What did you do in the Apiary today?

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I WAS glad of the glass crown board on one colony. 40 feet from one that was acting like it was mid-flow, and "dead" at the entrance. Difference was I had loaded the quiet one (7 frames in a poly box) to the gunwales with 2:1 so they can "coch". (What do you suppose the standard of conversation is in a hive for the next five months?)

But that's it; one feeder to take off and I'm done. No OA planned this year unless this weather draws out brooding and the mite numbers rise again.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

easier with a blowlamp too

 

[For want of a better word]

I WAS glad of the glass crown board on one colony. 40 feet from one that was acting like it was mid-flow, and "dead" at the entrance. Difference was I had loaded the quiet one (7 frames in a poly box) to the gunwales with 2:1 so they can "coch". (What do you suppose the standard of conversation is in a hive for the next five months?)

But that's it; one feeder to take off and I'm done. No OA planned this year unless this weather draws out brooding and the mite numbers rise again.

Muriel .... I saw the beekeeper unpacking a Flows hive.... shall we swarm early?

Nos da

 

[user 6228]

Chainsawing the tops off leylandii about 4m from the bees...
...ignored as usual.... Which is just as well as 3 of those metres was upwards

 

[bpmurray]

Put insulation under the roof for the last 2 hives and then realised I was 2 mouse guards short. I picked them on on the way home from the vet (a scare with a lump on one of the dogs - apparently a harmless "lipoma") so I'll stick them on later. The girls are still bringing in loads of pollen - they're working the ivy at the house now so I have to assume that other sources are starting to dry up. There's no way I'm opening the hives now, but I'm really wondering if there's any room for anything other than the ivy they've been collecting for weeks now - the hives smell like chemical factories!

 

[nantmoel]

Well not in the apiary but swmbo kitchen! Today I made up some lip balm, when I was at the National Honey Show last week I saw women buying lip balm tubes and containers so I thought well why not! The picture below shows my efforts, flavoured some with essential peppermint oil and left some natural. Very please with the outcome.

 

[bpmurray]

Well not in the apiary but swmbo kitchen! Today I made up some lip balm, when I was at the National Honey Show last week I saw women buying lip balm tubes and containers so I thought well why not! The picture below shows my efforts, flavoured some with essential peppermint oil and left some natural. Very please with the outcome.

Looks nice - what's your recipe?

 

[nantmoel]

Looks nice - what's your recipe?

2 Parts Coconut Oil
1 Part Beeswax
a few drops of vitamin E oil
a few drops of essential peppermint oil (optional)

Melt all together in a microwave and place into containers.

 

[Swarm]

Best of luck meeting standards with cosmetics.

 

[Plenty of honey]

Checked nucs for stores, plenty in all except about 8, so fed candy directly on top of the frames. Today its mostly been taken up and moved. all good.
The end of another gorgeous day. Hives have some high humidity in as there is still ivy nectar around, but cold nights. a weird combination so giving insulation to help stop condensation as they finish drying and curing .
Bank holiday here, yet again so on All saints day, Added insulation to lots Nucs. Will need to cut up some more as short of a few.. We use Styrofoam here. Seems just fine, but we havent had much of a winter in the last two years. This could be completely different, but no rain and gales so far, which is all very odd!!
cold and clear , yes please. Virtually all done here now, just lots and lots of feeders to wash up.
Off up to collect a load more hives next week, Then the real work starts. roofs to make and paint, hives just to paint up.!! all go, who said winter is a quiet time!

 

[madasafish]

Cold weather starting tonight so removed last two feeders (just about empty). removed supers feeders were in, replaced cosies and that's it till January..

Lots of ivy pollen in last month.. but forecast frosts means that will be soon gone..

 

[philipm]

Checked hives today all are a good weight except for one which is still hammering in pollen and taking syrup.Not sure what the problem is I'm pretty sure they are not being robbed. Anybody got any ideas?

 

[oliver90owner]

but forecast frosts means that will be soon gone..

Only if they are still brooding heavily?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

but forecast frosts means that will be soon gone..

Only if they are still brooding heavily?

I interpreted @madasafish to mean from the plants not the hives

 

[Erichalfbee]

One colony still dropping mites so I vaped it two days ago and it has lots
So............I did all the others to see what on earth is going on and they have dropped only the odd one or two..............phew!!!

By the way, according to Norman Carreg on FB LASI are shortly to publish their results on repeated OAV in hives with brood.


First frost here today too

 

[madasafish]

I interpreted @madasafish to mean from the plants not the hives

Err no Oliver was correct.

But the cold weather means rapid feeders are too cold for the bees to use. Contact feeders tend to flood and I don't really like frame feeders..

 

[Webby]

Mice

Lifted my cosy off to check the fondant. Two mice jumped out and ran off so I quickly made a metal mouse guard and fitted it. All looked fine so don't think they've been inside.

 

[bpmurray]

I put on mouseguards on the last two hives. However, they are still bringing in loads of pollen from the ivy, and they've been going since the temperature hit 7C at around 10 this morning, and they're really busy now at only 10C - hardy bees!

 

[Goran]

Mouse guards.

 

[GaryB]

Took of the last of the feed this afternoon. Replaced gable roof with insulated flat roof. The bees are going to "bed" for the winter with a full super of capped stores plus several frames of stores in the brood box. Hopefully they will have enough. Is early January the best time to check on stores, and feed fondant if necessary?