What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JamezF]

I feel a new poly hive paint scheme coming on

James

 

[blackcloud]

A Banksy?

 

[JamezF]

A Banksy?

I was thinking more of blue and white stripes

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

Apiary 2 out of 16

 

[The Poot]

Pinched a failing queen and popped in a frame from a good colony. Demarees are out of control. Sometimes I don’t know why I do this. Apiary looks like a shanty town

View attachment 36425

I’m sure you posted that you were reducing the number this year?
The best made plans and all that

 

[Erichalfbee]

The best made plans and all that

Yes. Sometimes it’s impossible. I have nine colonies and want six. The rest are splits that will be reunited.

 

[Wilco]

12 colonies checked today, united a nuc with one and set up some mating nucs.

Pleased with this colony. Overwintered poorly, was down to a couple of frames and I later discovered they'd even wound up sharing with a mouse. Now on three shallow supers and almost wall to wall brood, much of which is like this.

 

[TomH]

Checked two nucs I United a few days ago, first time using air freshener.

Unite worked well and chosen queen present and laying. There was one charged queen cell. Not sure if I’d doused them in too much air freshener, or it is swarm preps… took my chances and knocked it down and upgraded the double Nuc to a full double brood hive. Will check again in a few days…

 

[Nannysbees]

Inspection day.
The hive that had a capped queen cell We were waiting for her to emerge did have a virgin with no wings!!!!!! United that colony with a cast swarm we picked up earlier this week, couldn't find a queen or eggs but a lot of fanning going on, we put newspaper in between, feeder on the top, now in the lap of the gods.
The first swarm we caught laying like a trooper. The two bought queens laying lovely, we removed a super of capped honey and just finished extracting.

 

[JamezF]

Went around some of my "non-home" hives today. It's nice to be able to get through some of the fields I use easily again, farmers having been cutting grass for silage this week. I even got to drive directly into one for the first time; before now the car would have beached on the mud in the gateway.

Put a second BB on one colony that was a swarm last year, went into winter very strong and then really seemed to struggle in the early Spring before suddenly taking off again a couple of weeks back. I'd left a bait hive on the same stand intending to move it further away later, but no need -- it's already occupied.

Another nuc that I made from a demaree queen cell before everything went to hell in a handcart last month is now ready for a full hive.

And even the hive on top of the the tree branch colony is finally starting to fill with bees. They're on about four frames now, and more bees seem to be using the hive entrance rather than the one at the bottom of the cavity in the tree.

The farmer on whose land these last two are sited is a lovely chap. A few years older than me and clearly loves the process of farming, on a property that has been in his family for generations. Whenever I bump into him he's always telling me what he's seen the bees doing recently and clearly takes the time to go and watch them for a while every so often despite not wanting to get involved in the actual beekeeping process.

Elsewhere, the only two bait hives that I currently have empty are the two that are in the most shade. There was never any obvious interest in the ones I have at home that were in shade either, so I'm thinking that around here at least perhaps the scouts might prefer those that are out in the sunshine. I'll leave them out for another month or so though, just in case there are some colonies that aren't completely exhausted from all the swarming already.

James

 

[Ian123]

Elsewhere, the only two bait hives that I currently have empty are the two that are in the most shade. There was never any obvious interest in the ones I have at home that were in shade either, so I'm thinking that around here at least perhaps the scouts might prefer those that are out in the sunshine. I'll leave them out for another month or so though, just in case there are some colonies that aren't completely exhausted from all the swarming already.

James

Yes put bait hives in the sun!

 

[JamezF]

Yes put bait hives in the sun!

From memory, Seeley's guidance is that there should be some shade, but the ones I've had most swarms in have always been out in the open.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

From memory, Seeley's guidance is that there should be some shade,

yes, but it's one of those strange sentences - shaded but in full sun

 

[Ian123]

Ignore him put them in the sun, even I can smell the wax/lure baking and I’d imagine every bee within miles can to! Those in sunny spots outperform those in the shade consistently, I put my first 1 up aged 10 on the chicken feed shed roof.

 

[madasafish]

My successful bait hives are sun shielded until late afternoon..
Several are at ground level.
One was full of drawn comb In full sun. (It was not a bait hive, just a winter deadout)
Others had one comb.

So much for guidelines.

 

[philipm]

Inspected hives today the bees are in full flow ,I think that I may have to extract this week as my supply of supers is nearly exhausted. Been making up some spare kit today.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Maybe 60lbs honey put above clearing boards across 2 hives.
Bees met me at the gate. Hawthorn, horse chestnut, OSR going over. Acting a bit 'hangry' and defensive. ?
Clover and bramble may be next.

 

[madasafish]

Just finished inspections at home. (No QCs) Placed Q in Nicot cage more in hope than anything else.
Relaxing talking to beginner in our yard at almost exactly 15.30.
Familiar sound: a swarm.


WRONG!

Three swarms arrive at three separate bait hives within 10 minutes: one a prime one judging by size. Other People's Bees : again.

 

[E&MBees]

Started collecting some of the capped supers. Waiting on four virgin queens to mate and start laying. Will see how they perform before combining some. Had some help today from my husband and youngest son.

 

[Garry R]

Ignore him put them in the sun, even I can smell the wax/lure baking and I’d imagine every bee within miles can to! Those in sunny spots outperform those in the shade consistently, I put my first 1 up aged 10 on the chicken feed shed roof.

My grandchildren aged 11 and 9 put up a bait hive in a remote part of the farm in North Yorkshire and a couple of weeks ago it was occupied. Or at least they thought it was..... Seems the queen missed the entrance and it ended up under the pallet the hive was o. A few photos and following grandpa's instructions they had the comb into the hive with we assume the queen this time and the bees following her willingly. Think/hope the kids are hooked.