What did you do in the Apiary today?

[pargyle]

I took the pick mattock to the grass and weeds in the apiary, I needed to level it out as re-siting the hives on paving slabs to replace the rotting pallets they are on at present .. suited up as I was going to be working in front of the hives ... bees no problem - very busy, just not that bothered about what I was doing.

After the tidying I thought I would just pop another super on a couple of hivse ... lulled me into a false sense of security the little beggars ... opened up the first hive .. off with the crown board .. five stings in quick succession on my right hand and then two more on my left ... of course, stupid me ... all I had on was cloth backed gardening gloves .. stings went straight through those ! That will teach me ... first stings of the season and my right hand feels like I've got five thumbs. It was a bit overcast and muggy, and the super on the hive was pretty full of bees and a lovely smell of ripening honey so .. I should have known better !!

 

[Eyeman]

Came across a swarm under my double nucs. Thought the clipped queen tried to swarm and ended up under the floor. Both nucs has resident queens so it likely came from elsewhere. First swarm of the season.

 

[Frenchie]

Checked my 7 colonies, up from 3 just 3 weeks ago. Lots of queen cells so lots of artificial swarming. All colonies very calm.Now extracting about 30lb of honey. 8 years of bee keeping and never known a year like this, bees expanding like crazy and already have more honey then in the last 2 years. Happy days.

 

[taurus]

7.30am this morning

20 minutes later

At lunchtime there are bees happily coming and going so I hope HM is inside there.

(I know I forgot the sheet but it was a bit of a hurry trying to sort it before going to work).

 

[Brigsy]

I'm in rural north Germany this week on the coast. Had a peep through a locked fenced area in the next village and saw it contained one of those European sheds with hives within, on each side. Accessed from in the building. Hope to get a look in next time. Huge amounts of rape in flower here. The keeper was selling rape, wildflower mix and lime honey.

 

[Swarm]

Bees are working the Hawthorn, for pollen at least. Temps due to pick up, a nice flow would be very good news.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees are working the Hawthorn, for pollen at least. Temps due to pick up, a nice flow would be very good news.

Yes........I have seen the same.
Fingers crossed


Made up a nuc from my gentlest hive to put new queen in. Fingers crossed again

 

[Swarm]

They were also on the Rowan in the garden. There are a pair of woodies nesting in the Rowan as well, only about eight feet up!

 

[Brigsy]

Yes........I have seen the same.

Fingers crossed





Made up a nuc from my gentlest hive to put new queen in. Fingers crossed again

Good luck

 

[pargyle]

Yes........I have seen the same.
Fingers crossed


Made up a nuc from my gentlest hive to put new queen in. Fingers crossed again

The lilac and the cotoneaster in my front garden have just come into flower and the bees are all over it ... 'er indoors is moaning about that the cotoneaster hedge needs cutting ... pity that - it will have to wait.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Good luck

Thanks for that....who knows.

 

[beeno]

Bees are working the Hawthorn, for pollen at least. Temps due to pick up, a nice flow would be very good news.

Thanks for the pic as I never been able to spot a bee on hawthorn myself. However, after waiting patiently 5 years they were all over my yew tree this spring which was absolutely dripping with pollen.

 

[rdmw]

I took a list of bee friendly plants a wee donation to the person who plants up all the public flower displays in the village. Maybe help the forage diversity


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Gilberdyke John]

The lilac and the cotoneaster in my front garden have just come into flower and the bees are all over it ... 'er indoors is moaning about that the cotoneaster hedge needs cutting ... pity that - it will have to wait.

This is the first year my cotoneaster has been graced with honey bees. Up til now it's only had bumblebees and other insects. The bees don't know which way to turn as the apple trees are blossoming, there's rape about a mile away, the Hawthorne is blossoming and there's a variety of different plants in the village.
I'm hoping the temperature stays up to help the flora utilise the recent rain.

 

[Swarm]

Apple blossom is particularly good this year.

 

[Jambo]

Hi folks I'm new around here, new to beekeeping as well. Currently got a couple of nucs settling in, hoping to hive them tomorrow which will be fun. Amazing to see them working hard when the weather is good, and the differences between the two colonies are quite striking too. One is completely docile and allow me within inches of the hive, the others seem to have got a bit 'rapey' since finding the OSR about half a mile away, and get in my face if I'm within a couple of metres.

The air was thick with the smell of the OSR last night even to human senses, must be quite overwhelming for a bee!

 

[Somerford]

Set about trapping out a swarm that went into a hole in a wall at the hotel Apiary. Checked all my colonies - it's not mine (which I thought as much as queens clipped)

They only arrived yesterday so put a frame of mixed brood with nurse bees on and fed them in a poly Nuc balanced on the top of a ladder - and a 1 way bee escape from the colony. With any luck most of the bees will vacate the hole in the wall and colonies the Nuc which they seemed to be doing on returning from flying

Fingers crossed !!

 

[Hachi]

You get all the good Jobs lol

 

[Somerford]

I'll message you - still can't upload photos on this forum from my phone !

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bait hives being investigated..........again. Sunday is the day most folk around here look in their hives so I suppose all will be quiet tomorrows