What did you do in the Apiary today?

[drstitson]

"i watched one of them come out, land on the snow and die!!"

no you didn't - you watched it land on the snow and become inert/inactive. It will have eventually died. had you taken it indoors, or even held it in your hand for a bit, it would've woken up right as rain.

 

[Silly Bee]

Agreed.^^^^^^

I have pick them up and put them on the landing board and watched them walk back in.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Surprised to find a pool of water on the perspex inner cover of my poly/wood hybrid. Assuming its condensation as no visible gaps or leaks. Need to keep an eye on it. Super underneath looked dry enough though too cold to investigate properly.

Put top insulation back on the two 100% wood hives in case the weather takes a turn for the worse.

 

[drstitson]

i'm keeping top insulation on - helps keep thinner clear crownboards flat on top of boxes.

 

[madasafish]

Topped up all feeders in sunshine this am: cold wind though, 9C

Checked quickly on TBH nuc (last year swarm) which had no feeder - worried it might run out of stores. Uncapped nectar in last two combs so hastily shut and left it.

Note to myself: first candidate for swarm control late April: AS to 4' TBH.

Bees bringing in pollen - well a few.

Rescued a couple of bees semi drowned in water tray beside greenhouse.
After 10 mins in greenhouse had to open greenhouse door and persuade them to fly out - took 5 mins!

 

[Summerslease]

For the first time I had confidence to handle a queen and clip her wings. No more swarms into the neighbours gardens. Third year beekeeping and I'm getting the hang of it.

 

[FreeFall]

Only 6° C here today - checked varroa tray, no mites but a neat line of cappings so they are back to using stores I think. At least 30 bees at the pond gathering water. Shame really as the blackthorn flowers are just coming out in force - hope we get some warm weather before they die off so the girls can make some use of them. I did see a few honey bees about half a mile from my place on them yesterday - they were carnies so probably mine.

Nick

 

[Luminos]

Did an AS on one colony.
Hope it works...

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Thought about applying a super to a hive but dallied until it was too late/cold. Forecast not good tomorrow either but I think they still have sufficient space.

 

[Chris Luck]

Did an AS on one colony.
Hope it works...

Interesting, any reason why at this time of year and with the weather forecast as it is?

Chris

 

[Polyanwood]

Delivered bees and brood from 2 of my colonies to my bee buddy and combined them with his scrawny colony that had a DLQ which we replaced last week. Hoping his colony will make it now. Combined bees directly after giving them all a spray with lightly thymolised syrup.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

They were flying despite the cool weather, so popped a poly super on one and then let them be

 

[MuswellMetro]

put my fleece on and took a new Nuc roof and ~Nuc crown board up to my apiary store and also measure another Nuc that i need to make a new crown board....must make my Nuc all a standard size when i make more

not a lot going on 7C at 10:00am, nothing flying

drove past massive of yellow fields of OSR...The bees will be on it as soon as it warms up

 

[peterbees]

We had our first Association Apiary Meeting of the active season. About 35 people there, split into four groups. The weather was dry and the bees were easy to work. All six hives have survived the winter well and seemed in good heart.
Looking forward to a good summer with the bees.

 

[madasafish]

Went to our local Association Apiary. Bees happy and good natured despite 10C - no wind.
Helped feed a few, updated records.. got stung as usual on hand.

 

[keithgrimes]

Went down to mate's farm to check on progress of my bees on 125 acres of OSR. Drawing comb but nothing stored yet. Weather has been really cold this week. He told me that the evening after I dropped my bees off they had nine inches of snow. Good timing or what?

 

[drstitson]

Yesterday put a Cloake board on strongest hive. Within a minute of closing main entrance first of the foragers returning had found the new top one.

spent evening sat in front of fire watching TV and rounding off the ends of some bits of 9mm dowel.

Today - raining so melted down some cappings wax and knocked out 50 wax cups. attached first batch to cork discs stuck to frame. Hopefully will do my first grafts this week.

 

[drstitson]

attempted first grafts - dismal failure. ended up just dumping the donor frame of eggs and larvae into the quenless box. Hopefully should at least get something - just not as handy as cells sta on holders on a bar.

several problems -

1. house is very dark and even with supplementary lighting from a magnifying loupe not easy to get clear bright view.
2. fixed rather than handheld magnification needed so that both hands are free depending upon orientation of larva
3. shaped quill not upto the job - the few larvae picked up wouldn't then leave the end
4. wax cups popped off holders when touched.

will sort lighting and magnification for future and invest in proper tool and paint brush tp try.

 

[VEG]

Looked at my hives yesterday cant believe how quick they are building up. The one hive that I thought wouldnt make it through the last week is still holding on, will just leave them to it and see what happens.

 

[REDWOOD]

Looked at my hives yesterday cant believe how quick they are building up. The one hive that I thought wouldnt make it through the last week is still holding on, will just leave them to it and see what happens.

a complete contrast from last year