What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

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

Yes, you need it in - but just for t'Apiguard to work rather than to count the mites - it's handy to know how much of an infestation you had though ( my counting consists of 'ooh that's a lot!' or 'not much mites on these little babies' rather than actually doing a census!) of course you'll get some comics who'll spend ages poinlessly working out how many were phoretic or generative.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Quick check on apiary, and top up feeders, it's getting darker, must get to apiary before 7pm in future...

Started stacking all the un-used supers and brood boxes back in the bee-shed, noticed a lone bee on a roof, later I felt quick stabbing pain to my hand, I thought I'd caught my hand on a nail, and spotted a bee, and sting in my hand! I think I must have disturbed it when moving the roof, and it stung me, and no reaction!!!!

So three stings this year (so far!), and not one from my bees in my Apiary! (not that I know off,or I was not stung in the Apiary!)

1. At BBQ stung in temple on head (5 miles from Apiary!) - forehead swelled, and eye closed
2. Catching a swarm, a lone bee stung me bottom of leg through sock! (30 miles away from Apiary) - bottom or leg/ankle swelled slightly
3. Today, putting roof in bee shed! (1 mile from Apiary!) - no reaction!

 

[maddydog]

Took off the supers from my remaining four colonies. Nothing added in the last 6 weeks but I'm not surprised as all colonies have young queens in and have been building up numbers. The honey in one hive has an amazing blackberry taste, fortunately I just managed to remove the supers before they filled too many gaps with ivy (tastes like wet grass imo ugh!)

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

. However this board is literally covered with translucent white parts (pupae remains I think, from looking at other posts). .

Wax flakes? Great news if so.

 

[Samurailord]

Yes, you need it in - but just for t'Apiguard to work rather than to count the mites.

Thanks - like I said, I'm on a very steep learning curve right now, in fact I think I am just starting to realise exactly how steep it really is!

Andy

 

[itma]

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

As long as one has a sealed coverboard, then the need for a roof vent is minimised.
However for the 'open hole' crownboard types, a roof vent will probably help to eventually dry up some of the roof-rot-causing condensation that they will inevitably suffer.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

However for the 'open hole' crownboard types, a roof vent will probably help to eventually dry up some of the roof-rot-causing condensation that they will inevitably suffer.

And get as good stiff breeze going in the wind tunnel they've created!

 

[beeno]

Another very warm day. Bees very busy, lots of capped brood and Ivy stores. At this rate I will not have to feed this year for the first time. It always amazes me how every year can be soo different with the 'little darlings'.

 

[Rio]

Put 2 six frame nucs into two dummied national hives. Eight frames in each national now. Fed both. Ivy flow in full swing and hives very busy.

 

[yeogi75]

checked over 8 nucs to get ready for the winter, and put feeders on empty ready, inspected last week and took some mouse guards with me as last year got pestered with them, found 3 with mice already in and four mice in one box, bees all the at top of frames, just caught them in time will have to do this job earlier next year, got eight hives to check as well better take more mouse guards, just getting wasps and robbing starting busy time ahead me thinks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Took delivery of a ton and a half of invert syrup

 

[Tim.S]

Four out of six hives have had their last Varroa treatment and all have very good stores on them. At this rate I will only need to have some fondant on hand for possible emergencies this year instead of having to feed syrup which is a first for me. Of the other two, one has a test frame in to confirm it as queenless. If that is the case I will break it down to spread the workers into the other hives. The other hive is still on four boxes (three deep and one shallow (it was eight in the summer)) and is heaving with bees so no chance of reducing to two deeps for winter yet. I am sure they will get around to reducing numbers eventually, when it suits them of course!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well, apiary related, met a guy in a motorway service station carpark and exchanged a wad of twenties for a few K's of the good stuff

 

[beeno]

Well, apiary related, met a guy in a motorway service station carpark and exchanged a wad of twenties for a few K's of the good stuff

Well, that just proves it. You never know who you are talking to on this forum. They will be 'knocking on your door next'.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Managing an insane ivy flow. Any frames I put on to get them cleaned up have ended up filled; a bit worrying in some regards. Buckybeast is growing, despite my best efforts, from 3 medium nationals to 4. I even had to make up some frames. All for medicinal concrete. But I am not inspecting and have no interest in losing a swarm.

Mites on the 2 non-Buckybeast production colonies; irritating, as there can only have been one source. Apiguard on tomorrow.

1D is due to emerge this weekend. Still drones about and a good forecast so fingers crossed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well, that just proves it. You never know who you are talking to on this forum.

A high proportion of weirdos on here - more than one obviously not unfamiliar with mind altering substances as well

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Watched one of my hives swarm this afternoon! A lovely sight to behold. Luckily they ultimately decided to hang up under the OMF so it was a nice easy job to bang them into a new brood box.
Went through the source hive, brood on 9 frames and every spare inch rammed full of stores. There were only 3 queen cells, looking suspiciously like supercedure cells - on the face of the comb, one sealed.
This was a colony with a July 14 buckfast queen, last inspected 3 weeks ago and as they were ticking along nicely, I thought it would have been the final inspection then! I have had my eyes opened to how a vigorous new queen, fabulous warm dry weather and a strong ivy flow can change things in such a short time.

So in a state of mild panic I checked through all the other colonies. No more swarm preparations seen but a distinct lack of space everywhere. I nadired most hives with a super of unripe stores taken off last month. At least that should give them a bit of room should this ivy flow continue for much longer.

I certainly don't foresee any need to feed this autumn!

JM

 

[Hachi]

Well, that just proves it. You never know who you are talking to on this forum. They will be 'knocking on your door next'.

Well, apiary related, met a guy in a motorway service station carpark and took delivery of a few Kee's in exchange for a wad of twenties.

Very nice man he was too; not your usual honey addict

Roll on 'til next year's meet

 

[beeno]

Well, apiary related, met a guy in a motorway service station carpark and took delivery of a few Kee's in exchange for a wad of twenties.

Very nice man he was too; not your usual honey addict

Roll on 'til next year's meet

That made me laugh Hachi! (Had to look up Kee though).

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well, apiary related, met a guy in a motorway service station carpark and took delivery of a few Kee's in exchange for a wad of twenties.

I thought is was Keys like in the Arlo Guthrie song

a distinct lack of space everywhere.

JM

Most of mine are like that and four now have nadired shallows. I put a drawn but empty one under a unite I consolidated yesterday.