What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JamezF]

I don't think chrome comply with hygiene regulations. Needs to be stainless steel.

Quite. Any failure in the plating could result in bits of chrome peeling off into the honey.

James

 

[Redcap]

Yesterday evening, hived a swarm that arrived about 10 days ago...nice tempered bees. They'd started building on the foundation in the 14x12 nuc I'd put them in...and saw about half a frame of larvae; didn't see the queen, but at least she's present. Settled in nicely and fed a thin solution of syrup. Gearing up the nuc today...in hopeful anticipation for another swarm maybe...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't think chrome comply with hygiene regulations. Needs to be stainless steel.

and with a stainless steel spiral mixer (much better than the corkscrew ones) only twenty quid a pop with CWJ, why bother?

 

[pargyle]

I don't think chrome comply with hygiene regulations. Needs to be stainless steel.

Having said that ... I'm not sure that red powder coated ones are that good either ? I have a red paint paddle and after a bit of use the powder coating started to flake off at the welds ...

Do you actually use the red one in the photo ?

Before we had stainless steel nearly all kitchen implements were chrome plated - indeed, we still have a Kitchenaid slotted spoon given to us at least 40 years ago by an aunt when she emigrated - amongst a load of other kitchenalia I would add ... it's still going strong although the original paint on the wooden handle is long gone.

I think I'd rather risk chrome plating than powder coating although, I would agree, that stainless steel is preferable if you can justify the cost.

I wonder if this would do the job ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CYKLONE-Multi-Purpose-Mixing-Stirring-Device/dp/B01F9D9EOK

 

[Newbeeneil]

I’ll

I wonder if this would do the job ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CYKLONE-Multi-Purpose-Mixing-Stirring-Device/dp/B01F9D9EOK

it might but I would hate to see what damage it would do to the inside of a plastic bucket.
“Shards of plastic with your honey sir?”

 

[pargyle]

I’ll


it might but I would hate to see what damage it would do to the inside of a plastic bucket.
“Shards of plastic with your honey sir?”

Yes it's a possibility ... I hadn't considered that ... I would want some mechanism to hold in in the centre of the bucket as it's not easy to control any mixers on the end of a drill and they do tend to wander.

 

[Wilco]

H

Having said that ... I'm not sure that red powder coated ones are that good either ? I have a red paint paddle and after a bit of use the powder coating started to flake off at the welds ...

Do you actually use the red one in the photo ?

Before we had stainless steel nearly all kitchen implements were chrome plated - indeed, we still have a Kitchenaid slotted spoon given to us at least 40 years ago by an aunt when she emigrated - amongst a load of other kitchenalia I would add ... it's still going strong although the original paint on the wooden handle is long gone.

I think I'd rather risk chrome plating than powder coating although, I would agree, that stainless steel is preferable if you can justify the cost.

I wonder if this would do the job ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CYKLONE-Multi-Purpose-Mixing-Stirring-Device/dp/B01F9D9EOK

Have done with no issues and got a stack of spares for under £2 each when Toolstation discontinued the line last Autumn but looking to switch to a stainless one as I'd rather have the peace of mind.

That being said I mixed concrete with one last year (a different one to the honey!!!!!) and not got any visible damage to the powder coat.

 

[user 20297]

Today, I thought I'd just spend an hour or so inspecting four hives. Three hours, a lot of swarm cells, one sting through unzipped veil, two Mini-Plus hives made up and piles of other equipment moved, removed, modified and reassembled, then all the bits and pieces stowed away again, I'm left wondering, "Who knows where the time goes?" This beautiful, beekeeping song came to mind.

 

[Moobee]

H


Have done with no issues and got a stack of spares for under £2 each when Toolstation discontinued the line last Autumn but looking to switch to a stainless one as I'd rather have the peace of mind.

That being said I mixed concrete with one last year (a different one to the honey!!!!!) and not got any visible damage to the powder coat.

Anyone tried the dough hook with a KitchenAid mixer?

 

[Swarm]

Today, I thought I'd just spend an hour or so inspecting four hives. Three hours, a lot of swarm cells, one sting through unzipped veil, two Mini-Plus hives made up and piles of other equipment moved, removed, modified and reassembled, then all the bits and pieces stowed away again, I'm left wondering, "Who knows where the time goes?" This beautiful, beekeeping song came to mind.

An all time favourite of mine, Sandy Denny had such a wonderful voice and to think she wrote that when she was just twenty one, how could she write such poignant lyrics at such a young age?

 

[Moobee]

Checked on the swarm I caught a week and a half ago and put in the out apiary. No queen, no eggs and hardly any bees! Not sure what happened there…. Set up a bait hive with a nice bit of very dark comb and some lemongrass oil.
Home apiary had one hive which should have requeened by now still with no eggs so put a test frame in. Might have to reunite with nuc and old queen.
One hive had QC hatched so left them to it. Third hive had a nice new queen from Payne’s and she’s already laying.
My 2 x three frame nuc had two QCs hatched so another leave alone for a few weeks.

 

[Swarm]

I managed to get a few hives inspected before the heavens opened and it poured down. Poor bees were getting wet, by the time I got everything closed up I was soaked. I left my fuel box open, it was soaked.
At least the ones I looked at were behaving so there was a positive.

 

[E&MBees]

Today, I thought I'd just spend an hour or so inspecting four hives. Three hours, a lot of swarm cells, one sting through unzipped veil, two Mini-Plus hives made up and piles of other equipment moved, removed, modified and reassembled, then all the bits and pieces stowed away again, I'm left wondering, "Who knows where the time goes?" This beautiful, beekeeping song came to mind.

I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who says to the family, ‘just going to check on the bees, won’t be long’! Hours later I return to eye rolling and comments such as, did you get kidnapped by the bees?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Anyone tried the dough hook with a KitchenAid mixer?

Only for bread

 

[pargyle]

I managed to get a few hives inspected before the heavens opened and it poured down. Poor bees were getting wet, by the time I got everything closed up I was soaked. I left my fuel box open, it was soaked.
At least the ones I looked at were behaving so there was a positive.

You should have taken notice of the bees ... mine come tearing back to the hive about five minutes before it starts to rain ... if I see that sort of activity it's either close up or get the fishing umbrella out. They know better than the forecasters when it's going to rain.

 

[Boston Bees]

Kept an eye on the swarm sitting at the top of a tree in my garden. It's going into its third night tonight, despite plenty of good weather to find a new home in. Some swarms are just so fussy.

Yes, there are bait hives out. No, the swarm is showing no interest at all in them. No, I can't get up to the swarm, regardless of how many poles I could stitch together.

Beekeeping!

 

[Goran]

Someone says don't know how to lose a weight, well become damn beek and replace all fat with muscles.. These days.. no rest.. I start before sunrise, end with sunset.. Not helping scorching sun.. Extract, split, inspect, reshuflle.. If I don't write what I did, I would be totally lost..

 

[Nannysbees]

Released the clip on the queen cage

 

[Do224]

Kept an eye on the swarm sitting at the top of a tree in my garden. It's going into its third night tonight, despite plenty of good weather to find a new home in. Some swarms are just so fussy.

Yes, there are bait hives out. No, the swarm is showing no interest at all in them. No, I can't get up to the swarm, regardless of how many poles I could stitch together.

Beekeeping!

That’s weird…I thought they would be scouting like mad.

 

[Boston Bees]

That’s weird…I thought they would be scouting like mad.

Oh I am sure they are, but perhaps only looking further afield (indeed, given that both I and my neighbour have a chimney, I hope so!)