What did you do in the Apiary today?

[beebreeder]

Had to put three Nuc boxes back together, blew onto the ground, extra weights and all, they need fondant, bees getting through food so fast with this warm weather

 

[snoop]

Put roofs back on 3 poly hives out of 24 need Apibioxal next week if it stays cold

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

bees getting through food so fast with this warm weather

Where are you living - Tenerife?!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

A STUNNING inter-storm weekend so far here on Heat Island. May see some flying later.

 

[youngyoungs]

Weighed hives.

 

[sipa]

Checked all the poly hives and nucs after the storms, all still in place remarkably !

Fondant going on now, some lighter than others.

 

[jd101k2000]

I can't believe it. Both hives are busy today!
Glad I put fondant on them four days ago (and a drizzle of oxalic, yum).

 

[Swarm]

Nice sight.

 

[Erichalfbee]

A few of mine were out for a poo in the sun

 

[jd101k2000]

Nice sight.

Yes. Lovely. My first year. Every day they reveal a new wonder. (Including stinging my partner on Christmas Eve!). I was covering them in acid at the time.

 

[ichbinpaul]

It has been three day where I have not looked at them, but decided with this weather I had better just check them over!

Glad I did, moles had mined underneath two hives causing one to topple over and the insulated super with fondant had slid exposing nearly two inches of the brood box, these were ok though knocked up with cold, and walking further along I noticed my TBH roof had been blown off, I had not strapped it on thinking it was plenty heavy without, the girlies were pissed off but alive well the few that threatened me anyway, I sealed it up and strapped it down without further investigation, as it was blowing fairly, so the moral of this story is "check regardless of what you are confident about regarding you hives"

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
First OA done today on hive which was not treated in the autumn due to supercedure queen which was slow to get started. My hefting confirmed, they have stores for next two weeks at least, but will give them some fondant soon. Lifted two frames, one edge of the brood nest. Conclusion most probably broodless as none found and they still have stores. Lots of bees not pleased to see me - beesuit in soak. I was surprised to see on the broodnest frame a honey arch with diluted honey in large area below. Is this what they do in the winter just to eat or is this brood preparations? Also, poo on beesuit dried very dark. Anything to worry about? Thinking nosema here. However, bees very active after I opened up. Sent scouts out to defend. Had to warm up 50 bees to put back in the hive that got torpid!

 

[enrico]

Hi all,
First OA done today on hive which was not treated in the autumn due to supercedure queen which was slow to get started. My hefting confirmed, they have stores for next two weeks at least, but will give them some fondant soon. Lifted two frames, one edge of the brood nest. Conclusion most probably broodless as none found and they still have stores. Lots of bees not pleased to see me - beesuit in soak. I was surprised to see on the broodnest frame a honey arch with diluted honey in large area below. Is this what they do in the winter just to eat or is this brood preparations? Also, poo on beesuit dried very dark. Anything to worry about? Thinking nosema here. However, bees very active after I opened up. Sent scouts out to defend. Had to warm up 50 bees to put back in the hive that got torpid!

Beeno, wouldn't expect them to be anything else but brood less at this time of the year!
E

 

[enrico]

It has been three day where I have not looked at them, but decided with this weather I had better just check them over!

Glad I did, moles had mined underneath two hives causing one to topple over and the insulated super with fondant had slid exposing nearly two inches of the brood box, these were ok though knocked up with cold, and walking further along I noticed my TBH roof had been blown off, I had not strapped it on thinking it was plenty heavy without, the girlies were pissed off but alive well the few that threatened me anyway, I sealed it up and strapped it down without further investigation, as it was blowing fairly, so the moral of this story is "check regardless of what you are confident about regarding you hives"

To stop the moles put the legs on concrete slabs. I use large three by two slabs, stops the problem!
E

 

[ichbinpaul]

To stop the moles put the legs on concrete slabs. I use large three by two slabs, stops the problem!
E

Cheers Enrico, that seems to be what I must do, off to the garden ctr Mon!

 

[beeno]

Beeno, wouldn't expect them to be anything else but brood less at this time of the year!
E

Well that's the theory, I know, but that does not seem to be worth much a lot of the time on the forum. Also, been a very different winter so far from last year. Saw some fresh brood cappings under one hive so it will be interesting to see what's going on there on Monday!

 

[pargyle]

About 11.00am sat and watched for 20 minutes or so as there were quite a few of the girls coming and going ... only 6.5 degrees C but clearly active. Thought to start with that it might just be cleansing flights as the weather has been wet for the last few days but they were definitely out foraging ... making a bee line due North and coming back laden with something as heavy landings ... no pollen that I could see. Just hope they weren't robbing somewhere .... Temperature and relative humidity in hive had risen this afternoon so I'm hoping that it was nectar and they were ripening it !

 

[Erichalfbee]

Could they be bringing water back to use ivy stores?

 

[user 6228]

Building more trees to take measurements on this time from 20 mm PIR

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

To stop the moles put the legs on concrete slabs.

You got to catch the little buggers first - and how are you going to secure their little feet to the slabs?