What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Outlander]

I’ve been preparing my new hive today (hive No 2). Using Osmo UV Protection Oil 410 which the company assure me his safe for bees. First hive done in the same and looks good. Rain beads then runs off but also it’s apparently breathable. Hoping for good weather for tomorrow as to make my first inspection of colony I got last Thursday. Nuc in garden baited and hope my next colony come to me.

 

[Chris Luck]

Collected swarm that came from a castle tower, happens every year although a bit late this year but nice bees all the same - survivor genes.

Chris

 

[TBRNoTB]

TBH swarmed at 10-15 this morning, again! Opened up hive and it was a mess! Loads of bees though even while they were swarming. Clustering on outside they eventually came back in. Noticed what I think is a Queen cell. (Pics sent to forum member for confirmation) Gave them more room and tidied up the broken comb and then another one broke off, great. National hive all quiet and looking good. Took 2 minutes to inspect not, like TBH! I am going to have reconsider the TBH route me thinks. Ordered another national hive as well.

Seriously considering same, although no problems with inspections, combs nicely separated! problems with comb coming adrift. No problems with foundation-less framed 'long hive' though. May have to consider changing my pseudonym!

 

[youngyoungs]

Looked out of the window, and thought better of it and got back into bed!!

 

[oldsalthouse]

Went through all my hives and nucs yesterday, all well except one nuc, looks like the queen has not mated yet.

 

[madasafish]

Recoated half my hives (wax and rapeseed oil mix) yesterday. (Before rain).

Fed nucs today (after rain).

Wondered whether keeping fish was more in tune with nature (or frogs or toads or slugs or snails)

 

[Ziggymole]

Ducks - definately seem to be suited to our weather!

Jan

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Put the hive that blow over in the gales upright. Hope she is okay as she was a shook swarm on minday.

 

[For want of a better word]

Spent the afternoon at Buckfast Abbey Apiary....... Thank Clair for an informative and intelligent insight into beekeeping !

 

[blackcavebees]

Inspected new nuc (from my split) HM not about hopefully on mating flight but no eggs yet (she was there 7 days ago) workers drawing foundation and brought some honey in too, then it started raining AGAIN

 

[Goodwood]

Thanks for link to queen mating flight Alanf

With my mentor:
Created two nucs from busy double brood colony four weeks ago.
One frame capped brood and couple queen cells, and two frames food in each
All covered in bees
Shut them up for three days
Then opened them 200yds away.
Then hoped for the best
Gave them some 1:1 vita gold dosed feed this few weeks
Today noticed reasonable expansion so inspected and found larvae ++ in both
No obvious queen seen but chuffed with outcome
Will look to transfer to BB if expasion goes well

 

[Moggs]

This is getting to be a full (spare) time job! Stripped out a load of old comb and boiled up the frames in soda and a dip in bleach. Melted the resultant load of wax. Transferred a poly nuc swarm into the big-girls' hive. Diligently labelled up my 30lb containers. Just sealed up another poly nuc swarm for transport tomorrow to the main apiary. Thought about the sheep fencing for my brand new site (sheep fencing guidance welcomed ).

 

[Shabro]

Checked on 3 new queens, all laying profusely and had brood at all stages.
finished building my first nuc box

 

[Queens59]

Watched rain after rain after rain...getting the picture??

 

[YorkshireBees]

Only checked on 2 hives at home apiary as it was too windy for the out apiaries today. Both doing well, one that I marked the Queen in the other week and then combined with a Q- swarm must not have been Q-.
Marked queen was missing but there was a lovely coloured new queen busy laying (see pic).
So now I have marked the new queen.

 

[hiveabee]

Hives surrounded by water good job they was sat on stands. so i dug a trench to a near by ditch to drain it away. bloody rain

 

[meidel]

Marked queen was missing but there was a lovely coloured new queen busy laying (see pic).

I've found that when I used the pens sold by the bee shops the workers often lick all the mark off!

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Had a new shook swarm in a poly Langstroth medium blow over in the weather. Some bees still seem there but didn't venture too deeply inside. Lucky the strap prevented most of the damage. Fingers crossed for them.

 

[Tom Bick]

Collected and delivered a TBH & TBH Nuc to my allotment apiary. I now have a TBH.

 

[Gardenbees]

Hefted hives. All seem fairly OK despite a very patchy week weather-wise; the honeycomb in the supers is being filled and capped (for the third time this season!) and they're foraging hard, even when it's raining a bit. All three queens seem to be going strong. Thank goodness for hardy, local bees...