What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Gilberdyke John]

This morning I removed the nadired shallow boxes from under the brood boxes. All were empty as expected so they are stored until the expanding colonies need supers on. I inspected one hive and found 6 frames had eggs, larvae and sealed brood. Three frames were part filled with nectar.
By mid afternoon it became obvious the colonies had found some plentiful forage and every hive had a stream of bees carrying pollen. My afternoon visit was sans veil which turned out to be a mistake as one bee bumped into my head and ended up trapped behind my glasses and left eyelid. It panicked and stung me. :-( I've got a mirror in the shed but I couldn't see to remove the sting without my glasses so had to walk back to the house to enlist our lass.
I applied an ice cube so I'm hoping any swelling is minimal.

 

[Goran]

Some more of pics. All are from one colony which has new owner..

 

[manek]

Opened up, saw 3 frames stores, 1 frame pollen 4 frames brood, 2 frames drawn, rest empty (NS 11-frame brood box). An empty foundation frame which I'd moved last inspection one frame inwards to encourage the girls to draw it out was not drawn. It's still a bit early for nectar, I drew the conclusion that feeding was required for wax production, so added 1 litre 1:1 rapid feeder solution. I moved a central brood frame to outside of brood cluster to encourage expansion.

 

[Stiffy]

OSR in full bloom at one site and supered 4 colonies, let the fun begin
S

 

[Fatbee]

Did nothing - very breezy and coolish despite the sun. Went up the allotment instead

 

[Michael Palmer]

Checked an apiary today. First of the very delayed spring. Forty more to go. Another 4" of snow Friday night. No pollen yet. Of 25 colonies, one dead, four got fondant, all got sub. Nice looking clusters. Looks like a week of rain/snow coming. Ah, come on already.

 

[bjosephd]

Checked an apiary today. First of the very delayed spring. Forty more to go. Another 4" of snow Friday night. No pollen yet. Of 25 colonies, one dead, four got fondant, all got sub. Nice looking clusters. Looks like a week of rain/snow coming. Ah, come on already.

Reading a UK based beekeeping forum at this time of year must be agony for you Mike!

 

[Plenty of honey]

Transfered overwintered nucleus colonies to 2 apiaries. 18 for a new apiary, and 10 to another apiary. More tomorrow morning, finally nice weather, not too hot, just lovely. Very heavy pollen flow in all apiaries. Warm enough tomorrow for nectar too, all good stuff.

 

[Fusion_power]

Reading a UK based beekeeping forum at this time of year must be agony for you Mike!

It is just as bad when someone from the southern U.S. posts about 25C temps and bees with full frame slabs of pollen.

Full on spring weather here, pecan trees are breaking buds and just noticed a few dogwood trees in bloom. There is a mild flow on which is pushing fresh nectar and loads of pollen into every colony. Redbud bloom is likely the source.

 

[Finman]

. I moved a central brood frame to outside of brood cluster to encourage expansion.

Many beekeepers do those "encourage movements". But they are mistakes. Mostly bees must kill the brood when they are not able to keep them warm. Chalkbrood is one alternative.
.
Another mistake is to move foundantion to split bees active nest. Let it be on the side so long that bees draw it by themselves.

Third is to feed syrup into the hive even if it has food stores. Syrup only reduces the laying space.

 

[manek]

Many beekeepers do those "encourage movements". But they are mistakes. Mostly bees must kill the brood when they are not able to keep them warm. Chalkbrood is one alternative.
.
Another mistake is to move foundantion to split bees active nest. Let it be on the side so long that bees draw it by themselves.

Third is to feed syrup into the hive even if it has food stores. Syrup only reduces the laying space.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll see how things have moved on next week - I'm content to let the bees tell me if I've got it wrong.

 

[Robbo8916]

Noticed yesterday on my lunch break that out of seemingly nowhere there are dandelions everywhere!

Nice and warm today so I am going to transfer the nuc into their full sized poly brood. They're definitely ready for it!

Loads of willow in flower all around the apiary too. I was hoping to put off the transfer until the move to the farm but I would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Michael Palmer]

It is just as bad when someone from the southern U.S. posts about 25C temps and bees with full frame slabs of pollen.

Amen to that. I've learned to hole my breath...for a very long time.

 

[Fatbee]

Noticed yesterday on my lunch break that out of seemingly nowhere there are dandelions everywhere!

Nice and warm today so I am going to transfer the nuc into their full sized poly brood. They're definitely ready for it!

Loads of willow in flower all around the apiary too. I was hoping to put off the transfer until the move to the farm but I would rather be safe than sorry.

I'm awaiting the dandelion bloom - you're right they do come out of nowhere. I always feel that once dandelions are out the spring has well and truly sprung.

 

[Brigsy]

Don't mention dandelion bloom to that bloke on the BBKA page.

(Patented 4 super system, book deal to follow......)

 

[madasafish]

Last of the nice days so removed all supers from under brood box on all 8 langs.
Used my "portable" lightweight hive stand to shift the brood boxes onto whilst I removed the supers and cleaned floors. Worked very well - easy to move and as it is the same height as my fixed hive stands actual lifting or lowering weights minimised.

(My winter's daily yoga postures to improve lower back strength appear to have worked - so far. No pains/inability to lift although the two largest colonies had brood boxes which were quite heavy Check them next week).

Pictures of portable stand - all recycled wood. To improve mobility and prevent the legs catching on the ground, the bottoms of the legs have a half section of 3 inch pipe (yes it IS that old) screwed to them so the round section moves more easily over the grass. See pictures.

The stand will take both Lang nucs and full hives.

 

[Little John]

My winter's daily yoga postures to improve lower back strength appear to have worked - so far.

Apparently yoga and leggings go together:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39401960
... so we will be looking forward to the photographs in due course.
LJ

 

[Teemore]

First quick look into a stock in 2017: double brood overwintered on their own stores. Frame pulled from top box. My father is posing with the frame whilst I was on camera duties. From looking down between the frames there are at least another four frames like this one in the top box. If the Queen hasnt been superceded, this will be her third full season.

 

[Robbo8916]

Successfully hived the nuc who behaved impeccably. Lovely brood pattern and beautiful temperament. Left them to guide their sisters in.

Opened up the other colony and they went absolutely ballistic. Straight on the attack! Got stung twice so quickly put the hive back together and walked away. They settled right back down but I am going to persevere tomorrow.

Very pleased with my first nuc to hive transfer. Am I getting the hang of this?

Abso bees will be checked with the help of my good friend Greg (he had hair before he offered to help me last year) tomorrow and then plans put in place to re queen them. Hope to raise a new queen from the sweet colony.

Relatively successful day.

 

[madasafish]

Apparently yoga and leggings go together:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39401960
... so we will be looking forward to the photographs in due course.
LJ

Look forward as much as you like..

Edit: Paytoview only..