What did you do in the Apiary today?

[MJBee]

Nowt

I was going to check varroa drop (3days post OA) but it has been persisting down all day.

Adding to the 243mm (9.72") we had in December - yet another record for a crazy 2010.

 

[Chris Luck]

yet another record for a crazy 2010.

Good job 2011 was better.

HNY
Chris

 

[WelshPaul]

Treated with OA today, very quick application, put fondant on too. Just as I got the roof back on the heavens opened.

 

[beeboybee]

Apiary report 1st Jan 2012

Fence down from wind
giant hole in ground from mr fox
2 x 14 x 12 hives in good condition applied Oxalic acid and toped up fondant
1 x nuc good condition applied Oxalic acid and toped up fondant

result........... get motivated and sort fence and tidy apiary, as for Mr fox guess i will have to live with him but mark the hole so don't fall down it!!!!

conclusion =
fence time+£
fox ????
Hives fingers crossed.

 

[Ely]

Apiary report 1st Jan 2012

Fence down from wind
giant hole in ground from mr fox
2 x 14 x 12 hives in good condition applied Oxalic acid and toped up fondant
1 x nuc good condition applied Oxalic acid and toped up fondant

result........... get motivated and sort fence and tidy apiary, as for Mr fox guess i will have to live with him but mark the hole so don't fall down it!!!!

conclusion =
fence time+£
fox ????
Hives fingers crossed.

I have a fence down too because of the bloody wind!

 

[Luminos]

That'll probably be the Xmas brussells sprouts

 

[Ely]

That'll probably be the Xmas brussells sprouts

 

[richardbees]

checked at 2pm this afternoon, just before a three hour monsoon, 48 hrs after OA treatment..
17 mite drop for one hive and a whopping 103 from t'other

 

[MuswellMetro]

did the oxalic this morning, i was going only to put 3.2%w/v OA on the high drop hives but as i had previously had anomalies in drop to culled mites I decided to treat all the hives the same...then went to the pub and sat out the rain...played with a friends Heath Robinson steam wax extractor , which worked extremely well and then drove home on flooded roads

rubber glove job, as i am allergic to rhurbard

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That'll probably be the Xmas brussells sprouts

Didn't realise they had them on mainland Europe

 

[SteveJ]

3 degrees outside here with ice on top of the hives. Just applied the oxalic on six hives. Five where well clustered, but one poly nuc went off like a claymore as soon as I took the crown board off.

 

[Luminos]

In between downpours, salvaged brood box and super from the Marie Celeste hive and brought indoors, with a view to cleaning up and moving on

 

[gavin]

.... and (with a light over your shoulder) peering down into the back upper corner of the more recently vacated cells to look for Varroa faeces?

 

[dpearce4]

went to out apriary today to do Oa.

did 2 hives at a time to give time to calm down when cracking the propolis seal before opening, 5 of the 7 needed some fondant which i pretty much expected from hefting the last time i was up there.

one of the hives i thought was empty as when i crack the cb they was no noise like the others. but when i opened properly there they were just futher down the hive.

All seem ok some range insize from 5 seams right up to 10 so hopefully there will be 7 colonies alive there in spring.

had a quick check of equipment and seems all is ok some little damage from moths but not to bad.

need to build some more hive stands though for spring as i can see double the number of hives by this time next year (if all goes well).

need to do some gardening up there to well overgrown with nettles, not sure how to get rid of those tho as its a large area.

 

[Luminos]

.... and (with a light over your shoulder) peering down into the back upper corner of the more recently vacated cells to look for Varroa faeces?

Hi Gavin, yes, I looked when the sun came out - there is a bit of tiny cream-coloured debris in some empty cells, but how can I tell if it's varroa faeces?
Could it be pollen?

 

[gavin]

Probably not pollen. You will have to watch out for powdered sugar though - I think you were using that? Varroa faeces are usually near the top back corner as you hold the frame the usual way. I'd imagine that stuff falling into the cell would be on the bottom or scattered about. If you have an area near the centre of the hive, where there might be still some capped brood cells, look for cells with slightly ragged rims. A hive collapsing from Varroa often has an area like that. It isn't always possible to see clearly - easier in summer in a colony with a heavy Varroa load.

If it isn't clear, with the deformed wings bees you've talked about, Varroa is still the prime suspect.

G.

 

[Luminos]

I think you're right, it is varroa faeces - and, to be sure, there was a heavy varroa drop after I used Varroa Gard

 

[Beesand]

General Housekeeping

Yesterday I did the OA treatment and like some others was shocked at how large my colony is for the time of year but it has to be said they're looking healthy and have plenty of stores as well as extra fondant. Being a newby and having just one colony I'm keen to see them safely through winter but looking at thier progress to date they seem to be doing just fine.

The sun is out here and although a little chilly my bees are flying today.

Before returning to work tomorrow I wanted to do a bit of general housekeeping round my hive so I took an hour earlier to pull some weeds, rake up any debris and dead leaves and check for any hive damage. All looks in order and a lot tidier so I can head back to work content that for the time being everything is in order.

Just one question, is there a general rule of thumb for the spring as to when to begin regular hive inspections?

 

[grahambee]

Done my mite treatment today with John my mentor everything went well all 4 hives doing extremely well all hives had plenty of stores and plenty of bees
I won with 2 stings, John with 1
not long till spring

 

[Bead]

Weather lately has been awful - today, a few patches of milder sunny stuff allowed a window for OA application. That Trickle 2 gadget certainly makes life a lot easier! Was surprised to see just how many bees there still were: BB & 1/2 chokkers, and plenty more in the two supers of stores above. Just as well there's a spare hive ready for spring - think I'm going to need it (said with fingers firmly crossed so's not to tempt the wrath of the God of Bees!)