What did you do in the Apiary today?

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I purchased some 2nd hand hives last Winter from a downsizing bee farmer up nr York . They were a slightly odd size so have been busy tearing them down and shortening them by 10mm . Luckily its an easy enough job as you just follow the dovetail down and coping saw across the bottom .
Instant proper size Commercial . The Nationals , however look like a pain in the a&%e so will ignore those for a while .
All colonies going well again today 11c
G
 
BobsBees,

Take it very carefully (inserted 'carefully' for 'easy')' You do not need that sort of aggravation. Never come across anyone who has suffered that fate, but was told of a gent who had a car accident, nearly three months down the line after cardiac surgery, and split his sternum in two again. Apparently he was not a happy chappie!

I would suggest some support for the hip joint, when moving boxes around until the risk has passed. Being proactive rather than reactive seems a prudent step (pardon the pun).
 
10C and damp, overcast. No wind.
All bees v busy collecting pollen and water.
Buckfast and AMM started before 9am, carnies a lot later..

Mended a broken wasp guard on side of one TBH...
 
madasafish said:
10C and damp, overcast. No wind.
All bees v busy collecting pollen and water.
Buckfast and AMM started before 9am, carnies a lot later..

Mended a broken wasp guard on side of one TBH...
Click to expand...
What threats are you guarding wasps from ? :D
VM
 
Watched the bees bringing in hazel pollen; then did a bit more work tidying up the plot behind the garden where my uncle Rees had his apiary many years ago and where I hope some of my hives will live eventually - started laying the hedge one side and building up a mahoosive bonfire for when the weather's right :D
 
madasafish said:
...
All bees v busy collecting pollen and water.
...
Click to expand...

Yes the bees from the hive in my home apiary were collecting water like mad on Sunday! I cleaned and refilled my bee water station for them and when they weren't looking emptied the old festering bucket from outside the greenhouse door!
 
I was relieved at the weekend when all four hives were out and about in the sunshine for the first time and bringing in pollen. Some of the nearby gorse bushes were covered in bees. Today fewer bees were flying and there was no pollen coming in at all. I saw two drones emerge from one hive, so think I might open that one and have a quick look. All hives are chomping their way through the fondant much more quickly now. Finished two new supers and painted the outsides.
 
Salamagundy said:
I saw two drones emerge from one hive, so think I might open that one and have a quick look.
Click to expand...

One question - why? if you have a DLQ there's nothing you can do for a while and the weather isn't fantastic round here at the moment so give them some time for the weather to settle, I saw a dead drone in one of mine last week.
Bees were busy as hell yesterday bringing in pollen, but they've cooled down a lot today with this dismal weather.Not long (hopefully) to go before the weather warms up a bit so might as well wait :)
 
''He also said people rear :eek: wax moth as fishing bait. Is that true? Maybe we could start a beekeeper-fishermen war,''


why not try 'I plant himalayan balsam' as a starter.
 
jenkinsbrynmair said:
One question - why? if you have a DLQ there's nothing you can do for a while and the weather isn't fantastic round here at the moment so give them some time for the weather to settle, I saw a dead drone in one of mine last week.
Bees were busy as hell yesterday bringing in pollen, but they've cooled down a lot today with this dismal weather.Not long (hopefully) to go before the weather warms up a bit so might as well wait :)
Click to expand...

Diolch yn fawr iawn, JBM! I'm very much a newbee so anxious and impressionable.... I read another thread where the point was made that combining might be a good option provided there was still worker brood in the hive. You're right that the forecast isn't good for the next few days - 11 degrees tomorrow is the best. I've looked at your previous posts and pictures in envy - although you're not far away you seem to be in a much more bee-friendly spot than us. Wondered if we might be higher than you - we're at about 290m. Reassuring that you have seen drones as well. How many drones is too many?
 
Altitude about 200 here - the Aman valley is also pretty sheltered. You do get the occasional drone surviving the winter so it could be that - just keep an eye on them - are you getting plenty of workers in that hive at the moment? As for how many is too many - i think we'll have to wait for one of the experts to profess on that :)
 
Thanks Rab, Good info.
Went to Physio yesterday. today it feels like I have just had the Op all over again.......
Sadists ?
 
that's one of the main drawbacks of the NHS reforms being implemented/proposed under the auspices of the Health and Social Care Bill - competition from outside agencies!!!!
 
Hi BobsBees, Congrats on hip replacement I have had both mine replaced fully Bionic now one 12yrs 2nd 4yrs dancing every Sat night fantastic , please be careful don't be silly its easy to get impatient do as your told it will be worth it.
Taylan
 
Finished laying one side of the hedge (mainly hazel and holly) then realised that there was something different on the next boundary - big 30 foot tree no longer vertical! has fallen into the next field :D saves me doing it anyway, how could i have missed that as it's been down for a while! - just got to saw the bit thats flattened a bit of my fence then I can lay that side - this is mostly straggly overgrown laurel (there were five large trees on this plot so not much light for shrubbery growth) But it should look ok in a few years.
Bees busily bringing in water and pollen - mailny willow with some hazel and snowdrop.
 
Filled some bags from the muckheap in the corner of the field to bring home for the garden.

Bees flying like it's midsummer (mind you it is warmer than most of last midsummer's days); bringing in loads of pollen. Interestingly in one hive it was all bright yellow, but next door much more orange. Apart from hazel wonder what they are getting it from?
 
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