What did you do in the Apiary today?

[The Poot in Somerset]

Watched at the entrances and got alarmed at the wasps raiding the landing boards, catching returning bees. So went back towards dusk armed with a sprayer of soapy water. The bees were still coming home. The wasps zipping around just above the gravel, looking for ailing bees. When they landed, I zapped them with a strong jet of soapiness. The bees cheered and 20 or so wasps later, there were no more to get. I felt satisfied and the bees hummed a cheerful hum.

 

[Repwoc]

real lack of rain doesn't help!

Are you sure you're in the same country as the rest of us?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Are you sure you're in the same country as the rest of us?

at least he's on the same planet - unlike some on here

 

[Repwoc]

I zapped them with a strong jet of soapiness.

A blow lamp works well too.

 

[Swn58]

Honey processing today, from my partners allotment bees. Not bad from two hives; 35lbs bottled and a lot to take later. Loads of Himalayan Balsam and Rose Bay Willow Herb in that area flowering now.

 

[DaveG23]

Discovered what i assume is a cast swarm in a bait hive. Queen is there. Nice surprise but will have to merge them with a nuc to get them through winter

 

[user 6127]

Are you sure you're in the same country as the rest of us?

Here, in East Sussex, We've had one day of real persistent rain in the past month (25th July).

We are in a level 3 heatwave alert, that is expected to last until Tuesday.

This little corner of England misses most of the rain, but I'm not complaining

 

[beekeepershens]

Well done you!
I hope they survive and go on to thrive.

so far so good, peeped in last night and they seemed to be drawing out new comb... but not onto their old comb that I had stuck onto topbars so that it was not wasted!

 

[E&MBees]

Things seem to be progressing nicely. The colony which was started as swarm in June now needs a second super. They are on a brood and a half and have almost filled one super with honey.

The second super has undrawn foundation. Is it better to put it above or below the almost filled one?

The bees that I received from Swarm (Steve) are slowly drawing out the foundation in the brood box. The queen is laying nicely and they are bringing in plenty of pollen. Providing 1:1 syrup to help them draw out the wax.

Very pleased that this half of the year is so much better bee wise than the first half!

 

[Tim.S]

Went to the out apiary for a quick check midday and boy it was hot. The grass is parched and the sheep have been moved on as nothing for them to eat or much shelter from the sun. The bees haven't got much to eat either and will be in need of feeding in the next week or so. I had a look in about 5 or 6 hives (out of 17) and they were all light and quite a few on a brood break as well. If it wasn't so hot I would be getting my summer varroa treatment on but I think I will be cautious and wait until the worst of the heat dissipates. On the up side the bees were absolute pussycats, I haven't tried beekeeping in a tee shirt but if you could guarantee me that they would behave like that all the time I would give it a try!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Things seem to be progressing nicely. The colony which was started as swarm in June now needs a second super. They are on a brood and a half and have almost filled one super with honey.

The second super has undrawn foundation. Is it better to put it above or below the almost filled one?

The bees that I received from Swarm (Steve) are slowly drawing out the foundation in the brood box. The queen is laying nicely and they are bringing in plenty of pollen. Providing 1:1 syrup to help them draw out the wax.

Very pleased that this half of the year is so much better bee wise than the first half!

Put the super of foundation below the existing one it will get drawn quicker being close to the brood.

 

[E&MBees]

Put the super of foundation below the existing one it will get drawn quicker being close to the brood.

Thanks. I thought that was probably the thing to do.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Thanks. I thought that was probably the thing to do.

When you say almost full, full of nectar or capped frames?

 

[E&MBees]

When you say a

When you say almost full, full of nectar or capped frames?

It’s a mixture. On some frames there are patches of capping, but I did a shake test and most isn’t ready yet.

 

[Curly green finger's]

If the flow is really good I would add the second super, but if not, I would let them cap the first, as you will be making them have to concentrate there efforts on drawing the second out.
You could always wait for the first one to be capped and put a clearer board on with a deep eke then return the super straight away.
This would stop them having to concentrate on drawing another super out your call?

 

[Swarm]

It’s a mixture. On some frames there are patches of capping, but I did a shake test and most isn’t ready yet.

Shall I stick or twist? Always a gamble, especially adding foundation, later in the season. Will you have a good enough flow to enable them to draw the wax, fill it and cap it along with the combs that still contain nectar? I don't think you will and instead you may find the bees ignore the semi filled and muck about drawing wax on central frames of the new super and you end up with quite a bit of unripe honey.
I wouldn't give them a super, save it for a good early flow next year. Go through the super they have and move uncapped or part filled to the centre and move the capped ones out.

 

[Swarm]

Had a bit of fun at the apiary today, found a pile of bees on the floor behind the central stand and a little inspection revealed a nice, marked 2020 queen.
Put a nuc next to them, picked her up and popped her inside and left the prosession take place while I inspected any likely suspect. Found the guilty hive, nice round of freshly laid eggs and not a queen cell in sight.
Bees absconded, a first for me.
They had mostly marched in by the time I left.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Had a bit of fun at the apiary today, found a pile of bees on the floor behind the central stand and a little inspection revealed a nice, marked 2020 queen.
Put a nuc next to them, picked her up and popped her inside and left the prosession take place while I inspected any likely suspect. Found the guilty hive, nice round of freshly laid eggs and not a queen cell in sight.
Bees absconded, a first for me.
They had mostly marched in by the time I left.

Lovely catch.
I’ve had bees abscond when I sieved them for a queen once. Went back the following day expecting to find her alone-ish on the wrong side of a QX and the boxes were completely empty of bees!

 

[E&MBees]

Shall I stick or twist? Always a gamble, especially adding foundation, later in the season. Will you have a good enough flow to enable them to draw the wax, fill it and cap it along with the combs that still contain nectar? I don't think you will and instead you may find the bees ignore the semi filled and muck about drawing wax on central frames of the new super and you end up with quite a bit of unripe honey.
I wouldn't give them a super, save it for a good early flow next year. Go through the super they have and move uncapped or part filled to the centre and move the capped ones out.

Ok. That sounds sensible.

 

[GuyNir]

Had a bit of fun at the apiary today, found a pile of bees on the floor behind the central stand and a little inspection revealed a nice, marked 2020 queen.
Put a nuc next to them, picked her up and popped her inside and left the prosession take place while I inspected any likely suspect. Found the guilty hive, nice round of freshly laid eggs and not a queen cell in sight.
Bees absconded, a first for me.
They had mostly marched in by the time I left.

Makes me wonder sometimes, the gamble they take, especially this time in the year