What did you do in the Apiary today?

[itma]

Sat watching the hive today and seen three bees walk out then back in with very deformed wings. Should I be worried about this at the moment?

I think you should put in an inspection board for a few days to get a mite drop count. Then take it from there ...
... there will be more sage advice than I can offer, but I suspect that it might prove prudent to anticipate an Oxalic treatment in a month or so.

 

[WelshPaul]

yeah thats what I was thinking, and woke up to a really hard frost this morning, so OA treatment between xmas and new year I think.

 

[Heather]

Yes. very worried- unless there was a higher proportion of normal...Hope they have enough food as you may have been low on foragers. Fondant on would be helpful to them.

So pleased that it's finally cold- first day when bees no flying - so 6 weeks to Oxalic treatment...if this weather keeps cold. Bring it on!

 

[Bob Bee]

Put fondant in and mouse guard on the single hive on allotment site, 9 degrees and clear skies, plenty of bees flying, some pollen coming in.Also ate the last of the autumn raspberries, not bad for December.

 

[johnmcc]

Sadly I have lost one colony completely - discovered it today, robbed out by wasps. Despite the sharp frost this morning there were about a hundred wasps in and out of the hive and not a sign of a bee. This afternoon I opened the hive and . . . no bees, none at all, alive or dead. But loads of bloody wasps! They'd even eaten the half-kilo of fondant I put in two weeks ago to try to feed the small colony left there then. All the frames robbed out. Heartbreaking - it was my first hive and I've kept them going for three years, through two very cold spells. In the end it seems it was the unseasonable warm weather that did for them. My other hive is OK and doesn't seem to have a wasp problem, but I've put another wasp trap by the robbed out hive. Imagine, putting a wasp trap out on December the second!

 

[WelshPaul]

Yeah fondant went on last week, dont look like they are taking it but will see in three to four weeks when I treat with OA.

 

[Poggle]

Twas quite cold here in Wareham with a light frost. Went to the hives with the fondant and, opened the first one and they were all well clustered, a few looked at me and kin of a said "Do I have to move?" So I said no to them and put the blockof fondant in and closed up again, this is the hive that swarned twice this year? Onto the first swarms hive, this is a good strong hive, opened it up and they were all well clustered again with good food reserves but, I gave them a block of fondant anyway, they just looked at me and didn't even make a move.................The wee Nuc of around 200 bees that I cannot find the queen in and that is STILL surviving was next, opened it and they came out to meet me!!!!! I managed to get some fondant into the box for them and closed it up again. Boy are they surviving!!! So, how comes two "proper" hives with many thousands of bees in them did not make a move and yet this wee nuc with only about 100 to 150 if I am lucky, bees left in it is so uppity??? Oh, and the biggest drone I have ever seen went into the twice swarmed hive as well......................??????

 

[drstitson]

Made my first rolled candles. First batch of 27 to donate towards Xmas market in aid of village nursery school. Nice xmassy colours - ivory, purple & deep red. Remainder plus natural and two colour cones tomorrow evening once fire & CH on.

 

[victor meldrew]

Made my first rolled candles. First batch of 27 to donate towards Xmas market in aid of village nursery school. Nice xmassy colours - ivory, purple & deep red. Remainder plus natural and two colour cones tomorrow evening once fire & CH on.

I guess you wren't using the silicon moulds .
They give amazing detail but take forever to cool enough to be removed
VM

 

[Beeline]

During this week quite a number of partially developed lava/bees have been tossed out of the hive on one of my hives. Not sure if this a sign of bad health or whether the recent downward change in temp has forced the nest to move up into the warmer parts leaving brood to chill and die.
Can't be starvation as i have hefted and they're reasonably heavy plus they have fondant, which I lifted slightly to confirm they are chomping away. Even at 10 degrees today they still very active but I suspect, as they are not carrying pollen, they are fetching water for the fondant.

Time will tell if there is a problem.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Fired up my warming cabinet yesterday and it has reached a nice 35c inside. Will leave the two buckets a couple of days and then check to see if the honey is turning to liquid.

 

[Gardenbees]

Mouseguard roadblock...

Very mild and sunny here today: 14C on the apiary thermometer (the thermometer is on the shady side of the bee shed, but the apiary is quite a sun-trap). Still T-shirt weather for me! But then I am a bit better-padded than most

Just went to heft my two hives, and found them both as busy as ever - flat out foraging frenzy in fact, although on what, I'm not sure: their favourite ivy patch is deserted so I don't think it's that. Some are bringing pollen (pale cream coloured) and some have the weighted, clumsy look of bees laden with nectar. The "busy" hive (bigger colony, more hardy) were particularly frantic, with bees piling up at the mouseguard entrance.

Both hives are very heavy so they're obviously keeping going on something.

I'm torn about the mouseguard really; we had frost the night before last, and opportunistic meeces will definitely be on the lookout for a nice warm house... on the other hand, the bees are seriously hampered by it and there's a pile of pollen grains beneath the entrance about half an inch high.

But then, do they really need that much pollen at this time of year? I hope this doesn't mean that they're breeding themselves out of house and home. I expect they know what they're doing, but, given last December's weather, it's easy to see how they might be heading for a fall.

No sign of any wasps (for the first weekend this autumn!) so maybe they at least have got the hint.

 

[Queens59]

Checked the fondant I put on a week ago - 2 hives untouched and 2 just about nibbled - I take it the larder is full then...manic activity here too, with bees queueing to get in and out!!

 

[victor meldrew]

No activity at all
Weather cold windy and wet !
VM

 

[victor meldrew]

Fired up my warming cabinet yesterday and it has reached a nice 35c inside. Will leave the two buckets a couple of days and then check to see if the honey is turning to liquid.

just checking codes

 

[Erichalfbee]

Lashing hail
5˚
Sold the last of my honey at a Christmas fair last night.

 

[victor meldrew]

Lashing hail
5˚
Sold the last of my honey at a Christmas fair last night.

Still 1/2 hundred weight left plus a little cut comb
Time yet .
If I have to carry over until next year, it will be a first
VM

 

[RoofTops]

Took a few shots of my hives in an orchard and then made a short video: (which you can play in a sort of HD if you have a good connection - I don't at weekends!)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLwwqwvHLDQ[/ame]

 

[Erichalfbee]

Still 1/2 hundred weight left plus a little cut comb

aaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhhhh!!!

I can only dream....and work harder understanding and working with the bees.
Cut comb......do you use starter strips or thin foundation?
Thought I might put in a few frames with just starter strips next year. Could put chunks in the honey at least. I watched, mesmerised, as our BKA chairman's wife sold 12oz jar after 12oz jar of honey with a tiny bit of comb in for £6.50 at a garden centre day.Gobsmacked that anybody would pay that

Edited to say....mind you, I sold a quarter hundredweight......impressive when you look at it that way eh?

 

[victor meldrew]

aaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhhhh!!!

I can only dream....and work harder understanding and working with the bees.
Cut comb......do you use starter strips or thin foundation?
Thought I might put in a few frames with just starter strips next year. Could put chunks in the honey at least. I watched, mesmerised, as our BKA chairman's wife sold 12oz jar after 12oz jar of honey with a tiny bit of comb in for £6.50 at a garden centre day.Gobsmacked that anybody would pay that

Edited to say....mind you, I sold a quarter hundredweight......impressive when you look at it that way eh?

I use thin unwired foundation in frames placed between frames of drawn comb
All the old books say chunk honey must contain a piece of comb weighing 50% of the contents of the jar .
Acacia honey is recommended for chunk honey as it is light, clear and stays that way for yonks
VM