What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Chris Luck]

Inundated with a wave of late swarms, five in as many days and all large to very large - most odd, I can only assume it's connected with the unusual weather we've had this year, bloody nuisance really, I've got other things to do.

Chris

 

[scuttlefish]

Hi Scuttle

What is your 'queen unseen' method please? Just incase of need - thanks.

FB

Not in apiary but got 2 epipens today following a rather 'dodgy' reaction to a beesting on Jubilee weekend. Crossing everything in the hope I don't need to use them!

Hi Freethorpe, I'll post it in a new thread for you rather than divert this one

 

[Cazza]

Popped into the garden this morning for a little weeding at 6.15 a.m. Still couldn't beat the bees to it. They'd already put their towels out on the poppies. Amazing.

Cazza

 

[dudley]

Caught a swarm from a swarm I collected in May.
I must admit to only having opened the May swarm twice since hiving it and had not dreamt it would swarm this year. I keep only 1st year swarms at home, all established colonies are at my out apiaries, so when I was told I had a swarm at home I was puzzled, must be a feral colony arrived I thought.
But on inspection of my hived swarms I noticed the May swarm, although in a national brood box on 14x12 frames, plus a super, still with 2 undrawn 14 x 12 brood frames of foundation and not overcrowded, must have swarmed. I have less bees, no queen visible, and capped and uncapped Qcells.

 

[Queens59]

Turned one swarm over to the local BKA as they were too far for me - and then had another call just as we started cooking the tea...a smallish cast I think.

I was told 'we get them every year from that direction...' which equates almost exactly with the position of a high up in the local BKA...

 

[hiveabee]

just sat watching a hive for 30 mins to see what various pollen's were going in.

 

[REDWOOD]

just sat watching a hive for 30 mins to see what various pollen's were going in.

And .......

 

[REDWOOD]

Checked hives today one day late but thank god no QC All enjoying the fine weather

 

[psafloyd]

Just checked another one. Doing well, laying well but a few more brood frames to draw out.

 

[betterbee]

Placed 10 queen cells in apideas,now pray for good weather

 

[richardbees]

Another of my artificial swarms swarmed as I watched....... it's the most difficult year I can remember. I collected the swarm and 'ran them in' which has to be one of the best things to watch ever!

 

[beestie]

What sayeth The Forum?

Arrrrrgh! Another swarm!

This lot have housed themselves in a broken breeze block inside a shed wall next to the hive. Managed to get a couple of handfuls into a nuc but they went right back to their breeze block again.

Now they seem to have found another gap and are moving nicely further into the wall.

Very, very tempted to smoke 'em, and hope they will find the brood box I have kindly put on a wall nearby.

What sayeth The Forum?

 

[richardbees]

beestie...ho, ho, ho, the joy of unhelpful bees!

imo smoking won't help but maybe a nuc with a frame of unsealed brood may tempt them out?

I'll follow this with interest, good luck
richard

 

[george]

40 mile round trip to the Wentworth Estate to a good sized swarm hanging at a convenient height . Skepped it and popped it in to a Commercial this morning .

Sounds like all the newbies who want bees at the local assoc have taken all the swarms they want , we should now end up with anything else that gets phoned in .
G

 

[piggy1]

My first split i have done 21st May appears to have worked, queen now laying well, original colony with old queen on old site has built up to 8 frames in 5 weeks. I'm new in my 2nd year it's all a steep learning curve.

 

[susbees]

Very, very tempted to smoke 'em, and hope they will find the brood box I have kindly put on a wall nearby.

What sayeth The Forum?

Smoke em heavily or use some Beequick (only use for the stinking stuff).

 

[susbees]

My first split i have done 21st May appears to have worked, queen now laying well, original colony with old queen on old site has built up to 8 frames in 5 weeks. I'm new in my 2nd year it's all a steep learning curve.

Fingers crossed - sounds like you are having a less worrying time than many

 

[blackcavebees]

My first split i have done 21st May appears to have worked, queen now laying well, original colony with old queen on old site has built up to 8 frames in 5 weeks. I'm new in my 2nd year it's all a steep learning curve.

Well done! My split around same time has yet to get queen mated with all this bad weather, although bees are bringing in pollen and nectar and drawing out foundation. A few days without rain would be nice

 

[richardbees]

piggy 1

Your split went exactly as planned - well done!

Years 3 to 50 won't be so easy........

richard

 

[Shabro]

re-queened yet another hive, hopefully that will be the last time I have to do it, this year at least.