What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Swn58]

Finally finished bottling the last of this years honey. 45 1 lb jars and 70 8 oz. My ancient 4 frame spinner is back in storage along with spare jars and honey buckets. Phew!

The farm bees have been treated for varroa. I have never seen such a drop as that, after the first treatment! I can only assume that the nucs I picked up from wonderful Thorne's had never been treated in the spring. I never noticed any signs of trouble, wingless bees etc.. On the contrary, they have developed so quickly and produced tonnes of honey! In contrast, my other colonies are almost varroa free. They are treated in the spring and autumn, with two strips of Apilife-Var, applied twice over a seven day period. It seems to be very effective.

 

[The Poot]

Spent a little time watching at the entrances. All colonies active and taking pollen in
Did 8th vape on hive 3 which is still dropping too many mites for my liking. All others now ok.

Also laid a path of slabs alongside the back of the house. Had a bee come and check me out. It then “looked“ at each slab, settled on the end one and flew off after a little while. Clearly a quality control bee.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Had my annual autumn bonefire, finally converted to ashes all the plywood hive roof parts I'd stripped out in the spring, all the rat gnawed shallow frames and all the old brood frames (either past their best or results of DLQ,s etc) chickens the other side of the hedge saw it as an excuse to stop out past their bedtime but soon got bored as by crikey the stuff didn't half burn fiercely and for a long time.
Also noticed, although the ivy has been out for weeks, a strong smell of ripening ivy honey from all the hives.
I do enjoy a good fire on a clear night - and will be good practice for when the beacon fires get lit over the weekend as we finally are allowed tell the sais to stay away

Any truth in the rumour the Trump Wall contractors are coming over to build a wall between Wales and England when they finish over there?

 

[Swarm]

Had the pleasure of helping my mate finish treatments at his apiary. Ten gorgeous colonies looking very good indeed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any truth in the rumour the Trump Wall contractors are coming over to build a wall between Wales and England when they finish over there?

We're thinking on moving the border back to where it was originally - that will leave them East Anglia and Essex - we might throw in Kent as a sweetener

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We're thinking on moving the border back to where it was originally - that will leave them East Anglia and Essex - we might throw in Kent as a sweetener

Not sure whether we want Caeredin (Edinburgh) back as well as that would also mean having Northumbria

 

[Murox]

Not sure whether we want Caeredin (Edinburgh) back as well as that would also mean having Northumbria

Wouldn't be worth your while - those contractors are rebuilding Vallum Hadriani next week.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Dummied down a couple of slightly weaker colonies which are only on 9 frames.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Just about finished feeding, placed takeaway containers of fondant on crown boards to see if they will take anymore. Starting to fit PU board in roofs and put on woodpecker protection.

 

[Apple]

Wouldn't be worth your while - those contractors are rebuilding Vallum Hadriani next week.

Sign on bridge over the A38 in Devon read Cornwall Closed, turn around and go home!

I hear that the Cornish contingent of AHATs are manning the bridges across the Greatgreygreenslimeymightytamarriverallsetaboutwithemptyunaffordablesecondhomes
with gurd long pikes to prevent Corona infected furriners from getting in.

Training and confidence excercise now the Asion Hornet risk is low... propper job of PPE !

Yeghes da

 

[E&MBees]

Just about finished feeding, placed takeaway containers of fondant on crown boards to see if they will take anymore. Starting to fit PU board in roofs and put on woodpecker protection.

What do you use for woodpecker protection? Chicken wire frames or damp proof sheeting wrapped around the hive?
Thanks

 

[Newbeeneil]

I use DPC stapled to the sides of the hive.
https://www.toolstation.com/damp-proof-course/p27321This can be sawn in half as they don’t appear to do a 225mm but if you have 14x12s they do a 300mm

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cut out a colony from a ceiling in a house neighbour is renovating in Lampeter. Very small with a couple of DWV bees spotted. Has brood but didn’t spot the queen. Lot of honey. Probably pointless but better than being killed by the builder.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Going out to weigh colonys today with luggage scales, will add fondant if needs be.. I've only feed fondant this autumn to all colonys that need it, it will be interesting to see how they fair over winter.
Allso need to move a double brood colony of a makeshift stand as the sheep have almost knocked it of.
The sheep are coming down of the summit at night and using the hives as wind brakes and rubbing against them.

 

[pargyle]

Cut out a colony from a ceiling in a house neighbour is renovating in Lampeter. Very small with a couple of DWV bees spotted. Has brood but didn’t spot the queen. Lot of honey. Probably pointless but better than being killed by the builder. View attachment 22607

It just goes to show that bees really don't mind what some beekeepers would consider comb that is past its best ... in the wild I think they build and rebuild comb as they see fit and recycle the wax. The trend for only having comb in the colony that is 'clean' seems to me to be totally unneccessary.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It just goes to show that bees really don't mind what some beekeepers would consider comb that is past its best ... in the wild I think they build and rebuild comb as they see fit and recycle the wax. The trend for only having comb in the colony that is 'clean' seems to me to be totally unneccessary.

It's just another favourite of the mantra chanters over on the dark side

 

[Erichalfbee]

It just goes to show that bees really don't mind what some beekeepers would consider comb that is past its best ... in the wild I think they build and rebuild comb as they see fit and recycle the wax. The trend for only having comb in the colony that is 'clean' seems to me to be totally unneccessary.

Yes some really dark wax there. Bees shook swarm themselves naturally without us forcing them to do it

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Had some really old comb in a national deep, solid pollen and all. The bees tore down the comb to the midrib and then built out the comb. They did a really good job on it.

 

[gmonag]

I suspect that feral colonies abandon areas of old comb (or even a complete nest) and then the wax moth moves in. Demolition over, the area can be re-occupied and new comb built.

 

[drex]

I am not fanatical about changing comb, but I do do some, thinking of build up of chemicals, spores etc in old wax. I notice in my KTBH, which gets minimal intervention, that they prefer newer comb over really old stuff.