, plastered in balsam pollen.
Took syrup supplies to the furthest out apiaries after lunch (the ones lightest on stores) and put feeders on - dismal, drizzly almost thundery like conditions up there but bees flying strongly to the HB - all the bees came piling out to meet me so they were just not pleased with my presence and I quickly beat a retreat, by the time I got to the lowest apiary, sun was out and the bees were chilled

 

[Beefriendly]

Sorted out one apiary for winter and fed. It was cold and the bees were quite grumpy. I was glad when I got finished. As it's my furthest one decided apivar strips where only marginally more expensive than my diesel bill for 4 rounds of vaping.
Came back and made a humungous amount of 2:1. Used a 100kgs of highly expensive Lidls sugar at 64p/kg. Record timing of 2 hours 10 minutes...I think I've got my technique down to a tee....at least for my small requirements.
Seeing as how I had just removed 90lbs of late summer blossom honey from my hives that hadn't gone to the heather I don't really care too much if I overpaid for sugar. It won't give me sleepless nights that I didn't save a few bob more.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Up to the castle to put the feeders on the hives up there.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Vaped all three hives for the third time. Two colonies had very small drop, third had quite a heavy drop. Fed this years swarm for second time with syrup and added fondant to one hive. Bees all quite active, one lot in particular clearly enjoying HB.

 

[Millet]

Checked and removed the inspection boards and i have another wild card for dropping huge amounts of varroa after the third gassing session.. i am amazed to see the bees are still collecting Rose Bay Willow Herb pollen by the dropped loads on the inspection boards.

 

[Millet]

Up to the castle to put the feeders on the hives up there.

How do you get on top of the castle..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How do you get on top of the castle..

walk from the bottom then Stairs - how else? although if I'm lucky, Bernard will give me a lift in the Mule

 

[masterBK]

Beefriendly paying more for sugar than he needs to. Can't be a proper Yorkshireman

 

[Beefriendly]

Beefriendly paying more for sugar than he needs to. Can't be a proper Yorkshireman

Thank you for those kind words.
Pray, do tell where a penny-pinching Tyke can get sugar cheaper that doesn't involve a long drive from where I live?

 

[Angry_Mob]

Thank you for those kind words.
Pray, do tell where a penny-pinching Tyke can get sugar cheaper that doesn't involve a long drive from where I live?

Only a penny in it but I buy the 5kg bags from Tesco at £0.63/kg. More for the convenience though. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/266399978

 

[Beefriendly]

Only a penny in it but I buy the 5kg bags from Tesco at £0.63/kg. More for the convenience though. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/266399978

Thanks for that A_M. Too many shouting how cheap they get their sugar and not informing others where they get it from.
Alas, our local Tesco is small and doesn't do the 5kg bags...I'd have to travel an extra 24 miles to a bigger Tesco store that does and for a 1p per kg saving....or to arrive there wanting 20 bags to only find 5 left on the shelf.
I may be a Tyke, but I'm not stupid.
Best price I get online is Amazon Pantry 5kg bags at 63p/kg. Max order of 10 and £3.99 delivery, £1.99 for any further deliveries. Even saves me having to drive to Lidls'...

 

[colinc]

Thanks for that A_M. Too many shouting how cheap they get their sugar and not informing others where they get it from.

Alas, our local Tesco is small and doesn't do the 5kg bags...I'd have to travel an extra 24 miles to a bigger Tesco store that does and for a 1p per kg saving....or to arrive there wanting 20 bags to only find 5 left on the shelf.

I may be a Tyke, but I'm not stupid.

Best price I get online is Amazon Pantry 5kg bags at 63p/kg. Max order of 10 and £3.99 delivery, £1.99 for any further deliveries. Even saves me having to drive to Lidls'...

Not sure if you have one near but 55p/kg in 2kg bags at Morrison’s is what I paid. They have been cheapest around me by that 10p/kg last few years.


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[simonforeman]

Bought today from Aldi 2kg bags for £1 so even with my maths that's 50p kg. It is beet sugar. No problem with that from the answers on one of my posts earlier in the week....

 

[Millet]

Thank you for those kind words.
Pray, do tell where a penny-pinching Tyke can get sugar cheaper that doesn't involve a long drive from where I live?

If you have any farm food stores in your area they are knocking it out at 50p per kg..

 

[thibault]

Promotion sugar B&M Leicester, 50p/kg

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[Beefriendly]

Thanks for all the suggestions, apart from Aldi they are all long drives between 34 to 40-mile return trip. Last time I was in Aldi the 1kg bags were the same price as Lidl; 64p. I shall have to go back and see if I missed their 2kg bags.
Judging by the current levels of stores in many brood boxes they will need a bit of grub this autumn.

 

[gregior]

Took the last of the supers off today,still lots of uncapped from a strong balsam flow but all passed the shake test.Vaped them all after removing the supers fair to say they weren't too impressed!
Still plenty of brood in the hives and some are a bit low on winter stores but with the recent very wet weather and a bit of a heatwave forecast for next week I think they still have time to stock up well on the balsam in time for winter.Averaged around 80lbs per colony this year with the vast majority coming in before the start of July which up here is very unusual.