What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Dusty Rhodes]

Thanks for your wisdom, Tom.

I can't get into that hive till Friday morning* - but I have plenty of time then, to look through in a calmer manner.

* Well, I could do so tomorrow evening but don't think that's on.

The original one seems to be getting on fine. No signs of casts.
I had to do the A/S in something of a rush, and read up on it in double-quick time. Knew enough to knock down all but 2 QCs - but missed out the line about "go back in after a few days". Went straight to, "leave well alone......".

I hate doing things in a rushed manner. I usually plan ahead carefully.

Ah well. Live and learn.

Thank you again.

Dusty

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Gosh! My own personal multiple Masterclass!

Thanks itma. Your post came as I was responding to Tom.

It's now 2 weeks since I did the split.
The original colony seem to be calmly developing flying and foraging bees at a rate would expect. They're not tetchy. I guess I'm unclear, after that time has gone by, whether I should inspect gently or leave well alone. Forgive me if I am unclear from your reply.

I understand the dilemma about the A/S~original queen colony.

I'll let you know what happens.



Dusty

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Built my honey warming cabinet:
Firstly saw an old fridge on freecycle so promptly contacted them and went to collect this morning - fridge was in such a good nick it seemed a shame to trash it for a warming cabinet and SWMBO wanted a fridge in the shed anyway. Had to go up to the 'civic amenity site' with some rubbish and got talking to the lads up there - told to come back after their supervisor had gone home when they promptly loaded a very nice clean fridge ideal for two 30lb buckets of honey into the back of the jeep. Fridge now stripped of all unneccesary bits, stc 1000 controller fitted and a 60w tubular heater monitoring it now and it is struggling to get past 35 degrees, but as we haven't OSR in the area it should do the job nicely - have to pop out again to check it now and make sure the new beer fridge in the shed is also working correctly

 

[itma]

... It's now 2 weeks since I did the split.
The original colony seem to be calmly developing flying and foraging bees at a rate would expect. They're not tetchy. I guess I'm unclear, after that time has gone by, whether I should inspect gently or leave well alone. Forgive me if I am unclear from your reply.

I understand the dilemma about the A/S~original queen colony.

Really, its your call.
IMHO the first thing is to establish the situation with the fliers.
If they are 'stable', I'd definitely be inclined to see what's happening with the brood - that is if there is still time to prevent (any further) mischief!
Q emerges ~16 days after the egg is laid - so that tells you when the last Q might emerge. But a QC can potentially be started on a 2 day old larva, ie an egg laid 5 days before. 5 from 16 gives 11 days before the risk of extra princesses emerging starts. It would be about 3 days before they can fly, though theoretically the brand new (intended) Q might leave earlier ...
So, carefully count the days since Q was last there ... and see if you could be in time to prevent any (more) princesses emerging.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Thanks, guys.

I now have a plan. A cunning plan.......

D

 

[Erichalfbee]

Best of luck Dusty.

I have two colonies expanding rapidly and I'm inspecting every 6 days now.
I dream of queen cells!!!!!

 

[psafloyd]

Had a quick look at a couple of colonies about a half mile from main apiary. Both doing well and added a second super to both (though one was a split and had some of the honey from the main hive).

 

[Newtobees]

Checked a hive that had swarmed with a clipped carnie queen which i lost,requeened with a new Buckfast from P****s found her first frame i checked nice and calm didn't seem to care being lifted into the light.

 

[galileo]

Moved the superceding colony with swarming intentions, into a replacement box so I can clean the old one down. Ensured that no more QCs had appeared - all okay there. Gave them a new 14x12 underneath to play with and just as I was in the middle of putting them to bed, had a call out to a swarm. Seems that my farmer friend, to whom I'd given a bursting 6 frame nuc colony weekend before last, had missed a QC on Saturday and the girls were off! Luckily for him, they were clustering on a fence post 3 metres from their hive. He was sweeping them into a cardboard box as I arrived.

I spotted the queen, enticed her onto a frame, popped her into my swarm box, shook the bees in from the cardboard, opened the ramp and let them all file in via a row of cut-in-half porters. Smoked the post, half and hour later, all in and shut up, waiting in a shady space with a spray of water 'til this evening, when they'll be moved into the temporarily redundant 6 frame box, with 3 frames of foundation and a strip of QX tacked over the entrance. So far, so good.

 

[yeogi75]

had a quick look thru my hives, got home 5 .30 lady beekeeper across road collecting swarm, (no no ho god not mine), phew mine all at home safe and sound, if only I got home early ,going to go thru all mine properly tomorrow

 

[madasafish]

Scouts round an empty warre - which died in November - for past two days.

Now filled by swarm which arrived unannounced and settled in this afternoon..

Hives are smelling of honey vapour... happy days.

 

[Shabro]

Split one colony, and discovered another has swarmed after performing an AS.
Would it be now ok to knock off the queen cells in what is left and reunite back with the other half?

 

[scuttlefish]

Split a four frame nuc off one of my hives - there were two frames of QCs, so I left one QC intact into the nuc and broke down the others. Another hive had charged queen cups so need to get some more gear ready for an AS in a couple of days.

Added a much-needed super to each hive as well, that nectar is just flooding in!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Went down the association apiary to drop off another super which I think my hive will need on Sunday and I'm going fishing. Put up another bait hive in the field - noticed a lot of scout bee activity in the the first hive - so will have to keep an eye on that one went up the amenity site to drop off a few beers to the lads who sneaked the fridge into my jeep last night. Got home to find a lot of scout activity in the apiary bait hive and one of the empty hives -so fingers crossed for some action in the next few days.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

ummm checked on my hives last night and the queen right colony I couldnt see her or eggs so now not sure if she's gone will check in few days. However, in there wisdom they've decided the double brood box I added for her that they'd full it full to the brum every frame (langstroth deep) full of OSR honey. Will be interesting extracting that!

After putting super's back on Sunday they've done a cracking job of refilling it all, got another 2 dadant's supers full too when they ripen it. Amazing to see how fast they can work, and this was a colony that is queenless, but hopefully its got a sealed queen cell as otherwise im screwed.

 

[Chris Luck]

Crap photo, will try and get closer. One of my new colonies. Chris

 

[psafloyd]

Crap photo, will try and get closer. One of my new colonies. Chris

Interesting hive, Chris. Is that one of those local Arbre hives?

 

[Chris Luck]

Interesting hive, Chris. Is that one of those local Arbre hives?

Yeah a walnut tree that had a Hornets nest in that cavity last year....

.... holes and cavities round these parts are always in demand



Chris

 

[For want of a better word]

WALNUT TREES !!!

Ancient solid mahogany hive made in Hayle during WW11 has a swarm move in around midday.... look like local bucfests.. DOH !

Not one of my colonies to say the least... but happy to give them a home.....

Hive is under my old Walnut tree!

 

[flemage]

WALNUT TREES !!!

Ancient solid mahogany hive made in Hayle during WW11 has a swarm move in around midday.... look like local bucfests.. DOH !

Not one of my colonies to say the least... but happy to give them a home.....

Hive is under my old Walnut tree!

I am from that area orginaly some one was obviasly 'wrecking' (or these days 'recycling') a boat and though that wood will do for me! must be quite a beast made from that.

Didnt they build a school or some thing on the isle's of Scilly when a boat load of mahogany came aground few years ago?