What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JohnSB]

I did my first artificial swarm. Go me!

 

[kighill]

Received a few stings.

Went through half the colonies this morning no Problems, sheer joy.

This afternoon was a little different, whilst holding a queen for marking a Bee from a neighbouring colony appeared to be attacking her. Tried to shake it off, got stung, lost the queen.

Whilst going through another hive and holding a full frame in my hand I received another sting on my fingertip, dropped the frame upset the bees mobile went off foolishly removed veil got another sting behind my ear.

It is unusual for me to drop a frame of bees, but it was a very good sting.

On a brighter note I found the 'lost queen' twenty minutes after dropping her.

I decided to mark her another day, when I get the feeling back in my fingers.

 

[Heather]

Checked my out apiary bees after nearly 3 weeks away. All well, except one looked light of bees.
Another 'old' beekeeper has a couple of hives nearby- and I heard on the grapevine one had demised (not surprised as very mismanaged- but he is poorly and giving up), so I was concerned that there was robbing by my bees when I saw bee activity at the entrance of the brood box that was still there. Had a peep in to allay my fears- or jam up the entrance he had left.....
The empty box had a small swarm in- only been there a day - so I removed them to a clean Nuc box. - bonus visit! and confirmed that one had swarmed whilst I was careering along the Atlantic in a Catamaran.
Wish this room would stop moving - felt fine on board.

 

[Skyhook]

This afternoon was a little different, whilst holding a queen for marking a Bee from a neighbouring colony appeared to be attacking her. Tried to shake it off, got stung, lost the queen.

Whilst going through another hive and holding a full frame in my hand I received another sting on my fingertip, dropped the frame upset the bees mobile went off foolishly removed veil got another sting behind my ear.

It is unusual for me to drop a frame of bees, but it was a very good sting.

On a brighter note I found the 'lost queen' twenty minutes after dropping her.

I decided to mark her another day, when I get the feeling back in my fingers.

Kighill, can I ask what gloves you use/if you use gloves? Due to my lack of finesse it's not unusual for me to get stung on the hand; but through marigolds i'ts pretty minor.

 

[freethorpe bees]

The best inspection ever in the history of my beekeeping career this morning. Both hives virtually ignored me, both queens laying really well and stores seem to be picking up. Tried the icing sugar trick so will check the varroa trays tomorrow evening.

 

[tonybloke]

The best inspection ever in the history of my beekeeping career this morning. Both hives virtually ignored me, both queens laying really well and stores seem to be picking up. Tried the icing sugar trick so will check the varroa trays tomorrow evening.

Told you to be patient, Janet!!

glad you had a good day with the bees.

 

[kighill]

Checked my out Apiary, introduced 4 Buckfast Queens last week.
Checked the four Nucs and found three with Buckfast Queen present.
Large Queen cell in remainder, removed same and placed a frame of eggs into Nuc from one of the other Buckfast Nucs.

Also removed a few frames of honey from Main hive for spinning out.

 

[freethorpe bees]

Told you to be patient, Janet!!

glad you had a good day with the bees.

Thanks Tony! I only used smoke once on one of the hives to move them out the way when putting the qe back on. Apart from that no smoking at the entrance or while inspecting, they didn't need it.

Taking a honey cake to work tomorrow!

 

[richardbees]

skyhook

"Kighill, can I ask what gloves you use/if you use gloves? Due to my lack of finesse it's not unusual for me to get stung on the hand; but through marigolds i'ts pretty minor."

I find yellow marigolds just aren't enough anymore = once one has stung another one, or more. usually joins the fun. I'm onto the Sainsburys £3.40 heavy duty lined ones.

rich

 

[TOBY-3652]

Extracted 50lb of honey . 3 hives have now produced 230lb this year. Another 800 and i mignt just break even

 

[MuswellMetro]

just added an extracted supper to my only really calm bee hive for the bees to clean, just slipped a half top suit on rather than a full suit, no problem i thought

stretched up to lift up the extracted supper, ping.....stung on the belly as the half top and my T shirt rode up

must loose weight, it would not have happened if my beer gut was smaller,

at least i have reached that stage that bee stings dont swell but just itches like blazes

 

[Mike a]

Finally got round to doing the basic exam, a few years late. In all the excitement and exam pressure I made a couple of school boy errors with EFB and acarine diagnoses but all in all not to bad.

Smoker was next to useless, but thankfully misting with water did the job fine.

I thought it seemed a little strange I was the only one to receive my certificate on the day though..

My mum is so proud

 

[richardbees]

Brilliant!

thanks Mike

 

[tonybloke]

well, just been to collect a swarm, they're all tucked up in a Nuc at my beekeeping students place

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What didn't I do!?
Spent a pleasant morning at the association apiary, four hive inspections (most still suffering from the vandal attach four and two weeks ago )
1. Strong nuc with newly emerged (superceded queen) transferred to brood box two weeks ago now flagging a bit so back in nuc.
2. victim of first vandal attack where queen was lost still struggling after two failed test frames so hoping to find a queen cell to introduce
3. strong colony now receiving third super but very tetchy and obvious attempts to build supercedure cells (none with eggs or larvae in) so the opinion is that queen is sickly due to vandal.... etc.
4 Good colony, found two QC's with larvae uncapped on one frame - whilst getting grafting kit third capped cell found so moved to hive 2.
An interesting and informative morning.
SO..
Back home refreshed and itching to inspect my own sole hive (and an outside chance of adding a third super) nine days from last inspection:
Top super almost full and cells being capped but second super half drawn with plenty of room. so went to inspect brood - brood wall to wall on nine frames saw two waggle dances (my first ever) and not one, not two, not three but ten capped queen cells I was told the chances of a first year queen swarming were rather slim (cue loads of posts ' bees do nothing invariably etc!)
So here starts the old Norman wisdom rushing around getting sorted (luckily I have an empty brood with foundation hanging around half a mile away in a vain attempt at attracting a swarm)
So first ever A/S - probably squished a few too many queen cells (some accidentaly as I forgot I have a mixture of Hoffmans and spacers.) and I've gone from one hive with an urge for another next year to hopefully two and a nuc (I risked a double split as the colony was so strong) I know, another stern posting!!.
And did I go straight down the pub, no, quick shower and to chapel (then to pub!!) sorry for the long post but I've been dying to tell someone who will have some idea of what I'm babbling about.
Can't wait now for a few weeks time to see if any of this worked - i'm so excited I almost felt like a real beekeeper!
But all said and done, it's been a very relaxing day

 

[tonybloke]

inspected 4 of my colonies, one has 3 supers ( 1 capped, 1 nearly capped, 1 being filled) with 9 full frames of brood, going great guns!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well afetr a frantic afternoon yesterday, went out the back door (to walk to the hospital for my first physio session on my bad back to find they had swarmed up into one of my apple trees. Quickly (well sort of) nipped up the tree, reached the swarm and shook it into a box, went to physio when asked do you do any excercise 'well i do swing off the odd tree.
Back home they'd gone up the tree but this time I managed to box them properly
just finished re-hiving them on fresh foundation. and so to bed

 

[Mike a]

Had a very good day.

NoSmoking (Richard) came over to look at my Top Bar hive as well as help me shift a few full 14x12 chambers I couldn't manage by myself on the sky scrapper colony so I could check the mesh floor and remove the jammed varroa tray which has been stuck in place since last year.
Earlier in the year I A/S two colonies to give to new bee keepers and ended up combining them as they both failed to raise a new queen. 6 weeks ago I gave a them a test frame and they managed to raise a new queen and I was pleased to see she is now laying.
Slight issues with the top bar hive, one of the combs was crossed over to another bar, so I carefully cut along the under side to bend it back, unfortunately I cut to deep and the weight of the stores caused the comb to fail and break away. I was a little upset at what I had caused but the comb only had drone brood in it and most of the stores should be recovered.
We then drove to his house and had a look at his top bar hive, they are expanding nicely and are looking very good.

PS. Thank you Richard for all your help, I had really pleasant day working with the bees. Its nice to finally get out and about again although I'm paying for it now as my back has seized up.

​

 

[kighill]

Nothing in my Apiary but I have had a pleasant time visiting a couple of beekeeping friends at two different Apiaries.

Whilst visiting I marked and clipped three queens.

I was given a jar of home made Plum jam and a very large jar of spicey Chutney for my trouble. BONUS

 

[hiveabee]

Just sat and watched the bees coming and going doing their thing. I am interested to know what plant blue pollen comes from?