What did you do in the Apiary today?

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I delved into my apidea and captured my newly mated queen. She has laid all the cells so needs a proper home. Left the bees to look after the eggs and larvae. Took HM to the farm and put her in a cage in the q- part of an A/S from week before last. Then checked all the hives there - and split the biggie into three. One will have the queen - two won't. But no idea which is which. I await an egg hunt on Wednesday. This is in readiness for some queens I have coming. Will have to use the nuc in my garden - that I made to house a QC -for the last queen. I will take the QC down first!
 
In a rush after work, even got wet with short shower.. Bees calm, black locust forage but not some awesome flow, thinking to leave all to them..
 

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Hived two separate swarms in different apiaries... some one is leaking bees in the Silver valley that runs into the greatgreygreengreaseymightytamarriverallsetaboutwithsecondhomesmostnowwithforsalenoticesforfearofoldkernowleavingeurope!!!.. not mine... fat little yellow jobbies

Nos da
 
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Thought of every day .
I won't replace her . Can't replace her , still raw after 3 years .
I feel for you !

Heavens, is it three years?
I used to have a Samoyed as a child. Beautiful dogs.
 
Weather has been pants. So did some shopping instead, a couple more nucs as one is most definitely not enough and want a few back up nucs for some planned expansion. Played with melting beeswax, the first batch ever and OH wants to make a candle, but have no moulds so candle in one of our new 1lb honey jars it is!

(Belated condolences to Erica, also a vet and have PTS my own pets myself, always heartbreaking to lose one, hope your other doggie is ok too!)
 
Checked my ASs, one queen has gone missing but she was a scrawny thing from last summer which im assuming they decided to supercede.

And got my first sting of the year, through my marigolds into my finger. Little buggers.
 
Helped check for QCs in QC raising hive in Association Apiary..Bees definitely not amused by being Q- , wind and rain.. .

Inspected some other hives, found superscedure QC and queen so left them to sort it all out - the bees that is..
Took a few bees home in the car...involuntarily..

Avon Skin So Soft does not work well in these conditions as a bee deterrent.. Ended up with Marigolds..Wondering whether to shave hands and lower arms to reduce the impression of a bear.. (bees go for my wrists).

The kind of morning you want to forget..
 
Grand opening of the Cardiff and Vale Beekeepers new apiary....and they did us proud. Lots of attendance.....golden ribbon and rosettes. Plus a lovely cream tea...totally yummy. Thank you to the organisers...much enjoyed by all.
In my Bee Yard...
Exciting moment of queen emerging from her queen cell in my hand. Rain stopped further bee play. I now have 2 queens...one mated the other a virgin... to introduce tomorrow.
 
Some flow, some splitting, some frame shuffling.. Checking young queens..
 

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Is that your Acacia in flower Goran? is that the usual time of flowering where you are?

Here it is passing, maybe couple of days of some flow. Usually is said it start from about 6th May and last 2 weeks ( 3 atmost). But due to climate system fallen down, each season differently. This season it started to flower at end of April and still on. I never witnessed such long flowering of black locust. But whole time of flowering sharp temp changes, periods of dull rain, shower rain, strong north wind, dull southern wind.. I wonder how it survived all these and offer some nectar..
Before, one day of steady warm southern wind in peak of blooming and next morning all the flowers are gone - become brown..
 
Moved hive from my dad's garden ....his neighbour wasn't happy....I was sat on a bench next to the hive when he collared me...Up to a lovely rural horse yard on edge of a small wood overlooking an old rail line full of wild flower species... So will see how we get on..not too far from Etton who's on here
 
Here it is passing, maybe couple of days of some flow. Usually is said it start from about 6th May and last 2 weeks ( 3 atmost). But due to climate system fallen down, each season differently. This season it started to flower at end of April and still on. I never witnessed such long flowering of black locust. But whole time of flowering sharp temp changes, periods of dull rain, shower rain, strong north wind, dull southern wind.. I wonder how it survived all these and offer some nectar..
Before, one day of steady warm southern wind in peak of blooming and next morning all the flowers are gone - become brown..
And it's a "pseudoacacia", not a real acacia. From what I've read and observations in France, it looks as if it falls into the same category as Himalayan Balsam: good for bees/honey but actually something of an invasive menace. I'd be interested in your comments Goran

This was on the Canal du Midi 10 days ago, where it is colonising open spaces left by the loss of the planes:
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I am a one hive wonder on 14x12.

They have almost filled the BB with mainly brood and some stores. I've been feeding 1:1 after a Bailey change.

1 frame yet to be pulled. A few QCs today and one of them was charged. Pulled them all down and added a super.

Hopefully the space will quell the swarming instinct and if not I will do an AS next week although don't want to lose too many bees of have a break in laying with the flow almost upon us.
 
I am a one hive wonder on 14x12.

They have almost filled the BB with mainly brood and some stores. I've been feeding 1:1 after a Bailey change.

1 frame yet to be pulled. A few QCs today and one of them was charged. Pulled them all down and added a super.

Hopefully the space will quell the swarming instinct and if not I will do an AS next week although don't want to lose too many bees of have a break in laying with the flow almost upon us.

Obviously don't need to be stuffed with syrup any more and personally I think when you open up next week the queen will be long gone - with half the colony.
 
Help!!!!

I got home from a kids party, went for a stroll in the field and found a swarm. I quickly caught them, put them in a nuc with frames, and whilst doing it realised that they were mine!!!

A couple weeks ago, I mistakenly, accidentally dropped the queen, whilst in the cage whilst making her. It ends up she died, I ordered a new buck fast, marked and got (I think) all the queen cells, on Tuesday checked she was out the cage, she was laying! I was hoping to get some honey this year .

Does it mean that I missed a queen cell and that my main hives queen was hatched? I carefully went through and couldn't see any queen in there.

Advise needed please


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