What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Poly Hive]

I have a massive cattle trough 200 yds from the bees and not a one is using it.

As for rain we are badly in need too here.

PH

 

[BILL.HEARD]

Bees down here not working the Dandelion but all over the Hawthorn and starting on the Sycamore.

 

[TOBY-3652]

Put 3rd super on biggest colony my mates coming over on sunday and were going 2 have a look at all 3 colonies do this that and the other

 

[Silly Bee]

Just back from my alottment, as I was leaving someone spotted a swarm on the side of the access road.

A swarm about 3 feet long, hanging in an elderberry tree.

After about 10 mins, they were safely in a nuke, I always carry with me in the van,

 

[thurrock bees]

went up to melt some cappings and looked into a hive and saw that they were honey bound so put a super on with 50/50 drawn and foundation, and also saw the virgin Queen hatch in the same hive.

 

[Silly Bee]

saw the virgin Queen hatch in the same hive.


WOW

 

[iball]

Found a dead queen in hive number 1 this morning

Couldn't have happened too many days ago as there is some very young larvae in there, along with some queen cups.

I'll leave them for a few days and inspect early next week to see if anything is happening and introduce a frame of eggs from hive number 2 if required.

Ian

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Not a good one. Found both new queens purchased last week fallen victim to my anti social louts, as per other thread. In the end decided to united the nucs with their parent hives anyway. Bees extreamly tetchy, dozens not only followed me back the 100 yards or so home, but hung around buzzing me for 10 mins+ being a right pain.

Did someone mention tropical fish?

 

[iball]

I've had a few buzzing around and being a nuisance, there are a lot of bees to unite with the other hives!! Let's hope I don't have to do that.

Ian

 

[starflex]

Busy day. AS for one hive. 2nd super onto second hive. A really hot and sunny day down here in Hampshire.

 

[Gardenbees]

Very hot here. Lots of bees doing mass orientation flights - my neighbour thought they were swarming, but in fact they were just zipping about. Shook swarm colony has filled out a whole 14x12 box in just under two weeks - lots of brood but also a lot of stores. Every frame covered with bees. Ready for a super. 6-frame poly nuc is doing well too, with its newly mated queen. They'll soon be ready to go into a full size brood box.

Running out of spare kit! Put together yet more supers today, plus a 14x12 eke to use with a spare BS broodbox if necessary. Revamped my trough hive, giving it a new mesh floor and improved lid. Still have one more shook swarm to do. Then perhaps some rest?!

NB. crushed and strained a jar of early honey from brace comb etc in the last shook swarmed hive. Never had April honey before. It's absolutely divine.

 

[Haughton Honey]

Shook swarmed a double brood National from old DN4 frames and c**p foundation on to new DN5 frames and booooootiful KBS foundation.

Placed second brood boxes on to five other colonies.

Made up some split boards and 50 odd DN5 frames.

 

[Tom Bick]

Just inspected one hive and placed first super on.

During inspection spotted the queen on the 2nd frame and just so happened that I wanted to remove this frame so decided to pop the frame and hrh in a nuc box so I could walk her in after the inspection and shake off bees and remove frame.

After inspection no queen on frame or in nuc box?

I was just about to give up hope and spotted her on a blade of grass, popped her on top of the frames and she was royally attended to and disappeared down into the hive. I looked up to the sky and gave a thumbs up.

 

[VEG]

Nearly finished my honey house just a few bits of plumbing and it will be up and running.

 

[SER]

I found a cracking site for my second out apiary, a nice clearing/glade in a small copse on a local farm.

It's not too far from the road but well hidden, sheltered and gets a good bit of sun.

Time will tell if it's any good for the bees.

 

[TBRNoTB]

Just done my first AS after advice of a 25yr man, great to be in a club IMHO.
TBRNoTB

 

[YorkshireBees]

Checked 4 hives, all pretty good but in 3 of them they are bunging the honey into the brood box instead of the super! Pretty sure I used mostly this years foundation but have changed from plastic flat QE's to framed wire excluders so I hope they prefer that otherwise I will have to remove the QE until they get used to the supers!

In 4th they have 50% filled 1st super so I added a 2nd one below as there is a strong flow on here!

Finally to finish I went to my out apiary to check on the hived swarm. It's gone, so I guess 3 days wasn't long enough to have a QE under the brood box. Funny thing is the Queen had already laid eggs on about 1/2 frame.

 

[Vergilius]

Thought that Good Friday must bee a good day to do the beesso...

In new colony saw no sign of the marked queen, a couple of play cups, but eggs/brood at all stages so I'm not worried - she was probs on hive floor. Also took some photos for the skl mag of me inspecting some really docile bees...


Also inspected the nasties... Used some tea towels to decrease the amount of flyers... They have 3/4 filled a super... Got brood at all stages... No QC's... So, all good - apart from the fact that, as usual, they were flippin feisty - does add to the excitement a bit tho.


Ben P

 

[psafloyd]

Shook swarmed a double brood National from old DN4 frames and c**p foundation on to new DN5 frames and booooootiful KBS foundation.

Placed second brood boxes on to five other colonies.

Made up some split boards and 50 odd DN5 frames.

That KBS stuff is very nice, isn't it?

 

[psafloyd]

Had to check the bees today as I am going away for the weekend. And wouldn't you know it, my neighbour's son got stung by something. Possibly a bee, quite possibly one of mine, but after looking, I couldn't see either sting or site of sting. Still, my neighbour on the allotment is now unhappy, and his English is not good, so we have to converse via one of his daughters.