What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Hivemaker.]

There is an old thread with a bit about daffs below, there are also other threads on this forum some place.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=682

 

[Erichalfbee]

never seen bees working daffodils

Me neither till last week

 

[itma]

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.

If I had such a day, I'd be in there.
The weather here is cold and dull.


BECAUSE the bees have started brooding, AND the weather is unsuited to nectar foraging (though there is some blossom starting), I am getting concerned at the rate stores must be being consumed.
I really want to know what the stores situation is in the most active hives. Because brood is weighty, hefting now doesn't give a clear indication.
And the forecast for the next week is pretty chilly too. Not good.

 

[Erichalfbee]

BECAUSE the bees have started brooding, AND the weather is unsuited to nectar foraging (though there is some blossom starting), I am getting concerned at the rate stores must be being consumed.
I really want to know what the stores situation is in the most active hives. Because brood is weighty, hefting now doesn't give a clear indication.
And the forecast for the next week is pretty chilly too. Not good.

Indeed.
Chance of snow according to Countryfile.
I've put half a block of Nektapoll on each of mine

 

[midnight sun]

There is an old thread with a bit about daffs below, there are also other threads on this forum some place.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=682

Thanks Hivemaker.

These shortcuts may also shed some light.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(plant)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_pseudonarcissus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycorine

Not had time to study the articles fully yet, but a quick look suggests that the poison Lycorine is not in the pollen but in all other parts of the plant.
So why bees don't favour the plant according to many is still a mystery to me. Will have a good read when I get the time. Anyone else, please feel free. Regards Dave

 

[wessexmario]

If I had such a day, I'd be in there.
The weather here is cold and dull.

I had a look last week when it was 5 degrees warmer, still plenty of frames of stores (and have another super of honey stored in my shed if they need it)
air temp today only 9C so I left them to it.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Im thinking of locking my bees in tonight seeing tomorrows forecast to reduce losses as we might be getting sunny spells. & snow/hail showers :-(

 

[wessexmario]

I bet the bees can forecast the weather better than people can...

 

[pargyle]

Im thinking of locking my bees in tonight seeing tomorrows forecast to reduce losses as we might be getting sunny spells. & snow/hail showers :-(

I wouldn't ...let them sort themselves out .. interfering with them just stresses the colony - they know when it's safe to fly and when they should be at home. Locking them in is a silly idea.

 

[pargyle]

I bet the bees can forecast the weather better than people can...

+ 1 .. I KNOW bees can forecast the imminent weather better than we can .. I've seen them tramming home on a glorious sunny day (I wondered what on earth was going on) only to have the skies cloud over and the mother of all rainstorms come in within the next few minutes.

 

[jonnybeegood]

I wouldn't ...let them sort themselves out .. interfering with them just stresses the colony - they know when it's safe to fly and when they should be at home. Locking them in is a silly idea.

Unless theres an eclipse apparantly ;-)

 

[mbc]

Me neither till last week

Great picture, a first for me too, thanks for posting

(That goes for all the lovely pictures of bees foraging)

 

[Fatbee]

Im thinking of locking my bees in tonight seeing tomorrows forecast to reduce losses as we might be getting sunny spells. & snow/hail showers :-(

I've heard of coddling your bees but that's something else!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Unless theres an eclipse apparantly ;-)

Unless there is a total solar eclipse, like 1999 in the south, and then the bees all came piling back into the hives just as it was starting, the next one for this country is 2090.

 

[Heffy]

Hey All

The view on Saturday mid-dayish, lovely to see.

Cheers
Matt

 

[jonnybeegood]

I've heard of coddling your bees but that's something else!

Lol, it might be but ive got all my hives & nucs through my first winter with no losses by coddling them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Lol, it might be but ive got all my hives & nucs through my first winter with no losses by coddling them.

it ain't over yet!

Popped up to the carreg apiary - bees hoovering up the fondant now - noticed there's a fruit tree in what used to be my great great grandfather's orchard absolutely plastered in blossom

 

[jonnybeegood]

I removed fondant from my 3 hives this afternoon, checked weight & i would struggle to lift them, the supers i left on top (i know , i know, should have gone on the bottom ) were still full of honey & its not chtystalised, still runny so i removed all the fondant. I think i was a bit over cautious & after seeing Finmans post about them storing it i thought i would do it. There was fresh honey in a super frame i looked at, so maybe fondant? It hadnt been capped. How long does fondant last, will it keep for next year?

 

[madasafish]

How long does fondant last, will it keep for next year?

It will keep for years if properly sealed and kept in cool surroundings. And if it hardens, a mist of water will restore it...

After all, honey keeps for thousands of years and it is mainly sugar

Edit: I am feeding fondant which is two years old...not killed any bees so far

 

[jonnybeegood]

It will keep for years if properly sealed and kept in cool surroundings. And if it hardens, a mist of water will restore it...

After all, honey keeps for thousands of years and it is mainly sugar

Edit: I am feeding fondant which is two years old...not killed any bees so far

Thankyou, i will bag it & seal in a plastic box.