What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Mike a]

Added three supers, and found a flow on at 17C.

No sign of HB pollen on the bees which is disappointing as it was conspicuous at this time last year.

Honey amounts have increased this week despite the weather and a reasonably substantial take seems on the cards.

Long may it last....

PH

HB - I have a note in my records for last year 29th July - Spotted my first ghost bee, HB must be in flower now.

Honey - I noticed some of my hives have been busy since my last inspection and brought it a fair amount more.

 

[Hivemaker.]

HB must be in flower now.


Been in flower over here for nearly two months now....never seen it so early.

 

[psafloyd]

Marigold?

Could be. We have a lot of them on the allotment as a sacrificial plant.

 

[witchcraft]

Went off and completed a full inspection of both of my hives, my 26th Jun swarm is now on seven frames of brood in a fully drawn BB with no interest yet in the super. My older (April) colony is massive and a bit mean, following and loads of bees in the air, they have two partially filled supers which makes me think I might still get another few lbs of honey out of them, before the feeders go on, to add to the 40 odd lbs I have already had from them. I'd re-queen them but I have never seen the queen yet in that hive which makes that a bit problematic.

 

[madasafish]

Went out am, came back at 11.45am, phone cal from neighbour.. "your bees have swarmed,, in the cherry tree, I assume you know?"..

Carnies! What a pia.

Waited till all quiet, shook most of swarm into correx box, cut down branch , shook bees into box.. all rehived by 3pm.

I'm going to requeen to ?.. lots of queen cells in hive: none when I inspected 12 days ago...

Anyone want some free carnie queen cells when they are ripe next week?

 

[witchcraft]

Now found out I have to move the hives as my land owner has been stung - well done girls...

 

[tonybloke]

Could be. We have a lot of them on the allotment as a sacrificial plant.

bright orange pollen is from californian poppies
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/1264.shtml

 

[Mike a]

Went out am, came back at 11.45am, phone cal from neighbour.. "your bees have swarmed,, in the cherry tree, I assume you know?".. Carnies! What a pia.
Waited till all quiet, shook most of swarm into correx box, cut down branch ,
shook bees into box.. all rehived by 3pm.

I'm going to requeen to ?.. lots of queen cells in hive: none when I inspected 12 days ago...

Sounds like you shook them into a correx box then took the box away back to your apiary to rehive them?

If this is correct then you will see lots of scout bees hanging around where they swarmed to looking for the colony. If they survive tonight they may become a nuisance to anyone passing near by tomorrow.

Requeening them won't stop them swarming if they aren't inspected more frequently, 12 days is too long apart.

 

[drstitson]

"lots of queen cells in hive: none when I inspected 12 days ago..."

there's your answer - leaving carnies more than 5-6-7 days between inspections!!!!

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Had to put some feeders on some of my hives. With all this bad weather, they are very light...

Brian

 

[For want of a better word]

Removed an unframed comb of partly capped honey and big fat juicy drone larvae from the orchard hive... must fit a blanking frame!

Lunch was fresh drone larvae ( after checking for varroa mite!) followed by honey sucked straight from the comb washed down with spring water.
Larvae had a nice walnut flavor... a waste to give them to the chickens!
And the sun was shining....... shere bliss!

 

[madasafish]

Sounds like you shook them into a correx box then took the box away back to your apiary to rehive them?

If this is correct then you will see lots of scout bees hanging around where they swarmed to looking for the colony. If they survive tonight they may become a nuisance to anyone passing near by tomorrow.

Requeening them won't stop them swarming if they aren't inspected more frequently, 12 days is too long apart.

In back garden. Correx box 15 feet up - I HATE heights..
Scout bees now all gone : swarm only 25 metres away from hive...

Yes: I know I should inspect more often.. It did , however, rain for 5 days soild... (yes I know it's no excuse but.. I don't like inspections in rain. Nor do my bees at 12C..

 

[Nic Rhodes]

third swarm in two days, was only expecting one! Two very large primes and a cast (which I will combine with a Queenless colony). Todays swarm would not go into the box until I found the Queen! lesson is when away pray for good days beyween trips to inspect. Had to buy new nucs and frames again.

 

[psafloyd]

Removed an unframed comb of partly capped honey and big fat juicy drone larvae from the orchard hive... must fit a blanking frame!

Lunch was fresh drone larvae ( after checking for varroa mite!) followed by honey sucked straight from the comb washed down with spring water.
Larvae had a nice walnut flavor... a waste to give them to the chickens!
And the sun was shining....... shere bliss!

Walnut flavour? Hmmm...

 

[alexander]

Well I checked my hive, fairly late last night, 8pm ish. Dam they were annoyed with me. Had them since mid May, and until now have been so calm. They have been so calm that I could have probably done without a suit, although I always go fully suited and booted being new to all this, and still a tad scared. I am hoping it is just because we have had rough weather most of the week, and it was coming over very dark for a heavy rain. Never checked them late either, latest was 5pm. Going to have a look tomorrow instead as I only managed to get the roof off

 

[Swarm]

Just returned from a very productive visit to two new out apiary sites. One of the sites is just great and the owner was extremely helpful and accomodating. Both are private and have vehicular access to within a very short walk of the sites.
Only problem I have now is the three mile move and three week wait before I can set them up.

 

[beeatshellards]

went to the old folks home up the road ,, they are having a garden party next saturday ( with the local mayor I was told) and theyve found bees in the shed, went to look and they are going in a knot hole , the inside of the shed is lined and they are in the cavity. Couldnt get in for zimmer frames and other thigs so suggested they clear the obstacle course and I will go back Monday to probably do a cut out. They suggested spraying to kill them because of the mayor coming, but thankfully they have taken my advice,and let me collect them monday

 

[kazmcc]

Very excited to find my amazing new queen runs a very gentle colony, lays like a dream,a dn they've filled and capped another super. She really is a beginners dream! Back to finding beekeeping enjoyable, and back to being able to rest on the fence to watch then coming and going. I couldn't do that with the last colony. Ahh life is good

Thanks to Erichalfbee, I will no longer have to worry about equipment, at least for this year, so may just end up with 3 supers full of honey by september

 

[Swarm]

Just returned from a very productive visit to two new out apiary sites. One of the sites is just great and the owner was extremely helpful and accomodating. Both are private and have vehicular access to within a very short walk of the sites.
Only problem I have now is the three mile move and three week wait before I can set them up.

Bees are now on a holiday

 

[dickbowyer]

I was inspecting one of my hives yesterday, just looking at the frame with the marked Queen on it to see her suddenly fly off a yard or so into the tall grass. Gently picked her up to return and she flew off 2 yards in the other direction into even taller grass. Luckily found her and this time just popped her onto a top bar and she disappeared between the brood frames Now why did she do that, never happened to me before!?