What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JamezF]

Similar here. Didn't get to more than a fraction over 4°C today, but when I went up to the bee shed after lunch to hide put away some of my sale purchases there were bees flying from all the hives and the occasional corpse to be seen on the landing boards.

James

 

[Brian Bush]

Friday I helped my bee buddy and her husband move 12 hives from their recently sold home to a farm site 3 miles away.
All the hives except one are WBC with 14x12 brood boxes and at least one super. The last one is a National.
We double strapped each one and loaded them on to Chris's flatbed Transit using the tail lift.
All went well until we moved the biggest and heaviest hive. The girls came out to greet us.
Chris promply stepped aside, he is allergic to bee stings. He has endured the full 'blues and twos' experience.
Debbie stepped forward and we loaded this one and the rest.
At the farm there is an excellent access track which we drove along and lifted each hive into its new position.
I know I am now officially old!! I slept like a log for 2 hours when I got home and warmed up.

 

[The Poot]

Yesterday I was going to check fondants but only checked one - a hive with no activity. All ok as the bees were busy in the fondant tub.
The other hive, ten feet away was far too active to check unsuited, so will check today wearing my new veil hat thing from STB - I really pushed the boat out there!

 

[Wilco]

Yesterday I was going to check fondants but only checked one - a hive with no activity. All ok as the bees were busy in the fondant tub.
The other hive, ten feet away was far too active to check unsuited, so will check today wearing my new veil hat thing from STB - I really pushed the boat out there!

I find they're really useful.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I find they're really useful.

Ditto,
at this time of year for replacing fondant but not so much for full inspection on my own hives as I have a few that can be feisty but in the teaching apiary I'm fine with one and a "t" shirt. - whether I'd risk shorts as some do tho..............

 

[JamezF]

whether I'd risk shorts as some do tho..............

Shorts with elasticated legs, perhaps

James

 

[Wilco]

Ditto,
at this time of year for replacing fondant but not so much for full inspection on my own hives as I have a few that can be feisty but in the teaching apiary I'm fine with one and a "t" shirt. - whether I'd risk shorts as some do tho..............

Been there. Requires a clear route planned for rapid retreats.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Yesterday I was going to check fondants but only checked one - a hive with no activity. All ok as the bees were busy in the fondant tub.
The other hive, ten feet away was far too active to check unsuited, so will check today wearing my new veil hat thing from STB - I really pushed the boat out there!

Sorry - STB?

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Sorry - STB?

Got it. Simon...

 

[Nick Lang]

Lovely weather here the last few days ....topped up one of my hives with some more fondant and gave the hives a OA vape with my new torch for my gasvap.
Both hives were pretty busy

 

[JamezF]

I still had a colony on the site of a bait hive from last year. They've been flying a little on warmer days, but nowhere near as much as the colonies in the apiary. I've been wondering if that's because they're permanently in the shade of the house now, so as there was no chance of any bees being out and about today I stuffed the UFE with foam and moved them to a sunnier position in the apiary.

James

 

[The Poot]

I still had a colony on the site of a bait hive from last year. They've been flying a little on warmer days, but nowhere near as much as the colonies in the apiary. I've been wondering if that's because they're permanently in the shade of the house now, so as there was no chance of any bees being out and about today I stuffed the UFE with foam and moved them to a sunnier position in the apiary.

James

You could have left them in peace and just moved the house?

 

[JamezF]

You could have left them in peace and just moved the house?

True, but unfortunately I can't remember what I did with my house barrow.

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

Hefting colony’s and adding fondant/ dummied supers with frames of stores on thur/Friday also cleaning inspection boards some flying bees on Friday taking toilet duties.

 

[JamezF]

Hefting colony’s and adding fondant/ dummied supers with frames of stores on thur/Friday also cleaning inspection boards some flying bees on Friday taking toilet duties.

Is that twinwall polycarbonate you're using for a crownboard? If so does it work well? How thick is it?

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hefted mine. All nailed down and full of bees and stores. I'll be taking frames out at this rate

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Yesterday I was going to check fondants but only checked one - a hive with no activity. All ok as the bees were busy in the fondant tub.
The other hive, ten feet away was far too active to check unsuited, so will check today wearing my new veil hat thing from STB - I really pushed the boat out there!

cleaning and washing a stack of english feeders for me

slightly off post as it was yesterday, i checked fondant in some hives (active) without a bee suit

 

[Beemum]

Can’t get underneath as it’s all too heavy…and was frozen to the stand anyway…but today I saw a bee, just one, come out and spiral up into the weak sunshine (all 5 degrees of it) so that has allayed the worry for a bit, and hopefully there will be more out and about later in the week as it’s due to be a little warmer…

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can’t get underneath as it’s all too heavy…and was frozen to the stand anyway…but today I saw a bee, just one, come out and spiral up into the weak sunshine (all 5 degrees of it) so that has allayed the worry for a bit, and hopefully there will be more out and about later in the week as it’s due to be a little warmer…

You could try this

View attachment temp.mov

 

[Beemum]

Wow that’s amazing - like a piece of art