What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Yes you're right, I think we've exhausted everything so it's over to them and we'll see what happens

You will probably get a lovely surprise in the spring. Bees are good at that

 

[SWHives]

Vaped all 3 hives. One has 5 frames of honey whilst the 2nd has 3 frames of almost fully capped honey. 3rd hive was very light last time I checked(different location). Will check them again today and if no change will start feeding.

 

[Do224]

Decided to put the winter hive covers on to check they fit ok and will just leave them on now…gets them out from under the feet at home. Quite nice to just be able to lift them off and see straight through the clear crown board without faffing about with ratchet straps (the strap is under the cover). Fingers crossed they work and the bees do better this winter

 

[Erichalfbee]

Last hives vaped. Drops small apart from one
Nearly fed too. All colonies are pretty big.
Still waiting for Ivy here.

 

[B_north]

Placed another baggie of sugar syrup on top of the frames. The bees are slowing down in their consumption which tells me I am close to the end of feeding. I am keeping an eye on the weather though, last fall was abnormally warm, +20C in the middle of Oct. and +9C at the end. This wreaks havoc with both winter stores and varroa as the bees are not in cluster when they usually are. The former decreases as the bees are using up stores in the warm temps. the latter increases as brooding is extended. The weather forecast is for +20C days and +10C nights for the next two weeks so I guess this might be the new norm and the usual caution to make sure your bees are wrapped up tight by Thanksgiving, and they will need no further monitoring, might need to be reconsidered.

 

[DaveG23]

Topped up the feeders on my nucs and the hives in my home apiary.

I Have now run out of time, patience and honey buckets so the last 5 supers will have to wait until I get back from a holiday.

My wife has endless patience at this time of year and allows me to take over the dining room. Just need a small tidy up before we go away..

 

[madasafish]

Topped up the feeders on my nucs and the hives in my home apiary.

I Have now run out of time, patience and honey buckets so the last 5 supers will have to wait until I get back from a holiday.

My wife has endless patience at this time of year and allows me to take over the dining room. Just need a small tidy up before we go away..View attachment 33919

I must show that to my wife and say "you have nothing to put up with compared to what other wives have to contend with"

And then run away.

 

[Swarm]

Topped up the feeders on my nucs and the hives in my home apiary.

I Have now run out of time, patience and honey buckets so the last 5 supers will have to wait until I get back from a holiday.

My wife has endless patience at this time of year and allows me to take over the dining room. Just need a small tidy up before we go away..View attachment 33919

Looks like you're on top of things and very organised to me.

 

[DaveG23]

I must show that to my wife and say "you have nothing to put up with compared to what other wives have to contend with"

And then run away.

Glad to be of service.

 

[DaveG23]

Looks like you're on top of things and very organised to me.

It doesnt feel like it, but better than last year, now I just need to buy an uncapping tray and a proper extractor and I will be able to get this all done much faster. Extracting with the clubs 4 frame tangential, driven by a drill has become more than tedious.

 

[SWHives]

Vaped 2nd time yesterday. Mite count much higher than first time. I assume this is down to using more OA than 1st time.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Vaped 2nd time yesterday. Mite count much higher than first time. I assume this is down to using more OA than 1st time.

Or you’ve had a big brood emergence

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I usually find that' it's the second blast that gets the majority

 

[StephenT]

Chilling with the chooks and beer in the garden apiary and taking in the amazing smell of ivy nectar. Never had such a strong aroma like this in my (4 season) beekeeping career.

 

[Erichalfbee]

A little Ivy pollen coming in. The majority is a way off opening. Weather forecast not good for the next few weeks.

 

[user 20297]

Decided to put the winter hive covers on to check they fit ok and will just leave them on now…gets them out from under the feet at home. Quite nice to just be able to lift them off and see straight through the clear crown board without faffing about with ratchet straps (the strap is under the cover). Fingers crossed they work and the bees do better this winter

View attachment 33886

Good thinking with the straps.

 

[The Poot]

Final vape (fifth) for one hive. Both are now officially declared Winter ready.

 

[jeff33]

Just gone through another round of uniting to get rid of most of the nasty hives before the spring. Last supers removed (final 6 to extract this weekend), and done a stock take of the 3 apiaries ready to plan for next season.

 

[user 3509]

Went an hour before sunset, when all the bees were back in for the night to find the queen in a 6 frame nuc and place her on a frame of brood in the observation panel of an observation nuc ready for a bee event tomorrow. Lo and behold, no matter how many times we went through we could not find her, gave up with that particular nuc and tried another. Same problem, and by this time the light levels were getting very low, and we didn't take the head torches, (and my husband was getting very irritated!!). Finally on the third nuc we found the queen on the third frame we looked at. Why is it that queens are so illusive when you are fighting the light? In future I think we will have to do this in full daylight and any stragglers will just have to fend for themselves.

 

[Murox]

Spent a couple of hours laboriously scraping frames of heather honey back to the mid rib and pressing results through a mesh bag in a wine press. Sticky work but someone had to do it