What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Polyanwood]

Checked three apiaries, including the association nucs. Some topping up with fondant. Very few flyers, it was cold. All alive, even the nuc that I thought was impossibly small.

 

[dpearce4]

Checked all hives at both apiarys this morning, all still alive, 1 down to 3seams, the rest 6+, hope some warm weather now so they can start to build up fast.

 

[dpearce4]

Had a surprise when i looked at one of my hives today, mouse guard was off on the floor below and looked inside to see this.

serves the damn thing right, hope it didnt do to much damage. I will remove it and the floor next weekend when i have spare kit up at the site.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Check all my hives and replaced a few empty fondant containers.
Lovely and warm in the sun and most hives were quite busy.

Great to see the new bees out flying

 

[Beanwood]

Checked all four - and was pleasantly surprised to see them all still alive and well.

So far, so good...

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

First look of 2013 as temperature was well up.

I've got.......

A very strong colony (I think, being a newbie).
A queen.
Eggs.
Larvae,
Capped brood.
Some new pollen & nectar.
A lovely distribution across the brood box.

Only one thing I've not got!

Stung!

A good day.

Dusty

 

[Cazza]

Great to see the new bees out flying

Lovely photo. I watched 2 hives with bees making orientation flights earlier today. It's great to see early on in the season. At least I know someone has been laying
workers and not drones.
Cazza

 

[Cazza]

First look of 2013 as temperature was well up.

Dusty

Still think it's a bit early and chilly for opening up but glad it went well.
Cazza

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Still think it's a bit early and chilly for opening up but glad it went well.
Cazza

Hi Cazza

Yes - it did seem cool - but a variety of places said it was about 11 degrees here.

So I took my guidance from the Fere National Bee Unit Good Practice Guidelines on 'Spring checks', viz:

"Spring inspections On fine days colonies can be fully inspected. As a general rule colonies should not be examined below 10, quickly between 10 and 14 and above 14 there will be no problem. Bees do not usually fly below about 10 so this is a very useful guide. Many early spring days in March are warm enough for full inspections but conditions and geographic variation will dictate a suitable time. Many beekeepers worry about chilling brood during early inspections but chilled brood is only found where brood has been left exposed for some time usually as the result of a sudden drop in adult bee numbers such as occurs following a spray incident."

So I had a quick look - probably 5-10 mins.

Dusty

 

[beeno]

Had a surprise when i looked at one of my hives today, mouse guard was off on the floor below and looked inside to see this.

serves the damn thing right, hope it didnt do to much damage. I will remove it and the floor next weekend when i have spare kit up at the site.

Hi dpearce,
That's a rat isn't it?

 

[beeno]

Hi Cazza

Yes - it did seem cool - but a variety of places said it was about 11 degrees here.

So I took my guidance from the Fere National Bee Unit Good Practice Guidelines on 'Spring checks', viz:

"Spring inspections On fine days colonies can be fully inspected. As a general rule colonies should not be examined below 10, quickly between 10 and 14 and above 14 there will be no problem. Bees do not usually fly below about 10 so this is a very useful guide. Many early spring days in March are warm enough for full inspections but conditions and geographic variation will dictate a suitable time. Many beekeepers worry about chilling brood during early inspections but chilled brood is only found where brood has been left exposed for some time usually as the result of a sudden drop in adult bee numbers such as occurs following a spray incident."

So I had a quick look - probably 5-10 mins.

Dusty

Well, done for including the quote!

 

[dpearce4]

Hi dpearce,
That's a rat isn't it?

Haha nope defo a mouse. looks big in the pic but the hive is a commercial and the mouse is well flattened.

 

[wood blewit]

I watched in delight as i did yesterday my bees in there hundreds fetching baskets full of pollen in ,, dont know whether it was just me ,but me girls seemed to be just as excited at being out they were whirling round up an down the garden looked like they were havin fun dunno whether bees do actually have fun but thats wot it looked like just glad they survived the winter.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Well, done for including the quote!

That's the sort of crazy guy I am!

Dusty

 

[kevh]

looks like a rat to me

 

[Chrisfnvs]

No, just a very relaxed mouse enjoying the sun

 

[RogueDrone]

Assembled my newly acquired "FoC" Dartinton hive, seem a crown board / nuc floor short easy fix. But what did scare me was realising how many 9" frame assemblies I will need to fill it :-((

 

[oliver90owner]

realising how many 9" frame assemblies I will need to fill it

You will never need more than around 15 frames unless A/Sing or set up for holding several nucs. This is the variant using deep frames, not extra deeps?

I have one which takes deeps, the others are exrtra -deeps - proper Dartington Long Deep Hives.

I use BS shallows above - discarded those 'Dartington half supers' a long time ago.

 

[RogueDrone]

realising how many 9" frame assemblies I will need to fill it

You will never need more than around 15 frames unless A/Sing or set up for holding several nucs. This is the variant using deep frames, not extra deeps?

I have one which takes deeps, the others are exrtra -deeps - proper Dartington Long Deep Hives.

I use BS shallows above - discarded those 'Dartington half supers' a long time ago.

I have ear marked you as my Mentor on this project. As I have got it for making nucs think the 9" variant will be ideal, nice to know it will only need 15 frames below.

I will be in touch more questions.
Colin

 

[The Doctor]

looks like a rat to me

..or at least a very sinister mouse!

Points for spotting the quote.