What did you do in the Apiary today?

[pargyle]

I think the end of the world is coming ... getting very dark down here ... is it that I said the banned word last night ?

Seriously, just been watching the sky darkening and my bees are looking very confused - they were flying and they have just all come home ... eclipse about 60% here at present - but very cloudy so watching it on TV.

 

[bpmurray]

The clouds thinned for a few secs so I got to see it. If the bees use the sun's polarized light for navigation, I wonder what this does to them!

 

[Erichalfbee]

At farmers' market. Got bloomin cold and birds were quiet.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

At farmers' market. Got bloomin cold and birds were quiet.

The girls were all inside during the eclipse. I watched through my welding mask then turned the horses out. They seemed quite baffled as to why it had become light twice in one morning.
I noticed honeybees on the flower boxes at the village hall at lunchtime.

 

[Tremyfro]

It wasn't noticible here at all...certainly didn't go dark at all.
Pargyle.....see what you get for using the b.... Word?
Drag him off in chains!!!

 

[Jimmy]

Moved 3 hives to a new apiary on a farm. Unfortunately, the OSR has been ploughed in and the last 100m of the track is too rough for my car. Other than that it's a very promising site!

 

[wessexmario]

Moved 3 hives to a new apiary on a farm. Unfortunately, the OSR has been ploughed in and the last 100m of the track is too rough for my car. Other than that it's a very promising site!

sounds really good - difficult access means hives are less likely to be stolen or vandalised.

 

[Goran]

Rushed at apiary after work to see what is going on after winter. 17c, but strong wind and I just quick check at second sheltered apiary.. Fresh nectar and pollen, at smell mostly felt forest willow. Of 7 colonies I checked 3 on 4 frames of brood, 1 on 3 frames of brood, 2 on 5 frames of brood, 1 on 6 frames of brood, and one which is down on 2-3 seams has a queen and healthy worker brood of palm size at both sides of one frame, seems queen is failing, will sort it when have more time, but good sign is that is full of stores but not robbed..

 

[Jimmy]

sounds really good - difficult access means hives are less likely to be stolen or vandalised.

Agreed. The hives were Paynes polynucs and it was alarming how easy it was to move them compared to a full sized hive. No straps or entrance blocks needed, just turn the entrance disc and lift away.

 

[Fatbee]

Sad to see dead bees with full pollen baskets near the hive entrance. Imagine they got caught out yesterday by the changing weather back to very chilly and we're just to weak to get back in hive after their long winter. Hoping all is well - not been able to check because not getting the balmy weather that some parts of the country have had

 

[B Special]

Had a great time at 71st UBKA Annual Conference at the Greenmount Campus, outside Antrim. This was my first time at such an event. Interesting lectures and got stocked up with all the bits and bobs that I require this summer from the fantastic variety of trade stands that we're present.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Hard frost here this morning but by 10am the bees were out flying, lot to be said for poly hives & nucs.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

lot to be said for poly hives & nucs.

Such as? heavy frost here last night all twelve hives out flying early not much to add for wooden hives

Up at the association apiary at 0700 to shut all the bees up for the annual association spring clean-up more than usual to do today as I have a few ideas for improvement (which also involved re-arranging the feral beekeepers hives) so rather than just hang around waiting for the rest to turn up I got cracking we had a real good morning and really opened up the apiary to make it a lot more airy and sunny for the bees. Last job before letting the bees out again was to move one of FB's hive to its new location Redwood and I carried it with FB supervising - got to within a foot of the new stand when my hand went through the rather rotten solid floor which promptly collapsed distributing a load of already p!ssed off bees who had been shut in for five hours all over place. FB who wasn't wearing a bee suit thinned out (never seen a 70+ man run so fast in my life!!) followed by Redwood and myself. An exciting end to the morning if nothing else!

 

[einsteinagogo]

On the way to the apairy, I spotted honey bees on the daffs in my garden and at the roadside, maybe my bees!

Just come back from the apiary, all colonies active, and completing orientation flights, not much pollen going in, that I could see, I saw a few bees going into one hive, with pollen.

I think I should have probably worn my be suit, as there were lots of active bees, as I removed roofs, to check fondant levels, and peeked through clear crownboards. But I remained calm, and carefully removed roofs, and put them back carefully, without the usual clumsy attitude! Applied hive straps, and watched for 10 minutes.

Only one colony started on fondant, and another just started to eat fondant.

The weather is warm in the shade, a little cold breeze but little in flower anywhere, daffs in the lawn, and border are not out yet, only daffs in pots, iris and tulips out.

Some daffs at the roadside are out.

 

[wessexmario]

the sun is out and the girls are really busy, a cloud of bees to-ing and fro-ing with masses of pollen going in.
So much so I've had to move my usual seat next to the hives in the garden a couple of yards further away, they kept getting tangled in what little hair I have left.
Hopefully a sign of a good brood build-up (the pollen, not the hair )
Resisting the temptation to sneak an inspection, while it's sunny, the air is still cold.

 

[Cazza]

On the way to the apairy, I spotted honey bees on the daffs in my garden and at the roadside, maybe my bees!


Some daffs at the roadside are out.

Sadly daffodil pollen is poisonous as it contains lycorine so not great for bees.
Cazza

 

[Dishmop]

Took some pics.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sadly daffodil pollen is poisonous as it contains lycorine so not great for bees.
Cazza

never seen bees working daffodils - maybe they were just collecting water left after the dewfall?

 

[midnight sun]

Sadly daffodil pollen is poisonous as it contains lycorine so not great for bees.
Cazza

Tried to Google about the pollen being poisonous but unsuccessful. Could you point me in the right direction please as I'd like to read up on the subject. Thanks

 

[einsteinagogo]

Sadly daffodil pollen is poisonous as it contains lycorine so not great for bees.
Cazza

Thanks for this.

maybe that's why I've not seen them on the daffs!