What did you do in the Apiary today?

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Glad you are getting better. Don't overdo it...

Thanks.

One of these days I will possibly learn to listen to advice like that....

What I need to do now is show some interest in opening the ebay shop up again.. Its cost me a lot of money being ill..
 
Sold a swarm, made three supers, made about 20 frames... after noticing all my A/S are ready for supers. Will have to harvest just to reclaim some kit.

Have not looked into the colonies in over a week... hoping that, when I do, I do not see any new swarm preparation.
 
After work last night, had a look at a colony that I put a grafted queencell in 2 weeks ago. Discovered a lovely big queen, with some freshly laid eggs. Very pleased, looking forward to seeing what she's like next season. Debating whether to overwinter them as a Nuc or try to expand them into a full box. They are on about six 12x14 frames with a little bit of brood still to emerge from the original colony.
 
Fecked up big time; I am still very inexperienced and this was a learning point. In an apiary with a 5-boxer AND 5-frame nucs, I provided a robbing opportunity in a dearth. Stored some wet frames in a nuc but forgot about a tiny top entrance... I can't store them on a colony or they get refilled. Although, in this dearth, come to think of it...


Nothing to do but hope for the best and address it if it starts.
 
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Just had the Bee Inspector round for 3 hours, in the heat. Seen a few queens including one in a hive that I was sure to be queenless (seems the test frame got her going!) , marked two.

He seemed to be happy with my bees. All well behaved except for the last one.
 
A rhombus bee escape I was waiting for arrived so I made up a clearer board and fitted it under the top two supers on No. 1 hive plus I gave them another empty super as the lowest super is filling fast. The tower is getting uncomfortably high to lift full supers so I'll be taking the top two off tomorrow evening or Saturday morning.
I
 
My new hobby is starting to test my energy reserves thanks to the heavy supers full of honey. I have M.E. (Chronic Fatigue) and while I still have a surprising amount of strength in my muscles I have very little endurance. Since I am only going to be inspecting the hive every few weeks now I can probably handle doing all the work by saving up my energy in between inspections. Next year when I get another couple of hives I will have to get someone else to take the full supers off though as I would never be able to handle 3 hives as prolific as this one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvUbsaO33OA
 
Made up 30 more super frames, put the three supers on the hives. The lovelies all seem to be sealing their honey up. Each of the three large colonies has 3+supers full + other part-full supers. Shame I'm away this week!
 
Looking at deep frames and foundation now, it's all I have left. No empty boxes to give back as they've already had them. Last year was good but nothing like this year.
 
I have a visit due tomorrow, EFB 7Km away.
Looks like 3 hours or so too....eight hives (one a bit wild)
I cleared a super today and was dripping inside bee suit in five minutes
Good luck! Mine was a very nice chap. This is my 6th year and first time I have had one around, so I was a bit nervous. We both got absolutely drenched in sweat. Very thorough, obviously knowledgeable and patient. I have hive-tool envy now, he has about 7 different ones.
 
Lost about half a stone in the heat today, wrapped up in my bee-suit!

Checked half the colonies, will do the others tomorrow when I've cooled down. I saw my two new Buckfast queens walking around on frames of open brood so that was good - phew! :winner1st: Clipped and marked two others.

Squished 2 wax moths seen lurking under the roofs. The wasps are also starting to appear so wasp traps are now deployed 100m from the hives.

Thank goodness no swarm calls today - I've had 4 calls in 4 days down here..... Second wave methinks.

Jolly glad that I extracted some supers at the weekend. They are now needed to put back onto the stronger hives. I only produced a dozen jars of honey last year....this year is looking decidedly different! :) :) :)
 
Checking some new queens. One fail, have spares in mating nucs. Other seems promising.. All day around me black clouds, thunders and flashes - teasing me, not a single drop of rain. Seems I was like in the " eye of the storm"..

Forgot when going from apiary in the evening almost hit by the car Bambi's mum.. Surprise was mutual, we saw each other when we were about 1 meter near..
 
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I have a visit due tomorrow, EFB 7Km away.
Looks like 3 hours or so too....eight hives (one a bit wild)
I cleared a super today and was dripping inside bee suit in five minutes

All OK...phew!!!!
They are quick, inspectors, aren't they? Even my nasty hive got him only a few times.
 
caught a tiny swarm, checked our hives and they defo didn't come from us so maybe from a feral colony in the woods or some other beek nearby ...

it's looking impressive honey-wise this year!
 
state of hives

Left inspections till 6pm tonight as still quite warm here.

Hive 1 = unmated marked q put in on 26th june (today 22 days) no sign of q or eggs. patience.........

hive 2 = mark +mated q put in 7 days ago (in cage). cage now empty - q not seen (yet) no eggs, not really expected yet anyhow. patience..........

Hive 3 = unmated q put in on 26th june(same as above) (today 22 days)
q seen + eggs seen.


Hive 4 = has yellow 2012 q, was an AS (done on 19th june) received 10 frames of undrawn f, only has 3f brood= time for her to go!
 
Get home at 1030 tonight to find big swarm hanging from pear tree,I'm sure its mine as had a hive with what looked like a supersedure situation but tonight looks light on bees through the Perspex c/b,let's hope it's a prime
Resisted looking at the test frame in another colony today,going to wait until Monday.hoping it's q- now that I have this swarm to look out for
A bit p...ed off with myself for mis reading the q cell situation but two q cells side by side on the top of the frame caught me out
The big hive I have seems to be replacing the stores it managed to consume over the last 3 weeks
Going away for a week on Tuesday so iv got to make sure iv sorted out the trouble makers
Lots of uniting to be done when I get back
Lime trees up the village are flowering but obviously conditions aren't favourable as all flights seem to be away from the lime
 
Quick follow up to last post
Up early this morning,double checked the hive suspected of throwing the swarm and they are down to 3 frames of bees so here's what I did
Removed hive to new location removed a frame of brood and placed in new box on original site,transferred the swarm into this bb,qx and put the2 supers on top
Does this qualify as a A/S
 
My new hobby is starting to test my energy reserves thanks to the heavy supers full of honey. I have M.E. (Chronic Fatigue) and while I still have a surprising amount of strength in my muscles I have very little endurance. Since I am only going to be inspecting the hive every few weeks now I can probably handle doing all the work by saving up my energy in between inspections. Next year when I get another couple of hives I will have to get someone else to take the full supers off though as I would never be able to handle 3 hives as prolific as this QUOTE]


Very calm demonstration , a little hesitant (a good thing) other half equally calm as indeed were the bees. I suspect that like the swan ,serene but legs paddling furiously out of sight :)
I couldn't cope with the large frames with short lugs :)
Nice colony, filling supers well .
I expect further vids come extraction time ?
A pleasure to watch , I wish all inspections could go so well but be prepared and have a coat or bolt hole handy should the bees suddenly decide they resent your interference :)
Well Done !
VM


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