What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Chris Luck]

That was my thinking.

Chris

 

[ichbinpaul]

Did seem busy to me, who else went ?.

Yes my son and I went! got there just after eight and grabbed the pre order, we saw the two chaps wrestle also, I just smiled and casually headed for the Langstoth BB's and the deep frames and one Snellgrove board no one else was interested in Langs it seemed.

 

[MJBee]

Massive thunderstorm last night with hail stones the size of golf balls!! Checked the hives and all was well but must have been hellish noisy inside.

+20C and clear blue skies today and all the hives were very active and the smell of ivy nectar was strong so neither the ivy nor the bees have suffered any lasting effects.

 

[REDWOOD]

Sun came out for a brief moment (not forecast) so took the opportunity to check stores on hives which are now full, bees still bringing back some buff pollen and a wasps nest 10 yards away was also busy as ever. Funny that lots of beekeepers have so much trouble with wasps yet this hive is the only one in this apiary and lives happily with a wasps nest so close with no robbing although the owner is not happy with them being there and plans a removal this winter which I am taking no part in

 

[Erichalfbee]

Weighed hives after 2 weeks away. Not as heavy as I would like despite lots of Ivy carrying activity so put rapid feeders back on.
Rain forecast for next fortnight

 

[starflex]

Bees all busy flying, so left them to it. Collected 2 kgs of sloes to use with some gin, and the sugar left over from feeding!

Was about to start on the sloe gin production, only to find SWMBO has already used the spare sugar for crab-apple jelly! Off back to Bookers sometime this week.

 

[oliver90owner]

although the owner is not happy with them being there and plans a removal this winter which I am taking no part in

Is this the bee colony or the wasp nest?

What a waste of time either way!

RAB

 

[Itchy]

Sun came out for a brief moment (not forecast) so took the opportunity to check stores on hives which are now full, bees still bringing back some buff pollen and a wasps nest 10 yards away was also busy as ever. Funny that lots of beekeepers have so much trouble with wasps yet this hive is the only one in this apiary and lives happily with a wasps nest so close with no robbing although the owner is not happy with them being there and plans a removal this winter which I am taking no part in

Bit pointless really, their cycle is almost over

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Good news / bad news. Watched some beautiful black bees coming in a zig zag and going in very marginal flying conditions when my girls were watching the rain. Clearly robbers. Not an issue for my colony hopefully but potentially v interesting neighbours and obviously the situation needs watching so I will keep my eyes open.

 

[drstitson]

brought one of my insulated nuc roofs with me to aged parents abode ready to finally shut up the hive on their shed roof for winter.

In one sweep seem to have managed to cover transporting hives (the roof conveniently just complies with BA cabin baggage allowances!), winter prep & insulation, kingspan and pains poly nucs all in one post.

Well travelled piece of kingspan that - done best part of 1800 miles so far.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

So we can write Thornes but not ****** (P@ynes), it appears?

 

[REDWOOD]

although the owner is not happy with them being there and plans a removal this winter which I am taking no part in

Is this the bee colony or the wasp nest?

What a waste of time either way!

RAB

It is the wasp colony he is not happy with and plan to dispose of this winter and to be honest with you I did not know they were there until he pointed them out to me. The only reason he want's to get ride off them is a few neighbours have had stings including himself and said they were honey bees as they were yellow and black lol

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

It is the wasp colony he is not happy with and plan to dispose of this winter and to be honest with you I did not know they were there until he pointed them out to me. The only reason he want's to get ride off them is a few neighbours have had stings including himself and said they were honey bees as they were yellow and black lol

Have him send me a fiver and I'll guarantee to get rid of them for next year

 

[madasafish]

Have him send me a fiver and I'll guarantee to get rid of them for next year

That's a brave statement. So if another nest springs up, you'll eradicate them for free?

How generous

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

That's a brave statement. So if another nest springs up, you'll eradicate them for free?

How generous

Aah! Now we need lawyers, you see, because clearly my contract was for the original nest.

 

[madasafish]

Aah! Now we need lawyers, you see, because clearly my contract was for the original nest.

And a lawyer would say: how can you guarantee the queen of the new nest was not raised from the offspring of the nest you destroyed?

 

[enrico]

There's nothing to remove anyway, no wasps in there in winter, just Hoover the whole lot up! Spray with smelly stuff and block entrance hole.....job done
E

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Back to the topic; was only there after dark, topping up feed, but watched a lovely big ?toad hanging out. I was looking for dead bees to see if robbing is a problem but I reckon he's had any there were, and had his eyes on all the slugs feasting under the OMF...

 

[madasafish]

All I have done is looked at the rain : despite that bees bringing in ivy pollen between showers.

 

[Mellifera397]

Rain stopped for an hour or so. Went in for five minutes to have a very last look at the stores situation after being spooked by the 'mild weather'. Everything is fine the brood chamber is packed with stores.

M