What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Its sometimes nearly May before I get into my hives out here. Your picture reminds me that years ago when I kept bees in Essex some years we used to have a quick blast of snow for easter day, the fields around looked just like that. Easter can fall anywhere from 4th April to 8th May depending on the year, always the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon and it is earlyish this year.

I was in Carmarthen yesterday at around 11. It suddenly went black and the heavens tipped out so much hail the wipers couldn’t cope and the road was an inch deep in hailstones. Ten minutes later the sky was blue.
I remember many years ago hearing that as the world warmed we wouldn’t be any warmer here, just wetter!

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure I have overreacted after failing to prevent a number of swarms last year.

The bees are out foraging this morning and my saving grace may be the better weather over here on the east coast. It's forecast to be 13 degrees during the day and down to 7 overnight for the next week, with only showers of rain. We had quite a bit of nectar coming in last week.

They do appear to have split themselves fairly evenly in terms of flying bees. I remain hopeful, although accept it will be more luck then judgement if I get away with it.

See video of both entrances this morning.

A lot in beekeeping is a matter luck .., weather, bees, beekeeper - all unknown variables. Let's hope the beegods smile on you .. it's all experience whatever happens.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Woke up to this

View attachment 39366



View attachment 39367

get the smoker fired out and start inspecting, snow is no excuse - It's Easter!!
Had about the same amount here

 

[user 819]

Precisely ... Answers Post #38969 above .... Two very good options that would have limited the risk and if the weather did show promise there are the further options available. Unfortunately, this situation arose because of the often seen malady in beekeeping - the 'OMG they have done something I must act NOW' syndrome. Whilst swarm cells do need a reaction a few hours thinking about what all the options are and planning the best course are rarely going to be wasted.

We've all been there at some point and we learn from our errors of judgement. Beekeeping is never an exact science but a SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of the plan you envisage, even at the most basic level, will sometimes guide your thoughts in the right direction - or at least slows you down a bit when things may become clearer.

As seasoned experienced beeks we have the knowledge to stand back , take stock of that which is occurring so can afford time to mull over and think about the next move . Whether one wants to increase colonies or simply retain maybe the old Queen for insurance or whether she is excess to requirements.
With Queen cells I will leave them and return in the next 48hrs with my option to deal with them , clipping gives me a little more time as often I may decide I have no need to increase .

 

[user 819]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure I have overreacted after failing to prevent a number of swarms last year.

The bees are out foraging this morning and my saving grace may be the better weather over here on the east coast. It's forecast to be 13 degrees during the day and down to 7 overnight for the next week, with only showers of rain. We had quite a bit of nectar coming in last week.

They do appear to have split themselves fairly evenly in terms of flying bees. I remain hopeful, although accept it will be more luck then judgement if I get away with it.

All our actions are a learning curve and we should never stop learning.
I hope you have better favourable weather then the chilly wet we are still having in the North east corner of West Sx and the bees (both parts of the split) prosper.
As I write it is blowing and raining yet again, not much chance yet to get in to the colonies here.

 

[JamezF]

Apparently snowploughs have been deployed only a few miles away on Exmoor. We had a frost, but that has been melted by the rain.

James

 

[madasafish]

The bees won't hang around waiting for the weather

It's 6C, sunny and a bitter wind. It rained all night: streams of water running down the road from the moors. A few bees out gathering water.
No queen would get mated - even if there were drones here - but it's cold enough to freeze their spherical objects.. if drones had any...

Everything is going to be delayed unless we have a glorious April and May. No inspections possible at present.

 

[pargyle]

get the smoker fired out and start inspecting, snow is no excuse - It's Easter!!
Had about the same amount here

Get some lighter fuel in the smoker and get it glowing to keep your hands warm ....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I was in Carmarthen yesterday at around 11. It suddenly went black and the heavens tipped out so much hail the wipers couldn’t cope and the road was an inch deep in hailstones.

we had the same here about 1600, I was out feeding the chickens, saw it coming and popped into the bee shed, sorted out most of my Maisie's delivery until it passed, chickens were well peed off as their corn was buried under two inches of hailstones!

 

[Swarm]

It's 6C, sunny and a bitter wind. It rained all night: streams of water running down the road from the moors. A few bees out gathering water.
No queen would get mated - even if there were drones here - but it's cold enough to freeze their spherical objects.. if drones had any...

Everything is going to be delayed unless we have a glorious April and May. No inspections possible at present.

And yet, when I hived up a six frame nuc last Sunday I found a fairly advanced brood nest with patches of sealed drone brood, nectar in open cells and brace comb filling any space that was available. Three full frames of capped brood and two others with BIAS plus a comb full of stores and fresh nectar in the comb they had built in the feeder. The nuc was rammed with bees and they were also hanging out the front.
Every entrance at this apiary had bees falling over themselves, piling pollen in and all around the yard in the mud and puddles were bees collecting water.
Weather has not been great, no inspections done here either but judging by the nuc, it's not bothering the bees

 

[Mint Bee]

8C with hail mixed in with the heavy rain. Again

New 'pond' has appeared on the lawn. French drain must be blocked through overuse

 

[JamezF]

we had the same here about 1600

And here. One of the heaviest hailstorms I've ever seen.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

And here. One of the heaviest hailstorms I've ever seen.

James

Well my bees don’t care. They’re tucked up inside with plenty of food. It’s just me getting itchy fingers.

 

[Nannysbees]

Had a guts full of the Welsh weather so escaped to gran Canaria for a week of warmth, and guess what met a Beekeeper, Demetri from Ystrad Mynach as well as someone I was in school with from infants to comp, incredible coincidence. Haven't had a proper chat to Demetri yet but said he'd had foul brood and his hives were taken away and burned. Very sad
What a small world!!!

 

[Moobee]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure I have overreacted after failing to prevent a number of swarms last year.

The bees are out foraging this morning and my saving grace may be the better weather over here on the east coast. It's forecast to be 13 degrees during the day and down to 7 overnight for the next week, with only showers of rain. We had quite a bit of nectar coming in last week.

They do appear to have split themselves fairly evenly in terms of flying bees. I remain hopeful, although accept it will be more luck then judgement if I get away with it.

Best advice I had from my mentor was if you are in OMG mode, as the bees have done something random or unexpected, gently close up the hive, go have a cuppa and a think and then if you are still not sure what to do, you can always check a good book or phone a friend for advice.

 

[JamezF]

Best advice I had from my mentor was if you are in OMG mode, as the bees have done something random or unexpected, gently close up the hive, go have a cuppa and a think and then if you are still not sure what to do, you can always check a good book or phone a friend for advice.

Good advice for life in general, really.

James

 

[Moobee]

Woke up several times last night as it sounded like someone was hurling buckets of water at the bedroom windows. Very stormy today on the coast - gusts of upto 60mph and torrential rain then sun then rain again.

 

[The Poot]

Woke up several times last night as it sounded like someone was hurling buckets of water at the bedroom windows. Very stormy today on the coast - gusts of upto 60mph and torrential rain then sun then rain again.

Right now I’m enjoying thunder, hail, rain and strong winds. The thunder is right overhead and extremely loud.

 

[JamezF]

Right now I’m enjoying thunder, hail, rain and strong winds. The thunder is right overhead and extremely loud.

It is absolutely biblical here. I have just been out in the sheeting rain and wind trying to stop my cheapo polytunnel ending up somewhere near Salisbury. Were it not for the fact that it has stuff inside that I want to stay dry I'd probably just have taken the cover off.

James

 

[Vanterrier]

Sitting here in lovely sunshine, light breeze and a few fluffy clouds about...
Rather be in Northumberland than Europe like you lot
K