What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Newbeeneil]

As I carried out my inspections I put my new marking system on the hives. The old circular discs I had bleached out the colour within 2 years but hopefully these ear tags will be more robust!

 

[GuyNir]

As I carried out my inspections I put my new marking system on the hives. The old circular discs I had bleached out the colour within 2 years but hopefully these ear tags will be more robust!
View attachment 25178

I used similar tags last year. Was great until sheep came. They seem to love chewing those...

 

[Swn58]

Sounds you had a busy day. How long do you put the Apilife Var treatment on for - not used that one before? What criteria do you use when deciding whether to put it on? Interested as I have just one hive I’m concerned about, but waiting for the next warm spell before doing a sugar shake & deciding what to do...

I use it because it proports to be more 'environmentally friendly.' In over ten years I've always had varroa in colonies, so assume they are there all the time. I apply it in early Spring and re-apply it after seven days. It usually does the trick and takes out most of the little devils. I go through the whole process again, usually around Oct/Nov, to set things up for the winter.

 

[Swn58]

I used similar tags last year. Was great until sheep came. They seem to love chewing those...

They wanted them back!

 

[North End Bees]

I use it because it proports to be more 'environmentally friendly.'

I don't think it's any more environmentally friendly (or damaging) than Apiguard or OA?

 

[GuyNir]

11c and sunny. Inspected last 2 colonies, both on brood & half. Marked both Q’s. Reversed boxes on one, as all the action was on top, so now the half is at the bottom. Other one the brood nest was across both boxes, so left as is.

 

[drex]

Both my Warré and my KTBH have failed this year. I run them on minimal intervention. The KTBh was running low on stores so I gave them some fondant but obviously not enough.
I have cleaned both up and will start them off again this year.
However, I have measured up the KTBH and with a bit of modification the panels are all big enough for me to convert to a long horizontal hive, taking national frames. This will be a job for the upcoming cold spell.
Managing this type of hive will be another learning curve, just as the previous top bar formats were.

 

[RichardBeeW]

I felt I had to add some space under two of my full OMF BN colonies on Tuesday (a really warm day here in mid-Wales) and removed the two existing first attempts to cobble together two ordinary OMFs into the JBM take on under floor entrances and replaced with new UNE floors. This is how the old floors came off. I was expecting to see dead bees and lots of detritus but both seemed perfectly clean. I then very quickly swapped two six frame nucs (all six frames crammed with bees and brood) into two separate BBs and used these floors under them.
BUT - - - just looking at the picture a moment ago and I first noticed - A HIVE BEETLE! Except my wife told me it was just a beetle on the hive. It's on the frame on the right hand side of the pic. After my blind panic it does look like a ground beetle. Any thoughts?

 

[GuyNir]

I felt I had to add some space under two of my full OMF BN colonies on Tuesday (a really warm day here in mid-Wales) and removed the two existing first attempts to cobble together two ordinary OMFs into the JBM take on under floor entrances and replaced with new UNE floors. This is how the old floors came off. I was expecting to see dead bees and lots of detritus but both seemed perfectly clean. I then very quickly swapped two six frame nucs (all six frames crammed with bees and brood) into two separate BBs and used these floors under them.
BUT - - - just looking at the picture a moment ago and I first noticed - A HIVE BEETLE! Except my wife told me it was just a beetle on the hive. It's on the frame on the right hand side of the pic. After my blind panic it does look like a ground beetle. Any thoughts? View attachment 25181

This isn’t SHB.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Looks like a ground beetle to me. I have a hive that gets a few in the roof every time I inspect.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

BUT - - - just looking at the picture a moment ago and I first noticed -

a beetle, just an ordinary bog standard beetle.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The plan was to pop down to Llety'r Deryn (the apiary at Amanford) quickly sort out the sinking hive stand (five minute job, lift stand with hives in situ, piece of paving slab under each foot) and remove the nadirs on the two that had them after a late flow of HB was left for them to enjoy. but...
Three of the hives were fine, not light, not packed, just as I would expect at this time, one of the nadired ones, ditto, plenty of room in the brood box, nadir taken away. But number 2 hive!!!!!!!!! weighed a ton, the nadired shallow was ram jammed with fresh willow honey and even under the crown board was honey packed. At this time of the year the bee mobile isn't permanently stocked with contingency kit, so quickly scooted home then bach to the apiary to sort out hive numver 2 which now has 2 supers on!!
On the way back, thought I might as well sort out the Tŷ Uchaf apiary, first five quickly sorted, exactly as I would expect at this time, but the fifth one again, packed with honey and brood, luckily I'd loaded up with spare queen excluders and shallows!
Unfortunateely the wild colony in the oak tree, whick looked so busy and strong a few weeks ago, has died out after five/six years of existence. The reason I never count my 'overwintered' colonies until they're almost ready for their first supers.
Left the rest for tomorrow!

 

[madasafish]

Inspected other beek's two hives first time this year (beginner who broke his arm after 2 months of bees last year.) Both fine. Fiddled around to give empty comb for Q to lay in.

Cut home grass then fed all nucs/mini nucs fondant in preparation for the week of winter ahead (5C max , -2C at night.)
Reinstated long johns and thermal vests.

 

[Goran]

Finally managed today to peek into couple of the hives ( first time this season). Brood from 4-7. One colony has only sealed worker brod and 4-5 unsealed qcells. Queen somehow managed so far and sadlly died.. drones are present in the hives, not much drone brood for now. I think there is 1-2 frames of brood less than usual for this time. Will see the rest what is situation.. The wild cherry opened and fresh nectar pouring into hives.. when shake the frame it is dripping.. But, cold spell is making big comeback in future days, even some snow they predict.. ehh.. " happy days"..

 

[BugsInABox]

Finally managed today to peek into couple of the hives ( first time this season). Brood from 4-7. One colony has only sealed worker brod and 4-5 unsealed qcells. Queen somehow managed so far and sadlly died.. drones are present in the hives, not much drone brood for now. I think there is 1-2 frames of brood less than usual for this time. Will see the rest what is situation.. The wild cherry opened and fresh nectar pouring into hives.. when shake the frame it is dripping.. But, cold spell is making big comeback in future days, even some snow they predict.. ehh.. " happy days".. View attachment 25182

How can you tell she died?

 

[Murox]

First check on a hive I moved to a a new apiary (Glencraigs). busy hive finding oodles of pollen from nearby, had a peak inside found them busy building out a foundationless frame. Happened to spot the queen at the same time, lovely though smallish Jon Getty queen (green dot). Had a look at the other apiary(A'chruach) which a hundred meters ish higher, they were not very busy at all but it was still cold from the night frost.

 

[Goran]

How can you tell she died?

No new brood, loud buzzing, qcells - not swarm ones for sure.. Supercedure, well if she is still in a hive she would lay drone brood if no other..

 

[RichardBeeW]

a beetle, just an ordinary bog standard beetle.

Not a bog standard beetle! A Welsh bog standard beetle, completely different thing Thank you @jenkinsbrynmair and thanks too to @GuyNir and @Newbeeneil it probably just crawled on after I'd put the floor to one side. Isn't it lovely to hear the bees again!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Happened to spot the queen at the same time, lovely though smallish Jon Getty queen (green dot).

Do you find his queens Chalky at all?

 

[Murox]

Do you find his queens Chalky at all?

Haven't seen any sign to date, though I haven't gone right through that hive yet - she is in a well insulated (wood and 80mm kingspan sandwich) long deep hive - just realised I said she was green dot in fact she is from summer 2020 so BLUE dot.