What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Glenviewbee]

Yesterday changed the Apiguard trays on the 3 colonies. One colony has very low drops for the 1st treatment period, the other 2 have much heavier drops.

The bees have been very busy during this September, taking advantage of the 'Indian Summer' that is happening down here in the Southwest. Temperatures during the day are up in the early 20's, but at night are dropping quite dramatically, resulting in mornings of quite heavy mist whcih takes a while to burn off. The bees seem to be working the ivy, but also clover which is flowering yet again, plus charlock (?) which is a fairly major weed plant in the cabbage fields surrounding us.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Put the second apiguard dose on the association hives - processed loads of wax

 

[Rio]

Made some DIY Api life Var. 8 grams Thymol crystals, 12ml isopropyl alcohol, placed in sandwich bag until crystals dissolved, cut strips of flower arrangers oasis and placed in sandwich bag to absorb the fluid over night. It'll be dead bees or dead varroa but hopefully not both. Don't try this at home kids!

 

[youngyoungs]

Changed the floor and brood box on one hive (rotten floor and 'emergency' brood box), so they are now settled for the winter.

Winter preparations for all the rest in the home apiary, removed queen excluders, nadired supers. Probably only one hive which needs supplementary feeding as I struggled to lift many of the brood boxes. These bees have been busy!

 

[pargyle]

Got stung ON THE NOSE !

My own fault really, I was stood watching them this afternoon - all three hives very busy (still not the full ivy flow though) temperature in the mid twenties. So .. there I was bees flying all around me, like I have many times, just watching and pondering whether it was time to start feeding - brain was only half engaged - and one of the little darlings landed on the side of my nose - I don't think she was being aggressive, my hooter was probably just a convenient landing pad but it completely took me by surprise and instinct kicked in .. went to brush her off and .. she must have seen it coming !

I expected it to be worse than it is .. just a little bit tender and only slightly swollen - that will teach me to keep my mind on the job ! And no ... I'm not feeding them yet.

 

[user 6228]

helped the bee keeper move a colony into something warmer than a modern beekeeping poly.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I am getting shockingly heavy drops on the colony I am treating with Apiguard; about 1,200 today, for about 2,000 in total. The other main colonies are showing 10-a-day natural drops, which is the same that the treated colony had pre-treatment so they'll need treating

As a new beek, I must say I am finding the insane ivy flow a bit too much of a good thing; I am juggling supers and treatments so as not to end up with a lot of fermenting nectar or unusable frames. If I give them a few frames above a beespace to rob down, they tend to fill it, for example. I may treat in my mid-summer gap next year.

 

[REDWOOD]

More apiguard

 

[malx]

General inspection today and I believe that the queen is still alive and laying!!

Saw a small patch of sealed brood and a few cells of larva so things are looking up.

Saw the Queen on all inspections before applying MAQs strips and then cannot find her for love nor money.

 

[Goodwood]

Trying to post pic of a crop being farmed down in Marloes / Martinshaven Pembs.
A field covered in shiny green knee high plants, covered in spines, with spiny flowers some white and some blue.
Havent a clue what it is.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Trying to post pic of a crop being farmed down in Marloes / Martinshaven Pembs.
A field covered in shiny green knee high plants, covered in spines, with spiny flowers some white and some blue.
Havent a clue what it is.

Phacelia.

 

[maxflex]

Spending money

Today, I bought 5 more hives from an old beekeeper who is very, very, very begrudgingly retiring. (Bringing my current total to 27 colonies) 4 of the hives are in pretty good shape and one is on the weaker side. I think I will over winter them and in the Spring, I'll chop 'em into nucs and build them up for next years production and some queen rearing - Michael Palmer style.

 

[Goodwood]

hivemaker thanks for quick response but - nope...its not that!


I can't post an image here I don't think - it has to be a new post

 

[user 6228]

I had forgot to put the landing/entrance climbing net on on of the floors that had gone into service. So I had retrofit it with bees in residence at 6 .45 this morning as it was causing chaos as they tried to climb the slippery ally foil. got 4 stings despite gloves and kit. They really don't like you shoving things in entrance do they?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They really don't like you shoving things in entrance do they?

That goes in many walks of life - they don't like it up 'em!

Cut up two sheets of kingspan to line some roofs which have come into use this year and for extra super-crownboard insulation come winter

 

[pargyle]

Stood and watched when I got home from work ... the smell of ivy around the hives is so strong you could almost gag on it. Bees very busy and bringing in buckets full of pollen but there were only a handful on the ivy on my garden trees which, at long last, is now in bloom.

 

[maddydog]

Swapped the remaining 4 standard roofs with deep ones made from kingspan with a corex outer. Ive made them to almost completely cover a 14*12, consequently the join between the two hives comprised of std deep double broods also have some protection.

All colonies were very busy but light so they each got 3l of thymolised 2 to 1.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees very busy ...............but there were only a handful on the ivy on my garden trees

I've noticed that the ivy is humming in the morning but by the afternoon there is hardly an insect on it.........till the following morning.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I've noticed that the ivy is humming in the morning but by the afternoon there is hardly an insect on it.........till the following morning.

My corner of London is one giant ivy feeding frenzy. The whole place smells of it. Amazing

 

[Erichalfbee]

My corner of London is one giant ivy feeding frenzy. The whole place smells of it. Amazing

My apiary would if it were not for the reek of thymol
I'll not make the mistake of only one MAQS strip again!