What did you do in the Apiary today?

[MuswellMetro]

you need to get the fondant ontop of frames if your worried about them not getting to it.

Agree, use an api eke or similar to give you room

alternative,put a ball of soft fondant/their honey mixed immediately under the feed hole that has fondant above and squash the ball of fondant down with the crown board

 

[beeboybee]

Cut back brambles, dug up grass roots, raked up leaves, 10 wheelbarrows of wood chip later and it looks good.
Considering making three double stands up now with space in between to work.
Fence and gate to fix up next

 

[Erichalfbee]

Considering making three double stands up now with space in between to work.

I worked out that what is needed is a triple stand per box.
That way you have room to do an AS, moving boxes each side.
That's my plan for this year

 

[drstitson]

"I worked out that what is needed is a triple stand per box. That way you have room to do an AS"

That's what one tells the OH.

In fact it is for the mysterious appearance of 200% extra hives from shed/loft/neighbour/mother. all of which equally mysteriously end up filled with colonies by end of season.

and so it goes on.....

 

[Nellie]

Cut back brambles, dug up grass roots, raked up leaves, 10 wheelbarrows of wood chip later and it looks good.
Considering making three double stands up now with space in between to work.
Fence and gate to fix up next

Looks pretty good to me:

My similar effort. This is on a nature reserve, we cleared it two years ago and it was finally starting to get overgrown to a ridiculous degree, under the mulch/woodchipping is some of that sheeting that supposed to stop weeds coming through it so hopefully it will be a little easier to control. next step, get the pallets out (too low) and replace it with a proper stand.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I worked out that what is needed is a triple stand per box.
That way you have room to do an AS, moving boxes each side.
That's my plan for this year

"I worked out that what is needed is a triple stand per box. That way you have room to do an AS"

That's what one tells the OH.

In fact it is for the mysterious appearance of 200% extra hives from shed/loft/neighbour. all of which equally mysteriously end up filled with colonies by end of season.

and so it goes on.....

Funnily enough spent the afternoon in the chamber of secrets making up hive roofs from bits of scrap plywood I've collected (honestly - my neighbour's got a wood burner and collects wood from everywhere and allows me to take anything useful) and having just completed a new triple hive stand for A/S purposes
Now where could I get my hands on another cheap hive though if i need it ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

"I worked out that what is needed is a triple stand per box. That way you have room to do an AS"

That's what one tells the OH.

In fact it is for the mysterious appearance of 200% extra hives from shed/loft/neighbour/mother. all of which equally mysteriously end up filled with colonies by end of season.

and so it goes on.....

I thought you bought your darling OH a tractor to play with for 50th birthday.
Might keep some hives invisible for now I would have thought?

 

[drstitson]

Good point - perhaps JBM could consider something similar!!!!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Good point - perhaps JBM could consider something similar!!!!!

Well I did buy her a new hoover for Christmas - she was so pleased she was lost for words, in actual fact she didn't speak to me until New year's day.
Following on from that success I think I'll buy her a new iron for her birthday

 

[beestie]

you need to get the fondant ontop of frames if your worried about them not getting to it.

Agree, use an api eke or similar to give you room

alternative,put a ball of soft fondant/their honey mixed immediately under the feed hole that has fondant above and squash the ball of fondant down with the crown board

Thanks dpearce4 & MM
I think I'll try the MM alternative idea as maybe warmer/less heat loss without an eke, hopefully the squashed ball will guide them up to the bigger fondant store eventually

 

[iand]

Yesterday, Nice bright day, getting some heat into the sun now. The bees thought so too, with most out for a cleansing flight. The most flying bees I've seen since last year. Checked all for weight then replenished fondant on 3 & gave some to 4 others + eke.
Did the last of the varroa counts, 4 weeks since treatment and mite drops are now tailing off. Good job done I think/hope.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Finally finished getting my honey into jars with the last batch tonight.

Now all I have to do is find somewhere to sell it and clean the buckets out and pray that I get more this year to refill them!

 

[victor meldrew]

Finally finished getting my honey into jars with the last batch tonight.

Now all I have to do is find somewhere to sell it and clean the buckets out and pray that I get more this year to refill them!

Just run out of damned jars .
Ah! well , enough bottled to keep em happy for a while
VM

 

[Chris Luck]

Hunkered down here in the big freeze, temperatures set to remain continuously sub zero for the next 10 days at least with more heavy snow forecast for Sunday.

Chris

 

[madasafish]

-5C overnight but nice and sunny as I write,, still frosty though.

One bee ventured out, flew about 1/2 metre and went back in again.

That was the limit of my endurance: bitterly cold.

 

[drstitson]

busied ourselves loading boxes of hive bits into mate's van in the sun - more of a jigsaw than in the smart!!!!

news from OH - knee deep snow (so far). -15C or less forecast for the weekend. don't think i'll be home for 10 days.

 

[user 6228]

7am: Alwaysfoam: floor 16C, top 20C, outside -3C, yesterday sunny
Waswood: not measured

 

[susbees]

Finally, nothing. Bees having a well-earned rest....or am I the only one wondering if the winter bees will burn out early?

 

[Pete D]

Visited chap who is giving up for another car load of stuff (same chap I got extractor off couple weeks back), came away with 24 supers complete with frames and drawn comb ( will ditch the comb, unless you advise me otherwise) and 3 treble hive stands..........
He has loads of stuff left but my garage is starting to look like his barn and there is no way I could fit it all in !

Pete D

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Ronsealed a few hive roofs - sub zero all day here, went up to the top of the garden about midday when the sun was shining on the hives and saw a few from each hive out on an emptying flight.