What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Goran]

I keep telling my bees that literature says the pollen patties goes in February but they never listen to me.


At least this "granny" summer is good for something, last loads of nectar and pollen incoming.. Meadow worth a gold now for the bees ( directly) and me ( indirectly)..

Got surprised that many of this year queens still got the brood.. Bit worried, but plenty of food present.

 

[Glenviewbee]

Tried out my hive scales today. Used a loop of baling twine around the bottom part of the hive stand on each side, then lifted the hive an inch or so off the ground.
I have the stand, OMF (with landing board built in) brood box, crown board, super, insulation and 4" roof for each hive set-up.

Hive 1 - 18.5kg one side, 15.5kg the other so 34kg in total
Hive 2 - 15.5kg and 16kg - 31.5kg in total.

The bees are still very much out and about, piling the pollen into the colonies.

 

[Goran]

Yesterday, merging leftovers.. They drunk the slivovitz, shredded newspapers and at the end "cheerfully" united.. After "party" have to clean the house..

Today strong southern wind temp over 23 celsius, but now rapidly changing to northern wind and temps below 20.. And have to adapt to fast changes..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Put second tray of Apiguard on the super hive, cleared the trays off all the others and put feeders on - no need to dribble a bit down the hole wihth this Belgosuc it seems - they were into it before I'd finished pouring it! Mite drops not big at all apart from the swarm I caught and that wasn't massive, still glad I treated them all though as this should really knock the varroa back for next year maybe then I can use icing sugar (tra la says he as he dances through the daisies )

 

[Chris Luck]

You've got daisies?

Been all wrapped up here for a while now, just feeding a few colonies, still Hornets of both types mooching around, "Asians" still taking bees surprisingly.

Chris

 

[pargyle]

!!

Mite drops not big at all apart from the swarm I caught and that wasn't massive, still glad I treated them all though as this should really knock the varroa back for next year maybe then I can use icing sugar (tra la says he as he dances through the daisies )

Or perhaps you should be brave and go treatment free ? You never know, you might like it !!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Or perhaps you should be brave and go treatment free ? You never know, you might like it !!!

No - the one hive with a hevy load was enough to convince me I was doing the right thing. I'm glad I did treat this year as it will mean that the varroa will have had a real hammering going into the winter - we'll never get rid but perhaps in a few years by keeping them down I may be a bit more selective in my treatmens. Again this year i noticed that the drop was much heavier on the second dose than the first so i think it was wiser to carry on with the second dose not stopping 'because the drop was light in the first fortninght' which a few have stated this year.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Weather for past two days, has been wet and raining all day, and then today, the clouds, broke clear skies, warm and sunny. Bees suddenly went crazy, collecting pollen, so I decided it was time to remove the miller feeder, as I've now finished feeding syrup 7 days ago, replaced glass quill with acryllic crownboard with no hole, and two layers of insulation direct on top of crownboard, and 50"" kingspan/celotex, and roof.

What I'm troubled by was the remaining bees in the feeder? (there was no syrup, the bees finished that last week), which seemed, did not want to leave it, I've left it by the hive, but I suspect, they may not suvive the night.

I know I have more than a single bee, I would just like them all to return home before nightfall!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Shake them out in front of the hive, they'll soon go home.

Raining with us today as well - but bees out in droves regardless of the wet.

 

[einsteinagogo]

@jenkinsbrynmair, I must have read your mind, I have now shaken them in front of the hive, but they just seemed quite content to cluster into small batches outside the hive!

I'll see if they are still there in the morning!

 

[REDWOOD]

Tested bees for nosema, all clear

 

[Chris Luck]

WOKE UP TO FROST

Chris

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

WOKE UP TO FROST

Chris

Aaaaaaaarrrrrggg!

Just lots of rain here so much I feel I am living in a permanent cloud.
Nuffin Too much Rain.

 

[REDWOOD]

Aaaaaaaarrrrrggg!

Just lots of rain here so much I feel I am living in a permanent cloud.
Nuffin Too much Rain.

welcome to the winter blues, bees all tucked up in bed honey extracted and jarred and nothing to do

 

[dickndoris]

Last varroa treatment on. Floors checked for drop and all looking good. Last of thymol laced liquid feed given (3days ago) and nearly gone in most!
All very active bringing in lots of pollen still which is great to see and all seem lovely, fat, hairy and non aggressive.
All frames n bits n bobs ordered at Thorne's sale ready to pick up on Saturday.
Last of frames extracted with extractor tucked away and cleaned ready for next season.
IKEA stainless roast tin in prep to make heated un capping tray.

 

[Goran]

Like I am at your neighborhood, at my place also heavy load of pollen ( yellow), sunny, around 20-22 celsius. But autumn is here, making wonderful pictures on forest on hills ( colors of leaves from green, yellow, purple, red, orange, brown - explosion of colors)..

 

[grahambee]

WOW




WINTER HUMBUG

LOL 3 OCLOCK

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm away on hols. At home it's a warm sunny day and my step daughter has sent me a picture of my bees flying. Ah bless

 

[dickndoris]

WOW




WINTER HUMBUG

LOL 3 OCLOCK

Same here today too! Forecast is to warm up toward the end of the week so they will be busy this autumn .

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Topped up feeders 9n the home apiary and removed an apiguard eke that I'd absent mindedly left on last week (all this talk of ekes and brace comb today reminded me!!) - no brace comb by the way