What did you do in the Apiary today?

[einsteinagogo]

A quick check on the apiary, but no inspections today, colder and wetter day than yesterday, I got soaker walking through the wet grass to the apiary, and discovered my Hunter Argyll short knee wellingtons leaked, so a new pair ordered.

Felt a little tired today, no sure, if that's an effect of anti-hystamines yesterday wearing off, because I was stung on the back of my leg on my calf yesterday, a little sore, but no swelling, or itching.

I closed the vent on the Apidea, see if they will draw out frame 3, otherwise will swap 1 and 3 frames around later this week, providing it's warm, before 10am or after 6pm.

I've been labelling, and preparing for my first stall for local market, next week on Saturday. I've got clear runny, and soft set to sell, I've got some bunting for the table, and some props to take. I've also got two honey jars, runny and soft set in gift sets as well. Just need to print some signs, with prices and take some change for notes and coins.

 

[denise washington]

put 4 virgin queens in 4 hives last week had a look today all got out and running round frames just waiting for them to get mated now and 2 swarms a got 2 weeks ago has started laying so every thing ok

 

[MikeT]

Amalgamated a Q- colony which has turned out to be vicious, with a gentle nuc from a AS, Hopefully this will make a good productive colony.

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

Inspected all colonies today,strange to come away feeling happy with the results
2 colonies have new queens laying,put test frames in another 2
3other colonies expanding at speed
Found a 3 frame swarm on a plum tree that went into nuc first tap of the branch
And got a 4 frame swarm call in the afternoon,another easy catch
I

 

[Obee1]

Finally found my greenmeanqueen and despatched her via freezer. Destined to be made into queenlure. United the nuc containing newly bought bucky queen (who is now laying) with the mean ones colony. Now have a very odd looking hive tower with interspersed poly and cedar boxes and newspaper poking out.
Inspected my bucky colony. A joy to work. Lots of brood.
Checked my new swarm. Still no eggs and can't see a queen. Fed them again and admired the amount of comb they have built.
Looked at my daughter of meangreenqueen hive and decided they can wait a day or two for inspection. It was hot weather and I wore a full bee suit under a bee jacket in anticipation of vile bees. Won't be doing that again. Way too hot to work.

 

[Roola]

Checked two colonies at local church. Both really strong, just need a London flow now and I cam really see these delivering the goods.

 

[user 3509]

United one large Q- colony with a smaller Q+ colony, only to discover third colony on site has now gone Q-. Absolutely hopeless year so far. Any stores keep being eaten. Checking other apiary site tomorrow and I think I will have to unite two colonies there as one is Q- and didn't do anything with a donated frame of eggs. Feel like giving up it has been such a poor year so far.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Shook out a colony which has waited far too long for queen to mate and has just started laying workers. Popped down to Garn cottage - one nuc now with a laying queen, one hive with polished cells, another one again waiting mating.

 

[For want of a better word]

Checked apideas in Amm mating apiary... five of eight with queens and lots of eggs.
Three no sign of queen... bees happily eating CandiPol and drawing down comb.

Took ( yet another) swarm to isolation site.. collected from a compost heap... yellowest bees I have seen this year ( probably danish Hybrids) but will make do for making up apideas next year for Amm breeding project, if they get through the next winter.

Not in the apiary... but yet another rescue of Bombus hypornum... in flower pot hive ready for removal after the pub closes tonight...

What June Gap ?????... supering off and upwards already !

Yeghes da

 

[Erichalfbee]

Drone queen laying in brood half of Modified Snelgrove found and squashed.
Bees being reunited to their original queen.
Will sort the frames out on Wednesday

Actually did it today as there was a lot of newspaper on floor.
Stupidly put a small queen right colony under a much larger meaner colony but the queen has survived the onslaught....phew.

 

[bontbee]

Pulled three virgins then sat and watched bees working clover

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just come back from my friend's house with a swarm that moved into his garden bait hive over the weekend.

 

[Hachi]

Made enough frames for two more nucs. Checked for Q's in two swarms.... no joy!

Checked some swarms caught earlier in the season.... a laying worker and one down to a single frame. Bugger.

Still onwards and upwards

 

[Goran]

Today I was too proud and bit of vanity for a moment.. Someone from above reminded me on that fast.. I spilled a bucket of extra class BL honey ( never happen to me before).. I passed cheap.. Hopefully remain on that..

 

[Obee1]

Checked my colony undergoing a unite via newspaper. Had put an inspection board on to catch any pieces. Wow. They have made a complete quilt of chewed newspaper. Imagine they must have united by now. Will look in tomorrow to rearrange frames and check on New queen.

 

[Mrs Shoot]

Checked the small cold wet swarm collected Sunday evening (spotted a mated queen at the time of collection). They were looking much happier and warmer today spotted queen quite a light brown colour, she has already laid up one side of a frame.

Went to see the rest of the hives with the girl that works with us and a friend who is a new beek. 2 new queens in 2 of the nucs have started laying. Katy took some lovely pictures and the new beek had some hands on experience.

 

[pargyle]

I moved the swarm I collected from my neighbours garden with the red queen in it (not mine) into the new Paynes Poly hive ... they had built out four nice frames of comb and one that was half attached to the side wall ... my fault - I should not have put an empty frame (bear in mind I'm foundationless) on the end ... all the others were nicely drawn inside the frames. So .. there was a bit of honey in the comb so I made a bit of space in the new hive and put it in a dish so they can clean it out .. I'll move it out tomorrow and close the space up. Two nice big patches of brood on two frames so she has got her teeth into it ... an old girl if she really is 2013 so she knows how to do it !

Put another super on one hive as they have filled the first one.

Quick look in the other hives - the one that has a virgin in there has loads of polished cells but she's not laying yet ... nearly three weeks now but there's no sign of drone layers and the bees are very amiable so not panicking yet - loads of stores in there as well cells of pollen so they are obviously getting ready. Giving her a bit more time.

 

[madasafish]

Now recovered from 1.5 hives (After AFB destruction) to 5.5 due to swarm collections.

Lots of mating flights yesterday to judge from the sound of drones flying.

Showed newbies my rebuilt TBH after scorching by Bee Inspector . New mesh floor, new legs.. etc.. Three more to go and 110 topbars to make..

 

[bontbee]

Glad to hear you're back up and running

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Blackberry open all around me now; main flow time, I think, and have supered accordingly given decent forecast. Popcorn sounds from starter-strip boxes are encouraging.

By the way, I had drones LEAVING at 2015 last night (albeit one hour before sunset).