What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jd101k2000]

Well, I saw my two colonies both out on a freezing day (well, 9.3C). Not sure what to do about feeding. I even saw some pollen going in!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Made a clear crown board for some friends who are just starting and hope to get some bees this spring. They might as well start with the option of looking in without disturbing the bees unnecessarily.

 

[oliver90owner]

-out on a freezing day (well, 9.3C

I hate to think what you call it when the temperature is zero or below!

9 C (never mind the impossible to guage 0.3) is half way to warm from freezing point!

 

[Jimmys Mum]

You can't beat the smell of opening a box of lovely fresh foundation! Just got to finish making the frames up now.

 

[jd101k2000]

-out on a freezing day (well, 9.3C

I hate to think what you call it when the temperature is zero or below!

9 C (never mind the impossible to guage 0.3) is half way to warm from freezing point!

Perhaps 'chilly' would have been more precise. I still did not think that they came out below 10C... and it was the weather station in the garden that was coming out with the impossibly accurate figure. There had been a family argument about whether it was 10C or less... so that .7 was very important ;-) I think that I may have to start using the Kelvin scale and confusing everyone. I believe it was 282.45K.

 

[user 6228]

Perhaps 'chilly' would have been more precise. I still did not think that they came out below 10C... and it was the weather station in the garden that was coming out with the impossibly accurate figure. There had been a family argument about whether it was 10C or less... so that .7 was very important ;-) I think that I may have to start using the Kelvin scale and confusing everyone. I believe it was 282.45K.

i 've seen them flying in numbers at 277K

 

[Hivemaker.]

Perhaps 'chilly' would have been more precise.

What temperature is chilly.

 

[VEG]

What temperature is chilly.

Just below coolish

 

[REDWOOD]

cold enough to cause shivering, clothed or naked I don't know

 

[Cars]

As I came round the corner of the field and the hives were in sight I disturbed a wood pecker that has successfully removed the entrance block !!!! Will be back tomorrow with some wedges to ensure that it is nice and tight.

 

[madasafish]

cold enough to cause shivering, clothed or naked I don't know

Naked beekeeping ? Sounds like a great idea..

I'll need a bottle of Bombay Sapphire to pluck up the courage/stupidity to try it.. And in this weather I would suffer from hypothermia in a few minutes..

The bees of course are not flying : it's cold and raining a little and

"O late late late, late is the time, late too late, and rotten the year;

Evil the wind, and bitter the sea, and grey the sky,

grey grey grey."

With apologies to TS Eliot and Murder in the Cathedral.. http://tinyurl.com/okr4nqw

 

[Chris Luck]

Bees have been going mental here for the last week, never seen anything like it at this time of year. I was concerned that the winter had been to mild, virtually no cold at all but very wet, however it seems that everything is hunky dory with perhaps only one iffy/weak colony.

Chris

 

[jd101k2000]

Well, did some night-time beekeeping. Having seen both colonies going absolutely mental all day, I went out - beautiful starlit night.

Listened to both hives. There was that gentle purr as they evaporate water off the nectar to turn it into wonderful honey. Can there be any more contented (to human ears) sound? Even beats the purr of cats.

 

[TBRNoTB]

Got my first (two) in Africa - went to open a hive with no gloves on! still, really gentle and no followers - the six spectators (unprotected and a few yards away) didn't get bothered at all by them

Hell of a commute to your Apiary!!

 

[Brian Bush]

I been in the apiary all afternoon. Raked up a lot of rubbish and removed a couple of fallen branches from the stream.
I have laid slab bases for new hives in the extension area and re-set a couple of others. All six hives in this apiary were flying well, bringing in lots of pollen. I counted up at the end and I had laid eight large paving slabs for individual hive stands and eight smaller ones for the larger hive stands that take 2 hives and a Nuc.
I got hot, I sweated and strained, I ache like hell and I feel good!!!!!

 

[VEG]

Bid on a tractor lol I must be getting old

 

[REDWOOD]

Bid on a tractor lol I must be getting old

Hope it's not an Oliver 90 tractor

 

[VEG]

no chance lol

 

[yellowrage 53]

bugger all do my 1st full day in a year at work happy days [did miss bees thor ]

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Shuffled frames to give the nest some expansion room. Winter fuel consumption in my poly was 5kg by an intermediate-strength colony and now I'm worried about swarming (the colony is really thriving abd is making drones). Boy that's a lesson learnt.