What did you do in the Apiary today?

[nonstandard]

and found all the bees clustered between the lifts and the brood box

A 'hole in the crownboard leaver-opener' I presume?

RAB

One presumes correctly RAB, but if you had read the post you would have realised that the crownboard hole was covered by a feeder; I use a single round 'feeder' hole and don't bother with Porter escapes. The problem was a slightly larger than necessary gap between the bottom lift and the tunnel strip.

I choose to run with the crownboard holes open because that's what suits me and works for me, I am happy to keep bees my way and am happy to let you keep them your way; as long as we both keep them healthy then I cannot see any reason for either of us to change.

 

[tonybloke]

been up to stoneleigh today, but I extracted over 50 lb of honey yesterday

 

[oliver90owner]

I am happy to keep bees my way

It does make me chuckle, though.

Carry on your way by all means, as long as you don't advocate these inane ideas as gospel to new beeks.

 

[Headnavigator]

Was going to help a friend move a rather stroppy hive early this morning - this was one of the umpteen stings I removed from my beesuit (many around my throat) after we gave up. Those removed from my flesh I did not save. We both found that many got into our previously secure (we thought) suits - one as far as my friend's bra, and it took ages to make ourselves bee-safe afterwards. I consider myself extremely lucky to have got away with only seven or so stings but I was well wrapped up underneath including neckscarf which was my salvation. When I got home and washed my suit the stitching on the zip failed and the whole front opened up - I hate to think what would have been the outcome had this happened a couple of hours earlier.
Moral: double-stitch all seams and zips on anything but the most expensive suits; further moral, buy expensive next time.

 

[Chris Luck]

Don't you have Velcro as well as zips? I can't imagine how you would secure a suit or top without it.

Chris

 

[Headnavigator]

Yes, at the neck, double-checked before I went out, and the b*****s still got behind it.

 

[Swarm]

Checked stores situation. Main colonies, 1 and 2 are looking good, added supers to both (hive 2 with last year's Queen packed to the roof with bees, now on four supers)
Previously did an AS with BB on a Snelgrove board with hive 3. Found and marked the Queen in bottom box, I planned to move these into a nuc box next time as they are only covering four frames but I didn't find a Queen in the top box and no eggs yet. See what happens next time, if still no signs I'll re-unite.
Checked status of the nuc I nearly lost, an early split from hive 2. I think I've been lucky. Marked the Queen and plan to apply another feed this evening.

Does anyone else find the plastic crown of thorns hard to work with? The plastic mesh is thick and positioning it for good access to thorax is quite meddlesome ... my eyes are not what they were but I still found the wire ones much easier.

 

[madasafish]

Warre hives

I though warre hives weren't supposed to be inspected, or have I got it wrong again lol.

Despite all that propaganda, if you want to know when to add another box, you have to check the previous one to see if it's full, or have physic powers...

 

[Chris Luck]

That's always an interesting situation madasafish with Warré and I often wonder how others get on with it. I just make an educated guess by colony activity, time of year and apparent numbers going in and out, (or trying to get in and out), which is probably not a very "educated" guess at all.

Anyway, I guess quickly removing the box(es) above the bottom one would revel everything you need to know.

Chris

 

[TOBY-3652]

Went through colonies and splits. 3 that i split on the 28th april was about to admit defeat and today all 3 had eggs. And the cast that i picked up on wednesday was also laying. Glad i took polyhives advice// patience patience

 

[DulwichGnome]

Despite all that propaganda, if you want to know when to add another box, you have to check the previous one to see if it's full, or have physic powers...

I find my physic powers are greatly boasted by having windows in the back of each box.

Mike

 

[beeboybee]

my first jars of honey...... pretty pleased

 

[PaleoPerson]

Needed to clear the access to one of my out apiaries. I have deliberately left it partially obscured for security reasons, but over the past few weeks it was difficult to get through with equipment.

First line of defense was Nettles, Giant Thistle and Giant Hogweed. The machete did it job although I had to exercise care with the Giant Hogweed.

 

[tonybloke]

inspected 4 colonies, saw a queen in each one ( 3 of them laying ) and put back the wet supers after extracting.

 

[ladyrose1956]

Visited Girls

Poped down to see the girls all was ok got feeder on one hive and are going to place feeder on the other but they all seem active just got to see and wait for the sun to come out

Bait hive still no sign of a passing swarm

 

[Peterwh]

Inspected a recent swarm. Found eggs and sealed brood for the first time. Inspected a recent nucleus. Found eggs and queen for the first time. Moved a frame of eggs from an established colony to a probably queenless one.

 

[nonstandard]

Popped down to check the feeders on my two swarms, pleased to see the WBC bees are now in the brood box rather than between the lifts and brood box. Good to see lots of activity from all hives due to the good weather fingers still crossed for my newly introduced queen.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Went down to the association apiary to meet an air of despondency - some b**%$@#s had smashed over one of the hives - three weeks ago on inspection bouncing with activity, two supers, a prolific 2010 queen with plenty of brood: now all honey robbed, brood all chilled out, dying bees all over the place and queen missing presumed dead, we're left with one frame of bees clinging on for dear life. It makes you realise that not only wasps have been put on this earth for no good reason.
On top of that, an artificial swarm from last week had failed - all bees abandoned the split leaving a few frames of chilled brood and two nearly hatched queens dead in their cells.
Still could be worse - could have been born English!!
The ray of sunshine was as we were packing up one of the stalwarts turned up checking how her new Nuc was doing and where we were going to site her new hive so she could get to it easily, she didn't mind the beginners inspecting it to learn the trade as long as she got her share of the honey in future (she's only 83 bless her!)

 

[Quatermass]

On Saturday had fun capturing a nice swarm 25 feet up an oak tree.Health and safety police would have gone nuts as the easiest way to get at it was in the bucket of the farmers mechanical digger!One of those is now on my christmas wish list...

 

[louiseww]

On Saturday had fun capturing a nice swarm 25 feet up an oak tree.Health and safety police would have gone nuts as the easiest way to get at it was in the bucket of the farmers mechanical digger!One of those is now on my christmas wish list...

On Friday I finally introduced my seven year old twin grandchildren to the bees, they individually helped me to inspect two hives. They were true professionals and were sensible and calm and only interested in what we were doing. I was so proud of them both. I am told that they will look after my bees when I get too old! ha!
Louise