What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JazzJPH]

Never vent the cb jazz

cb = crown board? I have 4 poly discs covering the holes in the crown board - central vent is open but roof is on.

The vents I was referring to are in the walls of the brood box. I switched them for poly inserts last night.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

cb = crown board? I have 4 poly discs covering the holes in the crown board - central vent is open but roof is on.

The vents I was referring to are in the walls of the brood box. I switched them for poly inserts last night.

No need for any holes at all in the crown board - unless feeding. How would you like to live in a wind tunnel?

 

[JazzJPH]

No need for any holes at all in the crown board - unless feeding. How would you like to live in a wind tunnel?

Yeah, I wouldn't fancy that to be fair. Will close up when I get home

 

[drex]

Due to family commitments I have not looked in my hives as often as I should, and I am away for next two weeks, to get married. I do not think I had better postpone that!
Normally I do not get stung, but today have received six stings. Luckily I tend not to react to them these days. All my production colonies were very defensive, overflowing with bees. I assume as the OSR has just finished and in 4 there was no evidence of a queen. I put a couple of empty supers on each. The nucs were all pussycats and all queen right and on five frames, so I bled them of soon to emerge brood, and also used them to provide four test frames. I hope that sorts them all. I wonder what they will be like when I get home in 15 days time? I have done what I can.

 

[B+.]

Due to family commitments I have not looked in my hives as often as I should, and I am away for next two weeks, to get married. I do not think I had better postpone that!
.

Congratulations!
If it's not too impertinent a question: does she know what she's getting into?

 

[Adam Bee]

At the training apiary Sunday, one of the beginners commented on how old my crown of thorns looked. I said I'd had it since almost when I started beekeeping, even though it had been lost a few times but promptly found.
Went to the castle apiary today, grass is getting long in front of the hives so planned to strim after inspecting, It's a wonderful apiary, well sheltered but in the sun from morning until sunset, it's at the foot of the castle so the terrain is a bit rough and rocky as it's where a lot of the debris landed when the castle was slighted, anyway.......
COT sat on the edge of the hive until needed, my hand slipped, COT fell, bounced off my boot then into the long grass and probably fallen between some rocks as look as I may, I could not find it.
Bugger!

I had to look up what a crown of thorns was. It’s an interesting device - but:

Upon first glance, how do you keep from damaging the underlying comb, which most likely contains brood. Are you not spiking the thing into whatever is in the comb?

 

[Ian123]

"even though it had been lost a few times but promptly found."

You will find it again in your boot!!!!!

Adam you really dont worry about the comb, and yes your are spiking into any brood thats there.

 

[enrico]

I had to look up what a crown of thorns was. It’s an interesting device - but:

Upon first glance, how do you keep from damaging the underlying comb, which most likely contains brood. Are you not spiking the thing into whatever is in the comb?

You are maybe destroying 10 bees out if 60000! And yes you will spike live bees too. Don't worry, you will crush more than that replacing supers! If you buy a crown of thorns make sure you buy one with a cotton mesh and not a plastic one. The plastic ones are useless.
E

 

[pargyle]

You are maybe destroying 10 bees out if 60000! And yes you will spike live bees too. Don't worry, you will crush more than that replacing supers! If you buy a crown of thorns make sure you buy one with a cotton mesh and not a plastic one. The plastic ones are useless.
E

Yes the old traditional ones are the best .. and see if you can find a suitable box to keep it in .. not something you want loose in your pocket ! You'll only do it once !!

 

[colinc]

Pretty sure mine has a wire mesh. Will have to check.


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[GuyNir]

Yes the old traditional ones are the best .. and see if you can find a suitable box to keep it in .. not something you want loose in your pocket ! You'll only do it once !!

Excellent.

 

[Poly Hive]

Just keep in mind that the comb can give suddenly and you find you have a bi or trisected queen.

The devil is aye in the detail.

Much safer to learn to pick up the queen by a wing. How? Drones are expendable.

PH

 

[JazzJPH]

Put a feeder on my hive (1:1 thanks to JBM recommendation ) and took a few snaps, didn't see many bees carrying pollen. Most at any one time was 2.

When I put the feeder in, I trickled a tiny bit down so they know where it's at. Was that the right thing to do?

Also, I'm not sure what bees I have, so if anyone can identify them that would be great

 

[coffindodger]

Inspection time. Open up. There is queen looking lovely on mid frame in brood box. There is queen flying off into the wild blue yonder! Drat!

 

[GuyNir]

Inspection time. Open up. There is queen looking lovely on mid frame in brood box. There is queen flying off into the wild blue yonder! Drat!

Yep, been there, know the feeling

 

[Angry_Mob]

Put a feeder on my hive (1:1 thanks to JBM recommendation ) and took a few snaps, didn't see many bees carrying pollen. Most at any one time was 2.

When I put the feeder in, I trickled a tiny bit down so they know where it's at. Was that the right thing to do?

Also, I'm not sure what bees I have, so if anyone can identify them that would be great

Yes, however they still might ignore it completely sometimes if there is a good flow on.

Look rather dark so most likely AMM.

I'd remove the white part of the entrance reducer as well, they are queuing to get into the hive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just keep in mind that the comb can give suddenly and you find you have a bi or trisected queen.

The devil is aye in the detail.

Much safer to learn to pick up the queen by a wing. How? Drones are expendable.

PH

you have to be pretty cack handed to do that.
Picking up queens is no problem, but some of us have medical issues which means it's not as easy as some glibly state

 

[JazzJPH]

Yes, however they still might ignore it completely sometimes if there is a good flow on.

Look rather dark so most likely AMM.

I'd remove the white part of the entrance reducer as well, they are queuing to get into the hive.

Nice one thanks Angry Mob

So queuing isn't good? It's probably 2 bees wide at the moment. I thought a small colony would benefit from a small entrance. Real noob here so please educate if you have the time.

 

[colinc]

Nice one thanks Angry Mob



So queuing isn't good? It's probably 2 bees wide at the moment. I thought a small colony would benefit from a small entrance. Real noob here so please educate if you have the time.

They will cope with queuing it just slows things down and they may knock pollen loads off. if just one hive and no near neighbours, robbing is unlikely, defence is less critical til the wasps switch to sugar feeding. On my large colonies the doors are wide open across the full width of the box and they congregate and queue through a 2 “ gap at one side.

It’s a British thing queuing isn’t it?


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[The Poot in Somerset]

Inspected two colonies and two swarms in nucs.
No1 on brood and a half doing well, no queen cells, needing third super
No2 on double brood - looks like it has swarmed itself to a mini colony, not needing double brood. (Was huge). Frame of brood with a queen cell donated last week - sealed brood, qc gone so need to wait and see what occurs. Full super though and second one with two frames of unsealed nectar.
Swarm 1 in double brood nuc but not drawing foundationless frames in lower box. Exchanged three for frames with foundation - alternated in box.
Swarm 2 in single six frame nuc - filling feeder chamber at the side with comb!
Also happily drawing foundationless frames.
They are all so different.
Quick peek at large prime swarm put into poly hive last week - very active and peering through the (Abelo) grilles.