What did you do in the Apiary today?

[herefordshirehoney]

Added last 2.5l of syrup to hives gave hefting a go still not convinced I'm going to be any good when they start eating!

 

[garlicpickle]

Took advantage of a dry day to take off the last dose of Apilife Var, inspection board removed, entrance block removed, mouseguard on.

They haven't taken much of the last lot of thymolated syrup I put on. There is still one outer comb unfilled in the BB although they have drawn it out. It's on the cold (north) side so if they haven't filled it by next week I may consider swapping it with one from the south side which is full even on the outside face. Plenty of ivy pollen going in. I'll check the syrup situation again in a week or so, if they don't want it I'll take it away.

Stood and watched a wasp trying to get into the hive and being repeatedly thrown off the landing board by the guard bees.

 

[Chris Luck]

Just had a visit from the bee health inspector, poor bloke let a frame he was holding with its queen on it slip and dropped the queen in the grass - happily retrieved and popped back into the hive - something of a lucky escape.

Bees perfect and just how they should be at this time of year with no health problems, but then I knew that anyway. Had a pleasant chat about this year which is apparently "a year to be forgotten", the "virtues" of treating or not treating for the mite, winter losses etc. Anyway, now my bees can be left in peace until March and mercifully I can forget about them as well until then.

Chris

 

[itma]

Just had a visit from the bee health inspector, ...

Anyway, now my bees can be left in peace until March and mercifully I can forget about them as well until then.

It makes me wonder how long *his* 'inspection' season might be.
UK SBIs are now in hibernation, 'out-of-office' until April ...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Busily preparing my honey for the association show - I'm undecided yet but I may enter two lots - one from home apiary and one from Garn Cottage - they're both very light honeys but there is a bit of difference in colour and (in my view) taste totally different - as we're being judged by the WBKA president I think I'll let her decide.
As it's only a small show though I don't want to be accused of trying to grab all the points for the championship, but hey ho sculduggery seems to be compulsory with us (two years ago the chairman won with a jar of honey from tescos!!!)

 

[itma]

Busily preparing my honey for the association show ... but hey ho sculduggery seems to be compulsory with us (two years ago the chairman won with a jar of honey from tescos!!!)

From what I can gather, Judges will try to avoid tasting any honey!
If they can eliminate enough (non-identical jars, a label microscopically askew, and so on), then they may be able to decide things purely by visual appeal -- where I'd expect Tesco to do quite well ... Tasting is definitely their last resort -- everything else has to be perfect before that is even likely to be considered!
I do strongly recommend that you try to out-do the Chairman (go to Waitrose... or Lidl ... )

 

[meidel]

I do strongly recommend that you try to out-do the Chairman (go to Waitrose... or Lidl ... )

I go to waitrose because ... their honey is sure to win the local honey show.

do you think it'll beat my favourites -

I also shop at Waitrose because I was once in the Holloway Road branch and heard a dad say 'Put the papaya down, Orlando!

or

I shop at Waitrose because I think food must automatically be better if it costs three times as much.



courtesy of

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/19/waitrose-twitter-hashtag

 

[Hivemaker.]

I go to waitrose(or Tescos) because ... their honey is sure to win the local honey show.

Especially if it is the Exmoor honey.

 

[drstitson]

TUT TUT. Mods advertising!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Finished filtering my wax - SWMBO says I can keep the tights (or words to that effect)

 

[TBRNoTB]

Busily preparing my honey for the association show - I'm undecided yet but I may enter two lots - one from home apiary and one from Garn Cottage - they're both very light honeys but there is a bit of difference in colour and (in my view) taste totally different - as we're being judged by the WBKA president I think I'll let her decide.
As it's only a small show though I don't want to be accused of trying to grab all the points for the championship, but hey ho sculduggery seems to be compulsory with us (two years ago the chairman won with a jar of honey from tescos!!!)

Allegedly

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Allegedly

No - true, the chairman brags about the fact still - the association president was judging that time and banned him from showing for life - I think it was more because he'd waxed on about how good and pure the entry tasted so he felt a bit silly!!

 

[Bob Bee]

Removed feeders and Apiguard trays from 6 hives on two sites. Replaced crown boards and put fondant over feed holes and Kingspan over them to bed them down till the Winter oxalic treatment. Put a home made 'Frame Fondant Feeder' full of fondant into the Warre hive and bedded that down.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Removed feeders and Apiguard trays from 6 hives on two sites. Replaced crown boards and put fondant over feed holes and Kingspan over them to bed them down till the Winter oxalic treatment. Put a home made 'Frame Fondant Feeder' full of fondant into the Warre hive and bedded that down.

Syrup and fondant - did they really need it?

 

[Bob Bee]

Syrup and fondant - did they really need it?

They finished the syrup at the end of September, I hadnt taken the feeders off yet. I always put fondant on (small chinese take away container), in case of need over the winter, if they take it I guess they needed it, if they don't I take it off in the spring. I can also check whether they've taken any when I do the winter oxalic and replace if needed or leave on in case of inclement weather early spring.
I'm especially keen to have it on after December as, in the past, I've lost a colony due to late snow and starvation in the beginning of the year. Its a better safe than sorry thing with me.

 

[Cedar]

Well we finally got round to extracting the honey from the 4/5 supers we took off our 3 hives, got everything ready for our very first crop. Brand new extractor etc blitzed the kitchen and convinced the dogs that they don't need to come into the house.eek:

Tried to spin first 4 frames and guess what, yep it's heather. Should be pleased but not really equipped to deal with it.
Phoned local bka and luckily they bought a heather press this year but everyone is at the county honey show, so can't go get it till later when we hoped to be finished.

Checking the last box and hoping that as it looks different it may be extractable.

If not we will have to wait a couple of weeks till OH is home to help or should I say do all the work as I've just had surgery on my wrist.

OH just spun 2 frames from last box, looks like its all heather

Learning all the time

C

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Went to check on my 2 hives with the aim of taking off crown board and replacing with plastic crown board then poly feeder then roof for winter. Bees seemed claim enough so checked stores and few end frames empty, good two frames of brood on both too with fresh eggs. Busy making up some more syrup to go on later.

 

[dpearce4]

went up to feed bees today, took 50ltr but only used 25 as almost half the hives havent taken down last weeks. good news as i have used 150kg of sugar over the last month feeding the colonies . The were bringing in lots of pollen so still brooding. will take off the feeders next week, changing floors, fitting mouse guards and put on the kingspan ready for winter. that will be all then until dec for OA treatment.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Gave a Pollen course today for beekeepers which went well but was surprized by some of my 'beginners', with whom I have worked with the last two years, who had made and presented me with at lunch a very posh example of a cedar Kenyan Top Bar Hive, plaque and all. I was soo touched...

 

[WelshPaul]

Checked the hive for one last time, seen eggs, brood in all stages and for the first time in two years I spotted my queen. So happy.