What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Mike a]

Had a great day today.
First inspection of the year and I'm very pleased with 4 of my 6 colonies.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6_x9Mv-LRk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6_x9Mv-LRk[/ame]

Took a few pictures as well

FH 1 (14x12)

FH 3 (Brood and Half)

FH 3

LH 1 (14x12)

Each hive had some stores but not a great deal, loads of pollen and good size patterns of brood across 5-7 frames.

 

[Skyhook]

Lovely and warm for about an hour and the hive entrance was like heathrow in August, so had a look in. Good amounts of brood on 7 frames, nice bit of pollen. My 3rd year queen still seems to be going great guns!

Surprised to find stores increasing- have a small amount of fondant on, plus have been feeding 1 pint/week 1:1 syrup for the last couple of weeks, and had been wondering whether to increase this; but will keep as I am for fear of using too much space.

Well chuffed wih progress so far.

 

[Hughesie]

Today we built our out apiary.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Today we built our out apiary.

Did it come in kit form and be delivered??

 

[Erichalfbee]

I dream of starting my new apiary from scratch.
We are moving hopefully soon...house is on the market....to somewhere with a little land and I plan to put my three colonies on separate stands with room to AS each side, vehicular access, concrete bases, woodland around.....and lots more.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Mike a - did FP pay you for product placement of their gloves?

 

[Mike a]

Mike a - did FP pay you for product placement of their gloves?

- they promised me the cheque would be in the post soon though...

 

[mbc]

Mike a, why no smoke ?

 

[iball]

Thank you for posting such a lovely video, It's great to see in other people's hives.

Ian

 

[Hughesie]

Did it come in kit form and be delivered??

Well sort of !!!

 

[Mike a]

Mike a, why no smoke ?

Very simple. I didn't take it with me.

 

[drstitson]

teeming with rain so assembled a couple of staging benches in the polytunnel then unloaded a load of 8ft fence posts around the edges of the orchard and laid out the irrigation pipes there and amongst the soft fruit.

 

[beeboybee]

Hughesie...Quantocks?

 

[Hughesie]

Hughesie...Quantocks?

45 Miles North East , Its in a 7 acre orchard with plums , apples , cherry plums etc

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Nice warm, sunny day in Mid Wales today. Cleared some more blackthorn, had a big bonfire then sat and watched good strong activity from all hives. Bliss.

 

[louiseww]

I removed the entrance restriction (not one of those horrible metal mouse guards either) and also the wire netting woodpecker protection and the wood that lifts the back of the hive slightly to drain the wet off in the winter! Am I being optimistic that we won't have a wet spring! Also fed them some syrup 1:1. Not planning to inspect until the temperature gets a bit higher, but it has been between 10 and 12 degrees C here
Louise

 

[Bad Boy Bee]

All the colonies of bees flying today and all bringing in pollen. Saw three other things of interest, Q Bumble, Q Wasp and my first glimpse of the woodpecker that has been ratatatting away for the last few weeks. Glorious day for looking and listening and planning.

 

[Teemore]

Not quite what I did today...... Yesterday I pulled two frames from the hive where I thought they had superceded the queen and spotted HM, sealed brood, eggs and larvae. She hasn't been superceded so I am thinking that another bee keeper has been practicing by marking Drones and one of them had migrated to my hive before being turfed out into the january snow! Colony was very light on stores so I bruised the cappings of some of the stored ivy honey; gave them some ambrosia syrup, pollen substitute patty and rotated the crown board so that the feed hole is right over the current location of the cluster. It only took about 2 minutes to check the two frames, put on the patty and close up again so hopefully I haven't caused any problems.... Also pulled one frame from my other colony and spotted HM plus eggs, larvae and sealed brood.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yesterday (today is dull and cold) they were all busy bringing in pale pollen. I checked the neopoll on one hive and there was a sizeable piece of clingfilm flapping at the entrance. Must have left a bit in the container. They were too busy for me to remove without suiting up so left it there (last time I tried a quick entrance manoeuver I got stung) Will check it later.
My 3 in 1 nuc from Park Bees came today and It's painted with textured masonry paint already. Impressed but don't like the colour.
Now I have to work out how to make the floor an OMF.

 

[tonybloke]

spoke to a nice chap from nr chelmsford who is after a couple of Nuc's on Commercial frames.