What did you do in the Apiary today?

[beeno]

Just recruited a 13yr old 'assistant' who lives at my new apiary site! He's a friend of Jimmys .........although sadly I cant get Jimmy himself interested! I have given this lad a nice overwintered nuc (headed by a 2013 Buckfast queen) to care for under instruction, alongside a full sized hive that I'll manage at the same time! I've said he can keep any honey profits from 'his' nuc as long as he looks after them for the whole season.
He's keen to learn so I've given him the Haynes Bee Manual for some light reading!
Fingers crossed it all goes well.
Happy days!

Hi Jimmys Mum,
Perhaps an added incentive would be to let them know that they can win themselves a place on the English team of the International Meeting of Young Beekeepers which takes place every year! Not many applicants either, so good chance of success!

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Hi Jimmys Mum,
Perhaps an added incentive would be to let them know that they can win themselves a place on the English team of the International Meeting of Young Beekeepers which takes place every year! Not many applicants either, so good chance of success!

That's interesting Beeno, I'll look into that, thanks.

 

[leonotron]

Put some fondant on my hive. Lifted the crown board to check where the cluster was and they seemed to be pretty big and spread out. Took some tape off the crown board hole and a load of them came out in defense, leaving me with my first sting of the year. At least I know they're big and strong following the winter!

 

[garlicpickle]

Took advantage of a sunny morning for a brief visit to the apiary. One colony was up in the fondant which I put on last month, the other colony hadn't touched theirs. Plenty of bees flying and orange pollen coming in.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Got the mould stains off my suit. Shed did a nice job in a horrendously wet winter but this winter suits find a spot in the house.

 

[Chris B]

Checked feed levels of 40+ minihives yesterday. 3 were deadouts but looked back at last years notes and found they were the exact three I'd written "Recheck" against as I thought the queen was suspect. Everything else looked really good and I fed them all. Once again it looks like I'm getting better winter survival from these minihives than in full sized colonies - most likely down to young queens.

 

[beeno]

Checked feed levels of 40+ minihives yesterday. 3 were deadouts but looked back at last years notes and found they were the exact three I'd written "Recheck" against as I thought the queen was suspect. Everything else looked really good and I fed them all. Once again it looks like I'm getting better winter survival from these minihives than in full sized colonies - most likely down to young queens.

Good message for newbies (which includes myself).

 

[Pete D]

Got the mould stains off my suit.

Hi,
what did you use to shift the mould please
thanks

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Hi,
what did you use to shift the mould please
thanks

Domestos 1 : Water 4 approx. A quick (local) application and rest for about an hour, then a long shower to rinse. The suit is white, otherwise it would now be camo. Domestos nearest thing I had to domestic bleach, which would have been cheaper, but the amount is tiny.

 

[chicken]

Took the rocks off the top of the hives, watched bees.

Ordered new kit.

 

[Heather]

Very quick look in rescued colony. Queen seen. Bees seem happy, closed up

 

[tonel]

Went to check on hive today as the sun was out and no gales for a change..happy to see orienting bees and seemingly foragers (water gatherers?) coming and going. Couldn't tell if any pollen going in (no beesuit so didn't want to get too close!). Feeling a lot happier, been worrying about them over the winter (typical newbie I guess), not seen much activity until today.

 

[hiveabee]

Had a quick look through the clear crown board I have on one of my hives. looks to be 7 seams of bee's. Going to make some more of the see through crown boards, they are very useful.

 

[victor meldrew]

All hives seem ok one very busy, it was the smallest at OA time! Hope it wasn't robbers . Even if colony is dead, robbers tend to fight each other!
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[maddydog]

Work took me near the two out colonies. Home early so managed to view home colony aswell. Really pleased to see all of them ordered and bringing pollen.

 

[pargyle]

Well, I didn't do it today ... I did it on Sunday ... I made a new non-sticky sticky board for my hive out of a piece of white melamine faced hardboard with a thin softwood frame around it and put it in my 'tray' ... I'm going to be inspecting daily for any varroa drop from now on so I've not greased it. I can just sweep the debris off after checking if there are any mites amongst it and start afresh each day.

This is in readiness for installing the Bee Gym in a week or so ... at present, the first couple of days have only yielded general hive debris ... no sign of any varroa yet - but I've never found any varroa in the past so I'm not surprised (although still a little perplexed at why my colony seems to defy the laws of every colony has mites !)

If the Bee Gym yields a varroa drop then perhaps there is something in it ? Time will tell ... I'll post photos when I get round to installing the BG.

 

[Roola]

Well, I didn't do it today ... I did it on Sunday ... I made a new non-sticky sticky board for my hive out of a piece of white melamine faced hardboard with a thin softwood frame around it and put it in my 'tray' ... I'm going to be inspecting daily for any varroa drop from now on so I've not greased it. I can just sweep the debris off after checking if there are any mites amongst it and start afresh each day.

This is in readiness for installing the Bee Gym in a week or so ... at present, the first couple of days have only yielded general hive debris ... no sign of any varroa yet - but I've never found any varroa in the past so I'm not surprised (although still a little perplexed at why my colony seems to defy the laws of every colony has mites !)

If the Bee Gym yields a varroa drop then perhaps there is something in it ? Time will tell ... I'll post photos when I get round to installing the BG.

Be interested to see your results.

 

[pargyle]

Be interested to see your results.

Yes ... I'm curious as well ... the colony has never been treated so it's a very 'clean' test ... and a good time of the year to be doing it as they start to build up ... Once I get going with it I'll add it to the other thread started on the Bee Gym ...

 

[Galaxy55]

Watched bees bringing in the first pollen of the year, interested to see the big difference in colours, most of it was white but some bright orange guessing that it is possibly from crocuses.

 

[chicken]

Watched bees bringing in the first pollen of the year, interested to see the big difference in colours, most of it was white but some bright orange guessing that it is possibly from crocuses.

All of the pollen mine were bringing in today was white too. What is that from?