What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Amari]

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

Expensive @ $40 but, hey, it's a hobby and five jars of honey sold at the gate will recoup the cost.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Expensive …….but, hey, it's a hobby

That’s my reasoning behind my lust for an InstantVap but I can’t quite sell it to Stan.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have trouble seeing through the mesh.

nowadays I have trouble seeing through me eyes - damn them!

 

[ldwgs]

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

I was told, as a child, birds would peck my eyes out if I picked it!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I was told, as a child, birds would peck my eyes out if I picked it!

Shocking!

 

[Moobee]

Finally, pollen laden bees in droves today after several weeks of horrible weather & nothing seemed to be flowering. Our big willow has still not opened up its catkins - it’s several weeks behind where it was this time last year but a newly acquired pink willow tree was being worked.
Also a few bees with yellow dusted heads & thorax.

 

[Garry R]

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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I just wonder whether on a chilly day you will get condensation from your breath on the clear plastic window.

 

[Midget Gem]

I just wonder whether on a chilly day you will get condensation from your breath on the clear plastic window.

I was wondering about that. Hoping you will report back once the season gets started, @Amari

 

[Amari]

I just wonder whether on a chilly day you will get condensation from your breath on the clear plastic window.

I was wondering about that. Hoping you will report back once the season gets started, @Amari

Will do.

 

[Nannysbees]

My husband designed little feeders for the honey, worked a treat, cleared in an afternoon!!

 

[Cuckmere couple]

slightly off topic as it was yesterday

but had a lovely cup of tea watching pollen pilling in to all hives in one of our apiaries

lovely

 

[The Poot]

Checked fondants, confident they wouldn‘t be needing any, as last 1kg tubs put on 8 days ago.
H1 - about a third of the way through it
H2 - every trace of it gone and bees drumming their feet on the side of the empty tub!
Hastily filled another and let them have it. I’ll need to keep an eye on this lot…..

Plenty of pollen going into both hives today. My neighbour told me they were all over his three viburnums.

 

[The Poot]

My husband designed little feeders for the honey, worked a treat, cleared in an afternoon!!

If they store it you might be extracting it again later…..but I expect they’ll consume it.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Sunny, 14degC here. Checked super on top of a couple of colonies. Barely touched. Brood nest starting to move up into super. No need for fondant.
Now got a better idea how much more weight drop is 'safe'.

 

[Swarm]

My husband designed little feeders for the honey, worked a treat, cleared in an afternoon!!

Brilliant, clean as a whistle.

 

[Swarm]

Checked fondants, confident they wouldn‘t be needing any, as last 1kg tubs put on 8 days ago.
H1 - about a third of the way through it
H2 - every trace of it gone and bees drumming their feet on the side of the empty tub!
Hastily filled another and let them have it. I’ll need to keep an eye on this lot…..

Plenty of pollen going into both hives today. My neighbour told me they were all over his three viburnums.

Made me smile, did they forgive you?

 

[The Poot]

Made me smile, did they forgive you?

When I removed the empty tub, a few wandered about deciding whether to have a go, but it was a bit too cold for heroics so they disappeared down the feeding hole and were quickly sealed inside.

 

[Murox]

First calm day in a while today. Checked all hives for stores gave one kilo of fondant. All had active bees inside although none flying. Gorse is flowering 1km away so some forage beginning to become available. Mildly surprised to find no dead-outs as I thought one had gone when I did a mite treatment in December.(famous last words, fingers crossed etc)

 

[Goran]

Weather is starting to change.. Till now bees had some decent weather which they exploit, in addition to others I mentioned before, they started to visit goat willow. Today was some 13-15C, on Sunday they say will be 2C day temp and some snow..
Yesterday checked fondants and added to ones who needed..
Saw first violets in bloom yesterday..

 

[Curly green finger's]

Rusty orange? Gorse, lot's of it going in today. I filled the back of the truck with timber and then sat and had a pleasant few minutes, close your eyes and just listen to the contented hum.

Timeless I would say