What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Nannysbees]

Busy girls todayView attachment 20230312_123930.mp4

 

[JamezF]

Busy girls today

Looks like you got the better of the weather on your side of the Severn then. It's been a bit miserable over here. Saw a few out this morning collecting water, but irregular showers this afternoon turned into rain and it's all been a bit grim since then.

James

 

[Murox]

Didn't see a single bee, so I started to make up some underfloor entrances.

 

[The Poot]

Just strapped the hives down again, as three house bricks on top may not be sufficient today!

 

[blackcloud]

Absolutely Bugger All
I'm sat at the garage waiting for them to finish MOT-ing the van but they can't because there's intermittent power cuts and it's raining horizontally so I don't fancy a five mile walk home and back again.

 

[pargyle]

Just strapped the hives down again, as three house bricks on top may not be sufficient today!

Very breezy here today, no signs of any bees flying ... despite a bit of sunshine they really were not interested in flying.... then this afternoon, it rained again.

 

[Ringlander]

A nice dry and sunny morning here in Norfolk. Wandered up the garden to see what the girls are up to and found all of the hives very active with a lot of bees flying, some old and grizzled, some new and fluffy which is pleasing. Less pleasing however was watching a small queen orientating in front of one of the hives before landing on the board and being led indoors by a small cluster of workers. I'm guessing either the old queen has died or started to lay poorly and they have decided to supercede, but surely there's no chance of a decent mating at this time of the year? I was planning on re-queening this hive in April and have a queen on order, guess I'll just have to hang on and hope enough of the colony can survive until then.

 

[JamezF]

Sunny here too, but apparently it snowed early doors and there's a fairly sharp breeze. Hasn't stopped a few brave souls flying, but they're not out in any numbers.

Less pleasing however was watching a small queen orientating in front of one of the hives before landing on the board and being led indoors by a small cluster of workers. I'm guessing either the old queen has died or started to lay poorly and they have decided to supercede, but surely there's no chance of a decent mating at this time of the year?

Seems unlikely to me quite so early in the year, but hopefully the old queen is still present and laying and can keep the colony going until you can requeen or find another solution.

James

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

After yesterday's 40mph winds I checked all the hives today. All were fine and upright. Last week I found a couple of nucs overturned. They were strapped up, but not to the stand. The bees were fine - I think. My wife was more than a little amazed that I'd only put them back as they were, and not put more weight on top or strapped them to the stands. I'm now wondering if they had been overturned by something other than the wind previously, given that they survived yesterday's gale.

 

[Ian123]

After yesterday's 40mph winds I checked all the hives today. All were fine and upright. Last week I found a couple of nucs overturned. They were strapped up, but not to the stand. The bees were fine - I think. My wife was more than a little amazed that I'd only put them back as they were, and not put more weight on top or strapped them to the stands. I'm now wondering if they had been overturned by something other than the wind previously, given that they survived yesterday's gale.

I’ve had poly nucs go over in storms before, there quite a lightweight block and top heavy at this time of year.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Yesterday was the first time I heard a lark this year. It was raining. The song was a continuous as always. How do they do this - apparently never pausing for breath? There will be a lark above this field every day for the rest of the season. Never fails to delight.

 

[Wilco]

Yesterday was the first time I heard a lark this year. It was raining. The song was a continuous as always. How do they do this - apparently never pausing for breath? There will be a lark above this field every day for the rest of the season. Never fails to delight.

Their respiratory system is different to ours. Continuous flow of air across a non inflating lung system using multiple air sacs. Although I'm not sure on the mechanics of the song generation, this may be more akin to being able to us whistling while either breathing in or out (doable).

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Accomplished woodwind players and didgeridoo players can train themselves to exercise a circular breathing system so don't take a discernible pause for a new breath.
(and as some have ably demonstrated an ability to talk through an alternative aperture - why not use it for breathing!!)

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Accomplished woodwind players and didgeridoo players can train themselves to exercise a circular breathing system so don't take a discernible pause for a new breath.

I've tried and tried to manage this when whistling, and I've seen this done well by a trombonist and a digeridoo player. I marvelled then, and I still do with the lark.

 

[pargyle]

I've tried and tried to manage this when whistling, and I've seen this done well by a trombonist and a digeridoo player. I marvelled then, and I still do with the lark.

Whistling and breathing at the same time is easy ... you can whistle on both the inward breath and the exhale ... I drive 'er indoors mad as I tend to whistle when I'm concentrating on something ... it helps.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Whistling and breathing at the same time is easy ... you can whistle on both the inward breath and the exhale ... I drive 'er indoors mad as I tend to whistle when I'm concentrating on something ... it helps.

I know! I realised that just after posting. I was talking about something different.

 

[pevanstone]

After yesterday's 40mph winds I checked all the hives today. All were fine and upright. Last week I found a couple of nucs overturned. They were strapped up, but not to the stand. The bees were fine - I think. My wife was more than a little amazed that I'd only put them back as they were, and not put more weight on top or strapped them to the stands. I'm now wondering if they had been overturned by something other than the wind previously, given that they survived yesterday's gale.

That wind was surprisingly brisk.l often think a slightly different angle and much different result.l had vertical stacked poles blow over.

 

[Newbeeneil]

40% of our electricity being supplied by wind at the moment.

 

[Anduril]

Absolutely nothing in the apiary this Friday and Saturday, my wife has spoilt me with a trip to Salisbury to see the copy of the Magna Carta and a visit to Stonehenge. This is for my 60th birthday which was yesterday.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Absolutely nothing in the apiary this Friday and Saturday, my wife has spoilt me with a trip to Salisbury to see the copy of the Magna Carta and a visit to Stonehenge. This is for my 60th birthday which was yesterday.

Oh no. How did I miss that. Happy Birthday Anduril.