What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Murox]

A Demaree is proactive, taking action before they have begun swarm preparations.
If there are queen cells, a cell with a queen in it whether larva, pupa they have already begun preparations, so they will most likely swarm anyway.

 

[user 819]

A Demaree is proactive, taking action before they have begun swarm preparations.
If there are queen cells, a cell with a queen in it whether larva, pupa they have already begun preparations, so they will most likely swarm anyway.

It appears quite a few haven't grasped the difference and still proceed with a Demeree, ending up with just a simple vertical split and still a problem colony on the bottom that will swarm.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It appears quite a few haven't grasped the difference and still proceed with a Demeree, ending up with just a simple vertical split and still a problem colony on the bottom that will swarm.

Unfortunately the 'quite a few' include some 'experts' and when the BBKA 'experts' are publishing incorrect information regards Demarree in their comic or in beecraft, what do you expect?

 

[user 819]

As been previously mentioned a bit of paper hanging on the wall means nothing if they have no common.

 

[GuyNir]

Had a visit from the bee inspector due to EFB detected in the area. He took samples from a couple of hives, we now wait. I was really hoping I don’t have to deal with this again this year (after last year’s nightmare)

 

[E&MBees]

Had a visit from the bee inspector due to EFB detected in the area. He took samples from a couple of hives, we now wait. I was really hoping I don’t have to deal with this again this year (after last year’s nightmare)
[/QUOTE
Really sorry to hear that.

 

[steve1958]

Checked on my new virgin Queens today.
One has mated and is laying well.
The others are yet to perform, but early days yet.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It appears quite a few haven't grasped the difference and still proceed with a Demeree, ending up with just a simple vertical split and still a problem colony on the bottom that will swarm.

It’s the new under supering.
If you stop and think what you are trying to achieve it’s simple but a few seem to not have a clue how bees work, life cycle etc and just plug on regardless

 

[Erichalfbee]

Went through all hives. Some running on vapour got a frame of stores. Bees are working hawthorn for pollen at least.

 

[Swn58]

I'm off to remove the queen from the Nicot box. I hope I have timed it right. She was put in there on Sunday, so it should be spot on.
Who can tell though? The instructions printed by Simon the BK talks about the preciseness of the timing, but then fluffs around by saying that times may be different anyway! As for the transfer of larva, it says that curved ones are too old, yet grafting instructions often say look for 'question-mark' curved larva. It's like government Covid advice and instructions all over again!
Never mind, I will do a mixture of sizes if all has gone well. I have decided to use two Nuc-boxes for this queen raising project and not a queenless hive I was going to make up.

 

[BugsInABox]

Dared to refill a syrup bottle from inside the hive without gloves for the 1st time.

 

[Swarm]

Helped my mate today, every hive low on stores. Four cells now in the incubator.

 

[Swn58]

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I'm off to remove the queen from the Nicot box. I hope I have timed it right. She was put in there on Sunday, so it should be spot on.


Damn.....forgot to post before I left! Dohhhh

 

[Swn58]

Had a visit from the bee inspector due to EFB detected in the area. He took samples from a couple of hives, we now wait. I was really hoping I don’t have to deal with this again this year (after last year’s nightmare)

I got a message a week ago saying EFB was in my area. I did a full inspection, found nothing and all looked good. I reported it back, but have been told they will visit anyway at some point

 

[madasafish]

I'm off to remove the queen from the Nicot box. I hope I have timed it right. She was put in there on Sunday, so it should be spot on.
Who can tell though? The instructions printed by Simon the BK talks about the preciseness of the timing, but then fluffs around by saying that times may be different anyway! As for the transfer of larva, it says that curved ones are too old, yet grafting instructions often say look for 'question-mark' curved larva. It's like government Covid advice and instructions all over again!
Never mind, I will do a mixture of sizes if all has gone well. I have decided to use two Nuc-boxes for this queen raising project and not a queenless hive I was going to make up.

See 6 mins 50 seconds on for size needed

 

[einsteinagogo]

on my daily walk, I noticed a "buzzing" coming from a hawthorn hedge, and found a very wet and cold bunch of bees.

I'm sure you all know what it's like you cannot just leave them there, so I returned suited, with some heavy gloves on with water mister, smoker, brush and hedge cutters to try and get at the clump of wet cold bees.

The hawthorn hedge resited me more than the bees, I had to cut a fair bit out to get to the cluster, high up in the top of the hedge at the crown, very awkward, not sure if I got HM, but got enough bees to fill a stacked Apidea (x2), not enough for a nuc. (Well could have been 2 frames).

I got more hawthorn pricks and no bee stings, considering they were wet and cold (probably half dead!), I've left my Apidea there, so hope no-one going to steel my Apidea, just in case I left a wildlife cam opposite!!! on-record!

I'll go back later at night fall to retrieve. Something may come of them.

 

[drdrday]

Watched about 100 scout bees at peak time visiting one of my bait hives.
I'm as sure as I can be that they're not mine , but I guess time will tell...

 

[BigAshW]

A very frustrating day for me. Went up this evening as the forecast looks good for the. Next ten days so wanted to get the feeders off and supers on. Th

Checked on the hive I introduced a mated queen to and found that they'd obviously killed her and had a QC raised.

Second hive found the new mated queen in the top box was laying well so split her off and clipped and marked her. As I put her back she was being handled very roughly by some workers so I really hope they haven't killed her.

Third hive had capped swarm cells and no eggs, I haven't been able to get into these for about ten days due to the weather so looks like I lost them. Split the two boxes apart with a cell each.

Fourth hive no QC in the top box and eggs present so supers added.

Fifth hive haven't touched the syrup but still low on stores. I don't think that feeder works very well so put an English feeder on them.

Didn't look in number six as they had a virgin hatch about ten days ago so I'll give her another week.

So going into this cold spell I had three strong colonies demareed and building. One with a virgin and mother colony just split. And a colony with a failing queen.

Now I have 8 colonies, three of which have no queen but QC in and One that may have just balled their new queen.

 

[madasafish]

Was going to set up hive for QR and rehouse a nuc but too cold and windy and ground/grass too wet so left it all till tomorrow.

 

[Nannysbees]

Where do I start........ went into our swarm no queen no eggs.
Inspected our split, must have missed a supercedure on the last inspection, wasn't expecting to see a capped queen, took it out and put it in the swarm hive. Not sure if this was the right course of action.