What did you do in the Apiary today?

[victor meldrew]

and a circumference of 18.85 miles if they are feeling REALLY energetic.

Square it They would have to be really really energetic to cover that area

JW.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Plus the radius

actually, we're back to the diameter again as they'd have to fly out to the circumference and back again

 

[victor meldrew]

actually, we're back to the diameter again as they'd have to fly out to the circumference and back again

If they are desperate for forage .
Then again, if hive is located in a long narrow valley, then the shape of and the limits vary enormously

JW

 

[Silly Bee]

actually, we're back to the diameter again as they'd have to fly out to the circumference and back again

That would depend on the central point of the circle.

 

[george]

Stop it , stop it now .

Ok so 3 miles is the distance they can fly . If I move sites to 3 miles away they may recognise landmarks and fly back to the original one . Therefore I would need to move them 6 miles away just in case , otherwise whats the point?
Apart from a functioning brain am I missing something ?

G

 

[Silly Bee]

No, 3 miles is all you need to move them.

 

[victor meldrew]

No, 3 miles is all you need to move them.

Yes 3 miles is recommended .
Remember not all your foragers will be the same age or have roamed to anywhere near the extent of the quoted distances therefore , in the worst scenario, only very few bees would return to the original site !!
I have moved bees quite a bit less than that ,in the active season with no probs !!

John Wilkinson

 

[Silly Bee]

actually, we're back to the diameter again as they'd have to fly out to the circumference and back again

No, as JW just pointed out, they could be on the edge, and so would only go ctrcular.

 

[Silly Bee]

or eliptical

 

[For want of a better word]

How high can a bee fly?
Could a bee get into the Jet stream??????

 

[Gardenbees]

How high can a bee fly?
Could a bee get into the Jet stream??????

No, but they can get into the eaves of my neighbour's shed

I went through that hive with a toothcomb (A Toothcomb, I tells ya!) and no signs of queen cells. I even went back this lunchtime to check on them, suspicious because of the warm, humid weather. No signs of change, lots of bees quietly fetching and carrying as usual. Got back this evening and my neighbour cheerfully informed me that they were now snuggled up in the eaves of her shed. D'oh!

Spent most of the remaining daylight hours decanting them into the box which I had planned for an AS at the weekend, so hopefully no harm done.

Sometimes if they're gonna go, they're gonna go....

 

[Vergilius]

Inspected the six frame nuc that I got from P****s 2 weeks ago. They have expanded really well and now have brood on eight frames and bees across the box, so I put on a QX and a super. Really pleased with them.


Ben P

 

[Mike a]

Had some real fun today and scared the wife silly at the same time.

Earlier today I went to the apiary to double check on a colony ready for their move to OSR. Once the air temps started to fall we (wife and I) went to pick up the colony (BTW the wife didn't want to wear her full suit and leather gloves, just a pair of jeans, a jacket, a simple hat and veil and rubber gloves) I parked the car within 40 feet of where I had chosen to site them and roughly levelled up the hive. At this point I said to my wife she might want to step back or head back to the car because as soon as I open them up they will pour out. She insisted she would be fine, as she wanted to take some pictures.

Pic 1 - Opening the hive

As soon as I opened the hive hundreds began pouring out running up my arm as I turned the entrance block around and loosely refitted it, plenty more flying out like bullets covering my head, veil and shoulders. At this point I decided it would be a good idea to retreat some distance and let them calm down.
Just as I stood upright I could hear the car door open then slam seconds later.

Clare?

She had ran back to the car scared half to death by the huge numbers of bees covering me.

pic 2 - 10 minutes later she took this picture from the safety of the car. I still had plenty running around on my veil looking for a way to get in. Sorry I'm trying to watch the bees on my veil and not look like some cross eyed gormless nutter wondering around the edge of an OSR field.

pic 3 - another 10 minutes later the front of the hive still looking busy. Lots of bees fanning and the odd one trying to attack the camera after each flash.

All in all a fun day, never seen the wife run so fast or laughed as much when so many bees are so desperate to sting me.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

On getting home with 2 new queens, set about starting transfer to their new home. Both put in nucs with some brood and food while I set about trying to make my hives queenless.

Eventually found and squished Q1 after about 4 passes of the boxes, but try as me, the missus and daughter did, we couldnt find Q2 in the other colony.

Went back a couple of hours later and she was in a clump in the grass with retinue, so it was bye bye to her as well

 

[VEG]

Did a very thorough check for EFB (its in my area) and also marked all my queens.

 

[milkermel]

asked to go and sit with some bees at a herb festival in Bodmin today so spent a few hours with someones obs hive and an unmarked queen. Great fun and relised I know a bit more than i thought!!! Loads of freebee food being passed around as well so good day out. Might go back tomorrow to help if they want me!

Came home and built a super for WBC i look after as I have decided that i am not doing honey on deep frames again! way tooooo heavy to lift! Was suprised how quick it was to put together in comparison to the national I did 3 years ago. - is it easier or is it just that i have done it once before???

 

[drstitson]

mike a - no wonder the bees were desperate to get out and start ventilating the hive - from your pictures it doesn't look like you used a travel screen (unless you replaced the roof and re-strapped before opening the door.

 

[drstitson]

mons ab - did you keep the corpses for putting in bait hives?

 

[Mike a]

mike a - no wonder the bees were desperate to get out and start ventilating the hive - from your pictures it doesn't look like you used a travel screen (unless you replaced the roof and re-strapped before opening the door.

I used the match stick trick under each corner of the roof before I strapped them up earlier in the day after a miserable attempt to make my own mesh screen but well spotted sir...
Although saying that they were fine in the car, only heard a gentle hum from them until I pulled into the farmers yard and opened the boot. I wasn't expecting the smell of the OSR up close to be that intense despite living most of life less than a mile away from it.

 

[TBRNoTB]

I used the match stick trick under each corner of the roof before I strapped them up earlier in the day after a miserable attempt to make my own mesh screen but well spotted sir...
Although saying that they were fine in the car, only heard a gentle hum from them until I pulled into the farmers yard and opened the boot. I wasn't expecting the smell of the OSR up close to be that intense despite living most of life less than a mile away from it.

Screwed together another three, ply, supers. Starting to build a stock.