What did you do in the Apiary today?

[gregior]

I'm already there and have been since I started but ... if you have a really significant mite load at present .... rather than going down the OA Trickling at Xmas route I'd seriously consider buying, begging, borrowing or making (not that difficult) an OA Vapouriser and give them a couple of doses of OA Sublimated .. one as soon as you can get organised and one five days later. You will find that the drop from this treatment is very impressive and it does not seem to affect the bees at all ... No harm doing it now as there will be less brood in the hives and you will knock down about 90+% of the mites that are there. Plenty of threads on here about sublimation ...

As for next year .. well .. that's a choice you have to make .. but it is possible to be treatment free and still have healthy bees.

Hi Pargyle

I would love to go the sublimation route,but my bees are in the far end of a field and can't get a vehicle down there for power,are there any battery powered sublimators on the market?

 

[Erichalfbee]

all colonies bringing in white pollen (holly)

I have absolutely masses of holly here but it blooms in the late spring. Do you think it might be sarcocca (christmas box) I have a large shrub in the garden, beautifully scented and the leaves do look hollyish but not a bee on it

 

[YorkshireBees]

Hi Pargyle

I would love to go the sublimation route,but my bees are in the far end of a field and can't get a vehicle down there for power,are there any battery powered sublimators on the market?

AFAIK Most if not all sublimators are 12v

"The power source can either be a 12v car battery of 40 Ah or more, other type of accumulator, or a car cigarette lighter used with a seven metre extension lead."

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi Pargyle

I would love to go the sublimation route,but my bees are in the far end of a field and can't get a vehicle down there for power,are there any battery powered sublimators on the market?

They all are - just get a 12 volt battery and connect up to it. I replaced the battery on my 4WD this spring as it was unreliable and use the old one vor vaping - It's not excessively heavy, I charge it up before starting and carry it up to the home apiary (can't get a vehicle close enough to the hives) and it holds enough charge to do a dozen hives.

 

[BrianO]

Nipped in to have a peek at colonies on way from meeting, 3 Nationals 4 Nucs, all with lots of activity.... loads of pollen coming in.

What a cheering sight !

 

[Tremyfro]

Topped up a feeder for the last time today. The bees are all out collecting deep yellow pollen. It's so mild today and the wind has dropped. I am sure winter will come eventually but I have to admit that at the moment the weather is very pleasant! Also, it has given us a chance to get the roof up on the new stable barn. All water tight now and the inside walls can be started. Sadly, some of the roof came off the hay barn during the high winds last week.....so another job to do!

 

[beeno]

I have absolutely masses of holly here but it blooms in the late spring. Do you think it might be sarcocca (christmas box) I have a large shrub in the garden, beautifully scented and the leaves do look hollyish but not a bee on it

Hi ErichA, Yes, they are holly trees and they did flower in late spring as well. A lot of plants have had a second flowering this year in my locale.

 

[ratty4moley]

Nipped in to have a peek at colonies on way from meeting, 3 Nationals 4 Nucs, all with lots of activity.... loads of pollen coming in.

What a cheering sight !

Cornwall here.... also a fair amount of pollen coming in.... yes a great sight on this grey day.

 

[Millet]

Hi Pargyle

I would love to go the sublimation route,but my bees are in the far end of a field and can't get a vehicle down there for power,are there any battery powered sublimators on the market?

I use a small 12v 20ah battery that can easily be carried.

 

[Goodwood]

Gregior - I have a brand new and un-used Heilyser vaporiser for sale. I bought it a few weeks ago from the States but as I have 20-30 hives to do, I changed my mind, swallowed hard and invested in a Sublimox which is quicker. It is the fully wired version and can be seen on the Bedillion Honey Farm website under Hive Health tab. PM me if you are interested.
http://bedillionhoneyfarm.com/store...porizer-oxalic-acid-vaporizer-fully-wired-kit

 

[Goran]

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

Last week mostly we had frosts and day temps 10-14 celsius, this week up to 23 celsius. On Sunday I opened couple hives, not all but most had still on a frame or two sealed brood about palm size and what surpised me eggs and very young larvae. Young 2015. queens.
Have to start again with taking notes, but in the evening I am exhausted..

 

[gregior]

Gregior - I have a brand new and un-used Heilyser vaporiser for sale. I bought it a few weeks ago from the States but as I have 20-30 hives to do, I changed my mind, swallowed hard and invested in a Sublimox which is quicker. It is the fully wired version and can be seen on the Bedillion Honey Farm website under Hive Health tab. PM me if you are interested.
http://bedillionhoneyfarm.com/store...porizer-oxalic-acid-vaporizer-fully-wired-kit

yeah i'm interested PM sent

 

[Hivemaker.]

AFAIK Most if not all sublimators are 12v

They all are - just get a 12 volt battery and connect up to it.

There are a few makes that are 240v.

 

[Thymallus]

It is the fully wired version and can be seen on the Bedillion Honey Farm website under Hive Health tab. PM me if you are interested.
http://bedillionhoneyfarm.com/store...porizer-oxalic-acid-vaporizer-fully-wired-kit

Loved their OA sales pitch "We only offer oxalic acid for sale as wood bleach (99.9% pure oxalic acid) and include it for free with each kit. Great for bleaching top bars and other woodenware."

 

[For want of a better word]

Twilight dash to recover three of my most productive colonies from the gardens of a micro hotel. Owner was not impressed with the 6 jars of honey I gave her, said she had to have ALL of her honey to sell... despite getting 20 jars earlier in the season to sell on her open gardens charity day...... and free pollinating service for all the flowers and specimen and rare plants... and a bumper crop of apples this year!
I had agreed one pound in weight of honey per productive colony when I put the bees there 2 years ago.

Just opposite the Railway Station Terminus at the top of the greatgreygreengreasytamarriverallsetaboutwithsocialhousing... on the Cornish side!

All is not lost as nice man who owns the apple orchard... almost next door, phoned me this morning to ask if he could pay me to pollinate his orchard for next year..... as he saw me taking the hives away.
He said he had a bumper crop of apples for the first time this year.. and put it down to my bees.

Yeghes da

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Twilight dash to recover three of my most productive colonies from the gardens of a micro hotel. Owner was not impressed with the 6 jars of honey I gave her, said she had to have ALL of her honey to sell... despite getting 20 jars earlier in the season to sell on her open gardens charity day...... and free pollinating service for all the flowers and specimen and rare plants... and a bumper crop of apples this year!
I had agreed one pound in weight of honey per productive colony when I put the bees there 2 years ago.

Just opposite the Railway Station Terminus at the top of the greatgreygreengreasytamarriverallsetaboutwithsocialhousing... on the Cornish side!

All is not lost as nice man who owns the apple orchard... almost next door, phoned me this morning to ask if he could pay me to pollinate his orchard for next year..... as he saw me taking the hives away.
He said he had a bumper crop of apples for the first time this year.. and put it down to my bees.

Yeghes da

Dave

Will you do the new orchard apiary as a paid pollination service or just regard it as a free apiary?

CVB

 

[BrianO]

Planted some snowdrop bulbs ( g.nivalis ) close to hives under trees , in time will naturalise .

Late winter forage.

 

[Goran]

Weather calm, sunny, warm, no wind. Beautifull autumn days.. which I spend in closed, cool space ( current job).. I fear it will end as waiting Godot..
Managed only briefly late in day to just see few remaining bees enter the hives in sunset..
Still didn't sold the honey
I must ask my wife if I have written " Ab Norman" at my forehead..
I wonder what are my sins.. Maybe is the biggest I was born..
Unbelievable..
Jesus..

 

[For want of a better word]

Dave

Will you do the new orchard apiary as a paid pollination service or just regard it as a free apiary?

CVB

Strange one... chap only wants the bees in the orchard as pollinators.. then taken away as he has grand children that play there and their mother is "very allergic " to honeybees.
I have no idea what to charge for the service... but at least he will not want "all the honey"!!

What would be a fair rate????

Yeghes da

 

[For want of a better word]

Weather calm, sunny, warm, no wind. Beautifull autumn days.. which I spend in closed, cool space ( current job).. I fear it will end as waiting Godot..
Managed only briefly late in day to just see few remaining bees enter the hives in sunset..
Still didn't sold the honey
I must ask my wife if I have written " Ab Norman" at my forehead..
I wonder what are my sins.. Maybe is the biggest I was born..
Unbelievable..
Jesus..

Been watching Henry Cole ride his Triumph Mettise motorcycle around your country... looks like a nice place!

Yeghes da