What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Angry_Mob]

Strapped all hives and nucs down, giving a storm later in the week.

 

[Millet]

I have done loads But sadly not Today..

 

[coatesg]

Quick go through the hives to find the one that decided to swarm yesterday - completely stuffed full of honey and nectar of it's own accord, no open brood, a bit of sealed brood and three QCs, one torn down, one part built and one open (looked like an emergency as it was built out from the frame in the centre though!). The recaptured swarm was reasonably large so presumed it was prime, so a little surprised to find no sealed cells, but they may have been cooped up with the weather waiting to go.

I'll merge it back on top of one of the other colonies at the weekend (and do the same for the swarm I caught. That should give me two on double brood absolutely rammed with stores for the winter (I might remove a few to keep for emergency and replace with drawn comb to give a little room to lay when I do it in fact).

 

[Swarm]

Nice to see Ivy piling in. Sorted all the spare frames expecting the ones that had wax moth to be ruined by now. No further signs and the combs were in decent shape so sprayed with dipel and stacked ready for use. I have a deep box full of honey frames.
Landlord had a box of partially capped frames so I gave him a hand to pop it under one of his gorgeous, black colonies. What lovely natured bees they are, he lifted the brood box while I put the super on the floor. No bees in the air apart from those coming home loaded with Ivy, not a single squashed bee and normal service resumed as though we'd not even been there.
Four weeks into apivar and finding it hard to spot any Varroa. Single figures and my gorgeous new queen in her nuc is following the usual trend, I counted three after three days (obs boards are sealed)
Good weight on the hives.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Chatted bees for a while with two of my (ex) beginners who had popped over to pick up some invert. Went over to the Carreg apiary - top up feeders and OA sublimation (for one reason or another, bit late starting this year) even in the miserable mizzly rain the bees were going hammer and tongs bringing in the ivy nectar and pollen. The woodlands at the bottom of the hill absolutely stank of ivy (so much for Finnies book saying there's no ivy in Wales!! )

 

[Murox]

Genial and friedly

On Wednesday I was able to admire another mans apiary and sample some delights. How wonderful to be able to simply pm another forum member and be welcomed with open arms and a big smile just because I was in the locality. All for a short bee chat, a potted life history and of course some jars of gold. Thank you Eric.

 

[deemann1]

Went to both apiarys today to top up feeders in nucs and strap all hives down, could smell the ivy honey from a good distance

 

[Swarm]

On Wednesday I was able to admire another mans apiary and sample some delights. How wonderful to be able to simply pm another forum member and be welcomed with open arms and a big smile just because I was in the locality. All for a short bee chat, a potted life history and of course some jars of gold. Thank you Eric.

A wonderful part of the craft.

 

[Millet]

...Whoops..

 

[Angularity]

I went to feed the Sisters of Eternal Damnation, three swarms from the same feral colony, now hived in an old orchard. Aggressive little blighters. Surely in the cool weather they wouldn't mind me putting some syrup in the feeders? Apparently, they did. First time I've ever been stung on my nose.

Smoke, suit and pre-emptive anti-hystamine only from now on.

 

[enrico]

On Wednesday I was able to admire another mans apiary and sample some delights. How wonderful to be able to simply pm another forum member and be welcomed with open arms and a big smile just because I was in the locality. All for a short bee chat, a potted life history and of course some jars of gold. Thank you Eric.

My pleasure
E

 

[Swarm]

Brilliant.

 

[mike99]

Helped out at my association Apiary. Tidying up the areas, clearing bushes, digging trenches for a new water pipe. followed by sandwiches, cake, tea and a really nice chat with like minded folk. Lovely way to spend a saturday morning.

 

[Erichalfbee]

All feeders bar one off
Insulation on top of the crown boards
Strapped up for winter

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

feeding and vaping rounds, all Queen excluders checked in and stacked up in the shelter for the winter, clearer boards sorted into ones that need maintenance and the ones to pack away

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have a mountain of cleaning and sorting to do.
Everything has been slid into my bee room in instalments to be done when bees are put to bed. The time has come. I can hardly get in there now

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a mountain of cleaning and sorting to do.
Everything has been slid into my bee room in instalments to be done when bees are put to bed. The time has come. I can hardly get in there now

Usually the greenhouse gets converted to another bee shed, but tomatoes are still ripening and the cucumber plant has had a second breath with half a dozen or so still growing away (and of course the stray cat ho has decided one of the seed tray shelves is now his bed!!
Luckily as we are sans chickens at the moment, that now has the clearer boards, Demarree boards and other bits and pieces stacked in there.

 

[Erichalfbee]

All feeders bar one off
Insulation on top of the crown boards
Strapped up for winter

First one put to bed
Bye bye till springtime
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bru20ere7m0hfui/Video 05-10-2019, 14 21 05.mov?dl=0

 

[coatesg]

I sold honey at the village market for the first time and met many ex-beeks who live round and abouts. Also met another current beek who lives at the other end of the village who I hadn't met before.

Very pleasant, and good tea and cake as well.

 

[Curly green finger's]

My pleasure
E

And there was me thinking you were a lady all this time!
Sounds like Murox had a nice day .
@
Murox if your round these parts give us a bell.