What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Michael ECB's]

Promised some time ago to post a pic showing debris on floor board after robbing..
Pic doesn't quite do it justice though....

 

[The Poot]

Girls in 2 & 3 very unimpressed with addition of Apilife Var yesterday!
Took 12lbs of honey from my main hive before treating - didn’t think I would get any honey from these girls as they’ve been a long time queenless and bee numbers have been steadily dwindling (and what with the poor start to the season) but happy with 30lbs in total and left them with a super rammed with stores.View attachment 28352

Looks a nice set up you have there
It can’t be pleasant being confined to a closed box of smelly stuff! I once tried Maqs and ended up with more bees outside than in. That’s when I switched to vaping and found it much “easier“ on the bees.
Its good that you’ve had a honey result you’re happy with despite the setbacks.
Your challenge next year (assuming all three overwinter well), will be controlling the number of colonies you have.......

 

[The Poot]

Promised some time ago to post a pic showing debris on floor board after robbing..
Pic doesn't quite do it justice though....
View attachment 28358

You’re right, the robbers just rip the combs apart. I had a fairly strong colony robbed out a few years ago when I was working and unable to stop it. Getting home towards the end of things - it was pretty horrific. The robbers were just in a frenzy of destruction and the noise was something else. Fortunately, they didn’t attack my other hives once they’d finished the colony off.

 

[Malcolm Stamp]

Finally got around to motorising my extractor with the help of an electrical engineer neighbour.

 

[pete darbyshire]

Steamed, then soda boiled 500 frames this morning, steamed my glasses up!!

 

[user 819]

Finally got around to motorising my extractor with the help of an electrical engineer neighbour.View attachment 28361

Certainly looks a bit neater then my conversion, however as long as they all work then it's job done.
I am going to post a little film of my one so you lot will have to put up with my dulcet tones as I narrate it, will likely start a fresh thread post for it rather then continuing the hijacking of the thread I piggybacked on to.

 

[StephenT]

Plan was to mark runny queen in hive 2 but she legged it over the back of the hive, ended up on the ground and so I had to pick her up and pop her back in again. Gave up on the marking job until next year. Laying well and will only need a top up of stores. Checked the other two hives to see how much they’ll need feeding. A lot less so will probably need to put a full 12.5kg block of fondant on each in a week or so.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

All queen excluders off and hives set up for winter, no hurry to feed yet but I'll soon start treating in earnest, will have to wait until next week to really get into it as I have to venture over to the dark side this weekend.
First face to face meeting of Bees Abroad Project managers this weekend since 2019 so we're all heading for Stoneleigh where I'll have to spend a day and a half at BBKA HQ

 

[Moobee]

Looks a nice set up you have there
It can’t be pleasant being confined to a closed box of smelly stuff! I once tried Maqs and ended up with more bees outside than in. That’s when I switched to vaping and found it much “easier“ on the bees.
Its good that you’ve had a honey result you’re happy with despite the setbacks.
Your challenge next year (assuming all three overwinter well), will be controlling the number of colonies you have.......

Thanks! I will be vaping come December (ish) to catch the rest of the little b*ggers! Took the varroa floors out and they seem to have calmed down. Mite count of 81 and 158 so definitely worthwhile doing the treatment and hoping it means they come through winter ok. Theyre being fed now and have a shed load of fondant ready for the colder months.

 

[GuyNir]

Plan was to mark runny queen in hive 2 but she legged it over the back of the hive, ended up on the ground and so I had to pick her up and pop her back in again. Gave up on the marking job until next year. Laying well and will only need a top up of stores. Checked the other two hives to see how much they’ll need feeding. A lot less so will probably need to put a full 12.5kg block of fondant on each in a week or so.

I currently have 2 newly mated Q’s which are unmarked. Will mark those next spring, not now… too late for mishaps…

 

[Newbeeneil]

Spent 15mins to chop up a few boxes of fondant to pop under the crown boards when I take the Apiguard off.

 

[StephenT]

I currently have 2 newly mated Q’s which are unmarked. Will mark those next spring, not now… too late for mishaps…

Yep, should have adopted that approach really. It was just last April when we had rammed hives with queen cells galore and couldn’t find a couple of unmarked queens. Find it much easier with a nice white dot on them although this one is very distinctive orange.

 

[StephenT]

Spent 15mins to chop up a few boxes of fondant to pop under the crown boards when I take the Apiguard off.View attachment 28365

Do you ever have issues with the fondant melting and sticking to the bees wings? We had that last year when we probably applied it too early when it was still quite warm. Took it off them in the end which was like taking candy off a bunch of psychotic kids.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Do you ever have issues with the fondant melting and sticking to the bees wings? We had that last year when we probably applied it too early when it was still quite warm. Took it off them in the end which was like taking candy off a bunch of psychotic kids.

No I've never had that problem. I peal back the pallet wrap to leave a thin strip of fondant which I put onto the top bars. The bees have access and the plastic keeps the upper surface sealed and moist.

 

[madasafish]

Cling film is your friend with fondant. Or grease proof paper.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Cling film is your friend with fondant. Or grease proof paper.

I find the bees shread cling film but the pallet wrap is untouched due to its strength. ( and it's free I cadge it from a client's warehouse while storing their supers for overwintering)

 

[Garry R]

Just about finished making this as a bit of fun for next year. Basically a long(ish) hive with 14x12 frames. Transitioning in older age when lifting supers may be a problem and also working at waist height may be more comfortable, Made from cheap timber - reckon less than £50 includingroof and floor hinges, roof material, glue , some screws, coach bolts dowels, insulation and weatherproofing. Will let you know how it goes in 2022.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Looks lovely.
Are you going to insulate it?

 

[Murox]

Very good looking, wish my skills were half as good. What have you done/are you going to do regarding entrances?

 

[pargyle]

Finally got around to motorising my extractor with the help of an electrical engineer neighbour.View attachment 28361

That is such a tidy job .. what did you nick the motor and gearbox from ?