What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JamezF]

It's 8°C outside now and the Sun is starting to burn off the overnight fog, but there's still a cool breeze. The bees seem not to care. They're all over a Viburnum near the house. Looks like they're mostly collecting pollen.

James

 

[JamezF]

On the Viburnum

and collecting water...

Some of them are really quite dark. Do you think, y'know... We are quite remote. And we are surrounded by misty valleys. At least this morning we were

James

 

[drex]

Made use of the surprisingly warm day to sort out the bees prior to moving house. All done. A relief. Good response to email to local BKA members that I will have hives to sell.

All bees flying and a few small patches of sealed brood. Did not hang about looking for eggs.

Of course I would not normally open hives yet, but needs must

 

[Ian123]

Carried out a drone laying queen execution and United with a small nuc caging the queen…..slightly earlier than anticipated!!!!!

 

[Dodge]

Was planning on inspecting my appiarys but the mist took way longer to burn off than expected and was only 6.9c until it was too late.

 

[plain_hunt]

Replaced the plastic corrugated sheeting, no longer see through, on my bee shed, with double glazed windows. Still have air gaps, some bigger than others, that need filling in.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

today i picked up all the gimp pins that had burst the bag in the box in my STBK order...wont need any gimp pins for a very very long while

 

[JamezF]

Saw my first queen wasp of the year today. Can't help thinking she could have made a really bad choice if the weather turns cold again.

James

 

[Jon.21]

Loads of activity last couple of days. Spent 10 minutes watching them coming and going and on the nearest hive I noticed that they were by far the biggest in terms of level of activity but they were also ejecting bees that weren’t dead but clinging on to the landing board. 5/6 needs trying to drag bees off the landing board and onto the floor. This hive was a swarm from last year with an unmarked queen and they behave completely differently to the other 3 colonies which are buckfast descendants. They come out 6 deg or more where as the buckfast ones it has to be at least 8/10deg.

 

[Nannysbees]

Pouring down here today!!

 

[JamezF]

Pouring down here today!!

The sky does look rather dark over in your direction. We've had a few minutes drizzle if that and we're barely twenty miles from Barry in a straight line.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

we're barely twenty miles from Barry in a straight line.

which is more than close enough
They have a saying over there 'if you look out at the sea and you can't see the holms - it's raining. if you look out and you can see the islands, it will rain soon

 

[Erichalfbee]

It’s been 15 degrees here today but windy. Bees on the fancy willow. Getting colder next week.

 

[Goran]

Let's say first relative warm day after cold spell. Sunny, with occasionally unpleasant wind. Bees out, bringing pollen from birdeye speedwell, cornelian cherry ( dogwood) and dead nettle.. There may be some I didn't noticed.. We spent whole day out pruning the hazels.. Our cats were happy to have us around and talked a lot..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees out, bringing pollen from birdeye speedwell,

Is that Germander Speedwell? My husband calls it Birds Eye and I have always called it Cats Eye

 

[Moobee]

Loads of activity last couple of days. Spent 10 minutes watching them coming and going and on the nearest hive I noticed that they were by far the biggest in terms of level of activity but they were also ejecting bees that weren’t dead but clinging on to the landing board. 5/6 needs trying to drag bees off the landing board and onto the floor. This hive was a swarm from last year with an unmarked queen and they behave completely differently to the other 3 colonies which are buckfast descendants. They come out 6 deg or more where as the buckfast ones it has to be at least 8/10deg.

They look like lovely dark bees too

 

[Goran]

Is that Germander Speedwell? My husband calls it Birds Eye and I have always called it Cats Eye

I don't know which one Veronica exactly is - persica, arvensis or maybe chamaedrys.

 

[Amari]

Hefted my five hives: all heavy but because T=16C I removed the crown boards and checked the outside frames of the top boxes all of which showed capped stores. Bees busy and bringing in pollen. Hives were last fed in early September.
It was my first chance to test my Easy See: a kit with a clear plastic panel which you insert into the veil - brought back from a recent beekeeping convention in the US by @SteveG . Worked well but I'll have to wait until I examine brood frames to judge its true worth.
theeasysee.com

 

[E&MBees]

Had a very quick check on the fondant levels for two colonies today in between rain showers. A small amount taken. Despite the chill damp conditions, all colonies flying and collecting pollen. There’s a large viburnum and a number of hazels close by.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hefted my five hives: all heavy but because T=16C I removed the crown boards and checked the outside frames of the top boxes all of which showed capped stores. Bees busy and bringing in pollen. Hives were last fed in early September.
It was my first chance to test my Easy See: a kit with a clear plastic panel which you insert into the veil - brought back from a recent beekeeping convention in the US by @SteveG . Worked well but I'll have to wait until I examine brood frames to judge its true worth.
theeasysee.com

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Stunningly modelled, Giles.
Let us know how you get on. I have trouble seeing through the mesh.