What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Goran]

There is a roof but no fire at the house near. ( Hives aren't by the house I live). In spring I will take good care around hives for this nuisance..

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Another day with bees out in appreciable numbers. Seems cleansing flights are todays tasks in the sunshine.

 

[VEG]

Getting another batch of honey ready for market on saturday

 

[Tim.S]

No girls around today so I thought I would go and heft which I have not done for a while. All good except one dummied down hive which when I compared it with another ordinary single brood seemed very light. So in spite of the cold I have put one of my emergency packs of fondant on, just to be on the safe side under an eke with an extra bit of Kingspan to bridge the gap between the dummy boards and roof slab. Cross fingers!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Good luck with this storm up North. Here on Heat Island, we had our first really decent ground frost last night; very clear and it started setting around 4:30pm. No air frost yet though, lowest around 2C. Dry too, so still beautiful autumn colours around the place. No bees, though; I think they're finally done foraging.

 

[Torq]

Checked the hives by torch light at 7am. Storm raging but hives in a nicely sheltered spot, all fine. Would hardly know there was a storm except for the noise!

 

[pargyle]

Lowest overnight temperature I've recorded in my apiary this year in sub tropical Fareham ... 0.6 degrees ... must be very protected as there was a frost elsewhere and it was very cold in the rest of the garden. Girls were actually looking out of the hive entrance at 8.30am but not venturing out of the periscope (polycarbonate door on it so I can see the entrance to the hive). Suspect they will still be out and about when the sun hits the hive, still showing no sign of clustering properly.

I think DerekM is right, they bundle up together when they need to and the rest of the time, if it's not too cold, they remain active ... lovely autumn morning down here and about 6/7 degrees already.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

... lovely autumn morning down here and about 6/7 degrees already.

Now v windy on Heat Island so be a bit prepared...

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Good luck with this storm up North. Here on Heat Island, we had our first really decent ground frost last night; very clear and it started setting around 4:30pm. No air frost yet though, lowest around 2C. Dry too, so still beautiful autumn colours around the place. No bees, though; I think they're finally done foraging.

Just been out recovering granddaughters trampoline and tying paving slabs onto various bits of garden furniture. Four fence panels popped out but they can stay out until the wind drops. Hives are all ok at present and strapped together. A couple of bees had been out and landed then rushed inside without stopping. I'm staying indoors now unless theres something desperate to go out for.

 

[Norfolk]

A bit windy here in Great Yarmouth today.
Not very gusty though, so maybe all will be well.

 

[madasafish]

55mph (claimed) here.

Nothing extraordinary. Not a bee to be seen... seen none for a week as 7C at lunchtime is highest temperature and odd light frosts . Nothing below last month's -3.5C.


Much warmer than 2012 - we had snow then ...

 

[beehive1234]

Picked up a bee from the National landing board this morning and placed her in a screw top plastic beaker. After an hour on a lagged pipe she was buzzing. Took her back to the landing board but she flew onto my hand and then my hair. Luckily as I walked away she flew back into the hive. First bee I have resuscitated.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

The most recent one I resuscitated was inadvertent; the poor DWV one I posted sbove woke up indoors. Good news is she was evidence of some mild hygiene. Bad news was I prolonged her suffering. That is a nasty affliction. Oxalic time.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

The most recent one I resuscitated was inadvertent; the poor DWV one I posted sbove woke up indoors. Good news is she was evidence of some mild hygiene. Bad news was I prolonged her suffering. That is a nasty affliction. Oxalic time.

 

[steve1958]

My Bees were out flying this afternoon, and bringing in pollen.
I did remind them that it is now December, but they didnt appear bothered by this

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Spring or autumn? Not clear, here on Heat Island.

So I went down with murder in my heart and broodless periods on my mind (oxalic in the fridge, not in my hand) to bump slap into... a well-populated orientation flight and a less-well populated housecleaning with no obvious DWVs. And now they're making a massive beeline on something.

I don't know...

<ADD>Now, with half the colony in the air, I suppose it might well be a cleansing flight. How does one tell the difference?</ADD>

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

<ADD>Now, with half the colony in the air, I suppose it might well be a cleansing flight. How does one tell the difference?</ADD>

At Brynmair we can tell by the amount of bee cr@p all over our two light coloured vehicles

 

[victor meldrew]

10.9C here at the moment .
OA treatment on hold until 2014
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Oxalic done

Turns out I was broodless (hopefully Q+ - gulp!, soOMG I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST POURED POISONOUS ACID ALL OVER MY GIRLS. Not completely convinced it was necessary, but a drop of 4 per day with no brood suggests there was something to kill.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Turns out I was broodless

How many full seams of bees?