What did you do in the Apiary today?

[herefordshirehoney]

Checked on my hives last night, I requeened two of them Sunday. As this was my first time was a bit doubtful. Everyone says do it in nucs, as I had so little brood due to the summer I decided to introduce directly via queencage. Both queens have been released, one has definitely been expected as saw her. I couldnt see the other queen in the other hive so will have to wait. I'm going to try and leave alone now for 2 weeks as I didnt see any new eggs as of yet. I do however, have a super to takeoff on the one hive so may put a clearer board on the bank holiday weekend.

I was told to check on day 7 and day 14 for supercedure cells, but its day 5 now so dont really want to check again in 2 days or it best to play it safe....

On the plus side would have been a lot harder to do without using MAQS etc.

 

[Goran]

Jobs accelerating and all need to be done "yesterday". I wish I can go for winter hibernation now and some wake me in spring.. I know what have, when and why to do, but all in high speed running, which I don't like. I like thoroughly, complete, "by the book" to make things. In this running I always think that I miss something.. By the way varroa treatment for now doesn't show big number of varroa ( or Bayvarol failed). After bayvarol placing I found few colonies with chalk brood, don't know is this related but I never had at my apiary chalk brood - unfortunately some queens are on the list ( all the lineage of them I must watch carefully).
Lost one queen ( discovered "emergency queen"), again I worry is it related to varroa treatment - queen was from 2012..
These days I got jenter, and I am playing with it some..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Two supers clearing.
I'm trying to get two colonies onto just brood box (from brood and shallow) ready to treat.
One went OK as top box was stores and no brood but one shallow has a lot of pollen which I don't want to waste so I shall put it on the bottom next week.
Went through all the broods for the first time in three weeks, all OK

 

[victor meldrew]

Bees have turned their attention to the balsam at last, with a bit of luck and a fair wind, I should be able to commence thymol treatment soon
VM

 

[ichbinpaul]

I went to check on a cast swarm in a nuke I placed on a vacant stand in my apiary yesterday, what a twit! I placed them on the stand that a week ago had a severe wasp attack that totally devastated a weak nuke! when I turned up today I saw the yellow blighters coming out of the nuke entrance with bee parts, busier than a yardie chop shop so i decided after seeing no queen to combine with a small colony and the daily Mirror! I hope have done the right thing!?

 

[Hivemaker.]

I hope have done the right thing!?

The worst that can happen is the virgin queen kills the other.

 

[BeeJayBee]

i decided ... to combine with a small colony and the daily Mirror! I hope have done the right thing!?

They might object to the reading material, some bees prefer broadsheets.

 

[ichbinpaul]

They might object to the reading material, some bees prefer broadsheets.

Ahh I thought of that so I did it when there was little light left, so they didnt know what paper I'd used, I'm not daft you know!

 

[jd101k2000]

Bottling my first 'proper' harvest. A super of honey in my first year. Very excited. Bees were very calm. Had porter escape on beneath the super to be removed for four hours. Reduced entrances at the same time as putting on the clearer boards. There were still a fair number in the super when I came to remove the honey. Gave them a fair amount of smoke and they disappeared. Brushed off the few remaining bees. Glad I did it yesterday in the sun, as blustery winds and heavy rain today.

 

[Gardenbees]

Checked varroa boards today. One mite seen after a 3-day period, on one hive. No mites at all on any of the others despite painstaking peering at each bit of the board. It's been a remarkably mite-free year.

 

[Cazza]

It's been a remarkably mite-free year.

I thought that too. Perhaps the long winter/late spring helped.

Cazza

 

[madasafish]

Counted mites on day 5 after varroa treatment. Total 57 - over a week and 8 hives/nucs (one has a solid floor)...

The treatment was working : the bees obviously HATED it. So not many mites: like last year... Dare I try no treatment next year?

 

[Chris Luck]

Counted mites on day 5 after varroa treatment. Total 57 - over a week and 8 hives/nucs (one has a solid floor)...

The treatment was working : the bees obviously HATED it. So not many mites: like last year... Dare I try no treatment next year?

Shame on you for even considering such heresy, the inquisition will be along next.

Chris

 

[einsteinagogo]

nothing today, too wet, too windy, and recovering after a few stings last week on Wednesday, and currently on a heavy treatment of steroids from the Doctors, after visiting on Friday, to control swelling....6 tablets a day for four days!

 

[BeeJayBee]

Counted mites on day 5 after varroa treatment. Total 57 - over a week and 8 hives/nucs (one has a solid floor)...

The treatment was working : the bees obviously HATED it. So not many mites: like last year... Dare I try no treatment next year?

What did you use to treat your hives?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Had porter escape on beneath the super to be removed for four hours. Reduced entrances at the same time as putting on the clearer boards. There were still a fair number in the super when I came to remove the honey. Gave them a fair amount of smoke and they disappeared. Brushed off the few remaining bees.

When I used porters I found that they cleared better left on overnight.
Not too much smoke else smokey honey........

 

[user 6228]

another day of not treating the bees for varroa and not feeding them for winter

 

[madasafish]

What did you use to treat your hives?

HM's recipe
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1840

Very cheap and effective...

 

[theeggman]

HM's recipe
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1840

Very cheap and effective...

Plus the strong thymol mix in feed. No nosema at the test this year.

Tim

 

[madasafish]

Plus the strong thymol mix in feed. No nosema at the test this year.

Tim

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