What did you do in the Apiary today?

[madasafish]

Checked and fed my 5 mini nucs.
One died - Q- Weak last time
Others flying in 13C

 

[GuyNir]

Horizontal rain here all day...

 

[Murox]

Horizontal rain here all day...

Is there any other sort then ?

Right now (13:55) we are enjoying a sunny but windy interlude.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Just checked up on newly caught swarm.
I'm always amazed at how hard these girls work....
3 days in and they have already cut the elastic bands holding salvaged comb and busy with house keeping....
I often see the bands laying on the floor but was chuffed to catch this and share with you Island folk...

That's team work for ya Michael.
Nice to hear the birds tweeting. 11c here and plenty of mizzle as locals call it.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Will try,,,, when and If I get the time....
Was expecting a comment on the missing wall...... New cutout or something along those lines....
FYI, it fell over last week. ??? Open plan...
Hopefully the rest goes and saves me the job of breaking it down...
Plenty of swarms in this roof over the years...

I wouldn't worry about the wall, u want to see the state of some of the buildings in this country.
Mostly farm buildings.. oops.. shut up! cgf... Or farmer cgf.
It might be a blessing when it comes down, no more extra swarms in the roof.

 

[Michael ECB's]

I wouldn't worry about the wall, u want to see the state of some of the buildings in this country.
Mostly farm buildings.. oops.. shut up! cgf... Or farmer cgf.
It might be a blessing when it comes down, no more extra swarms in the roof.

2nd swarm in/on the building in 2 weeks.... almost the entire underside of that old asbestos roof has a layer a propolis/wax on from old swarms....
Burnt black from attempted removals by farm staff in the past...

Perhaps cut up that asbestos sheeting into frame size chunks and sell it as swarm bait.... Langstroth size ok? -
Ignore that asbestosis nonsense,,, pffft!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Asbestos... Blimey, in this country folk get paid a pretty penny to remove it.
The propolis/wax is probably holding the shed together Michael.
Tipical farmer u be

 

[chipper]

Today...finally finished feeding...3 weeks later than I aimed for.......Very little Ivy came in this autumn hence the late top ups needed...
Overall have fed 4000kgs to 280 stocks incl. Nucs...about 14kgs a colony...or 30lbs....
Way more than usual...

 

[Michael ECB's]

Scouting for new queen breeding Apiary.... Was told best option would be a secluded island...
With all these awesome rains and water levels coming up, we have several islands forming....
Happy Days... Just need a small boat now...
Intent on starting in the new year....
Yeeehaaa - Pure " Island Bred " F1's

 

[The Poot]

Checked and topped up fondant supplies.
12 degrees with a strong wind, but bees out and STILL bringing in yellow pollen. ALL activity stopped by 2:00 pm.

 

[Swarm]

Very cold at the apiary so I had a little bonfire to keep warm. Hives feeling nice and heavy and the bees are bringing in Gorse. Chucked it down at one point but then the sun peeped through and they were out in droves.
Found another three brood boxes to refurbish and dug out two old nucs to bring back into service. Itching to get started again and it's not even Winter yet.

 

[Michael ECB's]

We took out all the old trap out cones from trees and walls today... By "We" I mean my son,,,, yep - Im blessed to have the help....
Check the pile of trap out cones/funnels returned. I cant even remember making this many....
Let the robbing begin !
Tomorrow, the bees have access to some large stores in tree trunks as well as walls...
It is truly a sight to see...... The ruthless side of this creature comes out to play....
Then we seal up .................. Game Over!

 

[beeno]

Check the varroa board on the colony I OA dribbled on the 11th. Only 2 dropped the last 48hrs making a total drop of 676. Squeezed a small corner of my homemade fondant still nice and soft. All good. Put varroa boards on the others to see what's going on.

 

[beeno]

Today...finally finished feeding...3 weeks later than I aimed for.......Very little Ivy came in this autumn hence the late top ups needed...
Overall have fed 4000kgs to 280 stocks incl. Nucs...about 14kgs a colony...or 30lbs....
Way more than usual...

Well, that's a good job done then. Did you do it all yourself or have you got staff.

 

[Michael ECB's]

So, I ran out of frames a while ago and had to set out some trap boxes around areas with high number of scouts- When you see them, you just know you have only hours to react... Anyway, placed 10 frame boxes with only 5 frames inside,,, too fill spaces I uses 35mm strips of ply wood with a light coat of wax on stapled to the top... (Sad truth, I have done this many times before ) Another truth, it works better with more space inside the Brood box, bees seam to move in faster..
See below comb built on frame within 10 days of swarm setting up home... Truly incredible... Comb neatly cut off and reframed...
They not happy for now but will forgive in time...

 

[Michael ECB's]

Dropped the Ball!
Please note, expanding foam was only used to close the void between roof/wall and wooden box housing the one way funnel...
Bottom line, holes were not sealed up well enough.... 2 days ago I saw a few bees frantically going at this small hole with a few of them managing to get in...
Their behavior to me was one of robbing,,, jerky movements, landing and running excitedly around etc etc... I figured what the hell, they were more than likely from one of my boxes so let them have it.... Late yesterday afternoon, get a call, swarm trying to get back in... By the time I have a pic sent to me, half in already, by the time my son gets there only a handful left outside... We had hoped the queen would have not managed to get in as fast as she did... Well, back to the drawing board.. Very luck swarm that is,,, big recourses inside that wall...

 

[Drewdrew]

I have an honesty box near one of the apiaries, and when I go and refill that, I also check the bees.
They are still flying, and still bringing it in. Not sure what it is.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Did the rounds of most of my hives yesterday topping up with fondant in takeaway containers above the crownboard. Most getting to the "nailed down" stage but a couple still very light.

 

[StephenT]

First day since the last proper cold day earlier in the year that I haven't seen a bee even poke its head out. 12 degrees forecast tomorrow so they'll be making up for it.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I have an honesty box near one of the apiaries, and when I go and refill that, I also check the bees.
They are still flying, and still bringing it in. Not sure what it is.
View attachment 23161View attachment 23162

Looks like ivy to me.