What did you do in the Apiary today?

[borderer]

Had a look in the in the last four hives today. A really nice day at 16c. Two at work looking good laying across five frames. Two left, in the garden first one looking fine, laying across four frames on brood and a half. So far so good, last one to check. Oh b****r all drone brood, no sign of any worker brood

Despite being treated with api-guard in September and oxalic acid at Christmas, there is evidence of severe varroa infestation with many of the drones having deformed wings.

 

[Cazza]

Tried the "hold your smoker between your legs during inspection." method.
Never again.
1. Smoke gets in your eyes.
2. If like me your back is iffy you are forced to bend it over the hive. Result - back pain which I haven't had for ages.

What a stupid idea.
Cazza

 

[dpearce4]

got home 6pm had a quick look at hives in garden and bees still flying. temp 16c. it is march?

met office says local obs site was 18.3c at 3pm and forcast is warmer tomorrow and saturday.
blimey.

 

[justme]

ok so mine is yesterday. Out apairy is sun trap, well ish, so it was just ok for a quick look in. Swopped boxes over on 'italian' colony, bottom box totally empty, top very full of bees and surprisingly a lot stores. Laods of pollen going in, yellow and burnt orange. In fact from all 3 hives there I saw loads of bright yellow 'bees', legs and everything:.) didnt go through the boxes though, not that warm.
Had a quick look at other 2, both busy and seem to be expanding.

had hoped to do others today, but 'orrible day, wet and yuk:.(

 

[Erichalfbee]

1st look today
Both 14 x 12s BIAS, only one queen spotted though.
The cedar hive is in advance of the poly and has a few capped drone cells already.
There was an under super, now empty, which I removed.
There is brood on all the frames apart from where there are stores so I put the under super on top without an excluder. Don't know whether that's a mistake or not.
Both still have a couple of frames of stores.
Moved my small colony in the poly nat into a poly nuc box.
Spotted a small queen and BIAS ....don't know if they'll make it.

 

[Headnavigator]

Watched a bumble lumber through the hive entrance this afternoon - right in. She visited for all of twenty seconds before lumbering out just as gently. Guard bees - what are you doing? I don't want Babbitty-bumble's nasty diseases and parasites in amongst my bees. Wish I'd left the mouse guard on a bit longer now. Came back indoors to find a queen wasp had made herself at home in the kitchen. Yes, I know, they're wonderful. She can go and be wonderful in another world, I'm afraid. What a day for guests!

 

[RosieMc]

First full inspection of the year today.

First hive ok
Second hive - first signs of DLQ! no sign of old Q.
Lots of dead bees on floor. Far too much mold on brood frames. So did a quick shook swarm. Now they are all clustered on a sheet away from the hive.

I know that this hive is doomed and I am nervous about uniting the few remaining bees that made it back to their own hive. Not too good a start to the year

 

[Beeline]

Just taken a wander out to the hive, in the dark, after dinner. I could hear them from a few meters away.

Flashing the torch across the entrance there were bees fanning away and a strong smell of honey , just like a summers night.

I've got to get the super swopped around this weekend and place on top with QX in between before I take them to the OSR - 3 weeks & counting as I know she is also laying in this shallow.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I finished my Bailley changes on my 14x12 hives with Nosema and fed those i had done on Saturday

Then went to another apiary and put a few SN4 frames in a half super above an 14x12 overwintering Queen Nuc that growing a bit too fast but that i don't want to transfer just yet,,,though will have to if the OSR is early....then when i got home realsised it was a bottom bee space super that I had put a top bee space Nuc

Then did a good deed for a beginner beekeeper and did his Bailley change for him after I repaired his new brood box ( that had been put together in a very interesting way,) when will they write better instruction on how to make a flat pack brood box

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not actually the apiary but wandered up to the old chapel to see if the colony in the wall had made it through another winter and they had - foragers in force bringing in loades of willow pollen here's some photos - the wall is shaded by a massive yew tree so getting a well lit photo is a bit of a bind (get your excuses in early I was always taught!)

 

[Bob Bee]

set up apiary 3. after getting it mowed by the gardener in charge.

 

[garethavenell]

After inspecting my hive this afternoon I rode home on my bike and upon returning to the house realised that I did not fully extinguish the smoker since bellows of smoke were rising out of my back pack. I now realise why I got a few funny looks at the traffic lights. I'm guessing the riding action must have been working the bellows a bit. Lucky I did not go up in smoke!

 

[REDWOOD]

Checked hives all bringing in loads of pollen very active taking advantage of this fine weather, fondant nearly gone on two hives so replenished. Take a good look inside next week if the weather remains well. Had all my seeds delivered so need to clear some ground next week ready for planting.
Did you know to germinate heather seeds they recommend you heat to 120 degrees for 30 seconds, it simulates a fire which gets them going.

 

[antoniahk]

Cut a hole in the side of an empty hive and made a window. Our 7-yr old wants to bring his classmates up to see the bees, and they really want to see lots of bees doing bee stuff, not just flying in and out. And we don't want accidents.

 

[Beeforest]

After inspecting my hive this afternoon I rode home on my bike and upon returning to the house realised that I did not fully extinguish the smoker since bellows of smoke were rising out of my back pack. I now realise why I got a few funny looks at the traffic lights. I'm guessing the riding action must have been working the bellows a bit. Lucky I did not go up in smoke!

 

[Silly Bee]

After inspecting my hive this afternoon I rode home on my bike and upon returning to the house realised that I did not fully extinguish the smoker since bellows of smoke were rising out of my back pack. I now realise why I got a few funny looks at the traffic lights. I'm guessing the riding action must have been working the bellows a bit. Lucky I did not go up in smoke!

Have a word with our other member who can't get his to stay alight.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

After inspecting my hive this afternoon I rode home on my bike and upon returning to the house realised that I did not fully extinguish the smoker since bellows of smoke were rising out of my back pack. I now realise why I got a few funny looks at the traffic lights. I'm guessing the riding action must have been working the bellows a bit. Lucky I did not go up in smoke!

Lucky you don't drive!

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=11756

 

[raathistle]

Yesterday was the first real look through our hive that we obtained as a nuc from PolyHive last summer. After much fumbling around last year it appears we have successfully made it through to year 2, as on opening up the brood box I found 7 frames rammed full of BIAS, with a smattering of brood on the other frames, and the rest rammed full of stores and pollen. There were also a good number of drones and drone brood spread throughout the box

They were overwintered on brood and a half, and the bottom super was a similar story. The central 4 frames were full of brood and eggs, with stores reaching out to all but 3 of the super frames. I'm beginning to think that perhaps a national might not be big enough for this queen

 

[pandtpoultry]

Just wandered up to watch what they were doing and wow they are facinating, now i can work out which pollen they are going for watching their flight paths. I just really had a wonderful half hour just watching... there are some wonderful beekeeping days

 

[Skyhook]

After inspecting my hive this afternoon I rode home on my bike and upon returning to the house realised that I did not fully extinguish the smoker since bellows of smoke were rising out of my back pack. I now realise why I got a few funny looks at the traffic lights. I'm guessing the riding action must have been working the bellows a bit. Lucky I did not go up in smoke!

I'd have loved to have seen you going along- a cross between a cyclist and a steam train!

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