What did you do in the Apiary today?

[MuswellMetro]

First queen cells found, caged the queen temporally in a travel cage and will sort it out early tomorrow with an AS

 

[Tremyfro]

A glorious sunny day but a biting wind....so no beekeepery. Went to Narberth....lovely drive to fetch my horse from the vets. It's really beautiful country around Carmarthen. Drove slowly home so he could stay on his feet. Fingers crossed everyone for a successful outcome from his operation. Otherwise we will be hosting the biggest BBQ in Wales!
I was hoping to get a brief look in the hive swap....but too cold today.

 

[Obee1]

A glorious sunny day but a biting wind....so no beekeepery. Went to Narberth....lovely drive to fetch my horse from the vets. It's really beautiful country around Carmarthen. Drove slowly home so he could stay on his feet. Fingers crossed everyone for a successful outcome from his operation. Otherwise we will be hosting the biggest BBQ in Wales!
I was hoping to get a brief look in the hive swap....but too cold today.

Hope he gets well soon. I really thought today would be a good day for a hive dive at yours as it has been a beautiful sunny warm day here. No wind. 15C in my garden and I was surprised to find 15C out in the countryside where the bees are.

 

[BeeJayBee]

All this talk of balance as if anyone here would actually know what that is or how to achieve it is just idealism. Labelling people 'Nuggets' for feeding raptors yet millions more 'Nuggets' feed their garden birds ... As for leaving things alone and natural balance, it ain't going to happen. The next road they build, the next housing development, the next river flood defences, they will all impact some species or other, which will in turn have a knock on effect.

I feed both raptors and garden birds via the bird table - the raptors see it as a feeding station.

There is never a true and permanent 'balance' between predators and prey. Whilst there is plenty of prey the predators flourish and the populations increase to the point where there is insufficient prey, then the predator numbers drop until their prey species recover.

The ones that are benefitting from a lazy human population are the carrion feeders. Discarded takeaways are as good to eat as road kill or dead stock, which is one reason why the Red Kite has moved along the motorway corridors to new areas.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

A glorious sunny day but a biting wind....so no beekeepery. Went to Narberth....lovely drive to fetch my horse from the vets. It's really beautiful country around Carmarthen. Drove slowly home so he could stay on his feet. Fingers crossed everyone for a successful outcome from his operation. Otherwise we will be hosting the biggest BBQ in Wales!
I was hoping to get a brief look in the hive swap....but too cold today.

I don't envy your vet bill arriving best wishes for the horses recovery.

 

[Robbo8916]

Found my hammer. So adding foundation to the hundreds of frames I made up. Got the Queens birthday celebrations on BBC1 in the background.

 

[madasafish]

Found my hammer. So adding foundation to the hundreds of frames I made up. Got the Queens birthday celebrations on BBC1 in the background.

buy a nail gun.

10 times faster..and more accurate..

 

[linoleum bonypart]

I'm a beekeeper again after I lost my two swarms this spring ....picked up two nucs from a producer nr Hull....they are now feeding on my plum blossom

 

[Tremyfro]

I don't envy your vet bill arriving best wishes for the horses recovery.

Thanks...I might have to start a donation tin! We used up all the insurance on the investigations to find out the problem. So he is now a little bit bionic with 2 screws at his elbow. Not that he appreciated me spending all our holiday money on him...the stable was a tip this morning and he clearly thought that going out to join his friends was on the agenda! He has a month of rest in the stable to look forward to...with walks twice a day. I fear entertainment is going to be an issue.
Obee1.... Yes the sun was out ....but the wind was cold...and from the east. Probably straight from Siberia. Brrrr. Out first BBQ yesterday evening...we managed drinks outside but soon scuttled into the house to eat.
My bees were out foraging...brave little souls.

 

[Tremyfro]

I'm a beekeeper again after I lost my two swarms this spring ....picked up two nucs from a producer nr Hull....they are now feeding on my plum blossom

Wonderful news LB.....they will keep you busy this summer!

 

[masterBK]

Went today to cull a drone laying queen (only drone brood present at the beginning of April) and unite her colony with a colony that could do with a boost of workers. Strangely today the queen is now laying only worker brood so she was given a reprieve. This is only the second time in my own experience of this happening.

 

[nantmoel]

Went today to cull a drone laying queen (only drone brood present at the beginning of April) and unite her colony with a colony that could do with a boost of workers. Strangely today the queen is now laying only worker brood so she was given a reprieve. This is only the second time in my own experience of this happening.

Bees never follow the rules (if there are any)

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Took advantage of the great weather and inspected all my hives this afternoon. Marked some Queens that had eluded me all last season.
Smoker lit but only used it once to clear box edges as I replaced crownboard on one hive. Plenty of nectar and pollen being brought in. Still room for laying but next inspection might need supers adding

 

[beeno]

Went today to cull a drone laying queen (only drone brood present at the beginning of April) and unite her colony with a colony that could do with a boost of workers. Strangely today the queen is now laying only worker brood so she was given a reprieve. This is only the second time in my own experience of this happening.

Maybe she is still on death row as far as the workers are concerned. What happened the first time?

 

[REDWOOD]

Went today to cull a drone laying queen (only drone brood present at the beginning of April) and unite her colony with a colony that could do with a boost of workers. Strangely today the queen is now laying only worker brood so she was given a reprieve. This is only the second time in my own experience of this happening.

I had a queen do exactly the same thing, she laid two 14x12 frames of drone brood and the next time I looked she had laid two frames of worker brood. That was two years ago and she is still laying worker brood.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks...I might have to start a donation tin!

No....the modern equivalent is crowdfunding

 

[Tim.S]

Two queens squished, hives merged ready for rape which they are bringing in steadily greater quantities.

 

[beeno]

Cleaned, painted, weeded and as a beek I feel very guilty of having bought some almond oil. On the way to the shops I found that the weeping willows are giving pollen this year and I also found the wild cherry trees that my bees have been foraging on that is the light browny yellow that they have been bringing in. Still to find the OSR though, but I do have an idea. Luckily it is not that much at the moment as I do not fancy dealing with it! Ready for the tub.

 

[MuswellMetro]

marked and clipped two late summer supercedure queens, a pagdon swarm control and helped with a wally shaw modified snelgrove swarm control

worried the virgins emegreing in 10 days time will get properly mated with the weather that is forecast

 

[Tremyfro]

No....the modern equivalent is crowdfunding

Oh Yes...shall I look forward to spending loadsa lolly?