What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Ian123]

Just cut a colony out of old yew tree, managed to save 3 frames of brood but scrapped the rest. A few bees with dw and did not find the queen. I’ve cleaned out the cavity and left nuc box in place I will go back in a couple of hours to see if there’s any clustered in trunk

 

[wessexmario]

I've also just rescued a colony from a felled council tree. (it's the tree that was felled, some might prefer the it was the council
After a couple of days they're really busy pulling in the ivy pollen and gulping down the sugar syrup, so although I didn't have much choice other than to re-home this colony so late in the season, they seem to have the right attitude.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Bt1Q13cNYDdtwLKnnWRpYawHE8y4kTP0

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have my fingers crossed for all these rescued bees. Well done.
The colony drive to survive is amazing.
I had a box in a tree at the bottom of the garden occupied by a swarm last year. This spring they were obviously dwindling. Fifty bees swarmed with their queen in the middle of April in a desperate attempt to survive.
They did and their queen lives on in her colony in my apiary.

 

[citrus]

Applied apivar to all three colony's at home , I put the strips in-between frame 2/3 and 5/6 right in the cluster of the brood box , I put half back on and have given each hive 2 pints of syryp,To get lots of movement in the hives. Hopefully that will sort the critters out !
I will check in a month and move them if needs be I'm going for six weeks with two hives and 10 weeks for the worst hive .

do you have any advice on what to do for double brood ... do you need to use 4 sheets ...or just do the top half ?

 

[Ian123]

Well on the second attempt they are now all in a nuc box and pollen is going in front door, I will return early in the morning and close up

 

[Podilia]

Hives arrived home. The last nice days before very unpleasant season which I don't like - grey, cold and wet November and then dull winter. The bees still can take syrup so I've given it to some hives in need.
In general autumn is warmer than usual, many trees are still green. In Ukrainian this month is called "yellow", the warm period in October is "grandmother's summer".

 

[Angry_Mob]

Removed my four Ashforth feeders which will allow me to use my clear poly crown boards.

Was thinking I should just set the feeders on top of the crown board for convenience and extra insulation.

 

[bpmurray]

Since we are promised pretty dreadful weather over the next week or so, I added mouse guards to hives close to home along with the floor inserts - need to add them in the few further away from home. Insulated the roofs for the 2 wooden hives in the garden - need to insulate a few more. Now it really feels like we're heading into the winter, unfortunately. Roll on March (hopefully not April 21 again like last year).

 

[B+.]

Bedford Estates / Red Carnation Project

A little over a year ago, I was contacted by the Steward of Bedford Estates who asked me to help them with a beekeeping project. How could I refuse?

I have apiaries all over the estate and look after some hives belonging to the Dowager Duchess. To ensure consistency of hive format, we decided that 14*12 Nationals would be used. An area was paved and planted in the Estate private gardens on Montague Street(London) and I made splits from the Duchess' colonies, provided mated queens from my own line and set them up on one of the farms for a couple of weeks. This gave time for the queens to be accepted and lay out a nice brood nest in each hive. Then, the time came to move them to London and I sealed the hives for transport, taking care to cage the queens the night before so they wouldn't be injured during the journey.
The team of four, which I had taught the basics of beekeeping to, received the hives upon their arrival and set them up in their new home....a very "Des Res"!
A few weeks ago, I received another email. This time from the marketing department. They wanted to do a "follow up" on the project for their readers. You can read the outcome here:

https://www.redcarnationhotels.com/blog/bloomsbury-bees

 

[Millet]

A little over a year ago, I was contacted by the Steward of Bedford Estates who asked me to help them with a beekeeping project. How could I refuse?

I have apiaries all over the estate and look after some hives belonging to the Dowager Duchess. To ensure consistency of hive format, we decided that 14*12 Nationals would be used. An area was paved and planted in the Estate private gardens on Montague Street(London) and I made splits from the Duchess' colonies, provided mated queens from my own line and set them up on one of the farms for a couple of weeks. This gave time for the queens to be accepted and lay out a nice brood nest in each hive. Then, the time came to move them to London and I sealed the hives for transport, taking care to cage the queens the night before so they wouldn't be injured during the journey.
The team of four, which I had taught the basics of beekeeping to, received the hives upon their arrival and set them up in their new home....a very "Des Res"!
A few weeks ago, I received another email. This time from the marketing department. They wanted to do a "follow up" on the project for their readers. You can read the outcome here:

https://www.redcarnationhotels.com/blog/bloomsbury-bees

That sounds good for all involved Paul... .. you can come and set some hives up with your Queens on the Duke of Northumberlands land if you ever get bored...

 

[For want of a better word]

Hives arrived home. The last nice days before very unpleasant season which I don't like - grey, cold and wet November and then dull winter. The bees still can take syrup so I've given it to some hives in need.
In general autumn is warmer than usual, many trees are still green. In Ukrainian this month is called "yellow", the warm period in October is "grandmother's summer".
View attachment 16140

View attachment 16141

Here in Cornwall we get an extended "Indian Summer".... great to go onto the beaches and up onto the moors without the car parks full of tourists!
Set to change for a week to storms... then another week or two of Halcyon days until the frosts set in.

Yeghes da

 

[masterBK]

Took feeders off and removed Apivar strips out of 23 hives. The strips were well propolised in requiring strong pulls with pliers to get them out. Hive roofs now weighed down with concrete blocks ready for the forthcoming storms. Not likely to visit them again until December when they will be treated with Oxalic dribble and woodpecker nets put over them.

 

[Curly green fingers]

do you have any advice on what to do for double brood ... do you need to use 4 sheets ...or just do the top half ?

I would still use 2 strips but put them down in the first box . I've put mine in-between frames 2/3 and 5/6.
I've brood on 6-7 frames in the brood and the same in the half. Does that help?
Cheers mark.

 

[Stiffy]

A little over a year ago, I was contacted by the Steward of Bedford Estates who asked me to help them with a beekeeping project. How could I refuse?

I have apiaries all over the estate and look after some hives belonging to the Dowager Duchess. To ensure consistency of hive format, we decided that 14*12 Nationals would be used. An area was paved and planted in the Estate private gardens on Montague Street(London) and I made splits from the Duchess' colonies, provided mated queens from my own line and set them up on one of the farms for a couple of weeks. This gave time for the queens to be accepted and lay out a nice brood nest in each hive. Then, the time came to move them to London and I sealed the hives for transport, taking care to cage the queens the night before so they wouldn't be injured during the journey.
The team of four, which I had taught the basics of beekeeping to, received the hives upon their arrival and set them up in their new home....a very "Des Res"!
A few weeks ago, I received another email. This time from the marketing department. They wanted to do a "follow up" on the project for their readers. You can read the outcome here:

https://www.redcarnationhotels.com/blog/bloomsbury-bees

Well done, what a change to read an article that isn't filled with how the planet is doomed and misinformation about bees.
S

 

[citrus]

I would still use 2 strips but put them down in the first box . I've put mine in-between frames 2/3 and 5/6.
I've brood on 6-7 frames in the brood and the same in the half. Does that help?
Cheers mark.

Cheers Mark ... thanks for the feedback

 

[Beefriendly]

do you have any advice on what to do for double brood ... do you need to use 4 sheets ...or just do the top half ?

Yes, you need 4 strips for double brood box. 2 in each. Or at least that is what the instructions say.
https://www.dadant.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2011/09/Apivar-leaflet-EDITED-010413.pdf

 

[Goran]

Today I read in our national beekeeping magazine the results of research which was conducted this year ( I also gave samples of bees). So far the morphometric parameters ( genome will be next year, samples frozen). According to that, there are no influences of uncontrolled imports of other bees ( buckfast, ligustica..). There were no signs of hybridization. Interesting is in types there is difference between ( my) Panonian and on the other side highland and mediterranean type of Carnica. It will be interesting to see results on genome analysis. I think there will be some bigger differences.

Bees.. well seems keep asking where is that winter. Still relative warm " indian summer"..

 

[Hivemaker.]

Feeding, about half way done now, should be on target to finish by the end of this month.
Made a start on extracting the heather honey this morning.

 

[stevebrowning]

Feeding, about half way done now, should be on target to finish by the end of this month.
Made a start on extracting the heather honey this morning.

I need to make a start on my borage extraction, struggling to get motivated! Feedings almost done apart from the minis

 

[madasafish]

Feeding completed, Hives all winterised and strapped down in time for present high winds. Pleasantly warm although rained a lot yesterday..

Helping a few newbies winterise late purchased/acquired nucs/hives - in sheltered areas so feeding may continue all month.