What did you do in the Apiary today?

[VEG]

carefully

 

[Chris Luck]

You can probably see in the photo, I snipped all the underneath stuff out of the way leaving them suspended and then just knocked them down into the cardboard box, a very easy swarm as swarms go.

Chris

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Checked the hive straps were on before going back to work - lovely sunny afternoon and bees were out in forcethe apiary was one dark cloud of bees heading for the fields and dandelions. still foraging in small numbeers at dusk!

 

[nonstandard]

It was actually yesterday; we were followed back to the house by some very arsey bees, the hive in question is now being fed but is under review, Mrs Nonstandard is still game for inspecting bees and the dogs have survived the trauma even if one of them did throw up on the lounge carpet.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Four new queen arrived in the post at noon, one for me, one for the association and two for a friend,

I spent all afternoon splitting brood off and trying to find stale virgin queens, this we did it ok on three but one is a bit iffy I think a virgin queen might have been out on a mating flight as by the time put the last new queenr in they were not roaring , looked too calm and happy

We finished quite late as we had a call to another prime swarm in the main association apiary....truly embedded in twigs

 

[nonstandard]

Hi MM where are your queens from? I'm in need of a couple asap

 

[Polyanwood]

Went to check on the swarm we hived yesterday and the one we collected last week. Put on syrup and neopoll as they have no stores and weather forecast is bad AGAIN. Neither queen seen. Test frame put in one we collected last week as they aren't really doing much to prepare for a laying queen, so I wonder if they think they are a long way away from having one.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi MM where are your queens from? I'm in need of a couple asap

PM sent rather than post URL

just needed an emergency queen for a hive that produced 32 queen cells on 2 april...now no viable queen

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Weather permitted first inspection for a couple of weeks. Two of the colonies seemed to have started taking in nectar, assuming they hadn't liquefied the fondant I gave them last week. One has gone off lay although not before miraculously dropping some brood upstairs (see other thread). Plenty of play cups, didn't see any charged though.

Although they are starting to bring stuff in I left them some Nectopol I had kicking about - all have plenty of room at present.

 

[madasafish]

Nice day about 15C so refilled all feeders in preparation for cold weather forecast..

Cut grass round hives.And garden and neighbour's garden.

G&T time..ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[TOBY-3652]

Had a look in supers lots of nectar coming in. Put 2nd super on largest colonie on monday looked today 5 frames nearly full

 

[FreeFall]

Had a look in supers lots of nectar coming in. Put 2nd super on largest colonie on monday looked today 5 frames nearly full

I'm jealous! I finally capitulated and put 2 litres of 1:1 syrup on mine. They bring in the pollen as soon as the conditions are favourable but nectar seems to be in very short supply around here.

Nick

 

[drstitson]

Nipped home this evening. Got back for 730pm. weather not too bad. all 4 small colonies thriving on fondant and bringing in a bit of nectar to outermost frames. one even needed supering.

However, topsy turvy failed snelgrove AS (as per previous posts) was a disaster. presumably has swarmed. no sign of HM and lexx bees.

upper BB - capped brood only as expected plus 3 QCs.
lower 14x12 BB - no action on the foundation BUT the frame of brood had 7 sealed QCs. super had a good few frames half full of nectar. none capped.

So frantic making up of nucs/mini-nucs to salvage the situation and then careful disassembly of the colony as necessary. we'll see what the weather brings over next few weeks!!!

That left no time for a proper inspection of the big double brooder. just a quick check for QCS between boxes - none seen. as it was dusk they weren't happy so am proud owner of a good ha;f dozen stings and suit needs a wash before next time.

 

[RoofTops]

This is what I did yesterday as it was the only suitable day all week.

Transferred a colony from a Mini-Plus hive to a 5 frame Langstroth nuc. This is not an exact science as the frame sizes are completely different.

However, after getting the colony into the nuc I replaced the lid and went to look at a some other colonies. Before going home I had a quick look at the nuc again to see if all was well. There were a lot of bees hanging around the entrance and quite a few on the ground. Amongst which I spotted the queen.

After reaching for a defribrillator and a quick puff of oxygen as well I managed to catch her and introduce her back into the nuc. The entrance of which was completely obscured by bees but fortunately she quickly burrowed her way through the melee and vanished inside.

I think that is described as a disaster narrowly avoided by luck but it does at least confirm my strongly held belief that I am a useless beekeeper.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Glorious day today
Wall to wall sunshine and 17˚
(pity the next fortnight is rubbish......frosty nights to come)
Checked AS, missed two queen cells but queen present and laying well and blow me if they haven't drawn practically a whole 14 x 12 box !
Took seven QCs out of parent colony and turned box 90˚ before moving over tomorrow.
Marked one small queen in the nuc, they are still hanging on there.
14 x 12 poly just beginning to gear up.

 

[FreeFall]

Put over 2 litres of 1:1 on yesterday evening, nearly all gone less than 24 hours later. Guess they were hungry then. A gloomy 9° was the best seen today

 

[johnmcc]

I put 2 litres on each hive this arvo. Temp 6 or 7 degrees, wind from North East again. Starting to wonder if we'll get any honey this year.

 

[tonybloke]

went with a friend to put some feed on 2 colonies, got stung!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I put 2 litres on each hive this arvo. Temp 6 or 7 degrees, wind from North East again. Starting to wonder if we'll get any honey this year.

Bramble,Rosebay and Balsam to come July onwards ......keep smiling

 

[Chris Luck]

I've just seen the largest Queen European Hornet I've ever seen sitting having a rest on top of one of my hives, just so beautiful, guess I'll be seeing lot of her little ones later in the season.

Then I hived another swarm.

Chris