What did you do in the Apiary today?

[The Poot]

First step is to build a little track for them....

I can see why they came up with the idea of a track. It must have been really difficult carrying the boxes through those small hatches.
They should have built proper doors in the building.

But seriously, that is a brilliant labour saver - and only in Aussie land!
So, now I know, thank you @Antipodes

 

[Paulypaul]

Not my apiary. I'm in Berlin and noticed these decorative hives on the border of Tiergarten park, in the centre of town.
Can't tell which format they are.

Berlin is a very honey bee-friendly city.
There are also neighbourhood allotments
close to the centre of town with beehives scattered around the cafe eating area.

In general, the UK could learn a lot from how the Germans manage their parks and open spaces. They've developed a great balance between wild nature and public utility.

 

[Erichalfbee]

In general, the UK could learn a lot from how the Germans manage their parks and open spaces. They've developed a great balance between wild nature and public utility.

There are little parks at street junctions. Nightingales sing there in the spring and the park a short walk away from where my daughter lives has Goshawks happily living atop the children playing, Tai Chi classes and weekenders picnicking

 

[Paulypaul]

There are little parks at street junctions. Nightingales sing there in the spring and the park a short walk away from where my daughter lives has Goshawks happily living atop the children playing, Tai Chi classes and weekenders picnicking

In the southwest of Berlin, wild boar can dig up your front garden or the local grassy roundabout.
My friend lives in the central Berlin area of Moabit. A few weeks ago, he spotted a beaver close to him in the Spree.
In northwest Berlin they have European bison wandering in the forests.
In general wild plants are left to grow along Berlin pavements. Germans seem to have less of a desire to control nature and more of an instinct to roll with it.

 

[Moobee]

Not my apiary. I'm in Berlin and noticed these decorative hives on the border of Tiergarten park, in the centre of town.
Can't tell which format they are.
View attachment 41094
Berlin is a very honey bee-friendly city.
There are also neighbourhood allotments
close to the centre of town with beehives scattered around the cafe eating area.

In general, the UK could learn a lot from how the Germans manage their parks and open spaces. They've developed a great balance between wild nature and public utility.

If IKEA did hives....

 

[Moobee]

Nothing today as it's absolutely pouring but returning from walking the dog (& getting soaked in the process), I noticed that there was a small clump of bees looking wet and miserable on the outside of a mating nuc above the entrance. I can only assume that they have run out of space so found a big three sided plastic box and given them a shelter to dry off in until I can check them.

 

[JamezF]

If IKEA did hives....

Then they'd be called "bzzhows" and made of cheap particle board that falls apart after a couple of years.

James

 

[drdrday]

Just weighed the honey buckets from my final extraction of the year yesterday. Got 70kg yesterday, which added to the 100kg a couple of weeks ago is a real relief considering I had absolutely nothing at the start of the summer. Like others seem to have said, they consumed everything that they managed to produce during the spring so I didn't get a spring crop, but luckily they made up for it over the last couple of months.
All hives treated with Apivar yesterday too, and extra insulation under the roof, so they're all ready for winter.
Just need to get the supers sprayed and packed away now and start twiddling thumbs until it starts all over again in 7 months

 

[Nannysbees]

They do say that repeated Apiguard can lead to resistance in Varroa - how long have you been using it?

Not for a few years

 

[Erichalfbee]

My friend lives in the central Berlin area of Moabit

My daughter too.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not for a few years

With that sort of drop the apiguard IS working.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

With that sort of drop the apiguard IS working.

and if there's been a long brood break, there will be a lot of 'phoretic' mites so you would expect a catastrophic drop within a day of starting the treatment.

 

[Paulypaul]

My daughter too.

I'm there right now.
A few shouts of "Erichalfbee's daughter?!" and no response, yet.

I think someone may have just called the Ordnungsamt.

 

[E&MBees]

Removed 11 supers in the pouring rain. Clearer boards had worked a treat. Bees all tucked away but wasps were being a pain. 9 more to go, then I can start combining and varroa treatment.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm there right now.
A few shouts of "Erichalfbee's daughter?!" and no response, yet.

I think someone may have just called the Ordnungsamt.

She’s in Warsaw at the moment. She doesn’t have a clue that erichalfbee exists. Probably for the best.

 

[ericbeaumont]

They do say that repeated Apiguard can lead to resistance in Varroa

This is unlikely to be correct: fumigation affects all parts of varroa and it cannot afford (nor may have the ability) to develop resistance universally.

On the other hand, chemical treatments target one piece of the varroa jigsaw and the effort to develop resistance is worthwhile.

Resistance costs energy & reduces performance, but once the chemical has been withdrawn for two or three years, the mite abandons resistance and is susceptible once again.

 

[Penninetrader]

This wouldn't work at all in the UK. First the train drivers would all go on strike for months preventing weekly inspections. If they do run they will terminate early and you will have to get the whole lot onto a bus service. If the drivers get the pay deal they want then ASLEF will make sure they will be walking out so you won't get honey jars as the raw materials won't be transported to the glass works. The cost of everything shoots up accordingly and the beekeepers have to put up the prices to cover increase costs so nobody can afford to buy honey. Honey loving train drivers decide they like honey enough to go on strike so they can afford to buy it and so the merry go round continues. Bloody madness and we have only had the new government a couple of months and they start to show their true colours, Still, only 4 years and 10 months to go.

Those true colors are dark, we are in for a rough one

 

[Newbeeneil]

I cleared a few of my bait hives up this week. When I opened this one I was met with a sad sight. Blue tits had obviously taken up residence but had failed to hatch the clutch of eggs. When I showed it to my granddaughter she spotted the body of a parent at one edge.

 

[Nannysbees]

Made our own transporter. Super frames go straight into the box and pulled up to the house. Runners added so the frames fit neatly inside, bee free, worked a treat!!

 

[Garry R]

Those true colors are dark, we are in for a rough one

As the PM has admitted today according to BBC news. Labour's "inheritance" will mean our kid's legacies will be taxed I fear. With property prices the way they are you don't need to be rich to pay IHT on your demise....... Back to beekeeping now for some light relief.