What did you do in the Apiary today?

[richardbees]

Used a blowtorch on my two copper cylinder smokers to burn off the tar residue left from a season using hessian sacking as fuel.
Highly successful....

 

[WelshPaul]

Went to top up the ambrosia today, and by the looks of it they've not really touched what I put on two weeks ago, I think it's time for fondant.

 

[dpearce4]

Went to top up the ambrosia today, and by the looks of it they've not really touched what I put on two weeks ago, I think it's time for fondant.

I would heft before you put the fondant on. it may be that they didnt need the ambrosia.

 

[Sadders]

No flying bees today. I removed my rapid feeder and popped on a block of fondant above the feed hole. Stuffed the rest of the super with some expanded poly sheeting (can't find any kingspan) and closed up. Won't see them again until Xmas when I use oxalic acid.

Fingers crossed for the winter.

 

[Tonych224]

Built new jumbo 14x12 Brood Box OMF and Roof, just 3 supers and a bundle of frames to go!!

Is it suggested to place the completed hive outside for winter to allow it to weather in?

I will be painting it in Cuprinol Shades and think placing it outside gives a few months of any nasty odours etc to disperse.

 

[Rob den Dekker]

Cleaned my smoker, glass crownboard and QE. For the latter I used a steam iron slightly above it, to melt the wax out of the small spaces. Worked pretty well!

 

[oliver90owner]

I would heft before you put the fondant on. it may be that they didnt need the ambrosia.

Very good advice from a thinking beek.

 

[Pete D]

Over the weekend I brought all my hives home from my 2 out apiaries so I can keep an eye on them easier over the winter and shuffle them as required to enable early season unites where appropiate.
19 of them which has somewhat surpassed my going into winter target of 10 and a couple of Nuc's which was what I started the year with, although its also considerably less than the 32 I reached mid July !
All as ready as I believe I can get them for the hefting season. The next few months will see me busy in the garage and storage shed preparing for next year.
Pete D

 

[Ely]

Ivy flow finished, temperature fallen..mouse guards in. That's it till christmas.

 

[drex]

All tucked up. All gear cleaned. Waiting to get some wood ( off mate) to make a few bits, and for the winter online sales.

Decided I will look at some of the BBKA modules. Undecided as to whether will sit the exams yet. Should keep me happy over the winter.

 

[Outlander]

Was finally able to unite church cut out. Had to wait for new BB and weather got out for the beginning of the afternoon which made this possible.

One interesting thing I had noticed was that the church bees were very good at evicting wasps from their nuc. The hive they were united with are not so good at fending the wasps off. But after BBs were put together the bottom BB seemed to be fending off wasps. The only thing I could make of this was that the flyers from the church bees not being able to get back into there box went into the bottom box and started defending it.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Cleaned my ... QE ... I used a steam iron slightly above it, to melt the wax out of the small spaces. Worked pretty well!

bet it made a mess of the ironing board!

 

[Newtobees]

Took feeder off as still nearly full, 11 degrees here today at lunchtime bees still flying bringing in ivy pollen and hopefully necter hive fills heavy placed kingspan on crown board and hope they are strong enough to make it through the winter as my Queen went drone layer the begining of October Hegeebeegee kindly gave me new queen all seens ok now fingers crossed.

 

[Rob den Dekker]

bet it made a mess of the ironing board!

 

[drstitson]

at weekend racked my first attempts at melomel (blackcurrant, gooseberry and damson) and cyser (unfortunately the latter is <1 litre experiment as little fresh apple juice available). OH loved both of them - interesting since she hates both mead (commercial) and cider (except pear).

 

[nosmoking]

Quite chilly here in Southampton atm but, the bees are flying and bringing in pollen.

 

[Loubylou]

Cold and damp today.........
Took off rapid feeder as bees not interested in it for the last week. Peeped in crownboard hole to see nice quiet huddle/ball gently moving about. Covered hole and put on 2 layers of Kingspan.....cosy.
Watched the bees comings and goings......very much reduced. Noticed a wasp being ousted and some pollen still going in, this time a duller yellow than the ivy pollen coming in by the bucketful a couple of weeks ago??
One last thing to still do is tie the hive down against prevailing winds and marauders.

 

[REDWOOD]

Cleaned my smoker, glass crownboard and QE. For the latter I used a steam iron slightly above it, to melt the wax out of the small spaces. Worked pretty well!

Hi, read this thread for easy ways to clean QE
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21003

 

[sunhivebee]

Looked at thirtyseven hives (from the outside) and prepared ground for mass planting of a few thousand species crocusses for bees to feast on, hopefully from end of January. Consider taking on some volunteers to expand the crocus and aconite plantings to encompass the whole village.
Took comfort from realising it's only two months to end of January .... told bees to hang in there.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Took comfort from realising it's only two months to end of January .... told bees to hang in there.

Wish it was Heidi, but its more like three months until the end of january.

Hope the crocus planting goes well, sounds like a good project.