What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Beefriendly]

Think you will find it's yellow.

 

[john t]

I think hazel is cream / off-white.

thanks Paul,

i found this pollen chart and the colour i noticed resembles that of hazel

http://www.sheffieldbeekeepers.org.uk/tools/pollen-chart/

 

[Curly green fingers]

i was observing my garden hives this afternoon, they were all very active,
bringing in pale white pollen ? only thing i can think it could be is snowdrops,

i also did a mite count on the 3 hives i have monitoring boards in,after a week zero mites counted,

Hazel pollen john .

 

[JWF]

We have a dusting on the higher ground to the west.

Working on why the Motorhome keeps dumping water when the boiler and heating are on. Very odd.

PH

If it has an expansion vessel it may have lost pressure on the dry side of the diaphragm, or the diaphragm could be split.

 

[Beefriendly]

thanks Paul,

i found this pollen chart and the colour i noticed resembles that of hazel

http://www.sheffieldbeekeepers.org.uk/tools/pollen-chart/

John this is a very erroneous chart. There are several colours wrong.
It shows Hazel pollen as whitish....it isn't, it is yellow as is alder and most other catkins.
Very easy to confirm for yourself, get a few sprigs and stick in vase with a sheet of white A4 paper underneath and it will drop yellow pollen onto it.

Or treat yourself to a "Colour guide to the Pollen loads of the Honey Bee" by Kirk....and even this has one mistake...can't remember which flower it is...otherwise very accurate giving three shades for each pollen depending on maturity or region.

Addendum. Pale pollen this time of year is possibly Christmas Rose, Helloborus niger

 

[GuyNir]

STBK sending this one out with all orders. Thought this is a nice touch.

 

[GuyNir]

Now with attachment

 

[Eyeman]

Off to dummy down a couple of small colonies with too much space.
Can't beat cycling to work the bees.

 

[Millet]

Checked all inspection trays and all have brood cappings and low varroa numbers..the three with fondant on the top bars are using it and the bees where flying today collecting water..where is this beast from the east ll .. .. the other colonies still hold a fair bit of weight so i am still happy for now.

 

[john t]

John this is a very erroneous chart. There are several colours wrong.
It shows Hazel pollen as whitish....it isn't, it is yellow as is alder and most other catkins.
Very easy to confirm for yourself, get a few sprigs and stick in vase with a sheet of white A4 paper underneath and it will drop yellow pollen onto it.

Or treat yourself to a "Colour guide to the Pollen loads of the Honey Bee" by Kirk....and even this has one mistake...can't remember which flower it is...otherwise very accurate giving three shades for each pollen depending on maturity or region.

Addendum. Pale pollen this time of year is possibly Christmas Rose, Helloborus niger

Thanks Nigel, as you say that chart i posted is not quite correct, i had a look at snowdrops in the garden this afternoon, snowdrop pollen is yellow,will have a look at getting a chart as its a very interesting subject as im also a keen gardener, and just moved to a new area

 

[Millet]

Off to dummy down a couple of small colonies with too much space.
Can't beat cycling to work the bees.
View attachment 16410

I hope you are not dressed in Lycra..

 

[john t]

Now with attachment

according to that chart the colour match for the pollen i noticed would be Christmas rose

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Checked all inspection trays and all have brood cappings and low varroa numbers..the three with fondant on the top bars are using it and the bees where flying today collecting water..where is this beast from the east ll .. .. the other colonies still hold a fair bit of weight so i am still happy for now.

Much colder tomorrow they say

 

[user 819]

Nice one Eyeman, my six colonies are all within 1- 1.5km of home and often I will use my bike to check on them or can carry two empty supers on the rear. If vaping I use the bike.

Also have made life a lot easier by electrifying my bikes and maybe a trailer eventually for loading up.

 

[Goran]

At the end it wasn't so much snow, though minus day temps till yesterday.. Today all changed, strong and relative warm southern wind is whipping hives on top of the hill, while 2nd apiary is more protected. On top snow is melting fast, in protected apiary much slower.. Shoveled snow yesterday and today since there be time for some cleansing flights and to don't all end in the snow..

 

[jeff33]

Played with the tractor and fenced off the new apiary while the young bull and a few sheep were curiously looking on. The bees to be moved there next week.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Played with the tractor and fenced off the new apiary while the young bull and a few sheep were curiously looking on. The bees to be moved there next week.

What type of tractor do you have Jeff .
I hope it's a fergy.....

 

[Millet]

What type of tractor do you have Jeff .
I hope it's a fergy.....

Its a Massey in this neck of the wood's..

 

[Curly green fingers]

Its a Massey in this neck of the wood's..

Is that the front part of the tractor designed by Massey and the best part the back, designed by Ferguson

 

[Hivemaker.]

Is that the front part of the tractor designed by Massey and the best part the back, designed by Ferguson

...don't forget Harris.