What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Much easier just to line wood roof with a layer

and more than sufficient

I'd be concerned in case a build up of damp?

 

[coffindodger]

I'd be concerned in case a build up of damp?

Good point. Thanks. I'll keep a check.

 

[G4WIL]

Kingspan cosies. The 1 tonne builders bags(e.g. Jewsons) fit over the cosies. A little big, but with some tape make a nice waterproof outer layer. Builders cannot reuse these so need to get rid somehow.

Spot on !
Also if used for gravel , they are great cut up and used as a membrane under a layer of said gravel as a hard standing .
These bags are constructed of woven polypropylene and while suppressing weed growth, they allow water to drain away .


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[G4WIL]

I'd be concerned in case a build up of damp?

These bags are woven and allow it to breath !


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[Swarm]

These bags are woven and allow it to breath !


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I know, I have a couple and I've used them to cover things, not hives, which is why I mentioned damp. They keep the worst of the rain off but then they retain moisture which lingers due to poor air flow and no direct sunlight.
I definitely wouldn't cover a hive with one.

 

[mbc]

I definitely wouldn't cover a hive with one.

Same

 

[coatesg]

Long time no post... So after a fairly disastrous season in terms of a lost swarm, several failed matings and so on, I've been letting my 1 remaining hive get on with it largely, which has suited well for me.

Weather has been kind here lately though, and the bees have managed to fill and ripen a super of honey in the last two weeks, in addition to backfilling the brood box. Colony looks v healthy and strong, and today removed the super to extract what I can and gave them 2:1 feed to replace (17C in done so still well warm enough). Fully suspect it'll be a nightmare extracting as it'll have a load of ivy in it, but will see what I get..

 

[Barbarian]

Watched a hive entrance for a while. Pollen and some balsam coming in. Some drones being allowed in and out.

 

[Somerford]

well it was 'this week'...

made another 10 supers, and constructed about 150 frames of varying sizes for foundation in the spring.

almost completed the 'Nuc' apiary wind screening and found 15 supers of honey within what I though were stacks of extracted supers which I cleared through on Tuesday..only 2 and a box of deep were set, the rest lovely summer honey, very golden and grwat tasting.

Good job that as I need more honey for my outlets !

KR

S

 

[Millet]

Checked the Oregon news then realized i'm not from Oregon, how thick is thee.. lol

 

[coffindodger]

I know, I have a couple and I've used them to cover things, not hives, which is why I mentioned damp. They keep the worst of the rain off but then they retain moisture which lingers due to poor air flow and no direct sunlight.
I definitely wouldn't cover a hive with one.

Whilst I've taken the point on damp and will keep monitoring through the winter, it is important to note that the bag covers the kingspan cosy not the hive itself and the purpose is to prevent damage to the cosy from weather or animals. There is the normal air gap ventilation under the cosy and the hive has an OMG. We are high on a hill exposed to westerly gales and although there is a high fence, the driving rain is awful. Birds seem to find tearing apart insulation great fun.

 

[madasafish]

Whilst I've taken the point on damp and will keep monitoring through the winter, it is important to note that the bag covers the kingspan cosy not the hive itself and the purpose is to prevent damage to the cosy from weather or animals. There is the normal air gap ventilation under the cosy and the hive has an OMG. We are high on a hill exposed to westerly gales and although there is a high fence, the driving rain is awful. Birds seem to find tearing apart insulation great fun.

I have had crows /jackdaws/magpies doing far more of that this year than prior years.
I fill holes with PU glue which expands and cover with gaffer tape .. and then masonry paint a few days later. PIA. I may resort to a thin layer of fiberglass resin.

 

[madasafish]

Weighed 8 langs, 4 nucs and 3 minimating nucs this am..in glorious sunshine.

Langs averaged 34.6Kg (last year 30.3kg), down 2.9Kg from 1st September (up 3kg last year)
Nucs averaged 11Kg, same as September 2017.But big variations on 2.. One needs to be fed.

Mating hives: excluding cosies
DIY - 6 Apidea frame 1.3Kg
Keiler plus extension 2.3kg
Double Mann Lake 5.2kg

(an experiment to see if they survive)

 

[Gilberdyke John]

[/B]


I have had crows /jackdaws/magpies doing far more of that this year than prior years.
I fill holes with PU glue which expands and cover with gaffer tape .. and then masonry paint a few days later. PIA. I may resort to a thin layer of fiberglass resin.

Be cautious about fibreglass resin coming into contact with the insulation. With some it reacts badly so try a test patch first.

 

[madasafish]

Be cautious about fibreglass resin coming into contact with the insulation. With some it reacts badly so try a test patch first.

Thanks for the warning. I have used it before on the aluminium foil itself but not on the insulation itself..

 

[Noddy]

Made 50 x 1kg sugar blocks ready for feeding, all now neatly stacked next to the hot water tank to dry out.

Also, for the first time, I have bought some Pro Winter Patties from Bee Equipment to try instead of the usual bakers fondant.

 

[JWF]

Checked feeders and sorted out a few entrance blocks - even got a big sweat on even though it's the middle of October

 

[Millet]

19oC today and the bees where flying well and still pouring stores in so i took the two empty feeders from two of them and also the eke's, the Blue Queen hive still had a half full feeder with bees still in the cone drinking it so i left it till next week.

The White Queen who showed little varroa drop to start with is still producing a lot even after two week since it was last vaped i gassed them again for the 5th time so hopefully that will be it till after Christmas.

 

[Tremyfro]

Catching up ready for winter.

We inspected all the colonies yesterday and found that all of them are a bit light on stores. So we organised the feeders...fed a nuc immediately. Today, the feeders were filled on the other hives. Plenty of thymolised syrup ready for top ups. All the colonies had some brood in them. The weather here is very warm and the bees were flying well...bringing in dark yellow pollen. The summer has been mixed weather here...with short bursts of nectar flow but no major ones...next year perhaps!

 

[For want of a better word]

Finished feeding.... winter will be spent making loads more Ashforth feeders.... worth their weight in gold!

Yeghes da