What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JamezF]

There's probably three inches between the tops of the comb in the cavity and the bottoms of the frames. I'll see how it goes after a couple of weeks and take it from there. They have a load of OSR within half a mile so I'm hoping they'll be desperate for more space and cross the gap.

I had a quick look this morning as I was passing and there appeared to be bees using the upper entrance, so some of them look like they're interested at least.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

I would be tempted to put a frame with a small amount of open brood in the box. Nurse bees will go up to look after it and hopefully eventually the queen will follow to refill the comb.

 

[JamezF]

I would be tempted to put a frame with a small amount of open brood in the box. Nurse bees will go up to look after it and hopefully eventually the queen will follow to refill the comb.

Once I've done some inspections I can look at doing that. Today is possibly the first day this year that it's been warm enough, but today I have other things I must get done.

James

 

[Swarm]

Swapped the colony into their new hive and floor, that was great to watch as the field force took to their new entrance ramp without skipping a beat. Nice to be warm enough to pull combs and the nests are building nicely with the largest having thirteen frames with brood. Re marked some queens and added combs and foundation, nectar is coming in and already noticeable in the brood area so some space was welcome. The hill behind the farm is turning yellow so time to consider adding supers.
Quite a bit of new drone comb being drawn, some with eggs or larvae, a few patches of capped and the odd drone on the combs.

 

[gregior]

Inspected the 12 colonies I haven't checked yet this year. Was worried about the first one as they're really swarmy bees and I missed them swarming on 14th April last year. Opened them up and multiple sealed cells,lots of bees but couldn't find the (clipped) Q, youngest brood was about 5 days old so She's probably lost.Left 1 cell and will leave them to it. Of the others real mixed bag,3 or 4 pretty weak with only 5 frames brood the other 8 going great guns ranging from 10 to 16 frames of brood. No other signs of swarming so supered them up.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You might have won Ian’s queen. I’d go tap him on the forum shoulder.

 

[Ian123]

You might have won Ian’s queen. I’d go tap him on the forum shoulder.

Who’s side are you on…..

 

[sarahcorlett2566]

I’ve been putting foundation in frames for two supers to put them on tomorrow. Horrible, horrible job. Can anyone give me any clues as to how to nail the damn bar thing through the loops in the wire in without hammering my fingers, going through the top bar, bending the nail, throwing the f****r out of the door and generally losing the plot and swearing or possibly all of the above? I have tried clamps and grips and some work sometimes but nothing seems to be a foolproof way of getting the bloody things in without making a right mess.

 

[MillMeadow]

I’ve been putting foundation in frames for two supers to put them on tomorrow. Horrible, horrible job. Can anyone give me any clues as to how to nail the damn bar thing through the loops in the wire in without hammering my fingers, going through the top bar, bending the nail, throwing the f****r out of the door and generally losing the plot and swearing or possibly all of the above? I have tried clamps and grips and some work sometimes but nothing seems to be a foolproof way of getting the bloody things in without making a right mess.

I've found that it helps if I use a rampin to locate the pin in position before tapping home with a small hammer.

Are you trying to hammer the pins for the bar from the top down into the top bar or at 90 degrees to it?

 

[JamezF]

small hammer

That's a good point. I use a light pin hammer and it's really not a problem.

Using a hammer is a skill though. Not a very complex one generally, but still something you have to learn in terms of being able to hit what you're aiming at squarely, and using the weight of the head of the hammer to do the work. If you don't like hitting your fingers, you can get tools similar to pliers (though pliers would probably work equally well) for holding the nail whilst you hit it the first time. Really though, like many physical skills, it's just practice and plenty of it.

I can't deny however that the pins that I've purchased more recently for assembling frames do seem very soft and can bend to follow the grain of the wood very easily.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve been putting foundation in frames for two supers to put them on tomorrow. Horrible, horrible job. Can anyone give me any clues as to how to nail the damn bar thing through the loops in the wire in without hammering my fingers, going through the top bar, bending the nail, throwing the f****r out of the door and generally losing the plot and swearing or possibly all of the above? I have tried clamps and grips and some work sometimes but nothing seems to be a foolproof way of getting the bloody things in without making a right mess.

Buy waxed frames from Murray. They are cheaper than you can do your own.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can anyone give me any clues as to how to nail the damn bar thing through the loops in the wire in without hammering my fingers, going through the top bar, bending the nail, throwing the f****r out of the door

You don’t need to get the nail through the loop for a start and nail it horizontally into the top bar not vertically

 

[The Poot]

I’ve been putting foundation in frames for two supers to put them on tomorrow. Horrible, horrible job. Can anyone give me any clues as to how to nail the damn bar thing through the loops in the wire in without hammering my fingers, going through the top bar, bending the nail, throwing the f****r out of the door and generally losing the plot and swearing or possibly all of the above? I have tried clamps and grips and some work sometimes but nothing seems to be a foolproof way of getting the bloody things in without making a right mess.

As @Erichalfbee - she has hit the nail on the head………so to speak.
Trying to nail vertically is not the way to go.

 

[jeff33]

You might have won Ian’s queen. I’d go tap him on the forum shoulder.

Hopefully, they're not as swarmy

 

[jeff33]

You don’t need to get the nail through the loop for a start and nail it horizontally into the top bar not vertically

Yes but if you nail vertically it's far easier to remove the strip of wood when replacing the old comb

 

[Newbeeneil]

I’ve been putting foundation in frames for two supers to put them on tomorrow. Horrible, horrible job. Can anyone give me any clues as to how to nail the damn bar thing through the loops in the wire in without hammering my fingers, going through the top bar, bending the nail, throwing the f****r out of the door and generally losing the plot and swearing or possibly all of the above? I have tried clamps and grips and some work sometimes but nothing seems to be a foolproof way of getting the bloody things in without making a right mess.

Buy a nail gun! Best purchase I ever made.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Yes but if you nail vertically it's far easier to remove the strip of wood when replacing the old comb

Just as easy to remove if it’s been nailed horizontally. It’s at an angle that it’s difficult.

 

[jeff33]

I inspected another apiary, all hives were bursting with bees. 8-9 frames of bias and already need another BB box. Frames had been extended with sealed drone brood present. 1 apiary of 7 hives left to deal with.

 

[jeff33]

Just as easy to remove if it’s been nailed horizontally. It’s at an angle that it’s difficult.

I find it a real pain, especially with the older deep frames with dark hard wax or leftover stores. I use a nail gun also, love it!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes but if you nail vertically it's far easier to remove the strip of wood when replacing the old comb

Marginally