What did you do in the Apiary today?

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I've got two very strong colonies....checked them both out today. On 31st August both colonies had one full super of honey which I'd deliberately left for them. Today, one colony still has a full super to go into winter, (good, good!) and the other one, the one in my back garden, has nothing left at all !! I'm sure they haven't been robbed by wasps, or anything else, they are so strong, and guard very well......so why would that be ? The hives are about 100yds apart. Sugar syrup is currently cooling down, and they will have some early in the morning.

One still brood-rearing and the other not? V energy-intensive.

 

[Chris Luck]

One still brood-rearing and the other not? V energy-intensive.

I would expect brood rearing to continue until at least November and beyond to some extent in the UK.

Chris

 

[Goran]

Here brood is decreasing rapidly-few frames or so. Some peak till 6 frames-rare. Food frames on sides, honey arches above. Some I have to check about food, some unpleasantly surprised me about stores ( had to take more detailed notes to change the queens in future) , but I react with feeding.. Some thicker syrup than You..

 

[maddydog]

Fed one colony 4pts of 2:1 - 2nd in 24hrs. Fed the other colony the same - 5th 4 pinter in 7 days

 

[Chris Luck]

Sidetracked into a garden center in Poitiers on Thursday I was struck by a smallish shrub with lovely blue flowers covered in bees, honey and bumble and always looking for late summer early autumn flowering plants for bees I gave in and bought some....I don't think I'm going to be disappointed. Friday they were heaving with all manner of butterflies and bees.

Caryopteris clandonensis.

​

Chris

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Reduced Garn cottage hives to just a brood box and strapped them up ready for moving home (either tomorrow or Monday) MAde room at the home apiary for them.
Put Apiguard on four home hives. had a look at the big hive - still burtsing with bees and foraging hard - will have to reduce the middle of next week and get them treated.

 

[Somerford]

Sidetracked into a garden center in Poitiers on Thursday I was struck by a smallish shrub with lovely blue flowers covered in bees, honey and bumble and always looking for late summer early autumn flowering plants for bees I gave in and bought some....I don't think I'm going to be disappointed. Friday they were heaving with all manner of butterflies and bees.

Caryopteris clandonensis.

​

Chris

Does this plant have a commercial name ?

 

[Goran]

Sidetracked into a garden center in Poitiers on Thursday I was struck by a smallish shrub with lovely blue flowers covered in bees, honey and bumble and always looking for late summer early autumn flowering plants for bees I gave in and bought some....I don't think I'm going to be disappointed. Friday they were heaving with all manner of butterflies and bees.


Chris

Aster family- tripolium, alpinum.. Now start to flower here. Nectar and pollen significantly. Not considered good for overwintering, but in those small amount they eat it in time they can still go out for.. Also we have Aster which is with small habitus ( I think it is alpinus). Good thing is the wild animals won't eat it, so we plant it at outer side of fence ( for now we have one "line" of 70-80meters long and half meters wide and increasing each year, also very decorative in such way of planting..

 

[youngyoungs]

Removed Apiguard trays from two hives. Very few, if any mites dropped. Not going to add the second treatment.
Downsized small colony to nuc. Fed all colonies with thick syrup.

 

[Swarm]

Removed Apiguard trays from two hives. Very few, if any mites dropped. Not going to add the second treatment.
Downsized small colony to nuc. Fed all colonies with thick syrup.

Regardless of mite drop, the whole idea of apiguard is two fortnightly treatments, a total of four weeks. Not following up with the second is not a good idea, you may as well not bother treating at all IMO.

 

[Chris Luck]

There area number of varieties Someford, this is a new one GRAND BLEU.. you can get more info on the net.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/155.shtml

I have "Asters" in my fields Goran but I find honey bees aren't very interested, this shrub is different.

Another shrub / tree I've noticed recently is Lagerstroemia or crape Myrtle, another late flowering species covered in honey bees - may not suit the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia

Chris

 

[victor meldrew]

Love the translates and the predictive text. Microsoft windows
: D : D
VM

 

[victor meldrew]

Been to Aldi's to pick up a 7 litre Hot Water Urn.
Looks, good ,concealed element , tap appears a little flimsy but adequate! Stainless steel, deep lid
Under £30 , 3year guarantee ! Dip your bread in
VM

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Put a skirt of 5mm ply around my national roof to shed rain over a poly brood body: during summer, it had been sitting on top which was prone to leaks. Switched to clear crownboard, put on Apiguard and some feed just in case given awful weather and light stores.

 

[Goran]

Chris, much appreciate for the L. indica and L. fauriei. I will do some research of it..
But for Aster here is now several flowers opened and few bees. In a days to come when it opened in full, it is also covered with honey bees ( line of bees - better than electric fence).
Cheers..

 

[Pete D]

Extracted the last of my honey crop, quite pleased as doubled last years...............now what about next year
Need to have big hives early on as the rape has been sown locally and is coming through now and there seems to be plenty to go at, just need a decent spring
Also agreed with local farmer 3 acres of Borage for next season, which may increase to 5.
Its all in the planning................

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Extracted the last of my honey crop, quite pleased as doubled last years...............now what about next year

Heh Heh! - thinking the same meself - treble this year what I had last year and hopefully I'll take a few more strong colonies into the spring!! need the extra income now to make up for my new much reduced salary

 

[Pete D]

Heh Heh! - thinking the same meself - treble this year what I had last year and hopefully I'll take a few more strong colonies into the spring!! need the extra income now to make up for my new much reduced salary

Best hive at 210 lb, a few more of those and...........
Need to repeat the conditions of that hive and prove it wasn't just luck,
so loads of bees, forage and decent weather and some good management.

Good luck mate

 

[Goran]

Bees went for a Thymus, I stick to the peach ( one old sort without chemical treatments - eat them from a branch)..

 

[einsteinagogo]

Removed three empty supers from outside and frames that had been solar extracted and moved into porch before storing in shed

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