What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Dilligaf]

Learned 2 lessons today.
I have had a busy morning doing some repairs on a leaded window for a friend and Set up late to check the bees. One hive is doing very well & I wanted to check them as we are down for rain tomorrow.
Lesson 1, Look up before opening a hive. I had already mentioned we are due for rain tomorrow. Well, I opened them up and was unable to lift 2 supers off together. Looks as if I am going to be extracting next week. Got down to the brood box and suddenly the hive went mental at me, Quickly started to re-assemble the hive and the rain started. Fat rain, got heavy very quickly. This is a normally fairly placid hive, I don't think they like the rain much. .
Lesson 2, It has been hot & humid here today. I was wearing T-shirt & shorts when I decided to sort the bees. I put my suit on as normal. When the bees decided they did not want to be rained on, 4 stings to one arm, through the suit. Back to properly dressed from now on. I took at least 2 dozen stings out of the suit and it is currently being washed. I am typing in an effort not to scratch.

 

[Swarm]

Returned five supers after extracting. Khaleesi's lot had drawn and filled their super so gave them another.
Wonderful temperament with every colony.

 

[REDWOOD]

Returned five supers after extracting. Khaleesi's lot had drawn and filled their super so gave them another.
Wonderful temperament with every colony.

Surely your bees are not dragons

 

[Swarm]

Surely your bees are not dragons

But she is gorgeous

 

[Erichalfbee]

You know, that is the answer. If I named my queens instead of numbering the hives I might be able to keep a track of things......especially this year.

 

[richardbees]

Inmates still alive inside

Erica,
Typo, or had you left the attendant workers inside?

which might explain,

richard

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I always leave the attendants in with the queen and have never had a problem

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Definitively saw eggs for the first time (reading glasses on). Which is good because I:

Took Q- nuc from hive of my first locally-raised excellent Q.

Tasted some (lime) honey from my first sealed frame. Tasty: bit light.

Started to impose order on Buckybeast: put a QE below top box with view to lowering it through the stack putting fullest frames above to leave 2 of 5 boxes below by say mid-August.

Bees were in a SHOCKING mood: garden was untenable. So we knew the thunder was coming.

 

[Cazza]

Up early to extract more honey.
I really do not want any more this year, some will go back for winter stores. That's a first.
Cazza

 

[Rmcpb]

Saw some pollen coming in, it's the middle of winter here so not much going on, though the wattle is flowering.

Cheers
Rob

 

[Anduril]

Saw some pollen coming in, it's the middle of winter here so not much going on, though the wattle is flowering.

Cheers
Rob

Wattle, that brings back lovely memories of OZ, enjoying wattle ice cream in Queensland.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Inmates still alive inside

Erica,
Typo, or had you left the attendant workers inside?

which might explain,

richard

Yes, I did; Always have and no problem before.
When I picked the cage up bees were feeding the queen through the remaining holes. I'm hoping they will be OK. I have more hives to look at today so might sneak a quick look.
I can add that of the holes that were free no attempt had been made to seal them up

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Nothing! discretion is the better part of valour.
See my Attack attack Attack post.

 

[yellowrage 53]

hi guys just had a look in hive three with three supers on they are filling up nicely but when i got to the bb there was not one egg !!!!!bees was storing honey/pollen so i take i need to do some think p.d.q can anyone help

 

[Jimmy]

MAQS went on yesterday so took a walk over to see how many bees bearding(lots last year). .

How did the MAQS go? I also applied the week commencing the 4th July after some varroa affected brood capping and also to give me the freedom to do some late summer splits/moving to the heather/feeding without the complication of autumn varroa treatment to fit in as well.
Definitely induced a brood break in all the hives treated.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

when i got to the bb there was not one egg !!!!!bees was storing honey/pollen so i take i need to do some think p.d.q can anyone help

Any sign of queen? queen cells?

 

[Erichalfbee]

How did the MAQS go?.

Check colonies today.Every one OK. No brood break at all. Much better than last year. This year I had more supers on.

 

[Jimmy]

Check colonies today.Every one OK. No brood break at all. Much better than last year. This year I had more supers on.

When I removed the MAQS I had sealed brood and eggs with nothing in between. Significant varroa drop on the hives that I monitored in the first 48 hours and it's done a good job of killing the weeds in front of the hives.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Bees got inside my suit somehow so I got stung a lot.
One hive had gone mental and wanted to kill me.
Had to use two bee suits to close them up.
Presume it's because they were low on space but they have shown no interest in the super I gave them last week. It's foundation as I have no drawn comb so I removed the QE to see if that helps.

 

[yellowrage 53]

Any sign of queen? queen cells?

no nor drone just stores