What did you do in the Apiary today?

[yeogi75]

just got back from Holiday,wanted to check hive, sunny but cold wind so didn't want to open brood just to check if everything is OK, so used large mirror to look up under hive to check ideal for just quick check, able to see bottom of frames and up between frames, good idea for later to spot queen cells hanging from bottom of frames

 

[richardbees]

yeo

that technique works a treat at checkpoints looking for car bombs but is hardly relevant for beekeeping.

e.g. are you confident you haven't got an outbreak of EFB?

 

[Outlander]

Four bees to a brick.

 

[yeogi75]

yeo

that technique works a treat at checkpoints looking for car bombs but is hardly relevant for beekeeping.

e.g. are you confident you haven't got an outbreak of EFB?

i have used this most days just to keep eye on them without opening hive
are you saying open hive every three days to check for queen cells when due to swarm dont think so
have a go you will be surprised how much time it saves
efb etc done on weekly inspection

 

[yeogi75]

Four bees to a brick.

who puts bricks in there hives mine have bees in them

 

[springers]

Saw Two Queens!!!!

Read about it but not seen it. Saw an unmarked queen and ran to get my marker, lost her so carried on looking and there was our original marked queen!!! about 2 frames away, (she is 2 years old) we have eggs and some brood, despite the apiguard.
Will they both go into the winter? and only 1 resume in the spring?

 

[beeno]

Read about it but not seen it. Saw an unmarked queen and ran to get my marker, lost her so carried on looking and there was our original marked queen!!! about 2 frames away, (she is 2 years old) we have eggs and some brood, despite the apiguard.
Will they both go into the winter? and only 1 resume in the spring?

Missed a supercedure cell then. I always carry my pen and cage now seen 3 but only had the equipment ready to mark once. Always carry it now never thought I see one! Less bees this time of the year though. On your question theory has it that they most likely go into winter now together. Some people say they have mother and daughter working together for years. Let us know what happens! Great stuff!

 

[garlicpickle]

Topped up the feeder - they had taken about 3 pints since Saturday. The Apilife Var doesn't seem to be bothering them, none hanging out of the hive and there were bees coming and going.

Checked the inspection board, only 4 dead mites but it's only been 2 days so I expect there will be plenty more to come.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Put clearer boards on - extracting tomorrow. Wanted to quicklycheck the two younger hives (both have supers on for space - just wanted to see how much they've filled) but the bees in the first two hives were vicious - so discretion etc...... MAy go and have a quick peek now

 

[nosmoking]

Added 2 litres of 2-1 syrup to both hives. Also started ApiLife varroa treatment. Haven't taken any honey at all............ none to take without leaving the bees with nothing! Maybee next year, 8loody weather to blame.
Plenty of pollen going in. Warmish day and the bees seemed happy.

 

[nikca]

Anyone recommend a good gun to use for this method, as I have concerns about loose mica getting blown into the honey after reading a few threads here.

Use my DeWalt gun. Was about £40 - has settings for fan speed and temperature. Med heat and gentle does most of the comb no problem. It's really not that critical - you can use hotter and gentle and cooler and more breeze. It's more about the dwell time over the comb - which you get the hang of after the first 1 or 2 sides maximum.

Thicker wax at the edges and where the bees have walked a lot seems to be hot-air reistant. Prick this with a fork - only takes a moment.

The method is clean and brilliant - many thanks to my mentor MJBee for passing this on!

Nik

 

[madasafish]

Hefted all my large TBHs. All seemed to have gained weight after last week's dry(ish) warm(ish) weather. Did not feed.

Fed 3 nucs.. (FarmFoods sugar £1.50 for 2kg).Thmolated 2:1.
Left warres to their own devices: one very healthy : one looks lethargic and unlikely to last the winter.

Planted one BeeTree ( Korean Evodia ...the largest 1 year old , 1 metre tall) in space in back border after removing a 20 year old holly plus roots last week plus a dying ? 40 year old tree whose name escapes me (old age).Ah lilac.!

Five more BeeTrees to go: I think I will overwinter them in greenhouse as may not like our severe winters when young.

15 metre high birch tree next to be removed...

 

[drstitson]

get a loquat (mespilus) next - flowers oct-feb. bees love it (on warm days) and the fruit is wonderful.

 

[DarynWebb]

checked the feeders then came home made up more syrup.

 

[Luminos]

Swatted away an Asian hornet, hawking around my hives.
First live one I've seen this year.

 

[cjhart2]

After an extended break due to family issues back in the UK got back and inspected the girls . Took the roof off to find a lizard quite happily living in the roof space .
Eventually got to the Brood box to find the girls had managed to join the whole lot together soon as you lifted the frames , the foundation pulled out of the frames . Decided to leave them to it and closed up . Plenty of stores though .

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Yesterday evening took off hm thymol varroa treatment & monitoring boards after 5 weeks, plenty of signs of mites on their. Didn't give any more feed as not a lot of new eggs and was packed with syrup, moved more empty frames (well one frame to be exact) need middle of nest rather than edges and want to encourage some new winter brood. Will check Sunday and add some syrup then if needed (may just do 1l per hive this time rather than 2.5 as I can always go back a few days later and add more). One hive was definitely edgy, compared to the other quiet as anything.

 

[springers]

Thanks Beeno I do keep notes so will see.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Took the supers off the three producing hives and extracted. Apiguard now on all hives bar two (which I'll do in the next few days when they've taken down the unripe honey I've given them

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Swarm went into a spare bait hive yesterday! All the late nucs / splits now have laying queens also. Food and Thymol deployed.