What did you do in the Apiary today?

[B+.]

Didn't you hear him blowing like fury when you dropped the match in?

No, but he scarpered quickly enough. I think he must have singed his feet stamping the lighter out!

 

[colinc]

Brilliant


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[JWF]

Had a quick look at my colonies but not a full inspection.

3 losses, all on double standard Nat's, which is 100% of my double brood colonies. I suspect that my OA vaporisation wasn't successful for some reason.

My other colonies on 14*12 appear to be doing well.

 

[Erichalfbee]

First look-in for all colonies.
I was just going to remove three nadired shallows but the sun shone and shine so I took the tops off all of them. No smoker so hopefully no mice disturbed.
All looking good and one needed a super! Unheard of so early in this part of the world.

 

[enrico]

First look-in for all colonies.
I was just going to remove three nadired shallows but the sun shone and shine so I took the tops off all of them. No smoker so hopefully no mice disturbed.
All looking good and one needed a super! Unheard of so early in this part of the world.

Did it need a super because there were still winter stores in there?
Just wondered
E

 

[Eyeman]

Had a quick look at my colonies but not a full inspection.

3 losses, all on double standard Nat's, which is 100% of my double brood colonies. I suspect that my OA vaporisation wasn't successful for some reason.

My other colonies on 14*12 appear to be doing well.

That's interesting- are they all wood / poly? Did you vaporise from the top or bottom- I did all mine from the top this year.
I run 10x Double nationals and 8x 14x12 during the season. Have gradually changed the 14x12's to poly with the double nationals all cedar. All are over-wintered with a super on top. I over-winter a few extra to make up any losses. I'll know in a couple of weeks which ones have made it and which ones have DLQ's. I've got a rough idea already from the number of seams of debris on the insert trays.

 

[Stiffy]

Quick check and moved a nuc into a hive as it was bursting out. Most hives looking like they have over wintered well, unless something drastic happens. Looks like a 10% loss after the worst winter I can remember this far south.
S

 

[madasafish]

Sunny, little winds and 11C. Time for a quick inspection. Main hives all with minimum 3 jumbo frames brood, one each on 4, 5 and 6.. Shuffled around honey frames to make room for brood, removed all ekes and stopped feeding .

One 5 frame nucs doing well, stopped feeding it, 4 frame one went into winter on 1 jumbo frame bees, now on 1.5 frames, fed sugar syrup.

Lots of pollen coming in: mainly willow (yellow)..plus orange and grey.

Inserted varroa floors (on those on OMF) for varroa counts.

I note in 2017 I put supers on April 19th - no chance of that this year.

 

[colinc]

Sunny, little winds and 11C. Time for a quick inspection. Main hives all with minimum 3 jumbo frames brood, one each on 4, 5 and 6.. Shuffled around honey frames to make room for brood, removed all ekes and stopped feeding .

One 5 frame nucs doing well, stopped feeding it, 4 frame one went into winter on 1 jumbo frame bees, now on 1.5 frames, fed sugar syrup.

Lots of pollen coming in: mainly willow (yellow)..plus orange and grey.

Inserted varroa floors (on those on OMF) for varroa counts.

I note in 2017 I put supers on April 19th - no chance of that this year.

I looked back at records and first inspection last year had similar amounts of brood to yesterday, only it was 5 weeks earlier.


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[peterbees]

My solar beeswax extractor has been working today, here in the balmy Conwy Valley, North Wales.

 

[Fritillary]

Learned that there's an endless no. of ways one can be an idiot (good for the ego I suppose if not for the bees) and that, if going through even just one hive, I must institute a compulsory pause, while out there, for an: "Are you really sure this is the right thing to do?" moment ... instead of wondering later on inside, once it's late and raining, why on earth I went ahead and did something.

However: v happy that the 3 I looked at today have survived me and the winter, so far, with laying queens. One is small. Considering how badly afflicted this colony was by varroa even after Apiguard late summer (I vaped them later) I'm very pleased and impressed with them that they're going at all.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Did it need a super because there were still winter stores in there?
Just wondered
E

No because there were 7 frames of brood AND lots of stores so I have replaced 2 store frames with drawn comb

 

[Curly green fingers]

the top brood where the bees have spent their time are good bottom brood where nothing is happening obviously has a ventilation issue. I have plenty of time to decide before next winter what I will try next year. Thanks for the suggestion, another option to consider.....

I suppose double brood your going to have vent issue's I'm only surmising as I haven't experience yet. As hm has said bigger entrances maybe.. How would that work in the winter. I'm going to look at mine in the next couple of weeks I need to see how much brood there is as there covering all 10 frames and the crown board was covered on the underside . any thoughts?

 

[colinc]

Sound similar to mine. 8-10 seems of bees, bottom of cluster in empty bottom B.B. but 2-4 frames Bias.

The 9mm entrance was the mice prevention but yes, damp location this winter so will modify floors as want to keep 9mm entrances.


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[JWF]

That's interesting- are they all wood / poly? Did you vaporise from the top or bottom- I did all mine from the top this year.
I run 10x Double nationals and 8x 14x12 during the season. Have gradually changed the 14x12's to poly with the double nationals all cedar. All are over-wintered with a super on top. I over-winter a few extra to make up any losses. I'll know in a couple of weeks which ones have made it and which ones have DLQ's. I've got a rough idea already from the number of seams of debris on the insert trays.

They're all wood, all vaped from underneath the omf, all fitted with solid crownboards and insulated roofs.

I did have a problem with the battery pack I used for the autumn treatment which may have affected treatment, or it may be that double brood affected the circulation within the hive. Or maybe both.

Or maybe it's coincidental!

 

[Goran]

Few days ago wild cherries start to flower.. Tomorrow after work run to deep dive into hives if weather behave.. and breed with full lungs to enjoy the scent of cherries from the hives.. Bees are really divine creatures..

 

[Eyeman]

All out-apiaries now have 2 empty supers / production hive- waiting for the spring flow! I stack the supers up and hold them down with a ratchet strap.

 

[Beefriendly]

They're all wood, all vaped from underneath the omf,

Was this done 3 to 4 times at approx 5 day intervals as recommended?
I know from my own experience (Sublimox) this generally works well, although you do get occasional problem hives that just keep dropping tons of mites. Checking the drops after vaping is needed to know it has worked. Last year I had a problem hive that was down to a handful of bees this spring and is unlikely to survive....the winter bee's lifespans probably being compromised by the hives high varroa load last Autumn.

 

[sean-a]

Another loss. :-((
Handfull of bees with a tiny 2 inch patch of emerging brood.
No larvae visible but eggs being laid in multiples in cells. Some cells seemed to have 5 or 6 eggs in.
No idea what is going on, but the hive looks lost to me.

 

[colinc]

Sounds like laying workers


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