What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Outlander]

What's that avatar not another Oliver 90 owner

It's in tribute of a grate man. A teacher among men, a man of great standing.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Heidi why would you want cow **** on your hive. Is it a European thing. It could taint your honey.

Look at the heathland beekeeping filums on youtube - all their skeps are slathered in cow dung.

 

[REDWOOD]

It's in tribute of a grate man. A teacher among men, a man of great standing.

Well done Outlander respecting men of great teachings, I will have to change mine now..........Gandhi or Charles Darwin spring to mind

 

[REDWOOD]

how about this one DNA construction looks very pretty but disappointing it's not revolving

 

[witchcraft]

Took off the feeders and put in the insulation

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Collected half a ton of baker's fondant from Bako and slowly drove back to the association apiary with it for distribution on Sunday. Watched the bees out in force in the bright sun - both at the apiary and at home.

 

[WelshPaul]

Well not exactly in the apiary but in the kitchen, I made a batch of fondant from the frat YouTube video on here. Bloody messy. Lol

 

[Polyanwood]

Nothing. Getting fondant ready to go onto nucs and putting labels on jars of honey ready for Christmas.

 

[sunhivebee]

I must admit I do like the hanging ones. So Heidi what is the history behind them.

The story is that I met a beekeeper in Germany with an impressive track record of 67 years experience with bees and every imaginable hive; he designed this hive and showed me the bees. I like it because it appears to be ticking most of the bees boxes, including nest site preference at a certain height.
I look forward to finding what will evolve with the colonies I housed in these hives this year. ---- Apart from all of that I find these hives very beautiful, and will suspend my next ones even higher, maybe 3 metres.
The originator of the hive has described the whole story in a book, now available in English (Sun Hive) Hope that answers your question. All the best, Heidi

 

[user 6228]

The story is that I met a beekeeper in Germany with an impressive track record of 67 years experience with bees and every imaginable hive; he designed this hive and showed me the bees. I like it because it appears to be ticking most of the bees boxes, including nest site preference at a certain height.
I look forward to finding what will evolve with the colonies I housed in these hives this year. ---- Apart from all of that I find these hives very beautiful, and will suspend my next ones even higher, maybe 3 metres.
The originator of the hive has described the whole story in a book, now available in English (Sun Hive) Hope that answers your question. All the best, Heidi

Did you measure its thermal conductance ... Every bee task involves energy. That energy gathering consumes bees. Should you put up hives that wastes the energy of the bees?.

 

[sunhivebee]

Did you measure its thermal conductance ... Every bee task involves energy. That energy gathering consumes bees. Should you put up hives that wastes the energy of the bees?.

I read somewhere that straw insulates 4x better than wood for the same thickness. I have not measured it. I believe it as all my straw surrounded colonies overwinter very well; have had them for ten years or so, so there must be something to it. The colony's ability to maintain warmth is a subject of great interest to me; it informs my husbandry choices.

Thank you for drawing attention to this important topic, should really be a separate thread. how we can support warmth maintenance.
Heidi

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Derek, any plans for measuring a skep or similar in your studies?

 

[Jimmy]

Fitted woodpecker mesh to my 4 hives and replaced half full poly feeders with a clean dry ones where applicable.
Three hives headed by local mongrel queens were reasonably active, the fourth (NZ Carniolan from KBS spring 2012) were so inactive I thought they might have perished. A very quick peek under the poly feeder showed them clustered and numerous.
Will now leave alone until oxalic in late december.

 

[Outlander]

The story is that I met a beekeeper in Germany with an impressive track record of 67 years experience with bees and every imaginable hive; he designed this hive and showed me the bees. I like it because it appears to be ticking most of the bees boxes, including nest site preference at a certain height.
I look forward to finding what will evolve with the colonies I housed in these hives this year. ---- Apart from all of that I find these hives very beautiful, and will suspend my next ones even higher, maybe 3 metres.
The originator of the hive has described the whole story in a book, now available in English (Sun Hive) Hope that answers your question. All the best, Heidi

Hi Heidi, not so sure about the hives on the wooden stands but I think the hanging ones are impressive and to go to all that trouble tells me you love your bees.

 

[user 6228]

Derek, any plans for measuring a skep or similar in your studies?

nope no access to them

 

[user 6228]

replaced syrup feeder configured ekes with fondant configured ekes...


On the roof fixing insulation to the solarheating pipes I had my work inspected no less than 5 times... they must reckon im using the wrong type of propolis to glue it together

 

[drex]

Found a handy local supplier of fondant ( baker) and while there bought 6 food quality buckets at 10p each. No need to worry about honey buckets in the sales now.
Not putting any fondant on yet as they do not need it, but I expect they might in the new year.

 

[victor meldrew]

Nothing. Not planning on anything either for another month at least.

Way too early to be annoying them.

PH

Vm

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Took feeders off and put fondant (not happy about the amount of stores they have) on - all hives kningspaned to the hilt and tucked up for the winter although quite a few bees out in the morning sunshine

 

[RogueDrone]

Helped fellow TBKA move hives removed feeders stained new hive parts ready for 2013