What did you do in the Apiary today?

[pargyle]

Went to the in-laws and took a look at the nuc I gave them a month or two ago (they wanted to start beekeeping and I'm advising). Seems I've given them the gentlest queen I've bred and they're doing incredibly well- filling a brood box and about ready to think about going up so super on today.

Wife insisted on taking a look without any PPE despite my protests that it wasn't worth the risk. This is the first time she's looked in a hive. I'm never going to hear the end of this... (secretly a little bit proud).

She's a brave lady ....

I can't even get my wife near them in a suit .... indeed, I can't even get her into a suit ... and the nearest she gets to mine is looking out of the back iof the greenhouse into my apiary ... and God forbid that one of my girls should dare to enter the greenhouse ....

 

[Wilco]

She's a brave lady ....

I can't even get my wife near them in a suit .... indeed, I can't even get her into a suit ... and the nearest she gets to mine is looking out of the back iof the greenhouse into my apiary ... and God forbid that one of my girls should dare to enter the greenhouse ....

I normally can't get her into a suit either and bees are not allowed at home! However...! Here's hoping this is just the start of things to come. I think she enjoyed it and I'm incredibly proud of her (and the bees!).

Tell your wife/girls that my wife has thrown down the gauntlet!

 

[Anduril]

I'll need a small step ladder for this one

 

[DaveG23]

I'll need a small step ladder for this oneView attachment 27191

what is going on with the top super? It looks a bit psychedelic, what have your bees been foraging on?

 

[Anduril]

what is going on with the top super? It looks a bit psychedelic, what have your bees been foraging on?

It's a super made out of pine and it needs to be revarnished.

 

[DaveG23]

good weekend here, lots of sunshine, lots of black clouds but they kept disappearing, lots of bees flying home very lazily, great sight.

Made a few new hive stands today as I am down to using fish boxes at the moment.

Hived the first swarm I took this year, she has filled up 5 frames in a commercial nuc with sealed brood, it is just starting to emerge and if the weather holds they may even bring in some honey.

 

[Levitt53]

Yesterday I helped a friend's neighbour who had been gifted a hive and a nuc and was planning on thinking about beekeeping. Yes you guessed it a swarm had moved into the nuc a few weeks ago. There were only 3 frames in there so when he braved up and looked inside there was lots of wild comb and he hadn't a clue where to start. We popped the lid into my nuc box and looked at the three frames and found eggs and larvae but not the Queen unfortunately. Carefully cut the three slices of frame out and managed to find her majesty on the middle one. It's the first time I have attempted to put wild comb into empty frames so it was quite fun. I got covered in nectar but he'll have a nice little colony there. He desperately needs to do some reading now based on his questions.

 

[Swn58]

I normally can't get her into a suit either and bees are not allowed at home! However...! Here's hoping this is just the start of things to come. I think she enjoyed it and I'm incredibly proud of her (and the bees!).

Tell your wife/girls that my wife has thrown down the gauntlet!

I've had to begin moving my bees off my partners Haven (allotment) as they were getting too naughty. I'm barely allowed on there in truth!
I am in the process of moving them and some nucs up the hill out of the way. So far I've moved five nucs there and this weekend brought in two more for two new queens from an up and coming producer of quality stock!

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Checked over-defensive colony had accepted new queen. Yes. Eggs found but. . . .
I've never taken so many stings. Took a while to find eggs, not before it crossed my mind "Ok. You win. I'm out of here" and throwing the boxes together again. Courage or stupidity? I don't know. Threatened them with petrol if they don't come around.

 

[Wilco]

I've had to begin moving my bees off my partners Haven (allotment) as they were getting too naughty. I'm barely allowed on there in truth!
I am in the process of moving them and some nucs up the hill out of the way. So far I've moved five nucs there and this weekend brought in two more for two new queens from an up and coming producer of quality stock!

Let me know how the queens are!

Always a little bittersweet having to move colonies from a convenient location.

 

[Plastics]

Brood pattern - nice; temperament - appalling

 

[Nannysbees]

Inspected four hives today weather held out. Had to feed our swarm cell as very little nectar in the brood box. Our split hive has increased substantially and started drawing the super. The hive with four supers are full of nectar but still no sign of capping. Found three queens out of four,brood in all stages in
all hives

 

[Wilco]

Brood pattern - nice; temperament - appalling
View attachment 27204

That looks like a super brood pattern! (sorry, couldn't resist).

 

[deemann1]

Biggest colony iv had so far ,5 capped supers and another 2 been filled

 

[Nannysbees]

Biggest colony iv had so far ,5 capped supers and another 2 been filled

What's your secret, that's amazing

 

[Murox]

Brood pattern - nice; temperament - appalling
View attachment 27204

If the brood were laid on a single frame, how deep would the frame need to be in order to accommodate a continuation of that arc??
Great example, can really get the 3D idea from that shape.

 

[drdrday]

Had a quick check of the grafts. Day 9 now, and all 7 that were accepted are sealed and looking good.

I'm slightly paranoid about them emerging sooner than expected (and either having a brawl amongst themselves or with my favourite queen whose colony they're currently in) so was planning to transfer them to mini mating hives on day 13 (Saturday). Does that sound OK - not too soon or too late?

 

[gmonag]

Had a quick check of the grafts. Day 9 now, and all 7 that were accepted are sealed and looking good.
View attachment 27212
I'm slightly paranoid about them emerging sooner than expected (and either having a brawl amongst themselves or with my favourite queen whose colony they're currently in) so was planning to transfer them to mini mating hives on day 13 (Saturday). Does that sound OK - not too soon or too late?

Can you not fit hair roller cages?

 

[drdrday]

Can you not fit hair roller cages?

I could have, if I'd bought some, but the plan was always just to move them to their own mating hives before they emerged.

 

[B+.]

I could have, if I'd bought some, but the plan was always just to move them to their own mating hives before they emerged.

You could always wrap a piece of tinfoil around them (leaving the tip exposed) if you're worried about them being torn down.