What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Headnavigator]

OH kindly cleaned up the pond and got the pump working again yesterday. Today I find a constant stream of puzzled bees trying to get to the water. Leaves and detritus had been allowing the pond netting to dip into the water at one point, this was where they were going. I'd never seen them there but it must have been a valued water source. Flower-pot now holding netting down for them!

 

[John R]

Glorious spring

Lots of pollen coming in, they've been hard at it for 3 weeks now, building up a lot of stores, some nice brood developing. Couldn't beleive the amount of honey they've pullen up in the last 2 weeks. been hot and dry for ages, so a great spring, but going to get colder next week, that'll slow them down a bit..!

 

[hallshoney]

Friday night went with local association to look around quince honey farm. paddy wallice gave a talk on their hive management a real eye opener into commercial honey production 2 1/2 beekeepers to look after 1500 hives!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

First inspection of the association apiary - out of 8 the hive I inspected seems queenless - late 2011 queen (not that many bees, had a good look and couldn't see her - and not often I miss HM) had very little capped brood and a capped QC, could be either emergency or supercedure, probably emergency - I don't hold much hope actually, one with next to no bees, one really nice late swarm of dark bees dead, and even worse (in my view) a colony which used to belong to an elderly neighbour which was nursed through vandalism and a difficult winter suddenly gone - worse because the said previous owner is not for long with us and I was only telling his wife yesterday his bees had made it through winter - just makes you realise what a tenuous hold we have on this existence.
Checked two of my hives - board in for over aweek, no mite drop, changed the brood and super on hive number 2

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

After deciding it was too cold for an inspection in the morning, the afternoon sun had me reaching for the suit. All three coming on really well, 5-7 frames of brood (14x12s), plenty of stores and pollen. Replaced a frame of stores in each with foundation. One queen spotted. All in good humour, very pleasant inspection.

OSR just starting so I put supers on the strongest two. One was a poly so I've an interesting arrangement at present.

 

[madasafish]

I like the pink.. Is it to match the sunrise? Or sunset?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

More due to laziness of only applying one coat of "red cedar" I'm afraid!

 

[Mike a]

@MA

Did you strap down that poly super or use a brick?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

@MA

Did you strap down that poly super or use a brick?

Thanks for reminding me Mike - knew there was something I'd forgotten
Out with the strap tonight!

To be fair its pretty stable as the roof is tight on the super and the super is quite weighty with 10 frames of built comb (and is probably well propolised down by now) - it would take a very big gust to shift but not worth the risk

 

[psafloyd]

Added a super to another of my hives as getting too full of stores. Scored the end frame of stores to encourage redistribution now they have somewhere to put it.

 

[drstitson]

transferred last 2 storey 6 frame nuc to a proper poly hive.

Supered all full sized hives.

Added a second LS brood box to strongest colony which be used for queen rearing.

checked on new queen in ex-DLQ box - happy about her business (i let her out of cage day after introduction when i saw her being fed by occupants of hive).

Introduction was the first time i'd actually witnessed the frantic behaviour of newly queenless colony.

 

[FreeFall]

Checked my hive yesterday, almost cancelled as it was cold in the morning but warmed right up mid-afternoon.

Two/three weeks ago they had emptied a previously full super of honey (top box in brood + half), leaving 8 empty frames - yesterday these were crammed full of sealed brood, solid laying pattern with a tiny amount of stores in the top corners. Bottom box has total of around 3 full frames of BIAS, spread across the middle 5 frames, flanked by some honey stores and lots of pollen, although the outside frames are empty (I was expecting one to be, as I'd just replaced the frame feeder that was in there over winter).

They had built comb between the two sets of frames and started raising drone brood in it - some sealed. There is also a small amount of sealed drone brood in the bottom box.

So, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and then finally decided to add a QE and super, despite the cooler temperatures that are predicted, hoping they'll be OK in a double-walled hive with the top insulation still on. I took a peek through the glass crownboard just now and there are 20 or so bees up top, investigating their new space.

Will be checking again next week for queen cells - I have another complete hive that needs populating this year! Just starting my second year, so all very exciting

Nick

 

[REDWOOD]

placed supers on all 3 hives after yesterdays inspection relieved the queens were running out of room fast due to massive amount of pollen and nectar stores

 

[MuswellMetro]

A busy day as the weather was a lot warmer than predicted being 15/16C rather than 12/13C

As the OSR is starting to bloom i rehoused the 6 frame 14x12 Nuc moved to the new apiary on Saturday into a 14x12 now that they have found the OSR

Then inspected a Friend's 14x12 at one of our allotment association apairies, which was going well with almost 4 frames of eggs and 5 of capped frames, in the hope that the eggs don't get chilled in the next few days so we decided to delay putting a super on until next Saturday

Then off to the association main apiary to help out because Saturday was too cold to inspect, This involved helping a freind do his a bailley change from a Rose OSB to Commercial and checking another Bailey change that was going like a train ( added a bit of Kingsan insulation as it a nuc size colony on wild comb )

Most other hives were ok but two hives looked a bit dire with small brood area but seemed to be improving and another beekeepers hive on one frame of brood ( if that) which had a positive nosema test is doomed because the beekeeper does not agree with the advice given to him , so be it, they are not my bees

 

[Poly Hive]

Maxed here at 11C.

Snow forecast for Scotland and northen England this week...

Time to sit on hands me thinks here.

PH

 

[Suzi Q]

So is this what they call a nectar flow!? Super almost full, the hive humming in the evening with a fantastic smell coming from the OMF? Could smell honey from 10 feet away! Do I put on a second super before they have filled up the first? There are bees across all of the frames, hesitating because of the colder weather forecast this week.

 

[TOBY-3652]

just wached the bees coming and going watched forcast tue/ wet wed 9 degrees/ thurs 12 degrees fri 14 degrees and sat 15 degrees looks like its going 2 warm up

 

[Rosti]

Combination complete (4 in to 2), second BB's removed, now down to tgt 4 hives. Might have a stroppy hive on my hands, hopefully just aggressive through being made queenless for a couple of days!

 

[YorkshireBees]

Watched bees still flying at 18:00 in 10degs.

There are still a few heading in another direction but the majority are now heading for the closest OSR field!

Will hopefully be checking the supers at the weekend!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Got up early to put a hivestrap onto the wood/poly combo hive (thanks MikeA!)

Occured to me that while I dont imagine a laden poly super is hugely different in weight to a cedar version, the roof is considerably lighter.