What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Michael ECB's]

Another swarm caught.... 3rd swarm this season caught inside this broken down shed... 3 swarms also caught on the roof directly above.... Also this season
Old Asbestos roofs seem to be very popular... Especially when they used to house a "Mammoth" old colony...
6 swarms one building....

 

[pargyle]

Could be sheep there's plenty of them around but to push the entrance block in like that? - 8 last night.

37c that does sound um pleasant.

Look for badger tracks in the snow ... not unheard of for these powerful creatures to have a go at a hive when they can't get to their usual diet of worms and other stuff they dig up ...

If you had not said that the screws holding it in place had been bent back I would have suggested woodpeckers as they will have a go at any areas where they sense weakness in the hive ..

 

[Swn58]

I went down to the farm yesterday. Took loads of photos on my phone, but cannot get them onto my computer at the moment. Grrrrr The snow was melting and the temperature seemed above freezing. I actually got buzzed by a bee!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Look for badger tracks in the snow ... not unheard of for these powerful creatures to have a go at a hive when they can't get to their usual diet of worms and other stuff they dig up ...

If you had not said that the screws holding it in place had been bent back I would have suggested woodpeckers as they will have a go at any areas where they sense weakness in the hive ..

You are probably right in the corner of the field there is a group of Ash trees with a badger set near by.
Maybe worth me getting some fence around the hives or net?.

We didn't notice any paw prints anywhere maybe the snow was to fresh.
The snow has gone this morning so I'm going back over there to sort the entrance block out.

 

[Michael ECB's]

You are probably right in the corner of the field there is a group of Ash trees with a badger set near by.
Maybe worth me getting some fence around the hives or net?.

We didn't notice any paw prints anywhere maybe the snow was to fresh.
The snow has gone this morning so I'm going back over there to sort the entrance block out.

Shooo, wasn't aware you guys had badgers in the UK (Excuse my ignorance)
We have the Honey Badger here,,,, if he/she finds bee hives.... It's all over....
Really smart and aggressive buggers that will tear a box to pieces...
No fear what so ever...

 

[user 819]

No footprints maybe they are Ninja Badgers CGF.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Shooo, wasn't aware you guys had badgers in the UK (Excuse my ignorance)
We have the Honey Badger here,,,, if he/she finds bee hives.... It's all over....
Really smart and aggressive buggers that will tear a box to pieces...
No fear what so ever...

Have a read of this it's about badgers in the UK and T. B. Badgers and tb

 

[user 819]

Michael farmers over here hate them as they are suspected of transmitting TB to cattle, not many a day/week passes out seeing dead carcasses on the road side. They like Bats are a protected species.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

not many a day/week passes out seeing dead carcasses on the road side. They like Bats are a protected species.

but unlike bats, don't fly very well - hence the road casualties

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Shooo, wasn't aware you guys had badgers in the UK

Nothing like your ratels, if fact they don't bear much of a similarity either, they are not so determined when it comes to attacking beehives in fact, most of the time they take no interest at all in them. I have one apiary near a bader sett that's been there since before I was born, the badgers pass within inches of the hives and never bother them.
And as for intelligent - we all know that a ratel is totally flummoxed by a hive suspended from a tree branch

 

[Michael ECB's]

Nothing like your ratels, if fact they don't bear much of a similarity either, they are not so determined when it comes to attacking beehives in fact, most of the time they take no interest at all in them. I have one apiary near a bader sett that's been there since before I was born, the badgers pass within inches of the hives and never bother them.
And as for intelligent - we all know that a ratel is totally flummoxed by a hive suspended from a tree branch

Flummoxed? Thought you were swearing at me - Had to google that one..... Hmmmm...
Back to our dear old Ratel.... You reckon hanging a hive from a tree will work? Maybe in certain districts where the blood line may be a bit " WEAK"...
Please check out the link below.... Quite a famous fellow - Stoffel..

 

[pargyle]

Flummoxed? Thought you were swearing at me - Had to google that one..... Hmmmm...
Back to our dear old Ratel.... You reckon hanging a hive from a tree will work? Maybe in certain districts where the blood line may be a bit " WEAK"...
Please check out the link below.... Quite a famous fellow - Stoffel..

I think that Honey Badger has more brains than some people I know !! Amazing creativity and use of tools to get where he wants ....

 

[The Poot]

Flummoxed? Thought you were swearing at me - Had to google that one..... Hmmmm...
Back to our dear old Ratel.... You reckon hanging a hive from a tree will work? Maybe in certain districts where the blood line may be a bit " WEAK"...
Please check out the link below.... Quite a famous fellow - Stoffel..

Remarkable!

 

[beeno]

Observing, all hives and nucs flying and with 13°C forecast for tomorrow I expect a lot of activity!

 

[masterBK]

Mild weather today and when the sun came out thousands of bees came pouring out of the garden hives filling the sky. Shame these cleansing flights cooincided with the washing being out on the line! Ground in front of the hives now covered in hundreds of dead workers chucked out by the undertaker bees (these have presumably died and accumulated on the floorboard since the last cleansing flight some weeks ago).

 

[Boston Bees]

The hives finally got the chance for a good cleansing flight today. 15 out of 16 flying, with possibly the 16th also active. Inspected through the perspex where possible. Got absolutely covered in sh*t ....

 

[madasafish]

First mild DRY day this year. No snow on the.
Quick check on all four overwintered mini nucs- survived teh cold and thriving.Fed only one - rest had ok stores.
Checked all nucs and main hives - fed nucs fondant as required.

Foxes have been digging holes for worms in lawn - pia.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Checked most of the lighter hives and all looked good except the last I checked. A double nuc that was very strong going into winter and I was hoping to split early in the season. The bees were dead, all heads in cells huddled on frames 1,2 & 3 with sealed stores on frames 5 on the bottom box and 9 & 10 in the upper box. Big pile of dead bees on floor. I know we will all lose bees but that first loss of the winter always makes me sad.

 

[Swarm]

Bad luck, Neil.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Closed up my first ( I hope only) winter loss. It was a very late cut out from a building refurb we did and just too few bees. Still sad though.