What did you do in the Apiary today?

[youngyoungs]

Last night!
Bees busy, some balsam coming in. After the newspaper sandwich last week I finished uniting two colonies by putting the frames into a single brood box. Phew.

Wasps. Hive entrances all reduced, but still some activity, they seem mostly to be looking for dead/dying bees. BUT watched a couple of wasps checking every junction between the super and brood box to see if there was a place they could chew their way in. May have to perform some "in flight" repairs of the poly boxes if this gets serious.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Took dogs out to the meadow (where the bees are) at 6.30am...wonderful misty morning promising a sunny late summer day.

Hoping to chance a quick look in front of the hives......huh! already busy with white dotted bees returning

Could see a little mound of dead bees in front of the biggest colony ..post MAQS.

 

[Putnamsmif]

Inspected both of my hives - briefly as all seemed well BIAS in both. Nuc installed a few weeks back seemed a bit low on stores so going to feed them this week, then start Apiguard next weekend. Number 1 hive has a jam-packed brood box but they just won't move up to the super. Even tried leaving excluder off. Maybe they just don't need the space as the Queen is reducing egg laying now? Last week both hives seemed agitated by the reduced entrances so I'd taken them off, and I was a bit worried about the weaker hive, but not a single wasp in sight for the hour or so I was at the hives watching.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Bees very busy today, a flow on somewhere, yellow pollen being returned.

back to the "hive from hell" today, a little anxious after the last attempt at putting a clearer board on.

Four Supers removed, fourth lightest super put back on QE, dropped on rhombus clearer board, put back three supers. Put on glass quill, put back roof, wait until dark to remove three supers.

Bee found it's way into my bee suit, need to check how it got in! But managed to get out of suit without getting stung.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Hive-from-hellers, I'm guessing your payback is that they are less tolerant of wasp attack. Not mentioned in Br Adam's descriptions of my suit-if-it's-cloudy Buckfasts.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Put OMF on swarm from last month (on solid floor until now, all hives brringing in stores again, one hive Q- (new queen this year, going like a bomb until a few weeks ago. Emergency QC's sealed in the last couple of days so fingers crossed!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Dupe

 

[benaghbees]

Added entrance reducer

Hi all,

I am new to bee keeping this year and would like to ask is it ok that i put an entrance reducer on my national hive. Entrance is now about 10cm long. At inspection today noticed plenty of wasps trying to get into the hive, around the hive and i thought it was the right thing to do?

The hive entrance does now seem a little crowded and the weather is good at the moment here in N. Ireland - dry warm week forecast. Any thoughts anyone??

 

[Erichalfbee]

It will be OK at even 2cm if needs be.

 

[user 6228]

finally finally got the experimental hive wired up, faults fixed , IP68 connectors on, calibrated (up to 2am this morning do this), and loaded with bees.

 

[benaghbees]

Thanks,

So much to know. So many different opinions.

 

[WelshPaul]

Derekm what thickness insulation is that, and is that Alu tapes sealing the joints?

 

[Pete D]

Went through all my hives and nuc's today (30) at a leisurely pace (about 4 hours inc travelling) and took action as apropiate, updated my notes and now sit putting my plan for next weekend together, couple of things to action during the week but mostly it will be next weekend.
Had one young queen in a nuc box turn drone layer so squished her and united to another nuc, one hive that appears to have stopped laying as only capped brood, if no eggs by next weekend she will be found and also squished and the bees united in somewhere.
I have some more honey to take off this week so clearer boards will be in midweek.
My 10 nuc's (now 9) that I made up 3 weeks ago are doing well, 6 frame polys with BIAS from 3 - 5 frames, will feed these now as not much more to come in.
Most hives with alot of young bees to come as BIAS mostly from 7-10 frames, couple only on 5-6 which may be united in a couple of weeks.
Mite drop has been low but will put the boards in towards the end of the week and once the supers are off treat as required, Thymovar this year but will also try some MAQ's.
Enjoyable day.

 

[pargyle]

Went through the whole hive... looking fairly good. Lots of capped brood but there was less honey in there than at the last major inspection ... August gap ? There's a lot of ivy near by and the weather forecast is good for the next week so I'm hopeful that there will be a late spurt to get them fully stored for winter. I'm not intending taking any honey off them but unless they put a lot more down in the next couple of weeks then I will be feeding them.

If you would like to see what I saw here are my photos of today's inspection:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/

There are 12 frames in total so photos are of each side ... every two photos is a frame...

A bit further on is the last inspection photos.

 

[user 6228]

Derekm what thickness insulation is that, and is that Alu tapes sealing the joints?

50mm and its ally tape. mating faces are 2mm correx.

the configuration is national but with the top bars vertical, 6 frames to each of the 2 boxes . It to investigate what happens in a higher aspect ratio nest.
Not intended as a practical production hive.

 

[psafloyd]

Took a couple of supers off and extracted from them, half mother super and a defunct BB that had been used as a super after a unite. Fecking wax moth is annoying me.

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Went through the whole hive... looking fairly good. Lots of capped brood but there was less honey in there than at the last major inspection ... August gap ? There's a lot of ivy near by and the weather forecast is good for the next week so I'm hopeful that there will be a late spurt to get them fully stored for winter. I'm not intending taking any honey off them but unless they put a lot more down in the next couple of weeks then I will be feeding them.

If you would like to see what I saw here are my photos of today's inspection:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/

There are 12 frames in total so photos are of each side ... every two photos is a frame...

A bit further on is the last inspection photos.

I see your signature is "One hive owner and proud of it" Is it your own design and make. If so you have every right to be proud of it. The wood turning is good too!

 

[pargyle]

I see your signature is "One hive owner and proud of it" Is it your own design and make. If so you have every right to be proud of it. The wood turning is good too!

Ahhh ... thank you - it all looks better in the photos than it does in the flesh ... and yes, it was my 'evolved' design ... it's a long story. The wood turning is just a hobby ...

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Ahhh ... thank you - it all looks better in the photos than it does in the flesh ... and yes, it was my 'evolved' design ... it's a long story. The wood turning is just a hobby ...

I am interested in different ways of providing bee accommodation but I don't really have the skills, or time to get them, to do the work, so I am admiring the skills and ingenuity of others.

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Looked in the top floor of the large hive and moved the empty frames down under the clearer board.
Looked in the top of the smaller hive to find I had again forgotten to insert frames in the spaces and the darlings have filled these with comb and lovely dark honey. Shoved top back on quick. Went to get things together to raid the wild comb tomorrow and replace with frames while the sun is on the hive first thing if she appears before I have to go for physio on the ankle.
Jarred more honey 3 with comb chunk 3 without and labeled cut comb packaged yesterday.