What did you do in the Apiary today?

[GuyNir]

Beautiful day today. All hives and nucs are out, most seems to be on orientation flights, as it’s has been a while since they were out (yard looks like one big flight school). Most using the fondant I gave them 2-3 weeks ago.
Nice to see the girls out

 

[For want of a better word]

When you turn to the dark side do it in style....

A few tips...... make sure you are dealing with reputable Buckfast queen sellers. There are people out there breeding crap and just calling it Buckfast
Spring management can be key, as most queens will only lay in the top brood box until the weather warms up, keep moving frames of eggs etc downstairs to bottom brood. But time this to about 6-7 weeks prior to your major nectar flows.
Give these big colonies plenty of room ...you need lots of bee parking space..so super well before you think you need to.

Way to go, man.....

VERY reputable!

Much the same "management " as used on the Rose hive Amm colonies with the first burst of OSR!

 

[B+.]

I checked my nearest apiary this afternoon. The 2019 test group are all on 5 Langstroth deep frames just the way I like them at this time of year. However, even now, I can see differences in how active they are. Now, I am talking about small subtle differences when I lift the lid - not dramatic running around or flying. I want colonies that sit still and don't exert themselves unnecessarily because this would mean they consume food and have to fly to excrete faeces. Even in mild weather I might only see a little flying - just enough for "toilet" breaks.

 

[Millet]

Vaped the garden nuc for the second time..still dropping varroa so a 5 day schedule is on the cards..the Northumberland hives will be checked and get a second vape tomorrow to any that need it..plenty of brood cappings on nearly all of them..I got sent this picture today and the bees where very active on the wall flowers and going in out of sight.. surely they are not producing nectar at this time of the year..no pollen vissable on the bees.

 

[Bryang]

Checked my hives today bees flying from them...Also checked my non-scientific rain water gauge..340mm since Nov 23rd...I use a plastic barrel with straight sides.

 

[simonforeman]

All 4 hives flying again today in large numbers.... my garden hellebores are out in full flower. This weather is mad....

 

[Curly green fingers]

Vaped the garden nuc for the second time..still dropping varroa so a 5 day schedule is on the cards..the Northumberland hives will be checked and get a second vape tomorrow to any that need it..plenty of brood cappings on nearly all of them..I got sent this picture today and the bees where very active on the wall flowers and going in out of sight.. surely they are not producing nectar at this time of the year..no pollen vissable on the bees.

Nice Jilly's, there flowering here to.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Vaped all three hives and checked fondant. Will require topping up next week.
Good roar of narked bees from all three following vaping.
All good.

 

[colinc]

Put my order in for the T*****s sale. Good prices but spent too much. Nice to see the bees out and about as surprisingly mild here. Out and about today in a T-shirt.


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[Millet]

Vaped all the full colonies today for a second time and checked the fondant levels on three..none have touched the fondant apart from the weak/light colony.. but that has not took much either which i find weird as they are light as a feather but look terrible strong compared to the last anxious inspection..

 

[SDM]

If theyre light you may be confusing them being all at tbe very top of the frames with them being strong

 

[Millet]

If theyre light you may be confusing them being all at tbe very top of the frames with them being strong

I have taken that into account.. ..they have 2kg of fondant and a lot more bees than when i put the fondant on a couple of weeks ago..they was also a lot flying however it is still 50/50 if they pull safe..

 

[simonforeman]

Vaped all the full colonies today for a second time and checked the fondant levels on three..none have touched the fondant apart from the weak/light colony.. but that has not took much either which i find weird as they are light as a feather but look terrible strong compared to the last anxious inspection..

Mine are exactly the same Millet... 3 of the 4 I put fondant on 4 weeks ago not touched it yet even tho 2 are light. The double brood national has had about 1kg of the 2kg put on and is about 7 frames of bees in top box and unknown in the bottom box. All hives look very strong to me.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Beginner's day at the association apiary - OA Trickling and a demo on vaping one hive, damp and dreary day here although mild, all strong colonies, the weakest having six seams of bees.
Still stores left although some are getting short (due to a communications breakdown when I was away, they didn't get as much feed as I would have liked) so fondant put on as it's not an apiary I pass very often.

 

[Dodge]

2 x poly hive flying a lot yesterday and today, roughly 10c. They are collecting olive green pollen from somewhere, any ideas as to what it may be? Still plenty of stores.

Hives are poly hives in a garden on edge of town.

 

[iann41]

Hive in garden had plenty of bees out flying. Some were coming back with dirty/dull yellow pollen. This is in suburban Sheffield. Any ideas what it is?

 

[Wingy]

Vaped the 2 allotment hives again still dropping too many varroa for my liking. These 2 hives were big, strong double brood Langstroth hives treated with Apiguard in September. I think the little darlings have been busy robbing out a weaker colony or two.
Then finished off wiring a few frames and painting some brood boxes, just got 5 more roofs and floors to make up before my next lot of frames & foundation arrives - ordered yesterday.
This bloody bee keeping is addictive and becoming expensive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Dirty yellow - gorse, lot of it flowering at the moment
The oilve one could be a few things - maybe heliotrope, they have a long flowering seaon if it's mild, and there are winter flowering varieties.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This bloody bee keeping is addictive and becoming expensive.

You should ask Intothelionsden how much he spent on frames last week!

 

[iann41]

Thanks for the reply. Second full winter in garden, so only recently been able to observe the hive during the colder months. In years gone by I would not have visited the hives very often, between the end of October and mid March. Still lots to learn.