What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Obee1]

What does a 1-handed queen catcher look like? (Sounds like a product of Messrs Heath & Robinson ;-) )

Having damaged a queen when moving between hives this year, I'm on the lookout

Dexter did a thread on his one. Best thing since sliced bread. Thrones sell them ... Amongst other reputable bee suppliers near you!


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30608

 

[Firefly]

Popped up to the apiary which houses one of my three colonies in advance of a session showing friends around on the weekend. Last week they were sweet as can be, today I was mobbed after 30 seconds without even opening up (weather is fine with no rain/thunder on the horizon).

Three theories - 1) They've lost the queen, 2) last week's young bees have turned into adolescent thugs 3) having just put my suit through a water only wash, there was enough residual detergent to give it a nasty niff.

Time will tell!

4. Wasps ?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

4. Wasps ?

No obvious sign

Sent from my SM-G901F using Tapatalk

 

[B+.]

Would love to follow their results but don't think I can access the data without being a member

Btw do you speak german? I notice some of the stuff is only available in german

Only the odd word. Certainly not enough to communicate in German.
I can put anything you might like to see on dropbox and send you a link though

Oh...almost forgot...I made up 10 queenless colonies ready for the introduction tomorrow.

 

[Erichalfbee]

First check of all 8 boxes together in weeks.
One brood half split of an AS is dwindling, lethargic and is being investigated further. In another done at the same time husband found a small black queen which we marked. Not laying yet....or ever, maybe.
2 cast swarms with laying queens have had feeders put on.
4 remaining "production " colonies are eating their super stores but we managed to juggle frames around to clear a super and a half.
I keep reminding myself of last year and hoping I might see a similar one again before old age forces me to give up beekeeping.

 

[maddydog]

Inspected my two furthest away colonies. Stores basically static from last time, both colonies carrying huge amounts of bees. Very busy, almost flow-like. There is a queen breeder nearby who breeds only Italians, it is interesting to see my carnies turn more progressively yellow. Can't say I've seen any deteriation in temperament in the f1 or f2.
Also reduced the entrance of two colonies that are being bothered by wasps. The other six are on kewl-type floors and have had no issues. Will be hitting the workshop in the winter

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Went and watched my newly stroppy hive. Saw one wasp hover nearby then go away. Several drones getting booted out. Received a certain amount of pinging from guard bees, nothing excessive but then again I was only standing to one side observing.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Abscond this!

Having lost one nice little Q to a loose pin on an Apidea QE, the later attempt now have to push out a Phillips screw. Abscond that! Caught all the drones out rutting as well: result!

2/3 Qs grafted a few weeks ago mated and laying. Absotively, posilutely my favourite part of beekeeping. I think I killed the other one making up her nuc carelessly.

 

[nantmoel]

rtStarted converting my pile of Cedar into bee hives, I have cut the tenon's into a load of rails using my 'Woodrat' system, next will be the tenon's into the hive wall's but its Fridays night and its pint night!

 

[einsteinagogo]

Abscond this!

Having lost one nice little Q to a loose pin on an Apidea QE, the later attempt now have to push out a Phillips screw. Abscond that! Caught all the drones out rutting as well: result!

2/3 Qs grafted a few weeks ago mated and laying. Absotively, posilutely my favourite part of beekeeping. I think I killed the other one making up her nuc carelessly.

lost an Apidea to wasp attacks! a real shame. damn wasps!

I've never seen so many angry wasps in a small apidea, at least 50-100, I removed the top, and ran!

I've not seen any wasps this year, other than hibernated queens at start of the year (March 2015), other than today, so they are around.

 

[kazmcc]

Went up to Dusty's house again with Arran. Saw and marked the queen in hive 1. She is a beauty and is laying really well. We are really happy with her, the last hurdle is to see what her offspring are like. Not much change in the supers, but then the weather has been awful this week.

I didn't get to do hive 2, as I became unwell. Luckily, I had a paramedic on hand, making his breakfast, so I sat in the kitchen being checked over while Dusty and Arran did hive 2. Arran gave me updates from the back door, all is well, queen and eggs seen, no change in the supers. Finished just in time for the rain to come pouring down.

Arran is becoming a proper little bee keeper. He loves the bees, you can have a quite indepth conversation with him about what is happening in the hive. It's lovely to be able to share this with him

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Arran is becoming a proper little bee keeper. He loves the bees, you can have a quite indepth conversation with him about what is happening in the hive. It's lovely to be able to share this with him

In fact, Kaz, you'd better look to your laurels!
If he were a couple of feet taller, he might replace you!

Today, he told me he was going to become a professional footballer, buy a mansion and keep bees. We did a deal that, when I'm too old to keep my own bees, he's going to send a stretch limo to pick me up to help with his hives.

Perfect!

Yes, it was a good day. The only concern was when we marked the queen (a real beauty) the nurse bees showed more concern that I've seen before. We watched for 3 or 4 minutes, before putting them back. Hope they've not taken against their blue-marked new queen.

Dusty

 

[kazmcc]

Yes, it was a good day. The only concern was when we marked the queen (a real beauty) the nurse bees showed more concern that I've seen before. We watched for 3 or 4 minutes, before putting them back. Hope they've not taken against their blue-marked new queen.

Dusty

It was only the odd one though, so I reckon she will be ok. She scarpered off from those couple. My worry was that that one bee would rile up the other bees, but they didn't take any notice.

(I'm just relieved that you didn't let me do it now )

 

[Goran]

Over here extracted some honey ( surplus they won't need for winter).
So dark and thick honey.. I think with this I am overall near or at 2 tons of honey for this year..
One colony now in swarm mood.. Queen history, left 2qcells, as in this time of year swarm mood isn't so strong. In fact some time after black locust usually is enough to remove queen and leave 2qcells and colony doesn't swarm..
2nd round of queens "on the bars", pollen frames added, this line originated from skeps with which I start to beekeep. Docile bees..
I don't dare to start 3rd round of qrearing.. time is the issue.
So now I will start with stimulative feed ( every second day 3dcl of syrup or in a plastic bag larger qty..), nosema prevention ( nozevit) and antivarroa treatment ( one apiary with one substance and second with other and after recheck effectiveness vice versa..

 

[beeno]

Harvested a little bit more honey, no QC's and just waiting on one new queen to start laying. All under control at the moment, but I have worked hard for the honey this year! It has been eventful and interesting. The bees may make a beekeeper of me yet!

 

[MuswellMetro]

A picture says a thousand words but its hard work even with a compact 18 frame spinner

 

[Obee1]

A picture says a thousand words but its hard work even with a compact 18 frame spinner

How much did you harvest?

 

[nantmoel]

Fed a nuc thats been moved into a full size hive again, they are taking approximately 1½ pints a day, I need to take a peek to see how they are getting on with drawing new comb. Just hope they are not using up laying space. Weather here in S.Wales has been terrible, they are bringing in plenty of pollen there are loads of HB around but like others my bees have not found it yet!

 

[user 3509]

Inspected both apiary sites this morning. One site is really struggling, the other, only 10 minutes drive away are piling in the nectar. One colony now has 4 supers on again and all its supers were removed for extraction 3 weeks. What a difference a few miles make.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

OMG! Catching Qs into introduction cages is HARD! The poor thing must be utterly traumatised. Will be interesting to see if an Apidea can raise an EQ (I am done with formal Q-rearing for the year).