What did you do in the Apiary today?

[meidel]

was pleasantly surprised this evening to see that DLWs hadn't killed the virgin queen pulled out of a cell and run into their hive last weekend. so fingers crossed she goes out a a-mating and returns home a-laying soon.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Don't you hate weekends!

Went up to the MM sales with one of our associatin newbies who was just up for a spin and to help carry - stopped for a substantial brekkie on the way and still got there forty minutes early but luckily because the sale was in full swing (eric did warn me that if people were there he would start straight away to avoid congestion later.) got everything I wanted (not needed) and a few other bits and pieces loaded everything up - more than a smart car full! only to find when I got home that one of the OMF floor entrance blocks was missing (Peter's order) - and also one of the packs of frames had been dropped and one top bar had broken lugs - oh well
Stopped on the way at Harpury church to do the touristy thing and see the bee bole and tithe barn:
Thing is, with it being a weekend and SWMBO at home how to smuggle all the kit into the chamber of secrets without her noticing - It's amazing how much stuff PeterD wanted

 

[dickndoris]

Had a quick look through a couple of nuc/swarms I collected just over a week ago to find one of them with 10 queen cells on the same frame 2 of which were sealed! Eeeek. No queen to be seen and no eggs only larvae. Felt like leaving them all and yes, they all had larvae in. Left the 2 sealed ones. Thinking afterwards, I should have left them all to see what the outcome would be. Not many bees as it was a cast swarm so if it did swarm it would only be small or maybe 8-9 tiny ones ;-)

 

[jackbee]

Decided to have a look at my hive with the transparent crown board, without wearing my smock. Boy did I regret it! Got stung 3 times on my neck as I tried to escape as fast as I could. A big lesson to be learnt1.!
I think this weather is driving them mad, as well as us.

did the same, and got stung on my upper arm, my own fault, felt one on me and auto-pilot kicked in and I went to brush it off, and ouch! Should have just left it like I would have done if it was on my suit

Luckily, i don't seem to react badly, had stopped itching within ten min, only my third sting.

 

[jackbee]

picked up a 14x12, 2 supers and bits n pieces at Maisemore today, still a lot left at 11 when we left after a nice cuppa and biscuits!

I expected a bigger shop area though - it was tiny!

Built 14x12 so I have a spare and foiled up some polystyrene to use as dividers to reduce small swarm brood when I inspect tomorrow

 

[busybee53]

Added a super to all 3 colonies, which I have had to feed up till recently. Took one frame of stores from one colony which had put stores in the bb and so had nowhere for the queen to lay. Replaced it with foundation as I had no drawn comb.

 

[Moggs]

I expected a bigger shop area though - it was tiny!

Have you been to Thrones? You could get lost in there. Four bees flew in through the window at MM's last year and a small child had to leave

 

[Shabro]

Found a swarm had taken up residence in my bait hive, not particularly big though , so probably a cast, but has brought in plenty of nectar.

 

[jackbee]

Four bees flew in through the window at MM's last year and a small child had to leave

Brilliant

 

[TOBY-3652]

looked through a couple of splits one is a drone layer. looked for her 3 times and couldnt find her so took hive 20 yards and threw all bees in long grass. will now leave for a week and unite with another one iff no aggs seen

 

[Sadders]

I ordered a new hive today. I work one hive and have a spare for AS. I decided that I would move up to two mainly to have a second colony for insurance purposes.

 

[Lindylou]

Last night we picked up our second nuc, which was already installed in a hive, from our association apiary. They are now happily getting acquainted with their new surroundings.

 

[VEG]

Went through all mine today the swarms I have are both now on 6/7 frames of brood, they have worked their socks off. Waiting for one more queen to mate. Not much in the way of stores in any hives but the balsom is starting to appear so hopefully they will fill up their stores soon.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Went to the association apiary this morning to help get a cupful of bees to start off our queen rearing programme - only four qc's raised so far (problems with bees clearing eggs out of the jenter frame.)
This afternoon carried on clearing the secret garden (home apiary no2) I think it' will take a year or two - lots of soil etc to be moved around, at one point i noticed a lot of bumbles and ralised that I had disturbed their nest (no damage done but their entrance tunnel is now a lot shorter and clearing project delayed by a couple of months) SWMBO decided to venture up for the first time ever with a sweetie for me so I think she saw the nuc on my modified three hive stand busy with orienting bees that some low down fly tipper must have dumped there when I wasn't looking.
Had a swarm call from friend's in laws, it's sixty miles away and they've been there five days but I feel obliged can't go today but will consider it if they are still there in the morning - it's big but it's up a tree!
Told wife not to go back to the house via the direct route as she was crossing the main flight path of hives #1&2 'huh - it's only you that get's stung' was the retort

Exit wife stage left pursued by bees

 

[REDWOOD]

Dragged along to car boot sale this morning waste of time no beekeeping stuff there lol checked the bees this afternoon all doing OK reunited a AS still a little honey left from MAD MAY

 

[sgeek]

What did I do in the Apiary today......

Nothing! Having moved the ladies from their transport Nuc to their new home I am now learning the truth about beekeepers needing a strong dose of patience. The urge to 'just take a quick look' has been very strong

I must be patient and leave it until Friday.

 

[Queens59]

Ordered a new poly national nuc...

 

[Sadders]

Nothing! Having moved the ladies from their transport Nuc to their new home I am now learning the truth about beekeepers needing a strong dose of patience. The urge to 'just take a quick look' has been very strong

I must be patient and leave it until Friday.

I think thats why it gets addictive. All this waiting and often worrying.

 

[Martin G]

Learnt a lesson

One of my home hives swarmed; luckily they landed in a low bush in our garden so collection was fairly easy. I popped them into a box and left a small opening for any I’d missed to join them. Went for a cuppa and when I returned they’d gone. Not long afterwards it started raining so couldn’t really go searching. Hopefully they’ve found a good home near by and a neighbour will give me a call to remove them from their property.

Hey hum, lesson learnt: don’t leave them until they are safely hived.

Martin

 

[jackbee]

Added super under 14x12 to give prolific colony some breathing space as brood on 10 frames and had started storing pollen in honey super above. And they've finally started capping honey in the super, been uncapped there for weeks!

Lovely gentle colony, a pleasure to work with.

Worried about smaller swarm colony, brood on only 2 frames, some stores on 2 half frames - but more aggressive than larger colony but flying bees are still from original swarm so new Q may produce gentler, we'll see!

Also added some nails to stop entrance block being pushed in as something has been pushing it in this last week, haven't seen what, bird maybe?? Not happening on stronger colony - a bit perplexing!!