What did you do in the Apiary today?

[YorkshireBees]

Not strictly in the Apiary, but just finished final extraction of the year!

Very pleased with the results.

 

[Bosleeu]

Checked most of my hives today - most seem ready to be settled. Last young queen seems to have started laying, and I was surprised to see one colony still had about half a frame of drones waiting to emerge.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I put a few uncapped/pollen frames in a shallow under a colony late this morning and locked the bees in and out.......the entrance block turned itself over.
Went to feed another at 7.30 and spotted lots of bees trying to get in and a good number under the OMF.
I could kick myself for not checking earlier.
By the time I'd filled the feeder a good number had found their way back in.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I did not remove the plastic tab covering the fondant but will do so tomorrow by which time I hope the nuc will accept her. Is this what you would have done?

i think its the safest way of queen introduction

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Hived Augusta onto double brood from her double-brood nuc. They've had her lay a bunch of drones, still sealed. So probably within a few weeks of her starting to lay. I counted six frames of brood. All not bad for a 2 August emergence.

Also cleaned up after the queen change over the weekend that involved a colony unite.

All good, but I might have scared the neighbours: I didn't use much smoke on the hiving and they made a HELL of a racket.

 

[pigletwillie]

Applied Apiguard to five colonies today. Lots of bright yellow pollen being brought in. A sixth colony was upgraded from a nuc where it made itself at home in July into a full sized national yesterday. Lots of brood over five frames and very little stores so today I added a feeder in an attempt to get them to draw out the new comb. Unfortunately I have no drawn comb spare.

 

[Laz]

Can you report back and let us know if it works.

I have a slug problem with my hives, had thought about using copper tape either on the floor or on the stand, but never actually got round to it.

Just an update, we've had several damp, cooler mornings recently, my hive stands on limestone chippings with sandstone paving in front under opening, there have been many silvery trails on the paving, none seem to have ventured up the legs of the stand or beyond. I nadir-ed (real word?) an extracted super a week ago, no slug trails or signs on OMF or woodwork. Copper tape &/or chippings seem to be discouraging the molluscs, fingers still crossed though.

 

[beepig]

Inspection reveals

Went in to Check all three colonies with local experienced BKA apiary manager. All was well until opened my brood and a half colony, the one that has produced all the honey this year. We found more than six sealed queen cells. Oh grief.... More than likely swarming has taken place as no eggs found and grubs about five days old.
Other two colonies did have sealed drones, but will my new emerging queen manage to get it together ready for winter.
Unnsure why this has happened as i re-queened this colony earlier that summer.
If i give it three weeks and then check for eggs...
Will it be too late to add a new queen?
It is still very warm fortunately
None of other colonies should need feeding as plenty of stores.

 

[Amari]

Supersedure seems more likely at this time of year. Were the Qcells in the centre of the comb(s) = supersedure-type rather than hanging down from bottom of comb = swarm-type? What did your 'experienced manager' think? Similar has happened in my apiary and I leave them alone and usually colony is Q-right in the spring.

 

[beepig]

Both types unfortunately. will check in a few weeks. little else i can do eh?

 

[Amari]

I nadir-ed (real word?) an extracted super a week ago, no slug trails or signs on OMF or woodwork. .

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=439578#post439578

 

[Laz]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=439578#post439578

Ok any English (language) buffs out there? I was trying for the past tense of a noun used as verb (irregular?)

beyond my 'C' grade O level

 

[Samurailord]

Inspection boards should only be in when inspecting (durring varroa treatment and maybe a week sometime before



Why was it open to begin with?

The hive has been on open mesh all summer, the varroa board has only gone in while we are treating so we can check the drop, after which we will revert to open mesh again for the winter.

The top of the hive has never been left open at all - you seem to be mixing up my statement and Amari's advice?

Andy

 

[Erichalfbee]

Both types unfortunately. will check in a few weeks. little else i can do eh?

I wouldn't bother even doing that.
Have a look in the spring.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The hive has been on open mesh all summer, the varroa board has only gone in while we are treating so we can check the drop, after which we will revert to open mesh again for the winter.

The top of the hive has never been left open at all - you seem to be mixing up my statement and Amari's advice?

Andy

not sure - all I recall is the statement 'close the roof vents' and I'll still ask why were 'they' open (or why have them) in the first place.

 

[Samurailord]

Also remembered (just) to reduce the entrance down to its winter configuration and to replace the varroa board under the mesh.

Andy

Many would advise not leaving varroa board on over winter but close roof ventilation by putting an insulated board (Kingspan, Celotex etc) under the roof.

These were the original posts - Amari mentioned closing roof ventilation whereas I said i was putting the Varroa board under the omf.

My roof is and always has been firmly on and strapped down with no vents what so ever!

Andy

 

[Glenviewbee]

Apiguard has been on the 3 hives for a week now - took the opportunity to have a look at the collecting debris on the boards. 2 of the colonies have a scary number of mites on the boards after 7 days.
The other colony (which was broodless for a fair while this summer due to swarming and VQ taking a very long time to get going and then being united with another long time broodless Q- colony) has practically no mites on the board. However this board is literally covered with translucent white parts (pupae remains I think, from looking at other posts). Also quite a lot of very small black particles - possibly earwig faeces which could explain the lack of varroa mite debris.
All 3 colonies have been gathered out in numbers at the front of the hives since the Apiguard has been on.

 

[itma]

…
My roof is and always has been firmly on and strapped down with no vents what so ever!

Mr Jenkins' concern relates to holes in your 'crown board', not the roof.

And standard (wooden hive) practice is to have waterproof and insect-proof vents in the roof - often seen as rectangular 'dents' leading under the metal.
Paynes polys don't have any roof vent (if fitted properly!) and their unfortunate flimsy coversheet has but two redeeming qualities - transparency and the lack of hole. A rigid clear no-hole coversheet with beespace beneath is a very much better item.


I would be concerned that you are keen to measure the body count, which doesn't really reflect the success of the treatment - merely the scale of the pre-existing problem.
The success of the treatment is measured by how few varroa survive. Which you'd check a little while after finishing treatment.

 

[Samurailord]

Mr Jenkins' concern relates to holes in your 'crown board', not the roof.

My crown board has a single hole, which is currently covered. The only time I have uncovered it is when I have had a feeder above (the circular plastic type with inverted cup)

I would be concerned that you are keen to measure the body count, which doesn't really reflect the success of the treatment - merely the scale of the pre-existing problem.
The success of the treatment is measured by how few varroa survive. Which you'd check a little while after finishing treatment.

Ok, so do I not need the varroa board in during treatment, but it should go in the week after, for example?

Please forgive the noob question but this is my first season with a colony - on a very steep learning curve right now.

Andy

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Mr Jenkins' concern relates to holes in your 'crown board', not the roof.

.

No - Both! Don't have vents in most of my roofs (most of us are misguided but grow up eveltually) I believe we're the only country in the world who bother with that nonsense. Don't get trouble with mould or damp either