What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Murox]

checked my 14x12 hives today - given the poor weather I was amazed to find one was busy drawing out a box of manley frames i had put on last time around early in June on top of an ordinary super that was half full. Another I was fearing the worst for as I had no nucleus box and had dummied down for the intro of a new queen two weeks ago - I should learn to have more faith in bees I think - they to were doing well with the queen going about her business and the wax makers hard at it - I had fed them well thankfully.

 

[MrGoat]

So the swarm I caught in May which grew into a monster hive filling the brood box and 2 supers ( but not storing an ounce ) decided today was the day to swarm again when we got a little bit of sun.

Thankfully they swarmed back into the same spot as May. My butcher's polystyrene box in the open shed. 3rd swarm caught this year there. Thanks to Black Mountain Honey for that idea!

Time to requeen the swarm and the main hive as their genetics are clearly poor.

 

[Erichalfbee]

nuc’d twice already this season…or in previous years?

This season

 

[Erichalfbee]

Checked all my hives, hardly a scrap of surplus,............. And another split, they seem to want to swarm because there is nothing else to do.

I think that's happening all over. It's certainly happening to me. Swarming on two frames of brood!

 

[F.F.Stung]

Blummin' bees absconded and are back on the corner of the shed this morning. Attempt #2, this time with a frame of BIAS in the box.

And dilute jeyes fluid or similar on the corner of the shed

 

[JamezF]

I was really hoping to inspect most of my colonies today, but I just ran out of time with all the other things I wanted to get done I did stop off at my newest out-apiary on the way home from swimming to do a long-range visual check (sans bee suit) on the swarm that moved in to one of the bait hives a couple of weeks back and as far as I can tell they look ok. I also mowed my home apiary which was getting a bit shaggy. I suited up for that, but actually none of the colonies seemed to care at all that I was driving the ride-on mower a couple of feet from the front of their home and I was completely ignored. I shan't be assuming that will always be the case however

On the subject of mowing, what do people use to keep the grass under control at apiaries away from home? Chucking a petrol mower in the back of the car isn't a hugely desirable option from my point of view. I've been toying with the idea of a scythe, though it might prove too tempting to dye my bee suit black in that case Other ideas?

James

 

[Wilco]

I was really hoping to inspect most of my colonies today, but I just ran out of time with all the other things I wanted to get done I did stop off at my newest out-apiary on the way home from swimming to do a long-range visual check (sans bee suit) on the swarm that moved in to one of the bait hives a couple of weeks back and as far as I can tell they look ok. I also mowed my home apiary which was getting a bit shaggy. I suited up for that, but actually none of the colonies seemed to care at all that I was driving the ride-on mower a couple of feet from the front of their home and I was completely ignored. I shan't be assuming that will always be the case however

On the subject of mowing, what do people use to keep the grass under control at apiaries away from home? Chucking a petrol mower in the back of the car isn't a hugely desirable option from my point of view. I've been toying with the idea of a scythe, though it might prove too tempting to dye my bee suit black in that case Other ideas?

James

I don't... If the grass gets long directly in front I'll tuck it under the stand or trample it but I'm not that worried as the bees seem to cope.

 

[Murox]

I was really hoping to inspect most of my colonies today, but I just ran out of time with all the other things I wanted to get done I did stop off at my newest out-apiary on the way home from swimming to do a long-range visual check (sans bee suit) on the swarm that moved in to one of the bait hives a couple of weeks back and as far as I can tell they look ok. I also mowed my home apiary which was getting a bit shaggy. I suited up for that, but actually none of the colonies seemed to care at all that I was driving the ride-on mower a couple of feet from the front of their home and I was completely ignored. I shan't be assuming that will always be the case however

On the subject of mowing, what do people use to keep the grass under control at apiaries away from home? Chucking a petrol mower in the back of the car isn't a hugely desirable option from my point of view. I've been toying with the idea of a scythe, though it might prove too tempting to dye my bee suit black in that case Other ideas?

Mostly nothing, I take a pair of shears and secateurs for brambles and spend ten minutes once around march and once anytime nowish. Thats it.

 

[JamezF]

Hmmm. Perhaps I might get away with it then. I could perhaps leave it and see how things go. If I don't manage things at home I end up with nettles, brambles, hogweed and ivy all trying to take the place over. And then there's the bloody sycamore seedlings...

James

 

[Nannysbees]

Inspected our golden hive. Pleasure to inspect, lovely calm bees, haven't tried to swarm, packed with bees and a full capped super of honey with two other supers full but uncapped.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I use a hand sickle or fag hook for taking out the long grass/bracken/nettles that grow under and around my hives. So easy to keep in the van and do a couple of minutes house keeping at each visit.

 

[JamezF]

fag hook

You know, I have absolutely no idea what one of those is, and searching the interwebs doesn't seem to help in this instance. I used to know someone with a prosthetic lower arm that he used for holding his, ahem, herbal cigarettes, but I'm fairly sure that's not what we're talking about here

James

 

[Goran]

I was really hoping to inspect most of my colonies today, but I just ran out of time with all the other things I wanted to get done I did stop off at my newest out-apiary on the way home from swimming to do a long-range visual check (sans bee suit) on the swarm that moved in to one of the bait hives a couple of weeks back and as far as I can tell they look ok. I also mowed my home apiary which was getting a bit shaggy. I suited up for that, but actually none of the colonies seemed to care at all that I was driving the ride-on mower a couple of feet from the front of their home and I was completely ignored. I shan't be assuming that will always be the case however

On the subject of mowing, what do people use to keep the grass under control at apiaries away from home? Chucking a petrol mower in the back of the car isn't a hugely desirable option from my point of view. I've been toying with the idea of a scythe, though it might prove too tempting to dye my bee suit black in that case Other ideas?

James

Trimmer on the wheels. Like this one: PG64520 - Praktik Tools
But in practice it showed softy, welding is weak. Had to repair it few times cause I have a bumpy terrain.. Engine and cutting is great so far. The head I changed to regular.
Concept is OK, but quality of built not so. If You can find some sturdier..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You know, I have absolutely no idea what one of those is, and searching the interwebs doesn't seem to help in this instance. I used to know someone with a prosthetic lower arm that he used for holding his, ahem, herbal cigarettes, but I'm fairly sure that's not what we're talking about here

James

Read Thomas Hardy's 'Return of the Native' it may give you an idea. They used furze hooks to make up faggots for the fire in winter.

 

[JamezF]

Trimmer on the wheels. Like this one: PG64520 - Praktik Tools
But in practice it showed softy, welding is weak. Had to repair it few times cause I have a bumpy terrain.. Engine and cutting is great so far. The head I changed to regular.
Concept is OK, but quality of built not so. If You can find some sturdier..

It's a strimmer that you don't have to carry! What an excellent idea. My father-in-law would love something like that. The only reason I'd hesitate to suggest it to him is that now he's only a few years away from ninety he struggles to carry a strimmer and the world is a safer place as a result.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

You know, I have absolutely no idea what one of those is, and searching the interwebs doesn't seem to help in this instance. I used to know someone with a prosthetic lower arm that he used for holding his, ahem, herbal cigarettes, but I'm fairly sure that's not what we're talking about here

James

https://www.lexico.com/definition/fag-hook

 

[JamezF]

https://www.lexico.com/definition/fag-hook

Well well, every day is a school day. Thank you.

James

 

[Antipodes]

I was really hoping to inspect most of my colonies today, but I just ran out of time with all the other things I wanted to get done I did stop off at my newest out-apiary on the way home from swimming to do a long-range visual check (sans bee suit) on the swarm that moved in to one of the bait hives a couple of weeks back and as far as I can tell they look ok. I also mowed my home apiary which was getting a bit shaggy. I suited up for that, but actually none of the colonies seemed to care at all that I was driving the ride-on mower a couple of feet from the front of their home and I was completely ignored. I shan't be assuming that will always be the case however

On the subject of mowing, what do people use to keep the grass under control at apiaries away from home? Chucking a petrol mower in the back of the car isn't a hugely desirable option from my point of view. I've been toying with the idea of a scythe, though it might prove too tempting to dye my bee suit black in that case Other ideas?

James

Whipper snipper/line trimmer /Brush cutter. One lithium battery powered and the other petrol. Usually the battery one will do multiple sites on one round trip so I rarely use the petrol one. The battery one disassembles into two parts in a couple of seconds to transport and..... no fumes of course. Suit on.
Some bush sites I don't need to ever mow.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Caught queens. Four days ago we caught 114 queens from 128 mating nucs. A record. Today not so great. 46 queens from 128 mating nucs. The worst catch ever. Go figure. Take a deep breath and move on. Soy Valiente. Soy Apicultor!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I was really hoping to inspect most of my colonies today, but I just ran out of time with all the other things I wanted to get done I did stop off at my newest out-apiary on the way home from swimming to do a long-range visual check (sans bee suit) on the swarm that moved in to one of the bait hives a couple of weeks back and as far as I can tell they look ok. I also mowed my home apiary which was getting a bit shaggy. I suited up for that, but actually none of the colonies seemed to care at all that I was driving the ride-on mower a couple of feet from the front of their home and I was completely ignored. I shan't be assuming that will always be the case however



James

Once a year
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