What did you do in the Apiary today?

[lebouche]

Hefted my three hives and two were a little light so added some sugar on top of newspaper.
Only gave one hive a feed in the winter. The bees seem to be doing well despite only treating twice over the last four years.

 

[lakelander]

Visited all my sites today, all colonies were flying most were brining in pollen but three colonies were not.

I feel much happier now the colonies active again

 

[Swarm]

Cut a Buddleia back, all hives busy.

 

[Millet]

After watching the countryfile weather earlier I suspect the bees will be kept in doors for most of next week in my location.

 

[Tdod]

wandered around in the sunshine all hives active ... NO losses yipppeee

 

[BMH]

All 4 hives very active bringing in pollen.

Planted loads of alpines and perennials and mowed the lawn.

Was watching the bees finding the new pond for the first time. They loved it.

Also watched a huge queen bumble bee fly straight into my largest hive. she lasted a full 8 seconds before she flew out at top speed with 3 workers attacking her. Wonder what on earth she was thinking!

 

[BrianO]

Wonder what on earth she was thinking!

Looking for a suitable nesting site no doubt

 

[Goran]

Looking for a suitable nesting site no doubt

Or free food.
Even we are so distant, today same thing at my place Bombus terrestris going into my hives.. One almost got caught by one of our cats..

 

[beeno]

Checked on fondant yesterday. One needed some more just in time. Looking forward to mayhem today as it is already pleasantly warm. A lot of pollen went in yesterday!

 

[nantmoel]

Met the new owner of an out apiary we have, he is more than happy for us to use a little corner of his 14 acres! Hope there's plenty of forage as this is our first full year there. I gave him a jar of honey which he says he loves.

 

[Robbo8916]

Just whiled away 5 hours watching some of the lectures from last years national honey show on youtube. Learnt a lot I genuinely didn't know.

Time for a beer lol

Bee related, checked the orchard project earlier. Still not happy about the siting of the hives and considering not putting any on there. Too close too footpaths/exposed.

So some thinking to do this evening over said beer...

 

[BeeJuice]

I had a very good day in the apiary as today I collected my first colony. I got them home, put them on the hive stand, opened the entrance and happy days.

I wanted to change the crown board and add a new one with a hole so they could access the feeder... Unfortunately the bees had fixed a couple of the frames to the crown board which came up with it when I lifted the board. That caused a bit of a commotion while I wiggled the frames back in and all of a sudden there were bees everywhere. But all well that ends well - The bees are all in the hive and I now have my first hive.

 

[slangers]

I emptied out my dead colonies and felt very sad. Nothing left and having to start again.

 

[snelgrove]

I emptied out my dead colonies and felt very sad. Nothing left and having to start again.

Get yourself a 6 comb nucleus with this season's queen and start from that, don't bother with a swarm which usually contains and old queen or virgin.
Build it up into a full colony for wintering, with plenty of feed and varroa treatment you should be ok

 

[Millet]

Pollen going in today by the bucket full and although i'm not sure what a strong colony looks like this colony looks strong to me, I also witnessed some bees that where empty of pollen trying to gain access at the back of the hive and under the open mesh floor, they had no chance of getting through my modified entrance block, thanks again Karol this wasp proof entrance block not only stops wasps it also stops mice and robbing.

 

[snelgrove]

Pollen going in today by the bucket full and although i'm not sure what a strong colony looks like this colony looks strong to me, I also witnessed some bees that where empty of pollen trying to gain access at the back of the hive and under the open mesh floor, they had no chance of getting through my modified entrance block, thanks again Karol this wasp proof entrance block not only stops wasps it also stops mice and robbing.

Robbing between colonies at this time of year is unlikely, in my opinion robbing is only a problem towards the end of the summer. Bees under mesh floor are probably confused by the mesh and are trying to get in the hive. Bees with no pollen doesn't mean robbing

 

[slangers]

That's the plan - going back and repeating what I did last year. I guess I learned a lot from my first season- had swarms, DLQ, poorly mated queens, the works. Hopefully will fare better this time.

Very frustrated as they were flying until fairly recently and this weekend would have been superb for getting building up again.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I guess I learned a lot from my first season........................Hopefully will fare better this time.

Chin up and get going again.
I think last year was the worst year for a beginner to start.

 

[sbisme]

I had a very good day in the apiary as today I collected my first colony. I got them home, put them on the hive stand, opened the entrance and happy days.

I wanted to change the crown board and add a new one with a hole so they could access the feeder... Unfortunately the bees had fixed a couple of the frames to the crown board which came up with it when I lifted the board. That caused a bit of a commotion while I wiggled the frames back in and all of a sudden there were bees everywhere. But all well that ends well - The bees are all in the hive and I now have my first hive.

First colony that's great,

Bees in my out apiary busy today bring in pollen, these were a swarm I caught last year and seem to be doing fine.

 

[Fatbee]

Chin up and get going again.
I think last year was the worst year for a beginner to start.

Depends where you were, last year was not bad for me on getting queens mated. Wet summer of 2012 now that was a bad one! Although not counting my chickens until I know all this years have come through and laying still