What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Morning all! Very cold one today, currently -1 which is unheard of this close to the sea - hefted hives and added some more fondant this morning. Checked all the varroa boards - this hive has a pleasingly low drop after vaping but noticed quite a few bits of dead bee and i hope i'm wrong but does some of the detritus look like mouse droppings???
They shouldn't be able to get in as I have an UnderFloor Entrance on this hive so mouseguards aren't needed....

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I’m not sure mouse droppings would fall through a mesh floor? Any droppings are from mice exploring the inspection tray.
If you have got a mouse in there you’d have a pile of chewed up wax.

 

[gregior]

A balmy -3c this morning so decided to do some full inspections Only joking but did take the chance to scrape off last years excluders which was a nice easy job with the very brittle wax.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

can't see anything that resembles a mouse turd amongst that lot

 

[The Poot]

I think Dani’s right, but it could be a shrew. I had this going on with one of mine last Winter when a shrew was using the tray as its breakfast table and was eating the dead bees that were thrown out of the hive, there.
There was no internal damage done at all.

 

[Moobee]

I think Dani’s right, but it could be a shrew. I had this going on with one of mine last Winter when a shrew was using the tray as its breakfast table and was eating the dead bees that were thrown out of the hive, there.
There was no internal damage done at all.

Ah! That might explain it. Behind the hive there is also a pile of bee bits. The mesh round the apiary means the undertaker bees sometimes don’t bother flying up & over and dead bees accumulate round the edges. I think maybe a shrew is feeding on them.

 

[Moobee]

I’m not sure mouse droppings would fall through a mesh floor? Any droppings are from mice exploring the inspection tray.
If you have got a mouse in there you’d have a pile of chewed up wax.

Thanks Dani, put my mind at rest. Going away for a short break & was anxious about mice having a party in my best hive (3 vapes, only a drop of 42 in total, frugal as anything & best crop of honey this year!)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks Dani, put my mind at rest. Going away for a short break & was anxious about mice having a party in my best hive (3 vapes, only a drop of 42 in total, frugal as anything & best crop of honey this year!)

Enjoy your short break. Somewhere warm and exciting I hope.

 

[JamezF]

A balmy -3c this morning so decided to do some full inspections Only joking but did take the chance to scrape off last years excluders which was a nice easy job with the very brittle wax.

Started scraping mine off too, but I've had to wuss out for the day because it's so cold and you need to be scraping quite ferociously to generate sufficient heat to keep fingers warm. Turned up a couple that could do with some small repairs too. I'll have another go tomorrow and see how it goes. It is forecast to be above freezing tomorrow, but that didn't work out today.

James

 

[The Poot]

Labelled the next batch of jars for sale and ordered more labels from Thornes.
First part was satisfying, the second part not so.

 

[Moobee]

Enjoy your short break. Somewhere warm and exciting I hope.

Colder than here! Stockholm for a few days at the Christmas markets. I love Scandinavia

 

[Erichalfbee]

I love Scandinavia

Did you see Chris and Michaela: Under the Christmas Sky? last night. They went dog sledding. I did that one winter in Northern Sweden....wonderful. A night in an Ice hotel getting drunk on shots in ice glasses topped it off.

 

[Moobee]

Did you see Chris and Michaela: Under the Christmas Sky? last night. They went dog sledding. I did that one winter in Northern Sweden....wonderful. A night in an Ice hotel getting drunk on shots in ice glasses topped it off.

Well we would be there but bloody BA cancelled our flight, the only alternative they offered gave us next to no time there so we cancelled. Looked at alternative flights but so close to departure, couldn’t justify spending £800 each just on flights!
Bah! So we’ve gone to the Christmas Market in Winchester & booked a nights stay near the cathedral…….. only to arrive & be told that booking.com shouldn’t have sold the room as it wasn’t available. AAAAAARGH!
Finally found a nice pub with a room so have spent a jolly afternoon at the market, chatting to beekeepers, buying stuff and sampling LOTS of alcohol!

 

[user 20297]

Well we would be there but bloody BA cancelled our flight, the only alternative they offered gave us next to no time there so we cancelled. Looked at alternative flights but so close to departure, couldn’t justify spending £800 each just on flights!
Bah! So we’ve gone to the Christmas Market in Winchester & booked a nights stay near the cathedral…….. only to arrive & be told that booking.com shouldn’t have sold the room as it wasn’t available. AAAAAARGH!
Finally found a nice pub with a room so have spent a jolly afternoon at the market, chatting to beekeepers, buying stuff and sampling LOTS of alcohol!

The world of travel is falling apart. We booked flights for Amsterdam months ago and within two days of booking, the outbound was cancelled and arbitrarily brought forward one day, which was annoying At the airport we couldn't check in as we apparently had no tickets. But it was made very easy to buy non-discounted tickets on the spot. So now we've paid twice and handsomely at that and KLM don't feel any need to discuss the matter at all.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well we would be there but bloody BA cancelled our flight, the only alternative they offered gave us next to no time there so we cancelled. Looked at alternative flights but so close to departure, couldn’t justify spending £800 each just on flights!
Bah! So we’ve gone to the Christmas Market in Winchester & booked a nights stay near the cathedral…….. only to arrive & be told that booking.com shouldn’t have sold the room as it wasn’t available. AAAAAARGH!
Finally found a nice pub with a room so have spent a jolly afternoon at the market, chatting to beekeepers, buying stuff and sampling LOTS of alcohol!

Good grief!
What a real shame. You need lots of alcohol to make up for it. Expensive stuff with bubbles a good meal and a decent port. Hic!

 

[JamezF]

More QX-scrapage for me today. It was at least above freezing (just) and I managed to break the back of it before I had to retire, unable to feel my fingers any more. Hopefully I can get the rest finished tomorrow.

James

 

[Goran]

On Sunday we got little snow. Now is some frost ( around -5C). It will dance around zero C in next days..

 

[JamezF]

I was hoping to finish cleaning my QXes today, but it's just too unpleasant being outdoors. We have what my father-in-law describes as "a lazy wind". That is, it can't be bothered to go around you.

James

 

[Antipodes]

I was hoping to finish cleaning my QXes today, but it's just too unpleasant being outdoors. We have what my father-in-law describes as "a lazy wind". That is, it can't be bothered to go around you.

James

We have a breeze on our kunanyi like that now. Apparent temperature at -11 there and it's summer with just a week to the longest day!

 

[Ian123]

We have a breeze on our kunanyi

That sounds distinctly uncomfortable

 

[Wilco]

Checking colonies at out apiaries yesterday. Seem to be doing ok although I've added more insulation and switched fondant on some.

Frost appeared to have human footprints in it, which was concerning given this site is a private field.