What did you do in the Apiary today?

[SDM]

Don't really have any problems with it, even when there are a lot of bees in the feed section, they rise to the top with the syrup, get cleaned up and carry on, sometimes a few may drown, but more often none do.

That makes 2 of us. I'm always hearing of mass drowning and modding to 8 frame nucs or blocking of the feeders. A handful of sand in the 2nd coat of paint and I have no problems at all. Fed a bunch of mine today as theyd lost a surprising amount of weight in the last 3 weeks or so, still.crazy busy and lots of pollen coming in.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

A handful of sand in the 2nd coat of paint and I have no problems at all.

Now THAT is seriously useful. Thank you

Fed a bunch of mine today as theyd lost a surprising amount of weight in the last 3 weeks or so, still.crazy busy and lots of pollen coming in.

Yes; mine are the same.

 

[Tremyfro]

Topped up some feeders...again. Bees still flying and bringing in pollen. It's definitely getting colder...brrrr.

 

[drex]

Had a quick look round. Bees very active with lots of pollen going in. From the cappings on the slabs under the hive, lots of brood and stores been uncapped.

 

[bontbee]

They are still flying strongly (ivy and gorse mainly) and they are losing weight, despite still taking feed down... Am I doing something wrong???

 

[Millet]

Had a quick look at the front of the hive earlier and it was like a summers day with the amount of activity, yellow pollen is piling in and at the rate they are doing it they will have no where left to store it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm going to weigh the hives again.
I suspect they are dropping in weight and at this rate I might have to pop on some fondant after Christmas.

One double brood colony has dropped 120 mites in 5 days and a lot of the mites were still alive.....yuk!!!! So I'll have to get the vaporiser out again

 

[madasafish]

I'm going to weigh the hives again.
I suspect they are dropping in weight and at this rate I might have to pop on some fondant after Christmas.

One double brood colony has dropped 120 mites in 5 days and a lot of the mites were still alive.....yuk!!!! So I'll have to get the vaporiser out again

I restarted feeding two weeks ago after finding two hives were light.

I am about to stop tomorrow as we are forecast frost which will curtail bees taking syrup.

If they are light post Christmas, fondant jobbie.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well job done this morning.
Vaped that one hive.....it's strange...the others all seem OK as far as natural mite drop goes....I know, I know not accurate. Lot of immature mites after having a proper look and whole brood cappings so they are obviously tossing the varroa out. (this lot are a combine with a colony that had the biggest varroa drop post an earlier treatment and one headed by one of the Sussex queens)
All weighed all OK, three so heavy I don't know where they are putting, it one slightly lighter than a month ago.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Stunning weather here. Of 12 colonies, two were in full flow, with congestion at the entrance, two looked like deadouts at the entrance (but weren't) and the rest flying a bit. Will keep an eye on the active ones, nucs 2 and 5 for promotion next year; may move one to a new out apiary and replace a blue Q with the other.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Still drones in a couple of mine

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Still drones in a couple of mine

Careful Dani, you'll have the village eejit on telling you that there's a virgin queen trying to supersede a DLQ in a hive full of laying workers and each one of your colonies are doomed....................................

 

[alldigging]

Not in the apiary. Neighbour (who is a beekeeper) was winding the other neighbour up suggesting that it was a swarm on the ivy all over her shed.

Picked a flower from the ivy and explained what they were after to the nice neighbour.

Don't know whether to assume the beekeeper neighbour just really doesn't know the difference between a swarm and bees on ivy or was being nasty.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Careful Dani, you'll have the village eejit on telling you that there's a virgin queen trying to supersede a DLQ in a hive full of laying workers and each one of your colonies are doomed....................................

Yes. We're all doomed, Emyr.
Perhaps I should look in?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Yes. We're all doomed, Emyr.
Perhaps I should look in?

Gentle reader: I am interpreting this as a joke.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes. We're all doomed, Emyr.
Perhaps I should look in?

Wait until a really cold day then give yourself at least an hour so you can give each frame a five minute examination.
While you're at it give them a dose of apiguard before following up with a couple of MAQS strips before vaping.
Don't forget your hoover in case there's any queen wasps around

 

[Hivemaker.]

Wait until a really cold day then give yourself at least an hour so you can give each frame a five minute examination.
While you're at it give them a dose of apiguard before following up with a couple of MAQS strips before vaping.
Don't forget your hoover in case there's any queen wasps around

You read too many comics?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Gentle reader: I am interpreting this as a joke.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You read too many comics?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wait until a really cold day then give yourself at least an hour so you can give each frame a five minute examination.
While you're at it give them a dose of apiguard before following up with a couple of MAQS strips before vaping.
Don't forget your hoover in case there's any queen wasps around

How about a bit of brood destruction. Save me doing it on Christmas