What did you do in the Apiary today?

[pargyle]

So many chilled bumble Bees around this year. Worse than I have ever seen.
E

I saw a Peacock butterfly yesterday - clearly came out in the sunshine we had for a couple of hours but it's very early and I don't have a great deal of hope for her chances of survival with the weather forecast over the next week.

 

[Murox]

Popped up the hill to have a look for any flyers yesterday. Nothing happening, the internal thermometer suggested life - maybe next week.
Supposed to be raining here this w/e - got a short shower overnight and this morning its sunny with some cloud, cool 8 degrees.

 

[nantmoel]

Received my AI equipment on Thursday, finally got round to putting it together after giving it a clean, lubricated all the moving parts via the detailed instructions. It will be sterilised before use. Roll on the breeding season.

 

[Millet]

Received my AI equipment on Thursday, finally got round to putting it together after giving it a clean, lubricated all the moving parts via the detailed instructions. It will be sterilised before use. Roll on the breeding season.

Brilliant stuff and the best of luck in the coming season.. i am too heavy handed to try that so i will keep on buying mated Queens ..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Prepared a load of smoker fuel for the new season and shifted some stuff around to make room for tomorrow's Maisie's delivery, started rendering last year's wax down for showing and exchange.Even though it was cold, showery and a bit windy there were a few bees about saw the first blackthorn blossom open around here and noticed the hawthorn hedges were showing a fair splash of green, hopefully it won't be long before we see the spring.

 

[Swarm]

At this rate it'll be over before we see any nice weather, bulbs never had a chance and now both my dwarf cherries are in blossom

 

[citrus]

I'm no expert but you should not be inspecting at this time of the year.......

yeah leave them to it unless its suddenly tropical !

 

[drex]

Brilliant stuff and the best of luck in the coming season.. i am too heavy handed to try that so i will keep on buying mated Queens ..

Lots of ways of producing your own queens that do not require much dexterity. When I got into it, it opened a whole new aspect of beekeeping and fun.

 

[Millet]

Lots of ways of producing your own queens that do not require much dexterity. When I got into it, it opened a whole new aspect of beekeeping and fun.

For all the local mongrel bees are fairly gentle the honey making capability is nowhere near as much as the bought in Queens..if i was isolated from any other drones and i knew for certain my open mated Queens where mated from my drones it would be brilliant..sadly this is not the case.

 

[gmonag]

if i was isolated from any other drones and i knew for certain my open mated Queens where mated from my drones it would be brilliant..sadly this is not the case.

I'm sure your neighbours would agree - given that they have to put up with their queens mating with your invasive mediterranean drones.

 

[Murox]

Waiting for spring

Today, I am just waiting for spring.​

 

[Millet]

I'm sure your neighbours would agree - given that they have to put up with their queens mating with your invasive mediterranean drones.

I'm doing them a favour really..they might get 4 or 5 supers of honey from there Queens as apposed to 2 or 3

 

[Ian123]

I'm sure your neighbours would agree - given that they have to put up with their queens mating with your invasive mediterranean drones.

Ooooh don’t be a muppet there from Devon. The neighbourhood might be rather happy there not getting chased around the gardens as well.

 

[Millet]

Ooooh don’t be a muppet there from Devon. The neighbourhood might be rather happy there not getting chased around the gardens as well.

 

[gmonag]

I haven't got a clue what you mean.

 

[Ian123]

I haven't got a clue what you mean.

Thank god for that!

 

[gmonag]

Is this some kind of pissing contest or have I just fallen down a rabbit hole?

Will one of you have the decency to speak plainly?

 

[pargyle]

Is this some kind of pissing contest or have I just fallen down a rabbit hole?

Will one of you have the decency to speak plainly?

I shouldn't worry too much about it .. I think it's an obfuscatory reference to AMM black bees being kept by some members in the West Country having their genes being affected by imported bees ... but even I am not sure !

 

[gmonag]

Is it because I am in Bury St Edmunds in Devon?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Didn't realise they'd dug him up and transplanted him!