What did you do in the Apiary today?

[drstitson]

mike a - presumably the bees won't move in completely as they are a bit unsure about WPF goods. perhaps a ****** version would suit them better?

 

[drstitson]

Took off 4 supers of honey to extract, packaged up a couple of nucs to transport to assoc members and then reluctantly euthanised 2 colonies that were becoming too troublesome.

 

[Mike a]

mike a - presumably the bees won't move in completely as they are a bit unsure about WPF goods. perhaps a ****** version would suit them better?

Mine are from Pa*nes thankfully.

Went back today with a brand new still unpainted deep langstroth, 9 brand new frames and a frame of brood from another colony and transferred them from the nuc into this hive as gently as possible.

Then had a look at the frames in the nuc and was very happy to see the following. Less than 18 hours and the queen started laying so I didn't need the frame of brood after all.

 

[Phayze]

Built a super for my nuc as it now has 3 frames of stores hope she is in there and starts to lay soon other 2 colonies now drawing frames in their supers 3 virgins lots of stores no brood I am slowly learning to have patience but they know how to test you don't they

 

[Luminos]

Mine are from Pa*nes thankfully.

Went back today with a brand new still unpainted deep langstroth, 9 brand new frames and a frame of brood from another colony and transferred them from the nuc into this hive as gently as possible.

Then had a look at the frames in the nuc and was very happy to see the following. Less than 18 hours and the queen started laying so I didn't need the frame of brood after all.

That's a really good photo of eggs - is it possible to "sticky" a photo?

 

[Pete D]

Quiet day for me, housed a swarm in a NUC box when I got home from work, looks to have come from a hive that a friend is temporarily keeping at mine whilst looking for a new out apiary site and enjoying 2 weeks away.

Then a big big thank you to Andy (Barranack on here) who came over and wired up a new speed controller to my 10 frame extractor that I picked up over the winter. I am hoping to need it soon.
I have promised to repay the favour anyway I can, helping with inspections, holiday cover, spare equipment in a hurry etc

Thanks again Andy

Pete D

 

[YorkshireBees]

Yesterday I check 2 swarms that I hived last week in a polynuc and full poly hive respectively. The smaller of the 2 swarms had yet again drawn out every frame from foundation and filled them with stores! Swapped out 3 of the 6 frames for foundation, previously I had already taken 2 frames of stores out, in the hope they will create some space for a queen to lay!
The bigger swarm, hived on Saturday, has almost completely drawn 11 frames and has plenty of stores but has left a nice space for brood on most of the frames. No eggs yet but it's still early.
Finally colected a medium - large swarm that arrived in my bait polynuc. They had mainly clustered underneath so it took some persuading to get the inside!

 

[scuttlefish]

Moved in two new colonies I bought from another local beek - one from a swam he hived last year and one from his own stocks (with two supers on already.

Would have gone more smoothly if the base hadn't slipped on one of them while we were loading it up, letting a lot of angry ladies out! By the time we got them back in, moved and in place it was nearly half eleven... :yawn:

 

[johnmcc]

Up at 4.00 am, closed hives (WBC) with wooden baffles I made up yesterday - worked a treat. Two cups of coffee, then loaded hives onto trailer and took them to their new home. All OK so far. Unfortunately when we got to the field the sun came out and the temperature started to rise. I was going to leave them locked up until late this evening when - I hoped - they'd be settled and calmer. But in all conscience the site is too exposed to the sun, so I decided to open the hives straight away. Probably a mistake - attacked by thousands of very angry bees as I put the lifts on. Most stings just pinpricks through two layers of fabric (knees, arms) but one got through the canvas of my gauntlet and stung me on the wrist in almost the same place I got stung yesterday. Forearm now tubular! But at least they're out of the garden and we can attend to the veggies again. I'll organise some shade and shelter for the hives in a week or two.

A couple of questions questions: how long before I inspect next? (I've already washed suit in readiness.) I think a good long break from me is what they need! And what are the best gloves to wear in such a situation? I know the old-fashioned gauntlets are frowned upon, but I was very glad of mine this morning.

 

[Luminos]

Began hive inspection...thunder started halfway through, so had to abandon...just got packed up in time before giant hailstones and lightning started.
And yes, it was forecast. And no, I didn't believe them

 

[freethorpe bees]

Hi John. I use the blue rubbery type gloves from Maise**re. They are almost sting proof and quite easy to feel what you are doing. If you do order, err on the side of smaller.

 

[MuswellMetro]

decided to have a leisurely inspection of my main apiary....demarrees that had been recombined now had queens cells again

new requeening nucs had slimmed down new queens and queen cells even though only two weeks since made


the two recombined AS had rejected their new queens nad were now queenless with no eggs and larva

and when i i thought i was finished, going through the last hive, nice queen, eggs ,larva capped good pattern no queen cells i thought this hive is noisy i wonder why ?then realised that the noise was behind me and the other beekeeper's single hive was spitting bees out like a machine gun...ahhh another swarm..i know he inspected saturday..and although low down, i took it too early before it had calmed down and it was hard getting it to go in to the 6 frame 14x12 Nuc

so came home and reverted to childhood...and repaired my 0 gauge engine...so nice to have something that does what it sayson the box and in the book....even if it is only going around in circles

 

[tonybloke]

went through the nuc I created last weekend and knocked down a few emergency cells they'd started, leaving just the sealed queen cell. leave 'em alone now for 3 weeks.

parent colony, knocked down a couple of emergency cells, leaving just the one sealed queen cell. I'll leave the brood box alone for 3 weeks, now.

this colony has now capped one super, working on the second, so, added a rhombus escape below the top super, and added another ready drawn super just above the queen excluder, Happy days, gonna get some 2012 honey ready for my birthday next week!!

 

[E1M]

I.....

.returned my nuc box and posted a question on here asking why have about 50 of our bees chosen to go beneath the hive and conglomerate on the underside of the open mesh floor?
Also mowed the lawn around them with a very quiet electric mower, better than the noisy petrol one for the back garden!

 

[Dilligaf]

Been out to mow the lawns, being careful by the hives. The swarm that includes last years very docile colony was no problem, I ended up in my suit to mow round the old hive which still appears to be without a laying queen, they are very touchy about anything going near them.
Finished the mowing and because I was hot, took off the suit in that garage as usual. Came outside to fold the mower handle and was immediately set on by a couple of bees.
One got me on the arm before i got back into the garage.
Suit back on, mower put away & wore the suit until I was back in the house.

 

[Queens59]

Removed 3 supers of sealed honey, just 2 hives left to check now...but tomorrow when my hands doesn't hurt so much!

Hubby did the work today as I got badly stung last night when attempting to inspect a Q+ hive which was actually Q-...any idea how many bees in a double brood inc. 14x12? Ouch!

 

[TOBY-3652]

Got called by a friend. Swarm in garden, nice big swarm.

 

[Swarm]

Supered the poly hive. Received news that a friend was hospitalised after being stung so trying hard to think up a solution with regards to resiting their bees. Seems like these adverse reactions are increasing? I'm beginning to wonder what's going on, so many allergies these days. Food additives?

 

[REDWOOD]

went through the nuc I created last weekend and knocked down a few emergency cells they'd started, leaving just the sealed queen cell. leave 'em alone now for 3 weeks.

parent colony, knocked down a couple of emergency cells, leaving just the one sealed queen cell. I'll leave the brood box alone for 3 weeks, now.

this colony has now capped one super, working on the second, so, added a rhombus escape below the top super, and added another ready drawn super just above the queen excluder, Happy days, gonna get some 2012 honey ready for my birthday next week!!

Happy birthday for next week

 

[alanf]

Stung - by a wasp!

Added a fresh super, quick inspection for queen cells and surprised to find the elusive queen who had shed her mark AGAIN and has only a shadow of it left.

After checking for bees, took the gear off. Then while folding it was stung on the hand - by a WASP! And the gloves were already off.