What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Lazy K]

Leave them well alone till the weather improves, fiddling with boxes at the moment will certainly do them no favours.

We have more bad windy weather coming and our last freeze isn't for another 10 weeks so "leave alone" is good advice. I'm just happy to see the reserves, the little bit of brood and the queen.

 

[Ian123]

We have more bad windy weather coming and our last freeze isn't for another 10 weeks so "leave alone" is good advice. I'm just happy to see the reserves, the little bit of brood and the queen.

Lol……. I’ve just seen your in the US

 

[Lazy K]

Lol……. I’ve just seen your in the US

Hope your weather is better in the UK!

 

[Ian123]

Hope your weather is better in the UK!

Looks like we are in for a week of cold but nothing major, we’ll likely have an inch of snow for many parts and the country will grind to a stop

 

[Lazy K]

Looks like we are in for a week of cold but nothing major, we’ll likely have an inch of snow for many parts and the country will grind to a stop

It was 17 F last and 60 F today. When we have snow it's usually gone the next day. But we only get about 22" of moisture a year usually during a 2 month period and we get really excited to see snow in the winter. So far this year we've had .81" of moisture and we are Giddy!!

 

[SWHives]

Added some more fondant to the one hive low on stores. Should see them through March.

 

[Goran]

Today, all snow is gone. Only mud left.. Grafted some fruit trees today. Surprisingly there are some cornus left, seems resilient flowers it has.. Bees were flying today.. Some 12-13C the highest temperature today. Forgot the mobile phone, so no pics made..

 

[MillMeadow]

Made a start removing deadwood from the apiary and cleared some patches of bramble in area intended for some hives.

It's a nice change to be able to get on with a vehichle at this time of year as normally even a hard frost isn't enough.

 

[manek]

Another take-away tub of fondant for each hive yesterday as they'd finished the ones I put out mid-November. That should see them through. Lots of bees everywhere which is a good sign.

 

[Moobee]

Quick peek under the roof to check ok while this cold weather last. All looks good.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

topped up fondant in those that needed it ahead of further cold weather

 

[Nik]

Foundation in more frames so I don't run out again this year.

 

[blackcloud]

It's a nice change to be able to get on with a vehichle at this time of year as normally even a hard frost isn't enough.

Ditto-I've had to winch the van back down to the lane in previous seasons.
But a month ago I was mowing the clover beds ready.
Today I was sawing timber in the sleet.
It was Feb 2019 we had a full week of 18c sunshine.

 

[Goran]

Bees and me chased out from orchard by some rain ( heard thunders also).. It looked more like summer than winter..

 

[Newbeeneil]

Checked all the hives over the last2 days and put fondant on about 20% as they seemed to be on the light side.
One dead out with no obvious signs of demise. Large colony with plenty of stores ( lots granulated ) a few bees with heads in cells and a 1” deep layer of bees in the rear 60% of the floor.
Large pile of dead bees outside of the front of the hive also.
No sign of queen or DWV in the pile of bees but the few capped cells remaining showed signs of peroration.

 

[Antipodes]

Checked all the hives over the last2 days and put fondant on about 20% as they seemed to be on the light side.
One dead out with no obvious signs of demise. Large colony with plenty of stores ( lots granulated ) a few bees with heads in cells and a 1” deep layer of bees in the rear 60% of the floor.
Large pile of dead bees outside of the front of the hive also.
No sign of queen or DWV in the pile of bees but the few capped cells remaining showed signs of peroration.

Can you hazard a guess as to what the cause was?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Not really. I wouldn’t have expected a colony of that size to die due to isolation starvation but the food was surrounding a large brood area so maybe? No classic sign of large numbers of bees with their heads in cells.
No sign of massive varroa overload but a few capped cells had perforated cappings!

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Stood around watching entrances. 12degC, sort of bright for a while. Pollen into all hives so . . . I think we're good.

 

[E&MBees]

Busy bees this morning prior to the rain due later. Noticeable difference in quantities of pollen being collected between the two apiaries. The higher more exposed one is a bit behind judging by the lack flora around.

 

[StephenT]

Just watching all hives being dead busy and bringing in shed loads of pollen. Assembled a proper cedar hive that we acquired for free ready to move the nuc into when the weather looks more settled. Hopefully they’ll feel privileged compared to the other bees in their seconds.