What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Like the avatar
VM

well thanks......it IS chrissy after all

 

[oliver90owner]

Preferred last year's offering, but this one is still OK.

 

[yeogi75]

is just my bees as we had hard frost 3/4 weeks ago for two days and turned warm again, and people keep saying our bees not been out for a while, but mine are flying in the rain every day they are collecting water and are flying on there summer flight routes so presume still collecting lots of bees only 1 outside frame with little on

 

[richardbees]

After tea, put a mince pie, with the top off, upside down onto the feed hole of my strongest hive, (safely) watched by eight children.

I'll go down tomorrow and tidy it up

I know, I should be shot!

 

[Hombre]

If it's all gone and you don't have a replacement all those naked girls will be unhappy with you.

 

[margob99]

LOL! Visions of girls in mince pie bikinis ....

I went down to the apiary; how strange to see bees flying about in the sunshine, under a blue sky, on Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas, everyone

 

[beeno]

LOL! Visions of girls in mince pie bikinis ....

I went down to the apiary; how strange to see bees flying about in the sunshine, under a blue sky, on Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas, everyone

Hi Margo and Merry Christmas to you too,
Not noticed your Avitar before. Got loads of those weeds in my lawn, but never seen a bee on them. Any good?

 

[beebopalula]

Just given the girls their trickle treat - all fine, strong colonies.

 

[ellypatt]

Friend has a thermal imaging camera on loan, took some pics of the hives at dusk.

 

[Goodwood]

lots of ladies buzzing all over the winter heather today

 

[Bob Bee]

Oxalic trickle on 4 sites today, one more to go.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oa'd all the hives at home (one is at the associationa apiary and will be OA'd Sunday. two hives very strong, the rest on 5 or 6 seams, so fingers crossed for the next few months.

 

[Bob Bee]

Oxalic trickle on 4 sites today, one more to go.

Last 7 colonies OA'd on my new allotment site today, 4 colonies from nukes last year and three overwintering nukes from late queen rearing splits. Fondant for three colonies and all the nukes. Seem to be thriving.

 

[user 6228]

watched the bees flying today ... well it was 10c though very dull

 

[protheroe]

OA on my out apiaries and lost a weak colony in the garden,hope thats it with the losses.

 

[Beanwood]

OA on 3 of my 4. First two, hardly a bee flying - third colony VERY crabby when the CB came off resulting in 3 stings. (Note to self - remember to wear long sleeves under the bee jacket )

I'll do the other one as soon as everything has calmed down again.

 

[Glenviewbee]

As a newbie beekeeper my Bee mentor told me to wait for a spell of cold weather before OA'ing my 2 colonies - that was at the beginning of Dec but I have given up waiting and taken advantage of the fact that it is:
a) Not currently raining
b) not blowing a gale

to apply the Trickle2 to both - was very relieved to see several seams of bees in both

I had put the varroa boards in place a couple of weeks ago - I cleaned them off today, one did seem to have quite a few mites in evidence while the other didn't look like it had any. The other noticeable detritus on board was 2 different coloured flakes - one colour v light straw coloured and the other a more reddish tinge. Presumably the straw coloured bits are store cappings - what would the other stuff be?

I will check the VB's on a regular basis and hopefully see a massive drop of mites followed by a reduction in numbers

Hope everyone is surviving the Christmas meals and TV

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just did a quick check of the Varroa boards - hardly any on some but two with about 150 - 200 in 24 hours (these two didn't get a full Apiguard dose in the autumn) Washed the bee suits which are hanging up in the shed (weather so damp with us that the cheapo smock i use for quick jobs and lawn mowing has got a bit of mould on it)

 

[dpearce4]

made 25kg of fondant, 10kg to go on 4 hives that were a little lighter than the others last time checked and the others as spares just incase, will see if they need it when i go and do the Oa in the next couple of days.

 

[PBee]

Hope everyone is surviving the Christmas meals and TV

Have reached Quality Street LD50 ....... survivability is in the balance.