What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Millet]

And when they conk out what do you do?
I use fishing scales....strangely they do not exaggerate

My spring fishing scales are spot on, i have checked them with 1KG weights and the are accurate and also accurate up to a 20Kg bag of Chicken food so that is good enough for me and strangely enough they have no batteries so they will never conk out..

 

[Dadnlad]

Successfully moved the last three of seven knackered old hives off of a retiring beek's allotment, and they've all just about stayed together

Has taken us two days to shift them, good job my lad is still on his school hols, and we'd invested in some ratchet straps !

Removed the entrance tapes tonight and gave them all fondant, another frost forecast for tonight, and rain tomorrow, so pretty much ideal

Now to build them new hives for the spring

 

[Eyeman]

With digital kitchen scales i have found are ok for weighing small portions, but the heavier the weight you put on them the further they are out, i found this out when i used to fly a Harris Hawk and Goshawk, i had to weigh them daily, once i got over lets say 16oz the digital scales would read 2oz higher when i checked them with calibrated balance scale brass weights.

These luggage scales are in regular use at the airport and agree everytime with the 20kg luggage allowance.

 

[Millet]

These luggage scales are in regular use at the airport and agree everytime with the 20kg luggage allowance.

If you like them then that is good, like i do with my spring scales, check them every now and again just to make sure they are saying what they should be saying.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

These luggage scales are in regular use at the airport and agree everytime with the 20kg luggage allowance.

Some are just poorly made but a half decent scale should have the facility to adjust calibration.

 

[Goran]

My face was red as someone slapped me real bad - cold northern wind. Just went to see are the roofs on place.

 

[BrianO]

Nice Pics Goran, Hard winter.

Some of your stands metal, steel ? Also what are the Fruiting trees ?

 

[Goran]

Nice Pics Goran, Hard winter.

Some of your stands metal, steel ? Also what are the Fruiting trees ?

Today, day temp -5C. Due to strong cold wind feeling even colder.
The most are metal, there are some concrete stands ( less prone to steal..)
Fruiting trees are hazelnuts ( abundance of pollen for bees if weather allow).

 

[BrianO]

Timber hives Goran ? What type ?

 

[Goran]

Timber hives Goran ? What type ?

Fir/spruce. Langstroth deep. This is winter "setup", bees up and box with empty frames below.

Forgot - 2cm thick wall.

 

[user 15607]

Ask me on Monday.

 

[Barbarian]

Goran .....
Some of the US keeps use straw bales as wind breaks. Would these help you or would it be more work and problems ?

Nice pics.

 

[Finman]

Goran .....
Some of the US keeps use straw bales as wind breaks. Would these help you or would it be more work and problems ?

Nice pics.

How the straw balls could help
.

 

[Goran]

Goran .....
Some of the US keeps use straw bales as wind breaks. Would these help you or would it be more work and problems ?

Nice pics.

It could help as wind barrier but bees do fine as it is so for now I won't change anything. I have no problem with overwintering, also spring build up is awesome - at least for me. During the night wind stopped, leaving only minus temps of about -12 to -14C. Today will be day temp -6C. These temps were once our normal winters before climate changes.

On a pic You can see how wind blow off the snow from the ground.

 

[Plenty of honey]

Fir/spruce. Langstroth deep. This is winter "setup", bees up and box with empty frames below.

Forgot - 2cm thick wall.

Great pics Goran. Your really getting a decent winter this year. The deep cold is about 200 k east of me and its going backward and forward. The whole of Europe is really cold this year. I have a feeling we will get a real blast of that soon.
its been quite cold here, down to minus 5, but nothin like that!! wow!
Next week looks like its moving back but right unto us!

 

[Goran]

Great pics Goran. Your really getting a decent winter this year. The deep cold is about 200 k east of me and its going backward and forward. The whole of Europe is really cold this year. I have a feeling we will get a real blast of that soon.
its been quite cold here, down to minus 5, but nothin like that!! wow!
Next week looks like its moving back but right unto us!

I just wish more snow. What a heck - a LOT more snow. Many here are worriing of droughts in summer.

 

[pargyle]

Mine were all flying today - even the one hive I was worrying about - much smaller colony than the rest - was busy. There were a few bodies on the landing boards so they were clearly having a bit of a clear out - not excessive numbers about 20 or so on two hives and 10 or so on another couple.

Great to see them flying - I must be getting beyond the two hive status as I managed to avoid peering in through the clear crown boards - quite sufficient to give the hives a quick heft and to see them flying. Very mild today compared to what it has been over the last week - No frost this morning and although a bit damp and misty this evening there was a bit of sun this afternoon and they made the most of it.

 

[Little John]

8th January - shirt sleeve weather in South Lincolnshire today - so took 10 mins off to watch the hives flying, some bringing in white pollen.
LJ

 

[drex]

Hefted hives. Checked fondant on those that had hefted light in the past. All ok.
All hives flying strongly, especially the nucs - they were acting as if it was a summers day. For winter I grouped all nucs together, and put celotex round the outside of the block of nucs. Seems they are coming through well.

 

[JWF]

Made up some ekes so I could put fondant and insulation on another three hives.

It was about ten degrees and all hives had plenty of activity, with a small amount of pollen going in from somewhere.