What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Is it something that beekeepers would use regularly do you think?

Heck no. It’s a toy.

 

[drex]

Had a walk round apiary trying to rationalise stuff before moving house. All flying except 2. Investigated and one was due to isolation starvation ( plenty of stores), the other was absconding, not a dead bee in sight. Again loads of stores. They were aalive month or two after winter lockdown. Really odd. Why abscond at that time of year, unless into a neighbouring colony?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Had a walk round apiary trying to rationalise stuff before moving house. All flying except 2. Investigated and one was due to isolation starvation ( plenty of stores), the other was absconding, not a dead bee in sight. Again loads of stores. They were aalive month or two after winter lockdown. Really odd. Why abscond at that time of year, unless into a neighbouring colony?

When I first started I had a colony of largely black bees from my local association and some orange bees from Pete little. I couldn’t find any queen a few weeks after the black ones swarmed. I sieved the bees looking for her. ( won’t do that again) The next day I went back expecting to find the new queen on the QX. The hive was absolutely empty of bees! They went into the neighbouring colony. I could tell, of course, because they were different colours.

 

[Ian123]

When I first started I had a colony of largely black bees from my local association and some orange bees from Pete little. I couldn’t find any queen a few weeks after the black ones swarmed. I sieved the bees looking for her. ( won’t do that again) The next day I went back expecting to find the new queen on the QX. The hive was absolutely empty of bees! They went into the neighbouring colony. I could tell, of course, because they were different colours.

I think that happens far more than we realise, I saw to attempts last year just at home of small casts trying to enter larger hives. It can obviously really balls things up when 1 is your cell raiser

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think that happens far more than we realise, I saw to attempts last year just at home of small casts trying to enter larger hives. It can obviously really balls things up when 1 is your cell raiser

Grrrrrr

 

[E&MBees]

Hefted the hives, all good. Gave a gentle tap on the side of each, could hear the bees moving around inside. None flying, too damp and chilly.
Made up a load of frames so I’m ready for the new season.
Roll on Spring!

 

[Nannysbees]

Heck no. It’s a toy.

I agree

 

[jeff33]

Quick drive around the apiaries to check stores and treat again. 1 dead out, failing queen I would say, she was a 3 years old carnie, never attempted to swarm. The other 2 hives which I was hoping would die for being such b*st*rds last season are still going amid no autumn feed or varroa treat in the autumn and winter.

Most hives still have a fair amount of stores which is good to see.

 

[jeff33]

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

James

Expensive boards!!

 

[jeff33]

Looked at the snow: (approx 10cms)
And cleared entrances of snow,
Last two pictures are double mini nucs, covered with a 9mm OSB3 cover with 50mm insulation in roof

I will be interested to know how the mini nucs cope with overwintering. The one I make take 3-5 half SN1 and bottoms can be removed to stack up as dble. I will try to overwinter a few queens next year.

 

[pargyle]

Had a walk round apiary trying to rationalise stuff before moving house. All flying except 2. Investigated and one was due to isolation starvation ( plenty of stores), the other was absconding, not a dead bee in sight. Again loads of stores. They were aalive month or two after winter lockdown. Really odd. Why abscond at that time of year, unless into a neighbouring colony?

I lost one colony early on in winter. I knew it was a late swarm queen and she never really got going - I should have combined them. When I twigged that all was not well and opened them up there was not a bee to be found dead or alive. Plent of stores in there including some uncapped nectar. I suspect they dwindled, had no means to raise a new queen and what was left begged their way into another colony. Bees are opportunist - I suspect this happens more than we realise.

 

[JamezF]

Expensive boards!!

I reckon it could probably be done for about £4 per crown board, maybe less. I think that's a bit cheaper than a solid clear crownboard, with the disadvantage of not being quite as clear. Clear enough though.

James

 

[jonathan.wade]

Nah, you just have to build another shed

James

I have a double garage, 20’ shed, two greenhouses, large cellar and a fully boarded attic and the living room, kitchen and conservatory are all still full of bee stuff.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have a double garage, 20’ shed, two greenhouses, large cellar and a fully boarded attic and the living room, kitchen and conservatory are all still full of bee stuff.

Blimey Jonathan, and you only have 4 hives? I have a similar area of storage and I've got 60 hives!!!!!!

 

[madasafish]

I will be interested to know how the mini nucs cope with overwintering. The one I make take 3-5 half SN1 and bottoms can be removed to stack up as dble. I will try to overwinter a few queens next year.

Three out of four have survived so far. One - with lots of bees but Rainbow nucs so rubbish insulation - died in prolonged spell of -8C or thereabouts before Christmas. Lots of bees, lots of food, heads in cells , stores above below and sideways.

 

[Swarm]

Did some cutting back and clearing in front of the hives. All busy, I watched them collecting propolis from a pile of huge Ash logs.

 

[Ian123]

I will be interested to know how the mini nucs cope with overwintering. The one I make take 3-5 half SN1 and bottoms can be removed to stack up as dble. I will try to overwinter a few queens next year.

I overwintered the kieler type minis many years ago, they worked but required attention. Much easier to get the last queens into 5 frame boxes though and far better results. In fact have gone right off the minis now raise in larger nucs.

 

[user 819]

Haven't visited my colonies since the varroa sublimination before xmas, I did today walk down to the garden colony around noon and the entrance was very busy in the mild spring like sunny weather. Hefting they are still heavy. If the weather is the same tomorrow may go and check out my other seven colonies.

 

[jeff33]

Did some cutting back and clearing in front of the hives. All busy, I watched them collecting propolis

I overwintered the kieler type minis many years ago, they worked but required attention. Much easier to get the last queens into 5 frame boxes though and far better results. In fact have gone right off the minis now raise in larger nucs.

Yes, I would rather do that as well but I am never sure if I will have enough resources to make up spare nucs. Perhaps I need to start keeping a dedicated number of hives or early season nucs for splits rather than try to turn all my hives into production ones.

 

[Swarm]

They are all production hives Jeff, just different jobs. How many are you looking to over winter? I'm kinda lazy and decided frames all the same size are easier, I agree with Ian. I start them on three and build them from there with the use of fat dummy boards, outwards or upwards, I like to see them as a nice six frame nuc by tucking up time.