What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Goran]

If they're half as good as those two lovely pics, yes! or just post them here
Thanks Chris, keep them coming.

Made the album in photo albums, started filling it..

Forget, to be in topic.. Started with curing several colonies from chalk brood, most likely won't change queens now - in a spring time.. We had no rain for about 6 weeks ( I forgot how it looks like when rains)..

 

[Beauhawk]

Took my first honey from my first hive that was a package in May this year, 51lbs in two full supers AND marked my first Queen from a swarm I collected in June.

Excellent success, I feel very proud of my girls.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Well done Beauhawk!

Nothing in the world tastes better than your first honey!


My day in the apiary has been less exotic so far.
I got out early, to grovel in the blocked drain near the hives, to try to clear it before the little darlings got too active.
One still showed an unhealthy interest in me, just before I finished.

Little darlings.

Dusty

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Pleasantly surprised with the amount of honey harvested this summer, 99 jars as opposed to 30 odd last summer.

 

[domino]

I took off two supers of honey today. One of them is full of beautiful white cappings the other is a little hit and miss. Stupidly I decided to carry them rather than drive to them - it almost killed me.

 

[Chris Luck]

Pleasantly surprised with the amount of honey harvested this summer, 99 jars as opposed to 30 odd last summer.

Looks very attractive, not at all like my presentation (or lack of).

What quantity is in a jar?

Chris

 

[Lindylou]

Had bee inspector round today. Got a clean bill of health thank goodness.

 

[Loubylou]

Re-housed my nuc colony into brand new hive...I called it the Hilton as it is the first brand new hive I have ever owned and well posh it is too. Not sure the bees were that appreciative tho..... Put rapid feeder on top so that should make them happier. Brand new house and freshly delivered takeaway....what more could a bee want??

 

[TOBY-3652]

treated another wasp nest near bees, thats 5 within 100 yards of my bees/// lovely feeling when the nozzle goes in the entrance

 

[yeogi75]

made a bit of mess last time in the kitchin, so decided to do it in the green house,honey nice and warm half way throu droped jar, right mess and i can defenatly tell you bees and wasps can smell honey from miles away, had to leave greenhouse took away all remaining honey and washed down still bees and wasp are comming,wife got stung by wasp so now allowed in kitchin as long as i dont make a mess and clean up

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Transferred the frames of the queenless aggressive colony in WBC hive into a national brood box then relocated to above queened colony using newspaper unite method. Boy were the queenless colony cranky! Lets see how they settle down once the queen phemerones permeate.
I was fully suited up and using heavy gauge rubber gloves. One vicious little bugger managed to penetrate them on the knuckle and one forced its way through the elasticated cuff to nail me on the wrist. No others penetrated the suit (cheap ebay model)
All my hives are getting varroa treatments come Sunday so hoping the unite is complete by then.

 

[Leonsaviour]

found a virgin queen

I visited a colony we thought was queenless and inspected the hive. We have a mated queen there which has not yet been released from the cage. We had queen excluder at the entrance as we had recently shaken out the colony to try and remove an unmated queen.
On inspection after two days, I found a virgin queen on the queen excluder outside the hive. I quickly snatched her up and put her in a cage.
Now I am not sure what to do with this unmated queen! It was suggested I put her in an apidea with a cup of young bees and see if she will be mated.
Surprises never cease!

 

[Swarm]

Nice, lucky find.

 

[I agree with Grumpy]

Made a start on cleaning spare equipment to store away until needed next season. It took most of the day as well, so another two days off work and I don't feel I have had anytime off. Hard work this hobby.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Taking a rest from packaging cut comb.
What a mess!!!!!!

The new t h o r n e s containers are much better than their previous ones.
It looks very nice.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Watching wasps eat my bees :-(. Hopefully a nuisance as opposed to a problem but deeply upsetting.

 

[Queens59]

Watched OH inspect, swop boxes over, remove QEs, treat for varroa and feed 2 smallest colonies. Hate not being able to do it myself... Wanted it done though as I go into hospital on Tuesday and not sure when I'll be able to play again.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Put clearer boards on 2 hives.
Found a beauty of a queen with 3 frames of bias in another hive I thought was possibly doomed. She was created from an emergency QC which hatched at the end of July but is lovely and fat and laying like a goodun.
Happy days.
Hope you're feeling better soon Queens

 

[Chris58]

Spent a time watching the front of the hive with a worker firmly clasping a drone and 'frog' marching him away from the entrance of the hive. He got back to the entrance several times and each time a worker grabbed him firmly around the body and marched him back up the front/up the side of the hive. Hoping for some honey next week, they're being sneaking and filling the frames but leaving maybe 20 cells on each frame open - they know I'm waiting for them to seal them so I can nick the frame I'm sure!

 

[Walrus]

Started to take off supers & add thymol treatment. A bit of a bee/wasp frenzy but eventually got frames into plastic storage boxes. I have to buy more storage boxes & go back to finish the job as I have quite a few more super frames now than at the start of the season

Frames with honey on will go back to the bees under the BB once treatment is over in September.