What did you do in the Apiary today?

[REDWOOD]

Quick inspection of all the hives at home - rain approaching and temperatures dropping so not all were friendly - got more stings in two hours with my bees than I got altogether in two months in Africa with African bees!
All colonies doing well - Demarree'd one colony and prepared two for moving to the out apiary.
Looks like Redwood did a proper good job of looking after my bees!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Second super on cedar colony and quick look into the two Baileys.....one week to go

 

[pargyle]

Watch it Redwood ... he's trying to wangle another trip or three ... He's buttering you up to become his UK Bee Slave !! (Good on you though - I hear he's a hard taskmaster when it comes to his bees !).

 

[busybee53]

Checked the nuc box containing my clipped queen. I found her below the hive entrance when she tried to swarm two days ago. Most of the swarm seem to have returned to the original hive. Great for me because the colony will still be able to make plenty of honey.

Very few bees stayed with the queen in the nuc though and they were just a small cluster in the corner. Gave them some syrup, sprinkled some over them just to make sure they knew it was there and put bubblewrap and polystyrene round the outside of the nuc. The next few nights will be cold and I felt sorry for them. Ah.

 

[ianorsven]

Checked situation in supers and added third supers to two hives. Shake test on several frames and no nectar coming out at all. Capping nicely!
Went through top BB of Demaree'd hive. One QC found and removed.
Bees very calm on this sunny fine afternoon - even though working the OSR hard.

 

[VEG]

Used my manchine to clear the rushes

 

[Hachi]

That is a serious bit of kit. Inspected 11 hives and finished now.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Used my manchine to clear the rushes

Could have done with that to sort my lawn out this week - swmbo didn't mow the lawns for me as she didn't know where the ignition key went!
Went to the PBKA auction

 

[einsteinagogo]

Bees in Apiary No.1 very active today, masses of foragers, the most I've ever seen out from this colony on OSR (I assume there would have been even more, if they'd not have swarmed last 17th April!), so currently on inspection hold for 3-4 weeks. Excellent day for mating flight, very warm, still, no wind.

Apiary No.2, smaller colony more active, than larger colony today, drawing new comb nicely from fresh foundation, taking syrup well now. Noticed brace comb between top bar and crown board on hive 2.

Put on smock, and nitriles, just to dead head the dafodills and dandelions around the hive, in Apiary No.1, and had a few friendly visits from the bees, that came to say hello!

Makes a difference, when it's warmer, compared to the "nasty beekeeper" inspecting the hive in the cold and wind! (unless Q is emerged now, and they are settling down).

 

[REDWOOD]

Used my manchine to clear the rushes

I could have done with one of them last weekend

 

[REDWOOD]

I wonder what this is growing in the lane behind my new apiary

 

[VEG]

After spending most of one day trying to tame it with a strimmer with a blade on, I decided a plan BEE was needed. Picked the machine up, from some place in oxford for a good price as the bearings were shot. Bought the replacement parts and away it went, its a great piece of kit. It will cut through just about anything in its way.

 

[dpearce4]

Got stung twice today. No reaction at all. GET IN THERE. YAY.

 

[REDWOOD]

I wonder what this is growing in the lane behind my new apiary

http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/flies2fishREDWOOD/media/2014-05-03180306_zpsea23b375.jpg.html

 

[VEG]

haha the bees will love it

 

[TOBY-3652]

Looked through colonies and in one on the last 2 frames. 5 queen cells 2 had hatched,, old queen not there.. I opend one and the queen popped out put her in nuc with 5 frames of bees[ out of another hive ] and opend the other in main hive, just to be sure'' how i missed them last time i dont know.. Book says all ok on the 26th of april then got a call about a swarm 20 mile away.. Good one as well

 

[stenibee]

inspected both hives found queen and marked in hive 2. hive one as it has swarmed only quick look. was always a angry hive but a little calmer now. a good day

 

[Erichalfbee]

Second super on cedar colony and quick look into the two Baileys.....one week to go

Oh and had to change one of the boxes. It was a home made MB 14x12.... badly made too deeply and what with the eke for an upper entrance the bees had made a lot of drone comb which was filled and capped.
The good news is that there is not a single mite

 

[Goran]

Time to worry at my place. Black locust started flowering, but heavy rains, wind and rapid decrease of a temperature. All my effort could become meaningless, also sad to watch such colonies "rotten" in a hives..

 

[Heather]

Didn't get near my apiaries... spending the weekend 'talking bees' at a BUZZ time in local big garden centre.
Observation hive + for first time... an apidea with a Tree Bumble Bee nest in. Joe P can look at the difference and stop calling us for 'swarms' to BB in bird boxes and compost heaps!!!
Off again there today, so hope voice holds out.. Even I struggle to talk non stop for 7 hours