What did you do in the Apiary today?

[E&MBees]

Visited a new apiary site today. South facing, protected from cold northerly winds by a stone wall. 7 acres of garden, orchard and woodland backing onto countryside. Village gardens and allotments close by. Looking forward to getting bees on site early spring once I’ve prepared the site.

 

[Moobee]

Hefted and cleaned varroa trays. All good weight still. Lots of cappings from brood emerging, so all queens still busy! Should slow up hopefully with this colder weather and I can think about OA vaping soon.

 

[Murox]

Got around to making up some manley frames.....finally.

 

[elainemary]

Not much happening in my home apiary today. And it’s only November!

 

[Nannysbees]

Not much happening in my home apiary today. And it’s only November!

Picture postcard,I love snow ❄

 

[Murox]

Not much happening in my home apiary today. And it’s only November!

Brrrrr☃ just and wind where I am.

 

[Repwoc]

Bought a yellow paint marker pen for '22.

 

[victor meldrew]

Bought a yellow paint marker pen for '22.

I guess my usual yellow pen will be correct 2022 !

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

needed to take the air so decided to pop over the mountain to check the castle apiary after the bit of a blow we had Saturday.
all the dead ash trees are still standing and hives hefted as I was there, all fine although one may need a topup come Christmas time

 

[Moobee]

We had snow for the first time for a few years!. Not a lot compared to some parts of the country but a rarity so close to the sea. Noted that the hives have a better insulated roof than the house which had already melted when i took this picture in the morning!

 

[Erichalfbee]

needed to take the air so decided to pop over the mountain to check the castle apiary after the bit of a blow we had Saturday.
all the dead ash trees are still standing and hives hefted as I was there, all fine although one may need a topup come Christmas time
View attachment 29278

Nice little set up

 

[W0otz]

Noted that the hives have a better insulated roof than the house which had already melted when i took this picture in the morning!
View attachment 29283

Alternatively central heating puts out a little more heat than a cluster of insects.
Bees heat the cluster, which in turn keeps the hive above ambient, but they aren't trying to heat the hive in the way you heat your home.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Nice little set up

I was lucky there - animals aren't let into that area at all, but there has to be an access point for the land to be included in the farm IACS acreage for calculation of farm payments etc. it's right at the foot of the crag so it's pretty steep and littered with old rubble so I only have a narrow flat area for the hives, but it's fine for six hives and looks out over the whole Cennen valley as well as being not too far away from the heather there's a narrow access lane a field's width away and I can drive onto the field and up to the apiary most of the year. I often have longhorn suckler cows - and bulls for company!

 

[Moobee]

Alternatively central heating puts out a little more heat than a cluster of insects.
Bees heat the cluster, which in turn keeps the hive above ambient, but they aren't trying to heat the hive in the way you heat your home.

True but we have an old house with (we suspect) less insulation in the roof than the bees have in theirs.

 

[Nannysbees]

needed to take the air so decided to pop over the mountain to check the castle apiary after the bit of a blow we had Saturday.
all the dead ash trees are still standing and hives hefted as I was there, all fine although one may need a topup come Christmas time
View attachment 29278

Stunning setting for an apiary

 

[Wilco]

Checked all had fondant (messing around with ivy crop this year so not all fed syrup), brought the last out apiary back in to winter site. Messed around with night photos on my phone camera (second image taken circa 21:30). Attempted to go night sledging.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Stunning setting for an apiary

Here's a few different angles and a longshot

 

[Nannysbees]

Here's a few different angles and a longshotView attachment 29286View attachment 29287View attachment 29288

That's my idea of heaven, I'm very jealous, what castle is that?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That's my idea of heaven, I'm very jealous, what castle is that?

Carreg Cennen - the original stone castle was built by my ancestor - Rhys ap Gruffudd Prince of Deheubarth and prince of wales, and his great great Grandfather Hywell Dda codified a set of laws which had a specific chapter on bees and mead makers.

 

[Nannysbees]

Carreg Cennen - the original stone castle was built by my ancestor - Rhys ap Gruffudd Prince of Deheubarth and prince of wales, and his great great Grandfather Hywell Dda codified a set of laws which had a specific chapter on bees and mead makers.

Wow!!!!!!! That's fascinating, what an amazing place to live