What did you do in the Apiary today?

[victor meldrew]

Inspected 5 hives Not much income I'm afraid , I hope the flow starts soon , still only the odd pocket of rosebay willow herb in flower !
My missus spotted a young hedge hog rolled up in a ball, obviously been interrupted by our arrival . Margaret picked it up and placed it in the hedge bottom it soon scuttled away
VM

 

[hiveabee]

Inspected hive 2 in an effort to find HRH. Last week when I looked there was eggs and BIAS but I couldn't find Her.Anyway, today I found Her, she seems to be doing well. So while I had the chance I got her marked

 

[TBRNoTB]

Jackbee could you please put a target on your Avatar? it would help us grumpy old sods with a gun ( lost my smilies!)

 

[Shabro]

checked a swarm that arrived in a bait hive a couple of weeks ago, brood in all stages so happy abut that. just waiting on another couple of swarms to start laying.

 

[the beehive lodge]

put on second super (no2 hive)
plus first super on the other 2 hives
yipee

 

[jackbee]

Jackbee could you please put a target on your Avatar? it would help us grumpy old sods with a gun ( lost my smilies!)

for a limited time - have fun

 

[Summerslease]

Found and clipped two queens. I was careful this time to hold her over the frame which was laid on top of the brood box. Last time I did it I lost the queen who dropped into the supers (placed beside the hive during the inspection) and I didn't find her (above the QE) for three weeks by which time she has merrily laid in two supers. I thought I'd lost her completely which is why I didn't look through the supers for eggs on the next inspection. Lesson learned.

Also sent a PM to a far more knowlegable beek about what to do with the brood in the supers. Got a prompt and useful reply. Excellent.

Three good days for the bees weatherwise. Was that summer?

 

[Erichalfbee]

My missus spotted a young hedge hog rolled up in a ball,
VM

Ages since I've seen a hedgie (apart from a squashed one )

Snapped off ends of two queen cages.
Removed a cage in another box. Two dead bees inside.....bit of a heart thumping moment but they were attendants ....phew!! Found the queen ambling about on a frame
Hopefully that's the end of all my swarmy queens, ready for our house move

 

[The Doctor]

Yesterday inspected one of our problem colonies (2 out of 3 a problem this year).

Had united these a week ago - remains of a queenless colony and a 6 frame nuc with a new buckfasty queen. Hoping to see loads of BIAS and happy bees. Instead we found no new brood and loads of sealed queen cells made in 5 days. No queen (£38 down the swanny). Left 2 sealed cells.

Have this morning ordered another queen and will knock down cells and install tomorrow.

What a year!

Sean

 

[Erichalfbee]

What a year!

Sean

I have a unite that has little new brood and sealed queen cells despite old queen still being present.
Suddenly more bees in one box, no flow so nothing to do.....let's go!!!


Bloomin weather!!!
Still it's given us all lots of permutations for fiddling
It will be better next year

 

[blackcavebees]

Just finished inspection there before latest downpour (if it's like this next year I'm going to build a car-port over the hives)

However, we had 3 dry days! And .... I put a third super on main hive as 1 is half capped, 1 is drawn and they're working on it, so in 2 & 3 I stuck a frame of foundation every other one instead of just putting a whole crate of foundation only. Will this work or cause problems?

AND .....

My split in the nuc which I had almost given up on has BIAS. Didn't see queen this time. They are in a 5 frame homemade nuc, how big do they need to be before I put them in a national brood box? They have 2 frames BIAS, I frame foundation, 1 frame drawn, 1 frame stores at minute.

Wonderful what the absence of rain for just a few days will do

 

[Chris Luck]

Watched a pair of Western whip snakes copulating, it's a fascinating dance.

Chris

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Wet all day, finished converting old outside toilet into bee equipment store - now all shelved out and I'm starting to move stuff (which i don't mind SWMBO seeing) onto the nice new shiny shelves. Made up two more underfloor entrance OMF floors.
And for the first time in my life after working on the buildings from the age of 14, smashing down peoples front doors (on the queen's business of course)renovating my own house and building umpteen sheds etc. I HIT MY FINGERNAIL WITH A HAMMER! didn't half hurt nail now turned black at the base

 

[meidel]

when you're waiting for queens to lay, they don't. When you take them out and put in one who is laying somewhere else (like an apidea), the one taken out and put into a small nuc with 2 frames of bees starts to lay immediately! So now you have more queen right colonies than you want

Next time when I wait and wait for queens to lay I shall just takeher out and put her in a small nuc with a small amount of bees and leave the main colony queenless for a week! I'm sure I'm working against the bees whatever I do

 

[Queens59]

2 swarms...

1 @ 9am on a garden bench - lovely prime. Thought to start with it was small but when shaken off was enormous. Normally live in an oak tree in teh middle of the village and swarm out regularly.

1 @ 11.30am 20ft up a conifer another enormous swarm - householders 2nd this year,

Now both housed in teh apiary, 6-8 in one day...running out of space and hives. Tried to pass it on but the other collector wasn't answering...out collecting a swarm I suspect...

 

[protheroe]

had to make nucs up ready for graft cells.I have never seen my bees so aggressive,reminded me of footage of africanized bees,jacket and veil covered,down my wellies stinging my feet,what a complete nightmare.

 

[Andy Duff]

Took 5 frames like this out of 1 hive, I can't remember what that sweet golden stuff under the cappings is and what to do next

 

[protheroe]

lucky you,i havent seen one of those this year.

 

[MuswellMetro]

inspected 10 hives in Sunshine this morning with no wind or rain,,,,though a little squelchy under foot

hopefully tomorrow do a similar number ......if the sun shines...what a difference it makes after months of rain

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

inspected 10 hives in Sunshine this morning with no wind or no rain,,,,though a little squelchy under foot

Yes. I hate that noise when I put a super back carelessly.

What it must sound like walking on the poor dears I can't imagine.

D