What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Fatbee]

Mahonia bush in garden alive with honey bees and bumbles. They were loving this rare balmy day - reckon it got to about 18 degrees. Paying for it now - pretty foggy outside

 

[bpmurray]

Took advantage of the warm weather to complete winterizing the hives, nadiring the supers (took me a while to work out how to do it for the poly hives, but found that an eke works well) and delighted to see loads of brood when peeking between the frames, including in one hive I had given up on so it's just as well I hadn't attempted to combine it! I reopened the entrance block when they quickly built up to a mob of pollen-laden bees queuing to get back in - I'll have to close them again later.

 

[pargyle]

Mahonia bush in garden alive with honey bees and bumbles. They were loving this rare balmy day - reckon it got to about 18 degrees. Paying for it now - pretty foggy outside

Ahh ... that could well be it ... one of my neighbours has a huge Mahonia in his front garden .. covered in yellow flowers ... the Ivy is finished in my garden but I saw that there was some still well in blossom just up the road. Although the honey smell was not ivy .. Ivy has a very distinct aroma in the hives (Putting it nicely !.....)

 

[Delgirl]

Took off entrance reducer - it's mayhem!

Girls it's November....... My ivy is still not out either. No sniping at insulation please. Awaiting delivery of nice black oilcloth to finish it off. Grocer grass at landing site seems to stop them drowning on their backs I have found. Will put back reducer at bedtime. Cannot believe I live in north Lancashire today.

 

[Fatbee]

Ahh ... that could well be it ... one of my neighbours has a huge Mahonia in his front garden .. covered in yellow flowers ... the Ivy is finished in my garden but I saw that there was some still well in blossom just up the road. Although the honey smell was not ivy .. Ivy has a very distinct aroma in the hives (Putting it nicely !.....)

They were back on it this morning very early - constant stream of foragers so a good bush to have (and looks good). The big patch of ivy on the fence was being ignored by honey bees but was alive with wasps and flies

 

[Tremyfro]

A beautiful day here in Glamorgan today. The bees are out in force. Lots of orange and deep yellow pollen going in. Took off an empty feeder...topped up another. Hefted a few of the hives and they are feeling heavy now.
Have fallen prey to the cold and cough going around we are now a bit behind with the autumn chores...hoping to soon be feeling better so that we can catch up whilst we still have good weather. How lucky are we to enjoy such a lovely autumn?

 

[linoleum bonypart]

18°c in my garden today....made up two maisemores supers and a brood....caught a drone in the house

 

[user 6228]

Girls it's November....... My ivy is still not out either. No sniping at insulation please. Awaiting delivery of nice black oilcloth to finish it off. Grocer grass at landing site seems to stop them drowning on their backs I have found. Will put back reducer at bedtime. Cannot believe I live in north Lancashire today.

it needs ... adjustment .. to be efficient

 

[snelgrove]

Beautiful day here loads of activity , had colder days in July. Bees struggling to get in and out, there is an entrance believe it or not

 

[Delgirl]

it needs ... adjustment .. to be efficient

The super on top contains 100mm Kingspan too if that is your concern plus has slatted floor above entrance?

 

[Erichalfbee]

21˚ hottest today.
Everybody busy on the Ivy and something very orange.
Rayburn has been on........................and off

 

[B+.]

This colony got missed when I last went through the apiary. It still had 3 Langstroth deep poly boxes on and weighed 120.80Kg (51.1Kg, 43.1Kg and 26.6Kg so the bottom box was pretty full too). I found the queen in the middle box. She still had plenty of brood for this time of year....so much for Carniolans shutting down for winter!
Lots of fresh pollen coming in too.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Very envious of all those who have been basking in the sunshine today. Only 12 degrees with a cool damp lingering mist in my neck of the woods.

Our cats delivered us the gift of 2 mice today (bleugh) which motivated me to put the mouse guards on the hives. Topped up the feeders on the 2 hives which are still taking it down. Hoping for a share of the sunshine tomorrow.

 

[nantmoel]

Put another two hoods and popped some fondant on them at the same time, they are working the Ivy like hell here, some also bringing in some bright orange pollen as well. It was 22 degree's outside my garage where I was making the hoods - crazy its November.

 

[Goran]

This colony got missed when I last went through the apiary. It still had 3 Langstroth deep poly boxes on and weighed 120.80Kg (51.1Kg, 43.1Kg and 26.6Kg so the bottom box was pretty full too). I found the queen in the middle box. She still had plenty of brood for this time of year....so much for Carniolans shutting down for winter!
Lots of fresh pollen coming in too.

Odd, even youngest ones mine have no any or only at one one frame 50-200 cells mostly capped. Older ones earlier shut down..
Temps around 13-14 celsius, rarelly bees go out. Some return with pollen. One was queenless had to merge.. Now have two boxes full of bees in one hive, hopefully it will unite peacefully.. Earlier I had such situation, and next season I barely manage to keep step with it. It was filling boxes with honey little to say fast..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

21˚ hottest today.

22.3 in Trawsgoed today - hottest in the UK and broken the previous recod which was set in Prestatyn in 1943 bees going great guns here, which is nice as a lot of the ivy has only just opened

 

[B+.]

Odd, even youngest ones mine have no any or only at one one frame 50-200 cells mostly capped. Older ones earlier shut down...

She's a 2014 queen (Carnica Celle) so is a little over a year old. My younger queens didn't have any brood the last time I checked but I have a 2013 (C-03) queen which had more. It may be that the different trunks respond differently

 

[Goran]

She's a 2014 queen (Carnica Celle) so is a little over a year old. My younger queens didn't have any brood the last time I checked but I have a 2013 (C-03) queen which had more. It may be that the different trunks respond differently

It is very interesting. Here is almost "rule" that older ones shut down with brood earlier. Bees are wonder.

 

[B+.]

It is very interesting. Here is almost "rule" that older ones shut down with brood earlier. Bees are wonder.

Its unseasonably warm at the moment Goran. They're getting out and collecting fresh nectar/pollen. It may be this is why there is still brood

 

[Goran]

Many variables, I am still with little years of experience, hopefully in future will be more clearer. Will pay atention on this more in future. Thanks for the info.