What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Newbeeneil]

Putting some extra insulation on a few hives and see that a few winter residents have set up home.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Not really apiary related but my bees are bringing in black pollen I can’t see any poppy’s about in the fields what do you think it could be this time of year.

Processing honey I’ve got 300 jars and cut comb to sort out for next week.

 

[Vanterrier]

https://www.nsbka.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=787&Itemid=1432
HTH
K

 

[Do224]

Hefted all four hives and think they’re all about right…a couple might need some fondant before the winter is out but I’ll reassess when they get their December vape.

Surprised to see quite a bit of activity today…presume they’re still on the ivy

View attachment IMG_5386.MOV

 

[JamezF]

Surprised to see quite a bit of activity today…presume they’re still on the ivy

Out of the wind it's quite warm here today. I'm quite comfortable in shorts in the workshop. Hard to believe it's 1st November. I noticed that there's still ivy in flower when I was picking sloes a couple of days ago, but dandelions are flowering too so it's anyone's guess what they're actually foraging on.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Out of the wind it's quite warm here today.

same here - if it wasn't p!ssing down

 

[Erichalfbee]

Squalls and sunny spells here. A hail storm in the middle of it.

 

[The Poot]

Forecasters are predicting a horrible day here tomorrow, but worse near the coast.

 

[Curly green finger's]

https://www.nsbka.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=787&Itemid=1432
HTH
K

I had another walk around and there are red poppys flowering in the field adjacent to the nucs I saw bringing in black pollen .

 

[Moobee]

The wind warning was upgraded to amber on the Sussex coast yesterday so I checked all the hive straps on all colonies and put extra bricks on top of the nucs. Made sure there was nothing loose that might fly around.
This morning all ok so far and out apiary hives are still upright

 

[Newbeeneil]

Found one of my hive stands had collapsed at one end to leave 5 hives at a precarious angle. Too wet to do anything about it so will leave until it’s stopped raining in the morning.
The stand is made of 4 4” posts driven into the ground about 12” supporting 10’ long timbers linked together with cross members.
It would appear all the water has softened the ground so much the weight of the hives has cause the supports to become unstable at one end.
No damage to any hives so I’ll put a temporary support under it in the morning.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Found one of my hive stands had collapsed at one end to leave 5 hives at a precarious angle. Too wet to do anything about it so will leave until it’s stopped raining in the morning.
The stand is made of 4 4” posts driven into the ground about 12” supporting 10’ long timbers linked together with cross members.
It would appear all the water has softened the ground so much the weight of the hives has cause the supports to become unstable at one end.
No damage to any hives so I’ll put a temporary support under it in the morning.

Few

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The stand is made of 4 4” posts driven into the ground about 12” supporting 10’ long timbers

I wouldn't have deemed posts driven just 12" into the ground very sound in the first place - especially when supporting a 10' long stand

 

[Newbeeneil]

I wouldn't have deemed posts driven just 12" into the ground very sound in the first place - especially when supporting a 10' long stand

12” in the ground and 12” out isn’t a bad ratio in my humble opinion and from inspection today that wasn’t the problem. It seems a gust of wind had given the hives a significant push and bent the screws that were fixing the timbers to the top of the posts causing the timbers to move sideways and fall off the posts.
Lifted the timbers up and sat them on a 14x12 brood box temporarily overwinter sand added additional screws to the other support.

 

[madasafish]

Forecasters are predicting a horrible day here tomorrow, but worse near the coast.

Dry ish am so hefted all hives and nucs. Fed fondant to 4 out of 6 nucs and one hive. 8C so few bees moving. Started to rain as I finished.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I wouldn't have deemed posts driven just 12" into the ground very sound in the first place - especially when supporting a 10' long stand

East Yorkshire clay is like concrete when dryish but it's simple to drive fence posts in when thoroughly wetted. I feel blessed I've got a concrete yard and concrete blocks as hive supports.

 

[Swarm]

Blocks don't rot, all my stands are block and beam.
Checked the Amm colonies after the deluge this morning to find an endless stream of pollen coming in, I counted four types in total and big loads.

 

[StephenT]

A break in the rain, 13 degrees and sunny allowed the bees out for a bit. Plenty of pale pollen coming in to all hives. Got 4 hives and 1 nuc in the garden at present but need to move 3 of them to a new allotment site close by. Would early spring be the best time to do it and is it feasible to move them in winter without moving them away a few miles and then back again?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Move them gently in the winter when they are likely to be confined by the weather for a while. A straight move , no faffing about three miles away.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

is it feasible to move them in winter without moving them away a few miles and then back again?

Move them gently in the winter when they are likely to be confined by the weather for a while. A straight move , no faffing about three miles away.

no need to move them there and back in the winter - just move them straight there