What did you do in the Apiary today?

[gavin]

They can even fly that distance for rape but aren't likely to if there is something for them closer. Yellow faces are the give-away. I'm starting to think that sycamore yields particularly well if the foliage has had a wetting - last year they were going mad for it in a light drizzle. The flowers are protected under their big umbrellas.

 

[Cazza]

The longer I keep bees, the better I get at knowing when my darlings will swarm.
Having been unable to inspect a double brood hive recently, I meant to look yesterday and AS them if required. Unfortunately life intervened and by the time my broken down car had been towed to a garage, it was raining and hopeless.

This morning I just knew they would go, despite rain and thunder. At 11.00 no swarm.Having been persuaded by HWMBO to climb a scaffold tower and replace a security light, (I hate DIY) when I climbed down and checked at 1p.m. there they were.
Instead of choosing the usual low, tree these ones were in a tree above a bramble patch. After much pruning and muttering they were housed in a box which was rapidly going soggy due to rain. The rain failed to stop so after leaving them for a half an hour I hived them rather than leaving them.

Result- swarm hopefully hived in a new poly nat. Now to find a window to go through the originals......

Cazza

 

[Erichalfbee]

That puts paid to the idea that bees wait for a hot sunny day to swarm.
Glad you got them.

 

[Cazza]

That puts paid to the idea that bees wait for a hot sunny day to swarm.
Glad you got them.

Thank you
Cazza

 

[abi-e]

Added a second super onto the very busy hive - weather too changeable to look inside though - so who knows what they are upto!! Hopefully drawing out some new comb in the super will keep them busy and put them off any thoughts of swarming - now cold and raining again!!

 

[Luminos]

Took advantage of a break in downpours and did an AS on my 2nd colony.
Phew.
Lets hope that's put paid to any swarming for now.

OH got his first 2 stings. We didn't know if he would have any adverse reaction, so just to be on the safe side I got all his life assurance policies out...but, no reaction, so had to put them all away again...

 

[Cazza]

Added a second super onto the very busy hive - weather too changeable to look inside though - so who knows what they are upto!! Hopefully drawing out some new comb in the super will keep them busy and put them off any thoughts of swarming - now cold and raining again!!

Second super!! Blimey! I am jealous. I have enough bees in double brood and OSR near but well away from 2 supers thanks to the lovely weather..
Cazza

 

[Les]

Managed to fully inspect both hives and both doing ok but not fantastic – probably due the weather, no queen cells so can relax for a week

 

[drstitson]

Inspection due later today but all hives really busy and the clouds of bees are predominantly heading for the nearest OSR (600+m as the bee flies) - yellow loads and faces apparent in incomers). May eventually have a use for my new honey buckets!

checked inspection board in strongest hive - no mites in 9-10 days. BUT evidence of serious uncapping of outer 6 frames (of 10 in a MB nat).

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

(yesterday) went and checked stores - they had gone through all of the neopoll i left last week, so added some fondant and neopoll to all. To chilly and thundery for a full inspection, but need to do one next week and prehaps give them some old stores Ive got kicking aound

 

[drstitson]

managed to check 3 of 6 hives before wind and rain.

loads of bees returning from OSR - however often falling short of hive and trying to make it home on foot in the relatively low temps.

1 small colony doing ok but running low on stores so will get some fondant later this afternoon.

larger colony given a 14x12 box below last week haven't drawn any of the frames but have 3 uncapped supersedure type cells on the BB frames. Are also strong enough to be storing a couple of frames of OSR upstairs. will deal with that colony this afternoon.

Another nuc doing ok - short on stores but have enough winter fondant on still to tide them over.

Yet to get into strongest (Double Brood) poly hive - hopefully should have some activity in the supers judging by activity - almost a beard of bees at entrance trying to get in (before the rain).

Aside from the OSR there's also decent activity on flowering cherries on the estate.

 

[beestie]

Took fondant off weakest hive and replaced with 1:1 sugar mix with some honeyBhealthy and Fumidil as they won't be supered for 6 weeks at this rate - still have dummy boards in.

Put 2 supers on strongest hive before going on holiday 10 days ago in case they thought about swarming. Whoops! Weather has obviously not improved, but too many bees for 1 full brood box (and very active in breaks in the rain) so removed 1 super and left the other on.

Enough stores for now, but may consider charging the remaining super with some syrup if they start to run out. Does anyone else out there try that - or should I consider feeding another way, if it comes to it?

 

[nosmoking]

Collected my own bee swarm with the help of Mike (mike a) forum member.

Now just hope they stay put! Little sods.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just cut a bit of excluder to fit over the entrance for two days.
I sat in the earlier sunshine watching dandelion and bluebell pollen going in. They are busy on the sycamore as well....is that just nectar?
I thought I was at a safe distance but took a hit on the temple.....first sting of the year. Thought I might give the Apis Mel a try.

 

[Les]

Bees busy today - considering the weather was wet and windy this morning with some hail in with the rain.
Nudged the hives round a bit to point them slightly in a different direction so when I a/s them and double up to 4 hives I won’t be in their flight path.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Called in at the association apiary on the way to Bromley doubted there'd be inspections due to the rain but i needed to pick up the surgical spirits I'd bought and have a chat.
'Oh, we thought we'd finish the hedging project you started last month are you staying?' so quick change into working clothes at the side of the lane and the 15 yards of hedge now laid in less than an hour - it's amazing what you can do with a bit of teamwork bit of a hairy moment when a large branch fell on the ASBO hive and the nutters came out in force .
Now sat in Bromsgrove Travelodge looking forward to playing with the big boys!

 

[MuswellMetro]

reduced one Bailey change to a single 14x12 box and saved the pollen laden frames for later

the other bailey failed on the 12th with 32 Queen cells, today i found i missed one in the AS split and the clipped queen has gone and a virgin was piping around...and another 20 emergency cells....oh well back to square one

Still no sign of eggs in an Assocoation Q- hive that i introduced eggs in, though the queen cells emerged by the 12th....too cold to mate i expect

so 1out of 3 inspected going in the right direction

started sneezing...ahhh!!! the Horse Chesnut is out

then packed up as the rain came down, i will do the other hives and out apiary in the week

 

[rockdoc]

In between thunder storms, I managed to mark two of my queens with the wife's help. One colony building up nicely, but others in a state, few bees and will need to combine shortly. Last hive very quite and found it had swarmed out. Only about 100 bees left with a small closed QC. They were a bit nasty so I'll not miss them, although the end of a colony is always regrettable.

 

[Polyanwood]

I went to put 1:1 syrup on the hive I did AS on yesterday ( and the 2 nucs I made up from it) because they have eaten all the stores... which is irritating because that was my biggest colony and it had half filled its second super, but yesterday the supers were both completely dry.

 

[enrico]

Quick look in two largest hives. Sun shining but still cold but as bees were flying.... One hive going well on double brood and into super, second hive had NO food at all so whacked fondant on. Phew just caught them in time.
E