What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Roola]

Buckybeast politely asked for more space beyond their double brood, so I popped on a box, over a QE, preparatory to Demaree. This colony has had a Hivemaker Q since September and is spectacular. Makes me wonder whether the others have nosema.

My 2013 Hivemaker Buckmachine has just gone onto double brood... she's incredible!

 

[B+.]

My 2013 Hivemaker Buckmachine has just gone onto double brood... she's incredible!

If you're using Nationals, I'd expect that. My Carniolans are moving into the second deep Langstroth too.

 

[itma]

Yesterday I inspected a few more hives. Gave one its second super due to bee-crowding.
Most have lots of stores left. I may yet have to be extracting some 14x12s. Its far from all crystallised - which is slightly odd as my late-August harvest produced a setting honey and none of these hives needed any syrup before Winter.

First day of the year that the propolis has been properly soft and chewy! And that I've had a problem with sweat running onto my spectacles ...

Also noted that the apple buds have burst in the garden and that (presumably due to greater nectar availability) there was (despite the warmer weather) much LESS traffic on the water in the bird baths.

A trip to Canterbury on Tuesday provided a telling microclimate example. 10C hotter driving 10 miles away from the coast!

 

[Obee1]

Made an increase

Split my double brood box hive. Moved the bottom box which had queen and 6 frames of brood with some supplies to new hive 10 feet away. I will feed this hive in about 5 days as foragers will be going back to original site. On the original site I left the top box containing 8 frames of BIAS and lots of stores (but obviously no queen). Then put a super on top of this box as there are so many bees foraging and not much room. As my queen is so prolific will probably need to double brood box her soon.

Now have fingers and toes crossed that Q- hive makes a queen and that there are drones around to mate her. Being in the city centre it is quite warm round here.

Obee

 

[Laz]

After finding my hive Q- and 4/2 sealed Queen cells on 2 different frames on my 1st inspection, 14/4, I returned and set up a “nuc” hoping to do a split, I returned 15/4 and found that “The Game of Thr@nes” had been played out. One hatched Q cell, all others being recycled by the girls, I shut up shop and will have to sit on my hands for the next 2 weeks, hopefully the virgin (I may call her Miss April) will get mated and settle down to be business of colony building.
So it’s living the bee life vicariously through my association and this forum for me, will I need medication (eg Vallium) to help control my “itchy finger” symptoms?

 

[madasafish]

So it’s living the bee life vicariously through my association and this forum for me, will I need medication (eg Vallium) to help control my “itchy finger” symptoms?

Gin and tonic will render you incapable of doing anything rash - if taken in sufficient volumes. Highly recommended.

Or go on holiday.

Gin is cheaper.

 

[Firefly]

Apiary notes 15 Apr 2015: Colony 3 - added 2 supers

Apiary notes 14 Apr 2014: Colony 3 - added second super
Apiary notes 17 Apr 2014: Colony 3 - queen cells!!

Hmm

 

[enigmatica]

Finally took the mouse guards off and got stung on the end of my nose for my trouble. I was suited up too!

 

[Laz]

Spot on reply, WILCO!

 

[Obee1]

Finally took the mouse guards off and got stung on the end of my nose for my trouble. I was suited up too!

Did they sting through your veil?

 

[Cussword]

Which is the more popular veil, the fencing type, or the traditional?

 

[maddydog]

Straightened out some buckled comb using rubber bands on my most aggressive colony,not too bad with copious quantities of smoke.

Added the first super to this and another strong colony. Not great forecast for the next week or so but OSR is about to bloom and I'm working in London for the next 4 days at least

 

[Floyd]

Killed my first Wasp!

Considering I am in the North West Highlands this is extremly early. Also the Cuckoo has arrived 2 week early than over the last 5 years. Will be back in the hives tomorrow.

Maybe the forcast for the hotest summer on record is showing some evidence.

 

[Goran]

Whole area is filled with smell of wild cherry, plum, wild pear flowers. Very strong and intense. But again as each spring in this time bees are hellish aggressive.. Only can wait to pass.. Lot of pollen from various plants, colors from yellow, orange, red, brown.. Strong flow of wild cherry, hives when open scent is seducing you.. But their aggressive stand spoils the moment.
Differences from colony to colony, gave space to queen, shuffled frames some. Soon will start with qe. For now are "hapily" through both boxes.. First extraction at end of April, beginning of May. My favourite honey..

 

[Firefly]

using rubber bands on my most aggressive colony

Tried this myself but the little blighters keep slipping out of 'em

 

[Tremyfro]

Split my double brood box hive. Moved the bottom box which had queen and 6 frames of brood with some supplies to new hive 10 feet away. I will feed this hive in about 5 days as foragers will be going back to original site. On the original site I left the top box containing 8 frames of BIAS and lots of stores (but obviously no queen). Then put a super on top of this box as there are so many bees foraging and not much room. As my queen is so prolific will probably need to double brood box her soon.

Now have fingers and toes crossed that Q- hive makes a queen and that there are drones around to mate her. Being in the city centre it is quite warm round here.

Obee

1 now 2 ....where will it end? Perhaps you will be building multi-storey Bee Parks!

 

[itma]

...
Also noted that the apple buds have burst in the garden and that (presumably due to greater nectar availability) there was (despite the warmer weather) much LESS traffic on the water in the bird baths.
...

Temperature back down below 12C this morning, and the birdbaths are once again crowded with bees ...

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Temperature back down below 12C this morning, and the birdbaths are once again crowded with bees ...

One or two pear trees have fruit buds opening, blackthorn is flowering, my apples not doing much yet re fruit blossom. A couple of fields of rape within two miles turning yellow and several more aren't far behind them. Dandelions flowering and setting seed. Had a glance in the hives while temperatures favourable to find two look quite strong but three others have a fair bit of catching up to do.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Long Live the (fainting) Queen

Those who read my post 13711 will be pleased to know that my queen must have fainted a couple of days ago when I marked her because, today, a lot cooler (13°C and breezy), I took a chance and had a quick look through the hive.

There on frame 7 was her majesty and easy to spot with the new marking! Panic over - now all I have to worry about is swarm control!

CVB

 

[Minxpinx]

The colony that I A/S on Wednesday swarmed today. Luckily they clustered in a tree in our garden so I was able to catch them fairly easily. I have put them in in a 6 frame poly nuc as that is what was to hand.
I will have to go into the hive where I had put the queen and see if there were any queen cells that I missed (I transferred the queen on a frame of brood that I thought I'd checked properly).