What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Barbarian]

Yesterday .....
Sealed off a couple of dead-outs ....... Starvation.
On other hives, the bees were taking candy from boxes over the feed hole.

 

[nantmoel]

Moved all our hives in a out apiary, due to the owner wanting to move horses in to where we originally had them (see previous post), after a few hours of heavy lifting we have completed the task. They are all blocked in for a few days, as we only moved them 50mt's.

 

[Goran]

Your 10 degrees colder still Goran. I am enjoying this cold spell, but I think its cold enough for us here. Minus 7 here this morning. My bees are not used to this here> colder still tonight then supposed to be warming up after that a little.
The snow will help you. It keeps them well insulated.
Today Ive closed off all my OM floors, as its breezy and i dont like the idea of blasted frozen air around clusters. Cant be good for them!! their doing great, but i want it to stay like that.
I am so glad insulated properly this winter. If i went on last years minimum temp model, I would be without bees this spring, i think!
send some pics of the snow, their always lovely to see. we havent had a drop yet, just huge high pressure cold. Nice and sunny though!!

Couple pics. Dry snow ( " sand alike").

 

[Etton]

fondant had gone hard so replaced with tubs sitting on top of the frames rather than on top of the feed hole in the cover board. Used an eke, covered up the feedhole and placed the insulation on top. My thinking being fondant closer the the bees and maybe the Cluster warmth may prevent it hardening. Presume others experience same that fondant hardens off. Must be a risk that feel all ok as fondant available but if does harden off bees can't get at.

 

[Millet]

Folk are adding fondent and whatever BUT are you actually weighing the Hive in Question, it may not need it or it may need a load. ? .

 

[Plenty of honey]

Couple pics. Dry snow ( " sand alike").

Lovely Pics Goran. Thanks for taking the time to post these!!

 

[JWF]

Folk are adding fondent and whatever BUT are you actually weighing the Hive in Question, it may not need it or it may need a load. ? .

Yes and yes

 

[Fusion_power]

I did a quick check of 4 colonies today popping the cover and seeing how they are doing. I was met with healthy clusters that are already expanding. One of the colonies needs feed, as I already knew from an inspection a few weeks ago. It will get a few frames of honey tomorrow. I need to do a detailed inspection of the others but expect them to have enough stores to make it to late March when fruit bloom starts.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Folk are adding fondent and whatever BUT are you actually weighing the Hive in Question, it may not need it or it may need a load. ? .

Mine are still heavy and buzzin'

 

[Robbo8916]

Mine are still heavy and buzzin'

Same here! A few dead bees being carried out in any milder snaps so they are still keeping up with the housework.

Apart from two days around Christmas where it was worryingly warm and sunny and very Picadilly Circus-esque around the hives, it has remained cold and dry. Got some bargain hive stands from Thornes for the new farm orchard apiary so will be putting them together on my days off this week coming.

My landlady was quite sad when I told her I was going to move the bees from her garden to the farm so I agreed to leave one colony there for her. She really enjoys sitting with a cuppa watching them work in the summer.

So its just the nuc to move, which I believe is going to be super productive this year. That makes the task a little easier. Fingers crossed all is looking ok at this present time.

 

[BrianO]

Couple pics. Dry snow ( " sand alike").

Fantastic Pics Goran , lovely to see, no snow here yet !

 

[Goran]

Fantastic Pics Goran , lovely to see, no snow here yet !

It doesn't snow no more but minus temps keeping it.. Couple bees go out and return, when see the prognosis daytemp is -6C.. maybe on sunny place nearer to zero, but what a heck are they stretching their wings on such cold..

 

[alldigging]

It doesn't snow no more but minus temps keeping it.. Couple bees go out and return, when see the prognosis daytemp is -6C.. maybe on sunny place nearer to zero, but what a heck are they stretching their wings on such cold..

because the snow bounces all that light into the hive and they think it's OK?

http://edinburghbeekeepers.org.uk/downloads/Feeding_for_Winter.pdf
Snowboarding Bees The bright reflection of snow can fool bees into thinking it's warmer outside than it actually is. If they come out from the cosy cluster for cleansing flights they will perish as soon as they meet the freezing air. Prevent this by placing a board over, but not blocking, the entrance to keep the bright glare of sun on snow out.

or

P8 http://www.------------/library/gen...eping_books_articles/At the Hive Entrance.pdf

 

[JWF]

Vaped all of my colonies today as I have seen a moderate drop over the last week or so.

 

[drex]

Vaped mid December. Boards in for 3 days and not one mite so far, when I checked today. Left boards in. Will check again in 3-4 days

 

[Erichalfbee]

because the snow bounces all that light into the hive and they think it's OK?

http://edinburghbeekeepers.org.uk/downloads/Feeding_for_Winter.pdf
Snowboarding Bees The bright reflection of snow can fool bees into thinking it's warmer outside than it actually is. If they come out from the cosy cluster for cleansing flights they will perish as soon as they meet the freezing air. Prevent this by placing a board over, but not blocking, the entrance to keep the bright glare of sun on snow out.

or

P8 http://www.------------/library/gen...eping_books_articles/At the Hive Entrance.pdf

Much more light gets into my hives through the OMF than through a 5cm entrance so rather than boarding the front I put the inspection tray in its lower position

 

[Goran]

because the snow bounces all that light into the hive and they think it's OK?

http://edinburghbeekeepers.org.uk/downloads/Feeding_for_Winter.pdf
Snowboarding Bees The bright reflection of snow can fool bees into thinking it's warmer outside than it actually is. If they come out from the cosy cluster for cleansing flights they will perish as soon as they meet the freezing air. Prevent this by placing a board over, but not blocking, the entrance to keep the bright glare of sun on snow out.

or

P8 http://www.------------/library/gen...eping_books_articles/At the Hive Entrance.pdf

This could be one of the reasons. But the air wasn't the problem mostly, few bees I saw which bumped in a snow - I placed on the wool glove and they after short resting flew off. When they got on snow most of them remain there.
I removed the snow in front of the hives, but it is normal that some go out and don't return.

 

[AndyTh]

That's absolutely brilliant.....you deserve a medal
Keep us all in the loop and post some pictures please
and Merry Christmas

Feral colony in a log - update.

Carried the log hive a quarter mile out of the wood to the roadside. Nearly killed me as it weighed 35kg! Bees survived though. Topped up the fondant, and will take to a friend's farm nearby tomorrow. Erica - I'll post some pictures.

 

[Plenty of honey]

We had a really good flight today after probably 3 weeks. The apiary was alive. It was weird as its been so cold, the ground in the sun was partially thawed out but the shade was still rock solid. There was no wind, so bees were all out the front and flying around, may be 50 to 100 meters or so. Absolutely no pollen seen coming in whatsoever. I imagine the hard frosts have got rid of that. Its been really cold here and i can tell you i was mighty relieved to see a good flight. Last years was a nonsense of a winter. May be one frost. This year, really cold and mostly dry for long periods. Buds on trees and shrubs are all still locked up tight.
My mates bee scales has recordings right the way back to last year, showing temps so as a bit of interest i will compare average temperatures in each month and see how much colder it really has been this year.
Not complaining. Its looking like natures clock this year being well and truly re set!

 

[Hivemaker.]

We had a really good flight today after probably 3 weeks. Buds on trees and shrubs are all still locked up tight.

Flying well here today as well, some early hazel in flower, also lots of gorse and snowdrops.