What did you do in the Apiary today?

[The Poot]

Spent the afternoon pulling up Himalayan Balsom from my garden. I’ve had several sessions of this through this Spring and Summer. It’s started flowering and the bumbles have been on it. I need to get rid before seed sets.

 

[Somerford]

A day of odd jobs - bottling, labelling, delivering, prepping for 3 days of events this weekend, and I managed to find time to head out and check my nearest apiary which has expanded nucs pushing well into their 2nd supers (of foundation) and then to another large apiary which now has 10 colonies on 4 supers or more, 4 on 7 and one is on its 8th with many drawing out and filling a super in 6-7 days.

When it happens like this it’s nature at its best

This evening after supper and when it gets cooler and at dusk I have 2 colonies to move - one from the garden that ended up there in between moves and another a swarm that was hived at a hotel that needs it moved before a wedding on Friday.

Taking a day off tomorrow though to do a bit of culture in Bruton..

KR

S

 

[Erichalfbee]

Spent the afternoon pulling up Himalayan Balsom from my garden. I’ve had several sessions of this through this Spring and Summer. It’s started flowering and the bumbles have been on it. I need to get rid before seed sets.

Send me the seeds

 

[Wilco]

A day of odd jobs - bottling, labelling, delivering, prepping for 3 days of events this weekend, and I managed to find time to head out and check my nearest apiary which has expanded nucs pushing well into their 2nd supers (of foundation) and then to another large apiary which now has 10 colonies on 4 supers or more, 4 on 7 and one is on its 8th with many drawing out and filling a super in 6-7 days.

When it happens like this it’s nature at its best

This evening after supper and when it gets cooler and at dusk I have 2 colonies to move - one from the garden that ended up there in between moves and another a swarm that was hived at a hotel that needs it moved before a wedding on Friday.

Taking a day off tomorrow though to do a bit of culture in Bruton..

KR

S

And there was me feeling pleased to have one on five!

 

[jeff33]

Made a couple of nucs ready for new queens to be introduced.
I also helped a 1st year beeks dealing with her bees swarming. On inspecting the original hive I noticed that they had swarm on only 3 uncapped Qcs.

 

[pargyle]

Just been out to the apiary .... one colony is covering the entire front of the Paynes 14 x 12 polyhive they are in and the landing board (which on Paynes is the size of a small ariport runway) and edge of the landing board and part of the front of the stand legs ...

I've seen bees hanging out before but I think, tomorrow, this lot may need another super !

 

[Swarm]

Took off the cleared supers, each one had a lot of bees left in it, the clearer boards had comb in them already and a ton of bees. Extracted and stacked ready to return tomorrow before another batch to extract but I seriously need to get more frames made up. There was a good flow in 2003 and 2018 but nothing like this.
Found eggs with a queen I'd given up on ( but found last inspection ) and sorted through some spare brood frames to add to the swarm as and when they are viable. Hoping to finish clearing and returning to the desperate hives before meltdown this weekend.
Noticed some bees had been working Balsam.

 

[jeff33]

Took off the cleared supers, each one had a lot of bees left in it, the clearer boards had comb in them already and a ton of bees. Extracted and stacked ready to return tomorrow before another batch to extract but I seriously need to get more frames made up. There was a good flow in 2003 and 2018 but nothing like this.
Found eggs with a queen I'd given up on ( but found last inspection ) and sorted through some spare brood frames to add to the swarm as and when they are viable. Hoping to finish clearing and returning to the desperate hives before meltdown this weekend.
Noticed some bees had been working Balsam.

That's all I seem to be doing, extracting supers to put them back on as I have run out of them. The ones I had from the sale last month have already gone on..... I am now running out of buckets

 

[The Poot]

Send me the seeds

That would be extreme naughty! Also difficult - you just touch the seed pods and you get seeds shot up your nostrils!!

 

[Nannysbees]

That would be extreme naughty! Also difficult - you just touch the seed pods and you get seeds shot up your nostrils!!

Think it's illegal to plant himalayan balsam !!!

 

[user 20297]

Think it's illegal to plant himalayan balsam !!!

You can grow it on your own land, but mustn't allow it to "escape" into the wild; good luck to anyone attempting to comply with that!

 

[Swarm]

That's all I seem to be doing, extracting supers to put them back on as I have run out of them. The ones I had from the sale last month have already gone on..... I am now running out of buckets

Yes, that's another thought. Buckets.

 

[Moobee]

Went early to the out apiary so i'm not dripping sweat on the bees like last time. All beautifully behaved. The two queen-right ones are bringing in a good amount of stores. Added a super to the recently hived nuc and checked the re-queening hive (sealed QC on 1st July) - no sign of her majesty but there's plenty of time. Forgot my notebook like a complete numpty so had to do a dictation on the phone......
Home apiary a bit different - two hives have a lot of filled supers but taking their time capping it. Is there a way to encourage them?? One hive also extremely defensive - stung multiple times on the hands and one through the suit (wearing just a vest underneath so right in the forearm)
They're not normally like this so wondering if it was the time of day. They are under the shade of a hedge and always the last hive to get the sun and the last one to get going in the morning, so maybe still full of foragers? Need to keep an eye on them...

 

[Erichalfbee]

That would be extreme naughty! Also difficult - you just touch the seed pods and you get seeds shot up your nostrils!!

There's a trick to avoid that

 

[Erichalfbee]

You can grow it on your own land, but mustn't allow it to "escape" into the wild; good luck to anyone attempting to comply with that!

Yes

 

[The Poot]

Went early to the out apiary so i'm not dripping sweat on the bees like last time. All beautifully behaved. The two queen-right ones are bringing in a good amount of stores. Added a super to the recently hived nuc and checked the re-queening hive (sealed QC on 1st July) - no sign of her majesty but there's plenty of time. Forgot my notebook like a complete numpty so had to do a dictation on the phone......
Home apiary a bit different - two hives have a lot of filled supers but taking their time capping it. Is there a way to encourage them?? One hive also extremely defensive - stung multiple times on the hands and one through the suit (wearing just a vest underneath so right in the forearm)
They're not normally like this so wondering if it was the time of day. They are under the shade of a hedge and always the last hive to get the sun and the last one to get going in the morning, so maybe still full of foragers? Need to keep an eye on them...

Encourage them? Try shouting
Defensive? Probably time of day and foragers not wanting an early morning call.

 

[The Poot]

There's a trick to avoid that

In my naughtier days I used to wrap an envelope over the seed head and fire it into it.
Of course I didn’t sow the seed, just did it for fun....

 

[The Poot]

Today checked both hives.
Clearly a major flow on as the heat has coincided with most of the brambles flowering.
A tale of supers (two on each) which six days ago were less than half filled, now both full of nectar and being sealed. Both had brood boxes being back filled, one (on single brood from a nuc) had almost nowhere for the queen to lay, but still had two and a half frames of foundation. I juggled the frames about to encourage them to draw out the frames. (I shouted at them too Moobee).
No signs of swarm preps fortunately. I have a feeling the flow will be short lived in the heat and reckon there might be a bit of a dearth until it’s ivy time. Still, if the bees fully cap their two supers each and don’t finish the third supers, I should end up with around 150lbs of honey from one overwintered colony and one overwintered nuc purchased in June. Can’t grumble at that

 

[Wilco]

Yes, that's another thought. Buckets.

This is my opportunity to feel smug as I ordered a load a few months ago and then doubted myself. One of the few things I've definitely got right this season.

 

[Wilco]

Today checked both hives.
Clearly a major flow on as the heat has coincided with most of the brambles flowering.
A tale of supers (two on each) which six days ago were less than half filled, now both full of nectar and being sealed. Both had brood boxes being back filled, one (on single brood from a nuc) had almost nowhere for the queen to lay, but still had two and a half frames of foundation. I juggled the frames about to encourage them to draw out the frames. (I shouted at them too Moobee).
No signs of swarm preps fortunately. I have a feeling the flow will be short lived in the heat and reckon there might be a bit of a dearth until it’s ivy time. Still, if the bees fully cap their two supers each and don’t finish the third supers, I should end up with around 150lbs of honey from one overwintered colony and one overwintered nuc purchased in June. Can’t grumble at that

I reckon the flow's now largely over near my apiaries. The hay men have also lopped all the clover.

Heather site not quite ready but had a scare earlier as there have been a couple of fires there in the last day or so thanks to some moron or other, fire service in attendance. Whilst it might be good for regeneration of the heather and controlling heather beetle, it can happen after flowering thank you very much!

Blackberries already ripening at home, the earliest I've seen them yet. A profusion in the garden so nearly jam time. I wonder if the ivy will be early too.