What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Hivemaker.]

I'll be back on Monday to remove the tab from the cage. I'll let you know....

Did shake the bees from the brood combs and remove the emergency queen cells.

 

[kazmcc]

Did shake the bees from the brood combs and remove the emergency queen cells.

Yes, thoroughly Just a few play cups and we are positive we didn't miss anything.

EDIT - Dusty had been in previously and knocked them all down. We just made double sure today in case any were missed. None were.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Yes, thoroughly Just a few play cups and we are positive we didn't miss anything.

EDIT - Dusty had been in previously and knocked them all down. We just made double sure today in case any were missed. None were.

That is good, well done.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

That is good, well done.

With Hivemaker looking over one shoulder, and Kaz looking over the other, I wouldn't dare do a half-hearted job!

Dusty

 

[Marton]

HB streaks seen for the first time this year.

Wondering what to do with a late swarm from 3 weeks ago with no sign of eggs and whose queen I cannot find.


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[alldigging]

My pictures came out if you would like to see them. I always thought that tales of bees disliking phones was a load of old bee poo. Apparently not.

I would love to see them! I'm sure I'm not the only one!

 

[Goodwood]

Maqs on yesterday
All precautions taken....super for space, full entrance.
Horrific body count on the landing boards this am...bees i am sad to say, in the hundreds on some hives.
Counting boards -half in - revealed huge varroa drop but at a price....
Not sure how many of these colonies will be queen-right as a result.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Wondering what to do with a late swarm from 3 weeks ago with no sign of eggs and whose queen I cannot find.


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Wait for the queen to get mated?

 

[Firefly]

Last honey bottled. Cutting out all the considerable sound & fury in the middle:
2014: start - 3 colonies; end - 4 colonies; honey: 140lb
2015: start - 3 colonies; end - 4 colonies; honey: 70lb

Judging from the comments of some on here about their season, I think I should be satisfied with that. Some of the honey is the clearest and brightest I have ever extracted, so that counts as progress

 

[Marton]

Wait for the queen to get mated?

Is it not too late? All the colonies are ejecting drones.


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[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is it not too late? All the colonies are ejecting drones.


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You'll find there will be enough drones around for a while yet

 

[Erichalfbee]

Plenty of drones in my colonies this afternoon
Went to pop a test frame into a hopefully queen-less hive
Found eggs instead!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

as the weather was kind today, went to check a few hives - the one where the queen had sneaked into the supers now has her confirmed back in the BB (couldn't see her in the supers so I just shook them all into the BB) and laying like a train. Two more daughters of my old yellow queen confirmed laying and going strong - the youngest in the nuc on three frames, the one in the hive on six, both following their mother - no faffing around with a stores arch - wall to wall brood on each frame. Only another four queens left to check for laying now.Oh, and the little cast swarm I found a couple of weeks ago.
Regardless of the weather, the bees are still bringing in stores so supers are slowly but steadily filling - it's not winter yet!!

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

had a quick run through the supers on my 8 hives
had to add an extra super to 2 of them,four other have single supers but are filling out the frames well and the other 2 are already on 2 supers 75% capped so fingers crossed for good weather for another two weeks and ill get a good crop
200lb is my target to go with the 75 I got earlier in the year
might not have been a bad year after all

 

[B+.]

Found eggs instead!

Those drones are sneaky things!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ha ha. Not as sneaky as queens that cross their legs for five weeks

 

[gregior]

Checked mine after MAQS treatment last week,all seems fine,all queens laying well

Really good balsam flow on here too.

 

[B+.]

Ha ha. Not as sneaky as queens that cross their legs for five weeks

so long as they uncross them in the end, everything will be ok

 

[ianorsven]

Took the plunge....

Needed to check on stores in 3 hives and since the bees seemed to be in calm peaceful, just getting on with it mode, decided to go in without use of smoke. Pleased to find that with very gentle handling and patience the response from the 3 colonies was not really very different from usual. Have been more thoughtful about when and where to use smoke and this has added to my thinking.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That often works......
I always have the smoker to hand but rarely use it.