What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Cazza]

Had a look at the girls, I think they're starving or dead .. all the brood is gone. In the vain hope some ladies are still alive I put in some sugar fondant. fingers crossed.

Rather than messing about with the bees, checking brood, it's much better to pop an inspection board in the bottom for a few days. Then you can see by what's been chucked out, whether they are alive and whether they are alive or not.

Cazza

 

[itma]

Fondant on two wooden hives (used an apiguard eke on one), but the poly is still very heavy.
Pleased to see all flying quite strongly in the sunshine.

 

[hedgehog66]

another colony dead, think they starved.
bako fondant hasnt been touched
any suggestions how to help last remaining colony find the fondant as i know they have no stores left

 

[beeno]

Rather than messing about with the bees, checking brood, it's much better to pop an inspection board in the bottom for a few days. Then you can see by what's been chucked out, whether they are alive and whether they are alive or not.

Cazza

Hi Cazza,
Two colonies had brood cappings on the inspection boards and by my calculations that has happened after my OA treatment and I do believe they were broodless then. So, pleased about that. Activity on the PH was down on the other three colonies and it turned out that they had finished the fondant, so put some more on. Lots of bees and could see some stores at the top of the frames and also heavier when hefting so they must be storing the fondant. Minute amount of pollen going in, but not on the PH. Thought PHs were supposed to be ahead on spring build-up? Hope they are not -Q.

 

[itma]

another colony dead, think they starved.
bako fondant hasnt been touched
any suggestions how to help last remaining colony find the fondant as i know they have no stores left

Sounds like an emergency.
So --
Make up some strong syrup. A pint or so. Put it in a jug.
Pull out an empty frame.
Pour syrup over the comb (catch spillage in a bucket or washbowl). An amount will be held in the cells. Don't try to fill them, just get a little in lots of cells. // Hold the frame at about 45º while pouring the syrup...
Replace that frame next to where the bees are.


Cut fondant into thin (5mm) slices.
Damp the slices with water.
Put the slices on top of the frame topbars, crownboard on top. Try and position some fondant above all the frames.

Hope and as appropriate to yourself, pray.

Look to putting in an apiguard eke under the crownboard with thicker slices of fondant. You will have to keep fondant on the hive until, probably, mid-March (depending on the season in your locality).



/// And do seriously question whether the other hives did starve or whether they had a different problem. If you need help with that determination, don't be scared to ask a local experienced beekeeper to come and have a look.
Don't leave it too long, as the evidence will deteriorate.

 

[hedgehog66]

Thanks itma
will do syrup tomorrow and will try to borrow eke in meanwhile
your kind help is much appreciated
i am waiting for a call back from local very experienced beek who has helped before
i left the hive/bees etc exactly as i found them for her to try to diagnose problem.

thanks again

 

[REDWOOD]

Checked fondant levels and still some remaining, bees are all indoors none flying, managed to finish making a new hive, still cold outside

 

[andy-glide]

Qick peek insie my weak coloney. Fondant on the top of the crown board had not been touched so moved it onto the top of the frames and put an eke between the brood box and the crown. Only a couple of frames of bees so think they will be very lucky to survive the rest of the winter.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi Cazza,
Thought PHs were supposed to be ahead on spring build-up?

I thought it was the wooden ones that were ahead to start with .

Cold biting wind but brilliant sunshine...not a bee out.
Hubby and I continue to clear out masses of bramble from the pond side

 

[itma]

...
i am waiting for a call back from local very experienced beek who has helped before
i left the hive/bees etc exactly as i found them for her to try to diagnose problem.

Normal thing would be block the entrance completely, so as to exclude any other curious bees - who might remove evidence and spread any disease.

 

[sgeek]

managed to get down to my 2 hives to do the oxalic today. Both clustered and decidely upset when I took the roof off they were even more upset with the acid being put in. Another first for this newbie ticked off the massive list of stuff to do in the beekeeping lark.

My first hive does look however look like I have a DLQ in residence. I really have had no luck with that bugger.

 

[alysonmaria]

First time I've seen grass in the apiary for 2 weeks! Treated both hives with oxalic acid and fondant. Looks as though they are coming through the winter OK-just hope they make it to Spring

 

[Hivemaker.]

Minute amount of pollen going in, but not on the PH. Thought PHs were supposed to be ahead on spring build-up? Hope they are not -Q.

It is not spring, it is January.

 

[Moggs]

What's with this weather! 12 deg forecast now. Apiary visit today revealed hives still on pallets, not yet floating due to overflowing large pond. Wind rain and flooding likely. Depressing or what?

Summer please, a proper one....

 

[Erichalfbee]

January 19th is supposed to be the day the UK starts getting warmer. Perhaps it's that?
Perhaps we're going to have a roaring summer!

 

[enrico]

January 19th is supposed to be the day the UK starts getting warmer. Perhaps it's that?
Perhaps we're going to have a roaring summer!

At last an optimist!!

 

[herefordshirehoney]

January 19th is supposed to be the day the UK starts getting warmer. Perhaps it's that?
Perhaps we're going to have a roaring summer!

LOL not sure about that but we can hope. Accuweather are saying 18th here but even know it's higher temp lots of rain .

 

[Rob den Dekker]

Went over to the hive with a freshly-made batch of fondant, but they haven't touched the one I popped on the crown board halfway through December yet, so just left that one on.

 

[beeno]

It is not spring, it is January.

Hi Hivemaker,
I do appreciate that I am being perhaps a tad impatient, but my wooden semis had brood cappings on the inspection board. Sorry, for not expressing myself clearly, but that was the point I was trying to make.

 

[beeno]

Went over to the hive with a freshly-made batch of fondant, but they haven't touched the one I popped on the crown board halfway through December yet, so just left that one on.

Hi Rob den Dekker,
They can get to it? Signs of flying? Plenty of stores already? Hope it's three yeses.