What did you do in the Apiary today?

[simonforeman]

Looks like by the weekend the weather is picking up in temperatures...... just in time for the OSR uo the roac that is just yellowing up.

Bees very active today bringing in lots of yellow pollen. Supers will be put on some hives at the weekend.

 

[Brian Bush]

Spent a pleasant hour this afternoon with the brush-cutter strimmer cutting back the blackthorn spikes in an out apiary. Tomorrow i will rake it up, trim the hedge and Thursday's job is mow the area

 

[pargyle]

I had undesired visit yesterday - marten..

Hi Goran,

Do they do any damage to the hives .. ? Is it a Marten or is it a Lynx ? We saw a Lynx when we visited the waterfalls in Plitvice in 1968 - we camped on a site not far from the falls and one just wandered in to the campsite - I don't know who was more surprised us or the cat ! The camp manager told us it came around quite often looking for any scraps of food left behind by campers. We'd never seen anything like it ...

 

[Goran]

Hi Goran,

Do they do any damage to the hives .. ? Is it a Marten or is it a Lynx ? We saw a Lynx when we visited the waterfalls in Plitvice in 1968 - we camped on a site not far from the falls and one just wandered in to the campsite - I don't know who was more surprised us or the cat ! The camp manager told us it came around quite often looking for any scraps of food left behind by campers. We'd never seen anything like it ...

It is marten. It has nice winter fur still. It attacked before my hives, but so far not made a kill. It chewed bottom boards and seems got chased by the bees.. I saw some pics where it chewed through boxes and ate bees ( proteins lure it). Beside that it is really pest if come under car hood, it chew wires and hoses.. It pierced one rubber hose in my car, but luckily was easily fixed.. Here are pretty much of them. They are always blood thirsty no matter is hungry or not it search to kill.. Some of our cats which went missing I think unfortunately met them.. One of our tom cats regularly has some nasty fights and I suspect with them..
About lynx, they are not in my area. For now we have ordinary wild cats (lat. Felis silvestris).
But as land continue to empty, it might spread its presence here. Like golden jackal came here, we never had it before. Also some claim wolves are returning also, but I can't tell it is true. I only can say we have overpopulation of deer which make catastrophic damage to orchards ( mine also) and rest of agriculture ( herd of 100 or such..).. When writting, this may be reason why wolves come - after deer and they might bring balance back..

 

[pargyle]

. I only can say we have overpopulation of deer which make catastrophic damage to orchards ( mine also) and rest of agriculture ( herd of 100 or such..).. When writting, this may be reason why wolves come - after deer and they might bring balance back..

Hi Goran,

Sounds to me as though you should be shooting a few deer and start exploring the venison market to support your beekeeping !

 

[Fritillary]

When I was in France a beech marten (fouine) killed all the chickens. It was unafraid and bold as brass, walking on the decking right by the house and the like. Regarded as a pest there too. In the UK by contrast, where pine marten are very rare they mostly inspire fascination and excitement. - It's rather the opposite of modern celebrity culture isn't it?

 

[Goran]

Hi Goran,

Sounds to me as though you should be shooting a few deer and start exploring the venison market to support your beekeeping !

Err.. I am not hunter nor have guns.. Also there are some rules, that in one area is allowed only couple of deer to kill per year.. For example they are allowed to kill 4 and yearly increase is 104.. Their math at least sucks, and we common mortals suffer and of course they don't care or laugh at our misery.. Wolves, they could be real saviors for us.
Also they introduced back beavers, in the valleys such a joy from corn fields to orchards cut down.. People put electric fence, but *******s dig underground and wreak havoc.. They spread fast and at large.. Why they introduced it back, I think the ones which did it haven't got a clue or in evil intention..

 

[nantmoel]

Not in the Apiary but just moved a pallet of jars and lids into my garage! All 38 boxes all neatly stacked and ready for the summer! Big thanks to Anna at Bottle Company South.

 

[Murox]

At last, a day good enough for flying.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Busy bottling honey - the .Gov advice that it helps with some coronavirus symptoms seems to have caused an increase in demand.

 

[Murox]

Busy bottling honey - the .Gov advice that it helps with some coronavirus symptoms seems to have caused an increase in demand.

Kerr-ching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkhX5W7JoWI

 

[drex]

At 8 a.m. I Got an urgent call from my friends at the animal sanctuary who had asked me if I could site a hive there. At 1 a.m they found a horse had jumped over the fencing into where the hive was and overturned the hive. My friend who knows nothing about bees had very sensibly, and bravely, thrown horse blankets over the pile of lifts boxes and frames. The horse was apparently totally unfazed.

When I got there the bees were all cosily clustered up and none the worse. I put the hive back together and all was well. The horse had been attracted by the lush, ungrazed grass round the hives. Even though the hive was totally fenced off, we have made the area even more secure. Once the bees have settled I will put weed suppressant fabric down on top of the grass.
Have left him a spare old bee suit.

 

[Wingy]

Working on my new hive stand. 16’ length of ex fire brigade ladder, bolted to scaffold tube legs. Should be long & strong enough for 5 - 6 hives

 

[simonforeman]

Kerr-ching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkhX5W7JoWI

Do you have the link to the mention to honey can help covin-19, is it worth a read?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you have the link to the mention to honey can help covin-19, is it worth a read?

Don't think it's really worth a read - more or less just says if you are self isolating after showing symptoms, take your usual cough medicine (luckily I have plenty of rum here) to relieve the cough, or, alternatively honey and lemon is an effective alternative. It was on an email I received on my works laptop which is now shut down for the day but as it is a home office circular to staff it was basically a copy and paste from a public edict.
All I know is, people have moved on from sh!ttickets to honey, delivered the usual top up to one of my retailers just over a week ago and that usually lasts him six weeks (and he still had plenty left over when I called) he called me yesterday asking for another delivery, but double what he had previously, same with another customer.

 

[enrico]

Working on my new hive stand. 16’ length of ex fire brigade ladder, bolted to scaffold tube legs. Should be long & strong enough for 5 - 6 hives

I find long stands a bit of a pain as inspection from the side becomes difficult!
E

 

[Goran]

I find long stands a bit of a pain as inspection from the side becomes difficult!
E

At my place is said: all the beeks agree only on one thing - always approach the hive from back side.. Seems not quite right statement after all..

 

[Beefriendly]

I find long stands a bit of a pain as inspection from the side becomes difficult!
E

Not a problem if you have all the entrances facing away from the direction you wish to inspect. All my garden hives entrances face the hedge so I can inspect from the back. Yet to notice any problems over many years, despite it flying in the face of the usual advice to have entrances in every direction possible.

 

[Jimmy]

Don't think it's really worth a read - more or less just says if you are self isolating after showing symptoms, take your usual cough medicine (luckily I have plenty of rum here) to relieve the cough, or, alternatively honey and lemon is an effective alternative. It was on an email I received on my works laptop which is now shut down for the day but as it is a home office circular to staff it was basically a copy and paste from a public edict.
All I know is, people have moved on from sh!ttickets to honey, delivered the usual top up to one of my retailers just over a week ago and that usually lasts him six weeks (and he still had plenty left over when I called) he called me yesterday asking for another delivery, but double what he had previously, same with another customer.

There is some NICE guidance here about the efficacy of honey https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng120/chapter/Summary-of-the-evidence

and some on the NHS website
https://www.nhs.uk/news/heart-and-lungs/honey-not-antibiotics-recommended-coughs/


And there was some reports a few years back like this one in the Mirror

https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/cough-medicine-waste-money-nhs-4444541

 

[Wingy]

Not a problem if you have all the entrances facing away from the direction you wish to inspect. All my garden hives entrances face the hedge so I can inspect from the back. Yet to notice any problems over many years, despite it flying in the face of the usual advice to have entrances in every direction possible.

Yes the idea is to inspect from behind the hives, they are all in a row facing the same way but different coloured hives and a sheltered spot will assist in reducing drifting. This also keeps the hives up off the floor, has reduced and easily protected access to prevent vermin climbing and easily kept clear underneath