What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Home apiary alive with sound today - all hives active some (which I'd expected) a lot busier than others. bees working the crocus, snowdrops and dandelion (yes, some have opened today - but not a great deal) Might dig out my shorts and tee shirt tomorrow and do a full inspection and 'spring clean'

Or I might just stay in and do some work.

 

[snelgrove]

bees flying here today, 8 degrees positively tropical, they were covering the heather in the garden

 

[nantmoel]

Watch the hives in two of our apiaries today, lots of activity and pollen gathering, not as much as summer but so good to see.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Had a first post op toddle down to the apiary today. A small amount of activity at the entrances of all hives so I toddled back indoors again and left them to it.

 

[maddydog]

I see some of the hotspots of great Britain have started again No activity at mine but one hefted light so was rewarded for their recklessness with more food.....

 

[Poly Hive]

I don't know you GJ but I wish you a speedy return to full health.

I did nothing bee related today as they are gone but I am contemplating how on earth I am going to get my remaining kit out of the site with quarry type plant churning up the track. Talk about mud!

PH

 

[bontbee]

Sat in the apiary with a cup of coffee, watching a frenzy of activity and listening to a happy hum! (if that's not too anthropomorphic for anyone...)

 

[BMH]

Sorted the shed out and found all the poorly constructed cedar, pine, floorboard and pallet terrible excuses for brood boxes/roofs that I made last year.

Instead of chucking them out, I have adapted a couple of my ekes and set up 5 bait hives with lemongrass oil and one black comb in each. Not sure if it will work, but worth a try.

Bought 50 DN4 second frames and foundation from CJ Wynne and will collect them tomorrow as I only live down the road from them.

If i catch a swarm I can stuff the boxes with foundation and buy brood boxes ready etc ready to take them!

 

[dpearce4]

Sorted the shed out and found all the poorly constructed cedar, pine, floorboard and pallet terrible excuses for brood boxes/roofs that I made last year.

Instead of chucking them out, I have adapted a couple of my ekes and set up 5 bait hives with lemongrass oil and one black comb in each. Not sure if it will work, but worth a try.

Bought 50 DN4 second frames and foundation from CJ Wynne and will collect them tomorrow as I only live down the road from them.

If i catch a swarm I can stuff the boxes with foundation and buy brood boxes ready etc ready to take them!

Its about a month early to put them out. you will need to re dose with the lemongrass when it gets warmer. If you keep doing it regularly you will get some swarms.

 

[Tremyfro]

Lovely surprise when I went out early this morning. The sun had just peeped over the horizon. Yesterday we had the fencing man come to do a bit more ...he is in the process of replacing our garden fencing with post and rails. Unbeknown to me my OH has arranged for him to extend the area of my Bee Yard.....Yay!
Now I will be able to site my Beehaus with a bit more space around them and all will be in the sunshine.
Budge up...chickens...The bees are taking a bit of your space.
Also there will be a 35 x 2 metre strip which will be planted up with various bee friendly bushes and shrubs. Hopefully, there will be a little protection from the wind when they have grown a bit.....although I suspect they will all end up with horizontal tops!

 

[Nige.Coll]

Not today but the last few dry days my apiary has gone from around 10m x 5m with a poor electric fence to one that is around 20m x 7m with a fence made of metal gates.(not allowed to drive posts in as the water pipes run under that area)
Made the fence and put weed reducing fabric down and now in the process of covering it with wood chips. Hive stands now on slabs instead of the grass.
Also put an electric fence power supply in just in case the horses get nosey, not easy nearest plug was 40 yards away in the workshop no power in the barn they are against.
Need to make more hive stands now.
Bloody bees costing me a fortune haha.

 

[Tom Jay]

Observed four of my five hives really busy with foragers and also with lots of bees doing orientation flights. So queens have been busy! In consequence I turned the entrance blocks of these to 'wide' as the tiny winter entrances were causing pile-ups.
Fifth hive - no flights seen for several days, so I put a rapid feeder of syrup onto them and in doing so raised a lot of movement so I'm hopeful these will make it for the new season too.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

also with lots of bees doing orientation flights. So queens have been busy!

even older bees re-orientate especially if they've been cooped up for a while

 

[Tremyfro]

?...not easy nearest plug was 40 yards away in the workshop no power in the barn they are against.


We use solar powered electric fencing for areas where the connection to the mains is difficult. Found some good ones on flebay for about £40.

 

[dpearce4]

went to check hives today. more dead. not a good winter for my bees.

 

[mbc]

went to check hives today. more dead. not a good winter for my bees.

Any indication why?
I checked 57 today, 3 gone, I put all 3 down to queen failure/dlq. Its been a kind winter so far for my bees, I'm almost tempted to count my chickens

 

[Millet]

All I done today was save a cold bee I found on the concrete bellow the hive, I warmed it up in a plastic tub with my car heaters and then plonked it back in the entrance.

 

[Tom Jay]

All I done today was save a cold bee I found on the concrete bellow the hive, I warmed it up in a plastic tub with my car heaters and then plonked it back in the entrance.

Sweet of you! Ah! The things we newbies do!

 

[B+.]

I'm almost tempted to count my chickens

Don't do that MBC. One of my hens died yesterday (she hadn't eaten at all the previous day and sat in the nest box all day).

 

[dpearce4]

Any indication why?
I checked 57 today, 3 gone, I put all 3 down to queen failure/dlq. Its been a kind winter so far for my bees, I'm almost tempted to count my chickens

one of 3 things. Poorly mated queens, to much set ivy in the box its been warm but wet so bees haven't been able to get out and get water to be able to use the ivy honey, I didn't treat for varroa in the autumn so the bees may have been weak from that. Or it could be all 3.

I'm going to start with the 1:1 or 0.5:1 to start boosting the brood in all my other hives from next week and I don't mind feeding every week for the next 4 or so as sugar is so cheap at the moment its worth it.