What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Nannysbees]

A good complement of brood combs in both boxes, an expanding population of bees and a flow.

I was just wondering bees across how many frames in each box x

 

[Paulypaul]

Question: Is there a minimum temperature for a Demaree? We're likely to get down to 7c overnight in the coming week. Just imagining the queen being stuck in the bottom BB, under the QE, while the cluster moves up towards the brood, in the top box.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Question: Is there a minimum temperature for a Demaree? We're likely to get down to 7c overnight in the coming week. Just imagining the queen being stuck in the bottom BB, under the QE, while the cluster moves up towards the brood, in the top box.

by the time you are considering a Demaree, you should be well on in the season and you wouldn't dream of demareeing unless you had a hive packed with bees (in the supers as well as brood box) so more than enough bees to keep the top and bottom box warm - in any caase, when you conduct a Demaree, what you are doing is technically splitting the colony - brood and nurse bees in the top box, queen and flyers in the bottom

 

[Paulypaul]

by the time you are considering a Demaree, you should be well on in the season and you wouldn't dream of demareeing unless you had a hive packed with bees (in the supers as well as brood box) so more than enough bees to keep the top and bottom box warm - in any caase, when you conduct a Demaree, what you are doing is technically splitting the colony - brood and nurse bees in the top box, queen and flyers in the bottom

Thanks.
The 3 colonies I have in mind are filling all their 3-5 boxes. It's been an early season start for me.

 

[Swarm]

I was just wondering bees across how many frames in each box x

Lets assume you have seven brood frames in the upper and these extend into the lower box, my next move would be to rotate the brood boxes and add a super or maybe two depending on the flow..

 

[Erichalfbee]

The 3 colonies I have in mind are filling all their 3-5 boxes. It's been an early season start for me.

When I Demaree there are usually two supers already filling with nectar on top of the brood.

 

[Erichalfbee]

the total eclipse

Wishing you clear skies, Mike xx

 

[Moobee]

Council have just mowed the grass verges that were full of dandelions in bloom. Hopeless!!!

Same here and decimated the hawthorn hedges. So much for trying to go green, useless tw@ts.

 

[Moobee]

Having inspected the out apiary colony again and had followers again (for 100 yards back to the car), I have ordered a queen from @Black Mountain Honey. This hive was ok-ish last year but seem to be more tetchy this year for some reason, so will despatch Queen Bridget and requeen if they don't improve, or if they do, make a split.

 

[Swarm]

Having inspected the out apiary colony again and had followers again (for 100 yards back to the car), I have ordered a queen from @Black Mountain Honey. This hive was ok-ish last year but seem to be more tetchy this year for some reason, so will despatch Queen Bridget and requeen if they don't improve, or if they do, make a split.

Possibly the awful weather?
I had one that was quite snotty yesterday but as it was after three downpours on a windy day, I'll cut her some slack and see how they perform on a better day.

 

[Black Mountain Honey]

Having inspected the out apiary colony again and had followers again (for 100 yards back to the car), I have ordered a queen from @Black Mountain Honey. This hive was ok-ish last year but seem to be more tetchy this year for some reason, so will despatch Queen Bridget and requeen if they don't improve, or if they do, make a split.

Best of the luck with the introduction. Let me know how she gets on

 

[user 819]

Question: Is there a minimum temperature for a Demaree? We're likely to get down to 7c overnight in the coming week. Just imagining the queen being stuck in the bottom BB, under the QE, while the cluster moves up towards the brood, in the top box.

Demeree is like a pagden in that the bees sort themselves out.
Young bees go up and the older ones down.

 

[Do224]

When I Demaree there are usually two supers already filling with nectar on top of the brood.

My bees always seem to produce swarm cells soon after the first super goes on so I don’t think I would make it to that stage before demareeing. Have I just got swarms bees?

 

[user 819]

Out apiary very busy this morning , very busy collecting lightgrey and cream hews of pollen and nectar for those ccoming back with out loaded baskets.
Supered the surviving CBPV colony from last year as they had a good bit of fresh nectar in the BB's last visit and double brooded the Sept swarm with a wet stored BB, that they can clean up.
Much too windy for me to open up my pair of orchard apiary colonies so will have to wait until next week some time. Both are on double brood and heft quite heavy so will be fine for the time being.

 

[The Poot]

It keeps changing, you just need to grab an opportunity when it presents itself. It was raining all morning but stopped by 11am and there was even the odd patch of blue sky and an occasional glimpse of the sun. It was worth the effort if only to remove excess stores and give the queens laying space, the nuc I hived up has drawn the foundations I gave them, with capped honey arcs in some. The Amm nucs have been bringing in quite a bit as well looking at all the new, white cappings, just as well they are two tier.

Warm today but extremely windy, but took the opportunity to remove feeders and remove the brace comb built into the tubs, then it rained.
Half a step forward I suppose.
Hefted and all felt slightly heavier than last time. All on double brood so I feel I can leave things until the back end of next week, when it appears the weather improves.

 

[Swarm]

My bees always seem to produce swarm cells soon after the first super goes on so I don’t think I would make it to that stage before demareeing. Have I just got swarms bees?

No, swarmy bees are bees that produce a LOT of queen cells, swarming is a normal, response in a healthy, strong colony. Adding a super does not provide extra laying space for the queen so doesn't really address space issues. Far better to give another brood box and possibly a super as well.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My bees always seem to produce swarm cells soon after the first super goes on so I don’t think I would make it to that stage before demareeing. Have I just got swarms bees?

nope, just ones that work differently to Dani's
I've often Demaree'd a hive with just the one super, which they were still in the process of starting to fill

 

[E&MBees]

Checked all the bees today. Although very windy both sites are protected from the SW winds. 15c, bees flying strongly.
Very pleased with progress. Warned one colony to improve their behaviour, or queen will be replaced. Signs of fresh nectar being stored but not enough to warrant a super yet. I run double brood boxes, so queens have plenty of laying space still. Very pleased with today’s results. A good start to year 5.

 

[Moobee]

Best of the luck with the introduction. Let me know how she gets on

Will do! She’s scheduled to arrive mid month so hopefully I’ll know if this colony needs requeening or not!

 

[Moobee]

Possibly the awful weather?
I had one that was quite snotty yesterday but as it was after three downpours on a windy day, I'll cut her some slack and see how they perform on a better day.

I’ve inspected them on a couple of decent days and they weren’t particularly calm and had followers both times. I got them late summer last year from a friend who needed to downsize a bit. I’m surprised at their temperament as one of my lovely queens was from the same lineage….