What did you do in the Apiary today?

[oliver90owner]

Sadly yes it will

Not sure on this one. Certainly it will crystallise, but the water content will be the same as any other stored honey/syrup. I have never found it to be a particular problem (not fed autumn sugar syrup or fondant for the last 5 years).

I think the relatively slow use of it in the winter months is little different than fondant at 11% water (OK it may be a little harder to shift, but we are only talking here of a kilo or two each month). To get it moved in spring may be a different matter. Better to remove and replace with drawn comb, is my view. Fed back below the brood chamber will get it moved and used slowly.

RAB

 

[Skyhook]

Hefted the brood chamber (weighs a ton) & had a quick peek under the roof - plenty of action to be seen through the feeding holes. My big thing to watch for at the mo' is whether they have enough water nearby, think the stores are mostly ivy honey which could crystallise (although not sure if that'd happen at brood chamber temperature).

Hi Scuttlefish, and welcome to the forum. Isn't it a nice feeling to see a box full of bees!

I'm not sure if you're saying you keep your feed holes open, but you'll find there's a fairly strong general feeling on here against top ventilation, and if you want to keep the chamber warm I would definitely go for bottom ventilation only.

 

[scuttlefish]

I'm not sure if you're saying you keep your feed holes open, but you'll find there's a fairly strong general feeling on here against top ventilation, and if you want to keep the chamber warm I would definitely go for bottom ventilation only.

Cheers for the welcome, and the point on top ventilation - I hadn't heard that before. I may have my terminology wrong, I just mean the holes in the crown board (which I only plug at harvest time with porter escapes). I'm not propping the roof with matchsticks to vent extra airflow, if that's what you mean?

 

[Davelin]

The consensus is to cover the feed holes unless tub of fondant over

 

[scuttlefish]

I don't want to hijack the thread (so if this has been covered ad nauseum somewhere else please say so) but my copy of Hooper's "Guide to bees and honey" suggests allowing a small amount of top ventilation to let out damp air - why cover the feed holes?

 

[MuswellMetro]

I don't want to hijack the thread (so if this has been covered ad nauseum somewhere else please say so) but my copy of Hooper's "Guide to bees and honey" suggests allowing a small amount of top ventilation to let out damp air - why cover the feed holes?

Hooper was dealing with hives on solid floors and his advice may well still apply if you have a solid floor but since open OMF floors are more common then different views on the amount of ventilation have evolved for these

Start a seperate thread if you wish to discuss it further as it could fill up this thread that is about to become ONE YEAR OLD tomorrow

 

[scuttlefish]

Hooper was dealing with hives on solid floors and his advice may well still apply if you have a solid floor but since open OMF floors are more common then different views on the amount of ventilation have evolved for these

Cheers.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday Dear What did you do in the Apiary today?
Happy Birthday To You

 

[dpearce4]

Party round at tonyblokes later then!! or if his house to small maybe the beekeeping arms.

 

[busybee53]

Yes happy birthday thread. You have been on this forum longer than I have. Checked my one remaining hive in its new location. A few bees were reorienting themselves, They looked a bit confused to find themselves elsewhere.

 

[Teemore]

I checked the fondant levels in a couple of colonies in the garden last night: most of my hives have only started to consume fondant since the days turned/began to get longer. Some hives are ignoring the fondant altogether but one thing they all have in common is that the clusters seem to be well and truly broken. My father reports that most of the colonies have been taking advantage of mild weather and have been very active these past few days. I am currently hoping that they will not suffer too much if we get a hard freeze in the course of the next month or so....

 

[george]

Poked round the apiary at work . Registered my first loss of the Winter . I hav'nt had the greatest of yrs with queen mating and I think this was a good example of poorly and late mated.
Its been mild enough for it to have been robbed clean too .
It wont be the last I'm sure .
G

 

[BeeJayBee]

Lots of pollen-laden bees, even though it was overcast and damp.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Lots of pollen-laden bees, even though it was overcast and damp.

shortly then you will hear the patter of tiny wings

 

[hallshoney]

put another 4kg of home made fondant on not many flying today cold and wet

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Waited patiently for the rain and wind to subside then wandered out in the sun to check the fondant a few bees flying - especially No2 hive (as usual) and none of the hives seemd to have touched the fondant since I topped up a fortnight ago. About to go to the chamber of secrets (AKA the shed where I've stashed all the cedar bits fly tipped about the same time as the Th**nes,M********s and ****** sales!) and make some stands and roofs

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

as the Th**nes,M********s and ****** sales!)

MArk - any chance we could have a hint what ****** means - I can guess, but a first and last letter or similar would be helpful

Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

MArk - any chance we could have a hint what ****** means - I can guess, but a first and last letter or similar would be helpful

Thanks

I think it stands for ****** or maybe ****** or i could be wrong and it's ******
Anyway, as with most conversations I have - I know what I mean!

 

[Chris Luck]

Anyway, as with most conversations I have - I know what I mean!
Hmmm, we've only got your word for that.

Still minimal activity here, same for the bees and no pollen that I've noticed going in yet, probably next week I suspect

Chris

 

[For want of a better word]

half kilo slabs of fondant in take away tubs place on the single brood boxed feed holes through neatly cut aperture in carpet tile quilts.
All the little lasses waved at me through the classy glassy crown boards...... sweeties!