What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Millet]

I suppose it's tax deductible for weekly inspections if keep hives on open water.

 

[Millet]

Yes I want to be prepared, this will be my first full season with 3 strong hives coming out of winter (last year I only had 1 Nuc. I’ll have 5 spare full hives + 1 as a bait hive and 3 spare nucs. Just need a few more frames & foundation for some of the supers or I’ll be extracting in small amounts to free up frames (presuming we get a good flow). Plan is to go into winter 2019 with 6-7 hives and 2-3 nucs.

The best of luck but you will run out of something..i always do anyway..

 

[For want of a better word]

I suppose it's tax deductible for weekly inspections if keep hives on open water.

There was once some American entrepreneur who had a paddle steamer full of bees that he moved overnight to new forage up the Mississippi river... I do not think that would work on the Greatgreygreengreasymighttamarriverallsetaboutwithunaffordableandemptysecondhomes!



Beenice

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Checked all three garden hives for fondant & found three empty bags. Added new ones whilst dodging showers. Two had brace comb being built inside the empty bags - thankfully, no eggs in the cells.
Prepared a poly nuc as a bait hive and made up some brood frames.

 

[Beefriendly]

There was once some American entrepreneur who had a paddle steamer full of bees that he moved overnight to new forage up the Mississippi river.

He was way behind the times....The ancient Egyptians used to,load their "mud/reed drain pipe" hives onto boats that followed the flowering crops down the Nile.
It was the way the bees placed the comb in these "hives" that the terminology "Warm or Cold" way came from.

 

[Poly Hive]

Absolutely nothing at 2C.

PH

 

[Swarm]

Just called by for a quick visual check, bees very busy despite the rain.

 

[Podilia]

The first really warm day today with max. 17°C, sunshine and quiet. Although there were already two flights, today was the first full flight of all colonies. Snow and cold are usual at that time too. I didn't do anything with bees because was busy with another work. But made a few shots. I know British beekeepers often have such weather during winter. For me it's a holiday after three month to see and hear my bees again.

no, those hives are not drunk, they need stronger stands. The sticks are the cheapest version. Tomorrow I'm going to do something.



the first flowers are visited by bees very well. You call them snowdrops, we call them like "beneath-snow".

 

[Millet]

I Vaped the garden paynes poly nuc yesterday to see what varroa situation is like..checked the tray earlier and not a single mite has dropped..up to now..

 

[Poly Hive]

Tucked up inside the capped brood by now?

PH

 

[Millet]

Tucked up inside the capped brood by now?

PH

Tucked up it capped brood in Autumn treatments but if they have a varroa load we still get some dropping after treatments..

 

[JazzJPH]

I don't think my question warrants a new thread so I'll ask it here:

If you put a wax foundation sheet for a super in a frame for a brood box, will the bees draw out just the super portion or will they keep going?

 

[Wingy]

I don't think my question warrants a new thread so I'll ask it here:

If you put a wax foundation sheet for a super in a frame for a brood box, will the bees draw out just the super portion or will they keep going?

They will keep going. They would treat your short frame & foundation like a starter strip.

 

[philipm]

I don't think my question warrants a new thread so I'll ask it here:

If you put a wax foundation sheet for a super in a frame for a brood box, will the bees draw out just the super portion or will they keep going?

Just like having an extra large starter strip.

 

[Millet]

I don't think my question warrants a new thread so I'll ask it here:

If you put a wax foundation sheet for a super in a frame for a brood box, will the bees draw out just the super portion or will they keep going?

They keep going and what i have found when doing this through running out of brood frames is they build drone cells on the bottom of the frames..

 

[Finman]

If you put a wax foundation sheet for a super in a frame for a brood box, will the bees draw out just the super portion or will they keep going?

Bees will do drone cells in the empty place. In late summer they do worker cells when they do not need drones.

 

[Poly Hive]

Millet when I took hives to the Heather, on their return they were utterly broodless, and the brooding only started again under the stimulus of feeding.

PH

 

[JazzJPH]

Thanks for the answers guys that's great. I accidentally bought super foundation sheets for my brood frames. Have ordered some wired brood sheets now but I was interested in knowing what they would do anyway.

It's all in preparation anyway since I don't have a site for an apiary yet, nor have I done my beginner's course

 

[Spikedog]

In late spring & high season our experience is that a) In full hive BB the Frame will be extended but Bees draw out Drone cells and B) in Nuc's they draw out worker cells. Note: Some Beek's as part of integrated Mite Treatment place a super frame in the brood box and later remove the drone 'attachment' as Mites prefer Drone brood and thus greater percentage of mites are culled.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Put together two brood boxes and made up more brood frames.
Checked debris on the varroa boards - lots of it but no sign of varroa.
Fished a bee out of a water butt - she was almost gone, dried her on a paper towel, warmed her up and helped her through the mouse guard. She tried hard to sting, but was too lethargic to succeed. I hope I got her into the right hive!!