What did you do in the Apiary today?

[richardbees]

Summo, the reason I asked is imo there's no longer any need to have big entrances for ventilation with OMF so the entrance can be reduced to 7mm - adequate for the bees but too small for a mouse....so no need for a mouse guard.

The problem with MGs is they scrape pollen off the bees as they go through.

richard

 

[Chris Luck]

Summo, the reason I asked is imo there's no longer any need to have big entrances for ventilation with OMF so the entrance can be reduced to 7mm - adequate for the bees but too small for a mouse....so no need for a mouse guard.

The problem with MGs is they scrape pollen off the bees as they go through.

richard

Must be the mouse guards you use, it never happens with mine.

Chris

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Hello Summo

I changed my entrance block to a long shallow approx 7 mm deep slot which is mouse proof.

Sorry to be stupid but does this imply my standard entrance block with a 6mx100mm slot is mouseproof?

 

[richardbees]

Chris
The last one I used was the most common type - a strip of galvanised metal with a double row of circular holes 10 mm dia.....

On sunny days in Jan/Feb I could see a row of pollen on the landing strip left by the bees coming back with crocus pollen.

richard

 

[richardbees]

does this imply my standard entrance block with a 6mx100mm slot is mouseproof?

I'm implying nothing!

A mouse skull can't get through a 6 mm gap.....so a 6 mm slot however long is mouse proof.

(however I'm not sure about pygmy shrews)

 

[Chris Luck]

I like the idea of a slot I must say, I'll have a little play.

Chris

 

[Chris Luck]

This is the one we have here, even smaller than the Pygmy.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suncus_etruscus

Chris

 

[Goran]

does this imply my standard entrance block with a 6mx100mm slot is mouseproof?

I'm implying nothing!

A mouse skull can't get through a 6 mm gap.....so a 6 mm slot however long is mouse proof.

(however I'm not sure about pygmy shrews)

Some here intentionally build metal slots with height of entrance 6mm then in spring remove.. As they say it works.. I still don't use any mouse guard at the entrances..

 

[Goran]

Woke up early this morning and first frost on the ground.. Was worried that aster got "burned" and bees won't have some nectar from it.. But I was luckily surprised, or the frost wasn't too strong or aster resisted.. And gave some nectar to bees even in a cold morning..

 

[Swarm]

My entrances are like that and full width, I like them.

Nice photos again Goran, your bees look happy.

 

[Goran]

Thanks. I try the best I can to have mutual benefit ( both sides happy..).

Regards..

Forgot Tommorow I am not at the apiary, going to "bee" fair..

 

[dpearce4]

All hives really busy today even though it was really overcast. The bees bringing in pollen had baskets so full when they landed some collapsed as they couldn't stand with the size of what they were carrying. The hives I put supers back on last week have half filled them and that is in a week of rubbish weather, I have a feeling they might need second supers next weekend as the weather is set fair.

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

All hives really busy today even though it was really overcast. The bees bringing in pollen had baskets so full when they landed some collapsed as they couldn't stand with the size of what they were carrying. The hives I put supers back on last week have half filled them and that is in a week of rubbish weather, I have a feeling they might need second supers next weekend as the weather is set fair.

How envious am I!

Inspected boards as I had treated for varroa with a recipe sprayed on to the brood comb. Hive one board had varroa shell on it. I think the ants may have had them. Hive 2 had a funny looking mite that was so small it was difficult to see but movement betrayed it as a live creature, smaller even than red spider mite. Under a magnifying glass it looked nothing like varroa the body was a pale golden colour so small I could not count ther legs but could see it had antenea on a very small head in comparison to the body, it looked a little bit like a tik. Any Ideas?

 

[Chris Luck]

http://www.bpca.org.uk/pages/index.cfm?page_id=185

Chris

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Hi Chris thanks for the illustration, but, I don't think it is this, not hairy and the body when examined under the magnifying glass was shiny almost translucent I would say.

 

[VEG]

Bottled up another batch of honey and have started sorting out my wax cappings ready to melt into buckets.

 

[Chris Luck]

If you google harvest mites Elizabeth you will see that the picture I posted wasn't the best and that they do fit your description AND now is their time.

Chris

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Helped man the association stall at the Neath food fairwe did a roaring trade selling out of about 100 jars of honey between 10 and 1500. Also took some of my cut comb down just to make the stall look a bit interesting - I had sold out by lunchtime.

 

[VEG]

Well done JBM


Craig

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

it was a fun day, loads of interesting chats, set up another prospective retail outlet for myself and watching people taste the two honeys on offer : one saying 'I prefer (a) because it seems sweeter and less harsh than (b)' to then hear the next person using the same words exactly but 'saying I prefer (b) because it seems sweeter and less harsh than (a)' At one point when we had ran out of (a) we had two separate stacks of (b) and guess what? 'I prefer (a) because it seems sweeter and less harsh than (b)' etc.........
Pitied the lady in the next stall selling nice looking drinks in twee packaging, a lot of them mead based - she paid £200.00 for the stall and all day made a sum total of....... £10.00 obviously the people of Neath not ready for that kind of sophistry!!