What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Itchy]

Submitted, but lost out because some items sold out while I was "pondering"

 

[cjhart2]

come on into the dog house mate better make room for more lol

Told SWMBO I saved a fortune , works every time . Forgot to mention how much i spent .!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Stood in the apiary wondering where I could put the nuc of Welsh Nees ordered for the spring and wished I had more room in the bee shed for stuff I'd ordered from the sale.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Applied OA to my hive hefted hive

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[starflex]

Did the OA treatment for my final polynuc first thing this morning; spent the afternoon in the man-cave making up frames.

 

[youngyoungs]

Stood in the apiary wondering where I could put the nuc of Welsh Nees ordered for the spring and wished I had more room in the bee shed for stuff I'd ordered from the sale.

Just pressed the buy button, confirmed the order, may now have to petition for more room in the garage.'

 

[Hachi]

Had a paddle down the somewhat rain soaked garden to look at the hives. No flyers out in the cold and wet but occasionally a bee could be seen standing in the entrance before going back inside.
I went shopping to Goole and bought a 2' x 4' of 1/8" perspex for £6, brought it home and cut a piece out to make a clear crownboard for the old WBC hive so I can see into it as easily as my 14 x 12s. I'll swap it over as no 1 springtime job when things wake up

Where did you get that fella? I'd like to make a few up

 

[Itchy]

Yes, I cant seem to find any good priced acrylic or polycarbonate

 

[pargyle]

Yes, I cant seem to find any good priced acrylic or polycarbonate

I bought mine from these people:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6mm-thick...560?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27cf9b04c8

If you drop them an ebay message telling them the size you are looking for they often have offcuts that are not listed. It's probably not worth the postage (£7.50) unless you are buying a few sheets but the product is very good and they are very helpful. I bought a couple of sheets that were 500mm x 1200mm that gave me enough to do my hive and another one I'm building over winter.

 

[Goran]

Today was very nice weather ( around 14-16c), bees at hazels like is spring, bringing pollen till late in a day. Brood definitely started, I gave fondants ( first this winter).
Here is more like the spring than winter and I am worried about it not just the bees, more and more afraid of droughts this year.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Where did you get that fella? I'd like to make a few up

Small local business called Carlisle St DIY. Stack it high and sell it cheap. It seems to be entirely staffed by the entrepeneurial family.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Saw some flying in the inter-storm weather yesterday, and felt able to sneak a peek under the clear crown board. More tightly clustered than at any stage [I have seen] this winter, despite warmer conditions and hive activity. I think I read somewhere on here that poly-hive colonies will cluster about now to achieve brooding temperatures so, as I learn, I'll pop the board in in a couple of weeks to look for evidence.

 

[beeno]

I think I read somewhere on here that poly-hive colonies will cluster about now to achieve brooding temperatures. QUOTE]

Hi TTLTGB,
That sounds interesting missed that thread. May explain why I found a frame of diluted honey next to brood nest and me thinking the cluster has not moved much. Pls PM me if you find this nug of information.

 

[whoosling]

Have always bemoaned the fact that I have a birthday so soon after xmas, not this year, have just spent a pleasant hour or so at T......... sale choosing my birthday presents.

 

[Stiffy]

Righted a Poly Nuc which had blown over in wind and picked the first Daffodils of the year, springs on its way
S

 

[beeno]

Have always bemoaned the fact that I have a birthday so soon after xmas, not this year, have just spent a pleasant hour or so at T......... sale choosing my birthday presents.

Not so bad. With a big wish list, what you did not get for Christmas you might get for your birthday. Happy birthday to you and me shortly!

 

[Jimmys Mum]

I finished counting the varroa drop after having finished an 8 week Apivar (Amitraz) treatment on Boxing day. I think that the warm weather has helped with treatment efficacy as the bees will have been more mobile within the hive (and over the strips). A grand total of 0 mites over a 7 day sampling period. Hooray! Fingers crossed it means I have very few left in there and that I haven't got hundreds still tucked up inside sealed brood!!

I will continue to monitor and be prepared to do an additional Spring treatment if necessary, but I'm going to skip the OA and leave them in peace now. Get brooding ladies!

Also I took delivery of another polynuc bought in the sales. Most of my kit is cedar but I love these nucs. I block off the internal feeder and then add 2 extra ekes, one to carry kingspan and one to comfortably take a feeder if necessary.
Right......best get painting before the T's delivery arrives.

Roll on Spring.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have always bemoaned the fact that I have a birthday so soon after xmas, not this year, have just spent a pleasant hour or so at T......... sale choosing my birthday presents.

Touché

I spent my birthday afternoon shopping similarly, once the initial frenzy had died down and the website was working

 

[stephenpug]

, springs on its way
S[/QUOTE]

 

[Moggett]

OA the colonies yesterday including the nuc I moved to the garden. Since moving it in November I have never seen varroa on the drop tray. After 24 hours just two dead varroa and the bees have been flying again this morning. However, plenty of bees in it and I suspect there may be some brood.

I always place the plywood nucs inside a WBC in winter and insulate around them to help stop heat loss through the sides.