What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Lucky i speak spanish eh? but how many bottles of Hirondelle wine does one sparrowhawk drink in a year again?

 

[Luminos]

6%, according to that study in Danemark

 

[Chris Luck]

Des recherches intensives effectuées au Danemark sur plus de 60 000 proies ont permis de donner une composition assez précise du menu de ce rapace. Pendant la saison de nidification, près de 98% du régime est constitué de petits oiseaux. Dans le détail, le repas est composé de la façon suivante : 13% de grives et de turdidés, 11% de moineaux domestiques, 8% de fauvettes et d'espèces de la famille des sylviidés, 9% de mésanges, 7% de pinsons des arbres et d'alouettes, 6% d'hirondelles, 5% de moineaux friquets, 4% d'étourneaux et 3% de pipits. En tout, plus de 150 espèces ont été identifiées. Les colombidés, les gallinacés et les petits faisans représentent une quantité assez négligeable, se situant en dessous de 1%.

Extensive research into the composition of over 60,000 prey in Denmark has given a precise make up of the diet of the Sparrow hawk. During the nesting season close to 98% of the diet is made up of small birds as follows:
13% Thrush family. 11% House sparrows, 8% de fauvettes et d'espèces de la famille des sylviidés,7% Chaffinches and larks, 6% Swallows and Martins, 5% Tree sparrow, (probably won't apply UK), 4% Starlings, 3% Pipits. In all more than 150 species were identified. Dove family along with female and young pheasants represented a negligible quantity of less than 1%.

Hope that helps,

Chris

 

[witchcraft]

Well I put a test frame into my eggless hive for four days and they didn't draw any queen cells on the test frame so I assume there is a queen in there just taking a few days off.

Frustrating little insects aren't they

Mark

 

[Chris Luck]

Frustrating little insects aren't they

They can be, what's more they are all different.

Having great fun slowly getting the supers in with one eye on the sky everyday. Still it's good to take your time, there's a limit to how many stings in a day.

I've actually come close to getting fed up with a very defensive / aggressive colony that decided to make removing the supers almost impossible, in fact I've left one super on for another day. Even then I had to leave them until nearly dark with a sheet over the top before I could get a lid on because there was just a huge heap of bees on top of the open super that wouldn't go in.

Chris

 

[alanf]

Des recherches intensives effectuées au Danemark sur plus de 60 000 proies ont permis de donner une composition assez précise du menu de ce rapace. Pendant la saison de nidification, près de 98% du régime est constitué de petits oiseaux. Dans le détail, le repas est composé de la façon suivante : 13% de grives et de turdidés, 11% de moineaux domestiques, 8% de fauvettes et d'espèces de la famille des sylviidés, 9% de mésanges, 7% de pinsons des arbres et d'alouettes, 6% d'hirondelles, 5% de moineaux friquets, 4% d'étourneaux et 3% de pipits. En tout, plus de 150 espèces ont été identifiées. Les colombidés, les gallinacés et les petits faisans représentent une quantité assez négligeable, se situant en dessous de 1%.

Extensive research into the composition of over 60,000 prey in Denmark has given a precise make up of the diet of the Sparrow hawk. During the nesting season close to 98% of the diet is made up of small birds as follows:
13% Thrush family. 11% House sparrows, 8% de fauvettes et d'espèces de la famille des sylviidés[/URL],7% Chaffinches and larks, 6% Swallows and Martins, 5% Tree sparrow, (probably won't apply UK), 4% Starlings, 3% Pipits. In all more than 150 species were identified. Dove family along with female and young pheasants represented a negligible quantity of less than 1%.

Hope that helps,

Chris

Not suggesting that sample wasn't accurate but we're well past breeding season in September and prey species often vary. Danish to French to English? Is there a problem with the translation? Chaffinches and larks seems an unlikely subdivision. Larger birds are also going to be a greater percentage of the total food intake than the headcount might suggest if the average prey size is small.

If you can find their plucking areas, watching sparrowhawks in action is fascinating but identifying the feathers provides a wider sample to find out what they're eating locally. Starlings, goldfinch and great tit have all appeared round here recently. Two of which don't appear in the Danish list. And yes, pigeon feathers too, wood and feral. It has been recorded that over the past 10 or 20 years sparrowhawks have an increased presence in the suburbs on BTO surveys, partly drawn by bird tables and feeders; that is going to change the food mix locally.

 

[oliver90owner]

so I assume there is a queen in there just taking a few days off.

You should not assume. Unless you have some other corroborating evidence that result could mean there is, or is not, a queen in residence.

How would you be absolutely sure she is just having a few days off and has not ceased laying permanently.

 

[For want of a better word]

"Ther's been a pair of green falcuns nestin' up the way fram 'ere" to quote two young Plymothians cycling past Cann Woods!!!

This morning got a sting on the cheek, right under the eye... as I blew a bee licking up syrup from the 2 gallon bucket I was tipping into the Miller feeder... all because I did not want to drown the little darling!

Going to wear a veil at least next time!

 

[For want of a better word]

so I assume there is a queen in there just taking a few days off.

You should not assume. Unless you have some other corroborating evidence that result could mean there is, or is not, a queen in residence.

How would you be absolutely sure she is just having a few days off and has not ceased laying permanently.

You should be able to see the queen... she is the one with a white spot on her back!

( my 9 year old daughters response to Tractor mans reply!!!)

 

[witchcraft]

so I assume there is a queen in there just taking a few days off.

You should not assume. Unless you have some other corroborating evidence that result could mean there is, or is not, a queen in residence.

How would you be absolutely sure she is just having a few days off and has not ceased laying permanently.

Hence why I put a test frame in for four days to see.

 

[oliver90owner]

Hence why I put a test frame in for four days to see.

The test frame was inconclusive on it's own, as it could mean there was, or was not, a queen present.

 

[For want of a better word]

Hence why I put a test frame in for four days to see.

The test frame was inconclusive on it's own, as it could mean there was, or was not, a queen present.

Is four days long enough?
Is it too late in the season to bring on a new queen?
Is a queen there but not laying?
Will the colony get through the winter without a queen?
Too late to attempt a shook swarm... I can see a merger coming on!

I am in hideing cos if SWMBO sees my eye I wil lhave to take up trainspotting!!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I am in hideing cos if SWMBO sees my eye I wil lhave to take up trainspotting!!!

Tell her the light at the end of the tunnel you had your eye pressed against was an oncoming train.

 

[Chris Luck]

Is there a problem with the translation? Chaffinches and larks seems an unlikely subdivision.

No problem with the translation I can assure you but it's probably not the place for this discussion.

Chris

 

[ashleybee]

No problem with the translation I can assure you but it's probably not the place for this discussion.

Chris

No problem with the translation. your right prob not the place to discuss especially with people with bad attitudes to a fair comment.

ps. my post wasn't meant to be offensive in any way at all. I think you have miss understood me. You may now climb back on to your high horse if you so wish.

 

[Chris Luck]

ps. my post wasn't meant to be offensive in any way at all. I think you have miss understood me. You may now climb back on to your high horse if you so wish.

I never thought for a moment that it was meant to be offensive but I suspect that your trying to be now.

Chris

 

[tonybloke]

put 2nd tray of apiguard on 4 of my colonies this morning.

 

[drstitson]

Finally managed to get the chuck off of my new drill (tried everything and eventually ended up using brute force) and have extracted 12 partial frames of lovely medium honey - 4 frames blew in the process. Currently settling ready for bottling for assoc show this weekend.

happy with my cake, biscuit and fudge recipes so no more cooking today - begin again in earnest nearer saturday.

tomorrow need to select fruit, toms and a jam to enter.

 

[MuswellMetro]

decided to put my winter straps on the hives, gales expected tonight but half way through i found i did not have enough and had to go a buy some more because i found that when they stole the metal QEs from my farm site that they also stole 4 straps

 

[victor meldrew]

Cleaning up extraction equipment
Damned wasp tormenting as per usual .
Ignored it . Then the little B*>^<*d stung my forearm and sodded off before I could swot it
Then a Woodie being chased by a Sparrowhawk crashed into my dining room window and broke its neck! Should have been the bl**dy wasp
VM

Yesterday stung by a wasp, see above!
Today stung by a bee !
2.5" diameter hot red patch at the site of the wasp sting .
Can hardly discern where todays bee stung me ?
Obviously I react to wasp stings but not to bee stings !
Yesterday was the first wasp sting I have ever had
VM