What did you do in the Apiary today?

[drex]

Sorry Dani. I have just done it on 3 hives. Consolidated 4 supers into 3, over a partially open CB of course. Am learning about the flows in my new Devon home.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Did the bees take uncapped honey down into the supers below?

 

[Nannysbees]

If there is little food in the brood box you can get the bees to rob out the supers.
Crown board over the brood with a one or two bee space hole (An old CD over the feeder hole is good) Empty super (no frames) then your two uncapped supers. Leave for a week

Brilliant thank you for that

 

[jeff33]

Well, absolutely nothing again with this crappy weather!

 

[Macbear]

Apiguard this evening. Forgot to take it out of the fridge, so put the sachets inside my beesuit during the drive to my hives. Surprising how quickly the sachets warmed and I cooled to a happier temperature. I don't think it was too much a shock for the bees by the time I had done.
Far more pleasant than the household chore of gloss painting during a warm day!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Apiguard in the fridge?!

 

[Nannysbees]

A question, put syrup on the small hives that are only on a brood, fed them 2:1, one and a half litres, checked them a few hours later and they were guzzling it down, how much more should I feed?

 

[drex]

Did the bees take uncapped honey down into the supers below?

Well, it certainly went somewhere. The top box was clean and dry when removed

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well, it certainly went somewhere. The top box was clean and dry when removed

I'm taking all the supers off next week so I'll see what's what and maybe try that. So you put an empty box and a crownboard with a reduced hole underneath the top super, over the ones underneath?

 

[drex]

Not quite. From bottom up
BB
QX
Supers for harvesting
Partially open CB
Eke ( I think this helps convince bees that the top super is outside their hive)
Top super to be cleaned out
Closed CB
Roof

This is also what I do if I want to store supers dry after extracting.
Works a treat for me

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks....My eke is usually an empty super. Never thought of consolidating supers like that.

 

[drex]

Only the first time I have done this pre harvest, as it has been such an odd year, and I am not familiar with local flows yet

 

[ericbeaumont]

how much more should I feed?

Assess the weight of the BB (lift it slightly with one hand at the back) and continue to feed if very light. Avoid cramming the BB with syrup as space is needed for the next few weeks to lay winter bees.

Add to this equation any incoming nectar and watch the development of ivy buds (still a long way away). Check weight twice weekly.

 

[Aneebe]

Thanks....My eke is usually an empty super. Never thought of consolidating supers like that.

It works best for me in bad weather/ when not much of a flow on. If it's bountiful and sunny out there, they can be v slow to clear a super down but conversely I've seen them suck it dry literally overnight. Teeny gap and I think leaving a few frames out and separating them a bit might help too.

 

[Moobee]

Not quite. From bottom up
BB
QX
Supers for harvesting
Partially open CB
Eke ( I think this helps convince bees that the top super is outside their hive)
Top super to be cleaned out
Closed CB
Roof

This is also what I do if I want to store supers dry after extracting.
Works a treat for me

Yay! Brilliant, thanks for that.... I seem to have several part filled supers over nearly full supers that would probably make a whole one and will make the whole disassembly easier in a few weeks time. Barring an August flow that is (I wish...)

 

[madasafish]

Finished third and last extraction. Rubbish. 12% of last year's at same time.
Setting up hives for winter and feeding 2,5KG of fondant at a time. Main production hives have zero honey in Brood box. Supers clearing and being removed- largely empty.
Queen rearing abandoned as impossible weather.

A year to forget..

(By comparison makes the Government appear competent)

 

[beeboybee]

Combined Q- Colony with Bad tempered Small Nuc - if they make it through winter will ReQueen pronto -
Did a little feed on three other colonies - and did a little apiary tidy up and some bramble management!
My hives are in a part shaded part of a woodland - the strongest hives always are on the stand that gets the most Sun - going to think about taking down a tree for some more sunlight next year.

 

[jeff33]

Released 4 queens from from their push in cages, 3 of the nucs were fine, 4th one had been completely robbed with hardly any bees left to tend the brood. Had to restart this nuc and put the queen under the cage on a new frame of emerging brood. That nuc has now been moved to my garden.

 

[jeff33]

Finished third and last extraction. Rubbish. 12% of last year's at same time.
Setting up hives for winter and feeding 2,5KG of fondant at a time. Main production hives have zero honey in Brood box. Supers clearing and being removed- largely empty.
Queen rearing abandoned as impossible weather.

A year to forget..

(By comparison makes the Government appear competent)

So frustrating, I am just working on getting my bees in the best state possible so they can make it through the winter and ready for another far better year.
I have actually harvested more than last year, thanks to the spring crop

 

[E&MBees]

Added clearer boards to some colonies. Returned from my holiday just in time as one nuc was running on fumes. Needed to feed two other colonies as well, they had eaten most of their stores too. Laying rate has slowed considerably.
Noticed that the trees are starting to turn already.