What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Vergilius]

Too cold for any activity from the bees at all today.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use thin unwired foundation in frames placed between frames of drawn comb

Thanks for that tip.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Not ours, because we haven't got any yet, but the some of the feral bees from next door's chimney have been busy outside today, and several of them landed on our kitchen window to sunbathe.

We think they might be getting pollen, and possibly nectar, from Fuchsias, Mahonia and Viburnum tinus.

 

[Andy Coleman]

Made a quick check of some of mine yesterday pm, temperature about 11C, in Holmbury St Mary (500 ft up) flying very well and saw a small amount of darkish orange pollen, ivy? coming in. Went to look at the others near Dorking, but the shoot were out in the field, it was like WWIII so retreated. Have to pop up in the week

 

[Russel]

Made a quick check of some of mine yesterday pm, temperature about 11C, in Holmbury St Mary (500 ft up) flying very well and saw a small amount of darkish orange pollen, ivy? coming in. Went to look at the others near Dorking, but the shoot were out in the field, it was like WWIII so retreated. Have to pop up in the week

Quick check on the baby sitting apiary this am to find wasps still mooching around but little activity from the 3 colonies. Rest all okay?

 

[margob99]

One bee out and about yesterday. Saw a wasp trying to kill a fly. Definitely still lots of activity from wasps around ivy last few days.

That is all.

Here comes winter ...

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's snowing!

 

[drstitson]

lovely sunny day. removed last feeder and took opportunity to peek through crownboards whilst reseating and strapping down roofs.

all well stocked apparently. note condensation in the WPF/paynes nuc - extra top insulation to be added this weekend.

 

[Swarm]

That's a pretty sight DrS.

 

[drstitson]

yes - makes up for the sight of an empty hive the week before:

 

[BobsBees]

Hi drstitson,
Was that condensation at the entrance end of the Nuc or the opposite end, just interested thats all.
Bob

 

[drstitson]

opposite end from entrance (NW corner).

my main gripe with those nucs is the thickness of the roof - will be knocking up a cover this weekend using a few strips of ply, a pice of 50mm kingspan and a spare LS sized roof metal sheet (the nucs are suprisingly large - 50x35 - so can't use either national or nuc sized bits).

Not the slightest bit of condensation seen on any of the MB hives or nucs.

 

[Swarm]

They make an eke 14x12 converter, could one of these be used on the nuc above the CB? You could fill it with insulation then.

I agree, the nuc roof is not very thick.

 

[Skyhook]

A few bees flying from my strongest hive. One of the smaller ones that didn't feed well have finished their fondant, so will bring some more tomorrow.

 

[drstitson]

That'd be a possibility for future nucs (will be getting some 14x12s in the sale as don't like the full price for the eke either alone or with a nuc).

However would rather do a proper job for this nuc and have the materials to hand. i'd never intended to be running a relatively late (first eggs laid 23-24th july) 6 frame national nuc over winter in thin poly at 600m - everything else is tucked up in jumbos LS nucs.

 

[madasafish]

Frost overnight, light snow, no bees out.

Fox tracks all round hives and turkeys and quails...

 

[drstitson]

went out to track down our oldest cat at bed time (having snuck out whilst letting sally the springer out for bedtime ablutions) only to find her sat on the drive watching a large family of wild boar doing their thing through the wood beside the yard gate.

 

[Hivemaker.]

watching a large family of wild boar doing their thing through the wood beside the yard gate.

Job to know which does most damage,them or the deer.

 

[drstitson]

"Job to know which does most damage,them or the deer."

Yes - the deer wreak havoc with the orchard trees; the boar manage to effectively "plough" a large area in an evening.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Job to know which does most damage,them or the deer.

Both taste jolly nice though