What did you do in the Apiary today?

[gregior]

Just popped the crown boards on 4 of mine-Wow! every frame chocca with fresh honey if I had put supers on last week i bet they would have been filled too. Weather looks like taking a big downturn which might at least free up some room for the Queens to lay. Wouldn't be surprised to see swarm preps next time I inspect.

 

[philipm]

Had a quick look at my hives today they are all bringing in yellow pollen.The one hive that I intend to requeen that are nasty were really well behaved prompting me to rethink requeening.I wont know for sure until I do a proper inspection which could be a few weeks away if the forecast is correct.

 

[Wilco]

Update from posts #33129 and #33261

• Hive tool relocated on floor immediately on arrival. Despite walking past that exact spot multiple times (checking sheep) since it vanished...
• Hive making QCs looks to be Q-, unsure if it had swarmed or I/they had topped her or something else but for whatever reason I'm not too hopeful at this time of year with the forecast (although may improve in a week) plenty of QCs made, have put some in a 2in1 nuc as at this point there's not much to lose. (Removed sentence).
• Struggling to see with the light but the hive which was queenless, had QCs and nervy bees was much calmer today and eggs present. Based on the pictures I'm going with laying workers rather than a miracle but will wait until the cells are capped before committing to a shake out (once the cold snap is over).

 

[Nannysbees]

It's just going to be a stores for honey, wax and equipment, racking arrives today, this evening I'll be moving stuff out of the workshop into it so I'll then have room to get cracking on new floors etc.
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That's really smart, looks a good solid quality shed. Plenty of storage room

 

[drex]

No. In my experience a shed is never big enough, but it is nice.
At my apiary I have an 8x6 as my main bee shed, with three 6x4 sheds for the stored boxes ekes etc, but it still overflows

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In my experience a shed is never big enough

this one isn't but I knew that before ordering it - I was a bit constrained by the location here, I would have liked it a bit wider for a start. I'm already wondering where I'm going to put everything!!

 

[Wilco]

this one isn't but I knew that before ordering it - I was a bit constrained by the location here, I would have liked it a bit wider for a start. I'm already wondering where I'm going to put everything!!

Stack your buckets inside each other if they're empty? Should save a bit of floor space. Obviously doesn't work so well when they're full later in the season though!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Stack your buckets inside each other if they're empty

They're all full - and there's more to join them - the empty ones are in the attic - they're light enough to carry a half dozen in each hand. I'm just moving stuff around now as I needed to get around in my workshop to get my tools! lighter stuff will just sit on top of those honey buckets, I have a pallet full of jars to go next to them as well. I'm on half putting together eight feet of 24" wide racking for frames, flatpacks, wax and such

 

[elainemary]

Added box under as we will have a few coldish days this week. This us just a contingency if they run out if space between two weekly inspections. The next step will be depending on next weeks inspection and weather forecast.

Thanks, I’ve done the following to try to learn about changing conditions and recognise differences between sites and hive types:

Apiary 1 I’ve moved a nadired super up, quick look at stores in lightest and heaviest and ok no need to add fondant or take away stores. All in polyhives and a fairly sheltered site

Apiary 2 I’ve left as is , not touched the winter configuration with nadired super below and brood box on top. Weights all ok in my home apiary at altitude in WBCs

Apiary 3 I’ve added a super on top of Brood box with q/e 3 weeks ago leaving nadired super below brood box. This is my most sheltered, low lie-ing apiary. Mix of wbc and poly

Will be interesting to compare and contrast and learn from what I’ve done in a couple of weeks. Though in my limited time as a beekeeper learning no one season is the same.

 

[Newbeeneil]

It's just going to be a stores for honey, wax and equipment, racking arrives today, this evening I'll be moving stuff out of the workshop into it so I'll then have room to get cracking on new floors etc.
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You lucky man! SWMBO has said no more sheds! I only have 4

 

[Nannysbees]

Rained here this afternoon and the bees were still out collecting water!!!

 

[Somerford]

What are the other options if it looks like they're already making swarm preps? If they swarm you've got the same slim chance of a decently reared then mated queen. If you split then you've still got the mated queen to hand. If the parent colony fails to raise a decent queen you can let them try again later with eggs from the split.
Anyway I'm going back in on Monday as it's the last warm day - if they were just eggs in cups and not true swarm preps then they won't have rebuilt them and I won't be doing anything. Time will tell.



They have other stores above brood, but the 2 frames mentioned are the only 2 that are purely honey/nectar frames.

Just squash the queen cups - not like they have a whole brood box to hunt through if you’re worried

weather going colder that’ll peg them back

don’t even consider splitting until mid April at the earliest - no drones in any quantity and they won’t be mature anyway.
Early spring supercedure is a thing …

KR
S

 

[elainemary]

Light snow up on the tops yesterday and overnight. Sun coming out now. What a difference to last week!

 

[pargyle]

Light snow up on the tops yesterday and overnight. Sun coming out now. What a difference to last week!

Yes ... it's a bit cooler down here today but the sun is shining and the girls are out with pollen coming in. Those who thought spring had arrived ... think again, we are not out of the woods yet.

It does seem to be a pattern over the last few years .. this false spring with really high temperatures for the season for a week or so and then winter returns. It's upsetting nature - the fruit trees in blossom (I have a plum tree absolutely covered in blossom) are in danger of getting frost nipped with night time temps down below freezing. Best to cover up any seedlings that have been planted out.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I always make sure that my plums are tucked away snug and warm

 

[Wilco]

I always make sure that my plums are tucked away snug and warm

That can impair their ability to produce fruit.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That can impair their ability to produce fruit.

do you suggest I leave them hang out on display to everyone?

 

[Wilco]

do you suggest I leave them hang out on display to everyone?

There's a middle ground which is preferable (and certain legal limitations on public displays). They need a bit of fresh air every so often so they don't get all hot and sweaty.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I leave mine on a tray on the balcony - ripens them beautifully, the young mothers on their way back to the estate from the school run are always making complementary comments

 

[rampino]

I always make sure that my plums are tucked away snug and warm

A good pair of thermals works wonders!