What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Walrus]

Extracted some honey which is largely from field beans, as my hives are just on the edge of a large field of them (finished flowering about 10 days ago). Very nice it is too.

MJB - I have only had 3 new queens this season (from swarm cells) but all got mated no probs and laying well.

 

[Cellectronic]

A Grand Day Out.

Yesterday, Went to a local beekeeping meeting of which the main topic was Queen marking.
Well could we find her ?? Nooo !
However I did learn the tell tale signs of which frame she is most likely to be on.

Today, Went to my out apiary for the purposes of inspection and try to find the Queen. Pulled out the second frame and there she was, So now she has been marked. This hive has nearly a full super so will add another this week.
After closing up I took a wander around the fields and passing a large Oak I could not help but notice the buzzing in the air and a stream of bees coming and going from the base of the tree,What a treat ! a feral colony. A lovely find.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Just had the opposite happen One Queen right colony kicked off grand style !
I took a fair battering (applying ammonia now )
Carried on interfering with the inspections of the other colonies.
I don't know the reason but should the next inspection be likewise then they are doomed, I don't mess around requeening, I cull the lot as I can't afford bad tempered queens drones in the area!
VM

VM: what form does culling consist of? Obviously you squish the queen; do you then distribute the brood and stores around other colonies?

 

[alldigging]

Yesterday, Went to a local beekeeping meeting of which the main topic was Queen marking.
Well could we find her ?? Nooo !
However I did learn the tell tale signs of which frame she is most likely to be on.

Which are?

Eggs or brood?

 

[Cellectronic]

Well if Saturdays episode is anything to go by HM could be anywhere but I found mine on a frame of eggs. I was informed the frame she is on would be a quiet frame and the house bees may be on the top bar fanning.
It strikes me that in this beekeeping malarky there are a lot of "possibly" "maybe" "should-bee" makes it more interesting though.
If there is no home for nature , There wont be any nature !

 

[Polyanwood]

I packed up a couple of colonies of bees ready to move them out of the garden where I've had them in quarantine. Family birthday party next weekend.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

VM: what form does culling consist of? Obviously you squish the queen; do you then distribute the brood and stores around other colonies?

Cull the lot sounds explicit to me.

 

[Chris Luck]

Cull the lot sounds explicit to me.

Well not really, it doesn't explain the method used which could be all manner of things.....not that I would suggest that any or all of these would be used by the good keeper concerned but gassing, burning, spraying, suffocating, electrocuting all spring to mind as possibles.... killing the queen is the easy bit, plenty of people manage that by accident.

Chris

 

[Goran]

Yesterday I opened one hive and saw bees clubbing a queen..
She was KO. But strange to me wasn't marked so I search the frames to see..
And hopefully I found marked queen cheerfully walk over the frames..
So this poor queen had problems with "navigation" an ended in a wrong hive?

Also heard that one this year entered into the hive with growing qcells and kill entire "crop", she was marked queen "from next door", added recently to that hive. I can understand the feeling when opening and seeing all destroy qcells..

 

[garlicpickle]

I was pleased today to finally find eggs and larvae in Hive 2 (the split off colony) it has taken HM a while to get going.
Put a clearer board under the top super in Hive 1 as the last of the OSR in there needs to come off. I might be a bit late as they have capped some of it, but it's only half a super so if it doesn't spin out I'll dunk it in water and give it them back.

 

[VEG]

I have been extremely busy lying on the beach in Spain reading a bee craft magazine wondering how my bees are doing. I put a few empty supers on them to give them a bit of room while I am away.

 

[madasafish]

Took 10kg honey from 3 foot TBH.. the one I intend to requeen due to ankle biting. This time one crawled up inside my overalls and stung my leg!.. (I had a sting on a finger but that does not count)

Just making room for some more.. with rain due and HB to come looks like a decent honey crop this year.

 

[victor meldrew]

Absolutely nothing! Too warm and sticky! Was about to mow the apiary but have chosen to sit and watch the bees, they haven't any sweat glands
VM

 

[madasafish]

Apiary grass going brown: not cutting it to preserve moisture

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Decided to have a quick peek (due to the thundery weather) in to the nuc I hived last week to make sure she had plenty of room.They were so laid back I went through the whole hive - Now laying on seven frames and will be supered before the end of the week - her first brood now emerging.
Checked one of the (formerly) mating nucs I had to hive as they needed space and confirm SHE IS NOW MATED AND LAYING hopefully her sister will be the same when I check her later this week, that will mean success with all three who hopefully will follow their mother's extremely docile but fecund traits.
Getting ready now for my big day at the Royal Welsh.Don't forget to watch me on telly tomorrow evening

 

[pargyle]

I had a quick peek ... they've filled out the two frames I put in there a week ago and I spotted HM (I think ...what do you lot think ?) this was the last frame they have built out.
I put another three empty frames in there and shut them up. Very hot and humid this evening and I was a bit worried that they may be rancid but still very calm - as usual no smoke, no water and no stings - they're clearly still on drugs !!

 

[cjhart2]

I wish my queens went around with crowns on . Maybe i could spot them .

 

[Outlander]

Marked two more new queens that are now both laying well. Also two more Apedia's put out and if successful will be two more colonies to over winter that will be used in an orchard that has been offered for me to use. So all in all its been a good day.

 

[drstitson]

took a visiting Italian beekeeper to social evening at local club apiary. He's the author of the "Northern" Work of the Month articles in Apitalia magazine.

seemed to enjoy seeing our tiny brood boxes and a couple of WBCs.

 

[einsteinagogo]

spare nuc, so baited, pointed south, and left on my flat roof tied down with hive strap. wait and see if any interest. weather humid, thundery and started to rain quite heavy.