What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Tremyfro]

Much warmer today and lovely sunshine.
Did a very quick look into hives....just the top boxes. I only had to look at the first 3 frames for confirmation....there were 3 colonies with big patches of brood and the langstroth has a small patch and I saw eggs on the same comb. Closed hives as soon as confirmed queen is laying....phew...total relief as I was beginning to think the langstroth...my favourite carniolan queen might have passed away during the winter...well she might have but there is someone laying eggs in there and that is all I need to know for now. Later, when my new queen arrives....she will go into this colony and the present queen...whoever she is will start a nuc. Lots of orange pollen coming in and all have lots of stores too.
If the weather continues to improve I have a nadired shallow to remove. Once buildup is secure....the 3 main colonies will be moved into long hives for easier management this summer. The langstroth will be put into a brood box...ATM it is in a double nuc.
Springtime has become a time of great stress waiting to find out which colonies have managed to survive the winter. It's not easy being a beginner ....

 

[ianorsven]

Removed "nadired" shallows from three hives and took a peak under crownboard of these and one other to check number of seams of bees. In two cases the queen was on the underside of the crownboard - always worth checking! All looking well with 5-6 seams bees observed in three hives and one colony a bit weaker. Lovely day with lots of flying bees bringing in stacks of pollen - not inspecting yet though.

 

[enrico]

Took off empty packets of fondant. They hadn't touched it three weeks ago but all empty now! Not feeding any more. Didn't check at all other than a quick glance down the frames but one hive out of five definitely on the way out, it blew over in the autumn, my fault, insulated bonnet too light and it toppled in the strong winds, reckon the queen probably died! Rest all getting stronger though.
E

 

[Goran]

Today bees returned to meadow partially even wild fruits in blooming. Yesterday saw first apple in flower. Tomorrow maybe will have 5 colony losses ( selling), and will continue with more in next week..
I am considering next week even to start qrearing, but time is really killing me..
Yesterday I downloaded " Breeding program".. Since honey is low valued here, will turn to bees.. If I see that I am capable, will go into serious " official" qrearing..

 

[Barbarian]

Interesting to hear from you, Goran.
I am sorry that honey production is not worthwhile for you.
You do not seem to have a lot of time at the bees. Are you happy that you will be able to follow the timetable that Q rearing will need ?
Do you think that nuc production might be another option ?

 

[Goran]

Interesting to hear from you, Goran.
I am sorry that honey production is not worthwhile for you.
You do not seem to have a lot of time at the bees. Are you happy that you will be able to follow the timetable that Q rearing will need ?
Do you think that nuc production might be another option ?

Honey. This season seems starting price for 1st class black locust honey will be 3,28 euros per kg in bulk atmost and down to 2,76 euros..
Other thing is that buyers at large very often doesn't follow the scheduled paying for honey taken. I know some beeks who waited for a year to get their money.. and after that period some even didn't get money, they took compensation in hardware ( which is overpriced).
Beside bees I have hazel orchard and "pay job".. So time is really problem.
Nucs. For nucs here I can get about 40 euros ( 5 frame), for productive colony in spring before black locust 100 euros and more demanded . Spring sale here is intensive, later low and few. I would not hesitate to sell nucs will see.
Queens, here never enough. Official production is lot lower than needs only for domestic use. Not to mention for export. We have decent bees, but have to work in selection. I think all here do open mating, but seems no problem with that. Maybe more to pay attention in increased drone production of desired colonies.

 

[Fraise]

Just watched bees bringing in bright yellow pollen to all of the hives. It is almost certainly OSR pollen because we are surrounded by fields of it.
The slowest hive is getting a pollen arrival rate of about 2 per minute.
I counted the most active hive at 47 bees per minute arriving laden with pollen. The continuous stream is quite a sight, there are always 2 or 3 laden bees trying to get into the entrance with more just landing.
This most active hive was a swarm which arrived in a hive I set as a bait hive last summer. I guess I should open it up to inspect as soon as the weather gets a bit warmer and get some supers ready.

 

[madasafish]

Warmest day this year c 11C.
All hives fed syrup. All bringing in yellow pollen - pussy willow - no OSR.

Even the naughty nuc bees did not sting me.. amazing what better weather does for temper..

 

[kazmcc]

Inspected the hives with Dusty today. No Arran today, he's off in Newcastle for a break with his aunties. It was a lovely afternoon, and the bees looked to be bringing lots of pollen in. Willow I reckon. Both hives doing well, and hive 2 queen (my queen ) looks to be going into her 3rd year very well. All very quiet and wasn't interested in us at all.

One amusing incident happened where I just took the CB off hive 2 and a bee picked up a long strand of clingfilm left over from the fondant, and flew off and over the roof of the garage with it. Other than that, we couldn't be happier with them. Glad to be back amongst them. I do miss it over winter

 

[Erichalfbee]

amazing what better weather does for temper..

For the beekeeper as well as the bees

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Yes, it was a really good afternoon's work.

Both hives were really flourishing; four frames of good-looking brood, loads of pollen, plenty of honey. And quiet as anything.

Even better than I'd expected.

Good to be inspecting with Kaz again - and planning our trip to the Convention as well.

Dusty

 

[JWF]

Checked the fondant on my three hives, two are only having a nibble, the other is woofing it down.

One hive keeps chucking lots of crystallised sugar down onto the floor, which I'm assuming is ivy honey from last year (but I don't actually know!).

The hungry hive also seems to have found rape, which has just started flowering properly. Loads of pollen going in, with some of the bees have a fetching yellow dusting all over their undercarriage.

 

[Cazza]

A long awaited hive check 3 weeks since I last saw them.
All is well.
It was so lovely to see them with the bees busy with willow pollen.
Cazza

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not much today - damp and dreary here, noticed a lot of pollen scattered all over the entrances of the home hives and I cleared a few casualties away who gave up in the home straight their pollen baskets bulging with dandelion and willow.

 

[kazmcc]

.... some of the bees have a fetching yellow dusting all over their undercarriage.

We saw some today with their wings stained yellow from it!

 

[Charlieanne]

Reached a sunny 16 degrees this afternoon so managed to have my first look in my hives today. Very pleased to see that all three have made it through the winter and are now doing well.

The two wooden hives - one that had a super under for winter saw the queen starting to lay eggs in the top of the middle three frames as well as the top brood box having bias over 7-8 frames with the outer ones being stores. No stores left in the super though. Did swap them around so it's now a brood and a half - didn't feed that hive before winter as just left the super.

Second wooden, again busy, the hives are under a row of willow trees that have the catkin things out full of pollen, some rape is flowering in the surround fields but not a lot and not in full swing yet. This was a late spilt last year and but again bias and lots of sealed brood.

Poly hive in another field I think needs a super on - didn't have one with me. But box is pretty much completely full of stores and brood and busy with bees. There was some drone brood and also a couple of uncharged play cups. Only have undrawn foundation to put on, but plan to pop super on tomorrow - finished putting foundation in frames this evening!

All in all very pleased.

 

[Bee Bumble]

Opened four of my hives today in 16c and sunshine. All doing well, but had too much stores, so removed a couple of frames from each and replaced with empty drawn comb to give the queen more laying space. It is forecast to be cooler for a few days so will wait for a warmer day to inspect the rest.

 

[psafloyd]

Watched my hives going like the clappers in the knowledge that due to a series of family tragedies I am nowhere near being ready for this season.

Oh well, I'll have to get that sorted this week.

 

[Tom Jay]

First open of three of my hives!
One looked in good form and pretty busy so without lifting frames, all I did was put on the QE and a super.
Last year's most productive colony, overwintered on brood and a half, seemed in a poor way. I saw the queen on a frame with no brood at all. Some fungal growth on frames at one end of the eleven so I replaced them. Very low on stores so I put on a rapid feeder, as well as introducing the QE.
Third hive, overwintered on brood and a half, was mostly upstairs on the super frames, the queen and three supers of brood included. So I caged her and took a look below, finding the brood box in a terrible state with mustiness and blue mould. So I changed the whole damn thing, box, frames, floor. I put the three frames from the super into the fresh brood box knowing they will drop wild comb below but I can sort that once the Lady is busy on other brood frames. They had loads of store in their other super frames so I gave no syrop. Ran out of time to check my other two. That's been my first beeking day of the year.

 

[deanrpwaacs]

I put up a wind break on the exposed site . Lots of busy bees . Still feel its a bit early to be looking in , although looking at the inspection boards after 6 days the whole thing was covered with dark wax , pollen and a few crystals of sugar so they have been very busy .