What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Millet]

Round up sprayed around the hive entrances and path ways.

 

[Hachi]

Checked the hive with a new GM 2018 Q that I put in last week and she laying like a train and needs more space. Moving this colony out this evening to my new out apiary when Poldark is on. Will put on a empty BB tonight for her to lay in.

Received the second of GM's bought in queens yesterday, she's currently residing in the draw in the dining room. She will be put into the second hive in the garden today or tomorrow weather and bee attitude dependant.

 

[beeno]

With the help of my two young apprentice Beekeepers (Junior Somerford # 1 and # 2) we spent the day making up nucs for 5 new Danish Breeder queens and running virgin queens into around 15 splits. Considering it was damp and overcast the bees were very calm and not one sting which always makes for happy Junior Beekeepers in my experience !

KR

S

Please let us know of your success rate in running the virgins in.

 

[Zante]

Finally got round to doing that split: five frames of which
1 with stores
1 half stores half empty
1 mostly capped brood with some large grubs
1 half capped brood and half eggs pollen and stores
1 foundation

The parent hive was given two frames of foundation and two of empty comb.

I also realised why I was getting stung so often on my legs, and I feel a dummy for not realising before: black jeans.

Oh well... live and learn (or more correctly remember in this case)

At least the two supers on the parent colony are quite heavy. Might have enough honey for myself until next year and then some more.
I need to prepare a couple more supers just in case they're needed.
It looks like I'll have to buy an extractor, as the shop in Florence that rented their extractor has shut for good.

I'm planning next season to have one colony with a QE and one without (assuming they come out of winter both alive) to see the difference.

 

[Hachi]

Re-Queened hive no 2 in the garden with a second GM queen received in the post yesterday. Bee's not happy because of the weather which wasn't good but I'm off on my travels tomorrow and couldn't leave her in the draw all week so it had to be done. Was going to donate the old queen to a mate but we found evidence of bald brood which means she will now be dissected instead.


Left it a couple of hours and put the new queen in, you could literally see the bee's calm down in front of you.


I'll get in for a look at the end of the week.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Converted, water sealed and painted a section of pallet into a stand for a hive. Watched the bees active at all three hives. Don't know what they're foraging on at present. Lots of pollen going into the recently captured swarm hive.

 

[thibault]

Re-Queened hive no 2 in the garden with a second GM queen received in the post yesterday. Bee's not happy because of the weather which wasn't good but I'm off on my travels tomorrow and couldn't leave her in the draw all week so it had to be done. Was going to donate the old queen to a mate but we found evidence of bald brood which means she will now be dissected instead.


Left it a couple of hours and put the new queen in, you could literally see the bee's calm down in front of you.


I'll get in for a look at the end of the week.

What is a GM queen?

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[Hachi]

What is a GM queen?

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Not what your thinking. Its the initials of the chap I bought them off.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Ged Marshall of British Honey Producers?

 

[carlg]

Released two Ged Marshall Buckfast queens from their push in cages in 4 frame nucs. First queens I've ever bought - all my hives were built up from swarms. Leaving me with very swarmy bees, who have all been trying to swarm for the last two months... Time to bring in some new genetics.

First time I've ever tried the push in cages. Made two, about four inches square from varroa mesh. Pushed them in over emerging brood, added the new queens, and left them to it for four days. Everyone getting along famously today - both queens laying, and lots of young bees in the cages. Easy to do - can see this becoming my standard way of introducing queens from now on.

 

[colinc]

Released two Ged Marshall Buckfast queens from their push in cages in 4 frame nucs. First queens I've ever bought - all my hives were built up from swarms. Leaving me with very swarmy bees, who have all been trying to swarm for the last two months... Time to bring in some new genetics.



First time I've ever tried the push in cages. Made two, about four inches square from varroa mesh. Pushed them in over emerging brood, added the new queens, and left them to it for four days. Everyone getting along famously today - both queens laying, and lots of young bees in the cages. Easy to do - can see this becoming my standard way of introducing queens from now on.

I did the same 2 weeks ago with GEDs Queens into two hives. Worked brilliantly. Mine haven’t tried but I was warned to watch them for trying to supersede the new Queen soon after intro if you have locals in there.


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[carlg]

Thanks for the warning about supercedure. Will have a good look next weekend then. Once they've laid up their nucs I'll be uniting them with a full hive where the swarmy queen has been retired...

 

[colinc]

Inspected the final hive as ran out of time on Friday. Another of the new Ged queens in this one lovely and calm up to 5 frames of brood from broodless in under 3 weeks and starting to look crowded. 2nd BB in place as they had lots of bees to start with and they need the room. Now just need to see the summer flow as they were the busiest I have seen them in a fair while today.


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[colinc]

Inspected the final hive as ran out of time on Friday. Another of the new Ged queens in this one lovely and calm up to 5 frames of brood from broodless in under 3 weeks and starting to look crowded. 2nd BB in place as they had lots of bees to start with and they need the room. Now just need to see the summer flow as they were the busiest I have seen them in a fair while today.


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Oh and they haven’t tried to replace her yet either.

 

[Erichalfbee]

New queen not being accepted. All queen cells in nuc are gone and they are hopelessly queen less. Still they want to murder her so I took her out of the travel cage and put her in a push-in. Aren’t some bees just the end!
I’ve just told Stan that if I ever want to play with different bees to tie me up and lock me away till the fever passes

 

[B+.]

I’ve just told Stan that if I ever want to play with different bees to tie me up and lock me away till the fever passes

What you do in the privacy of your own home is your affair ;-)

 

[Erichalfbee]

 

[Beefriendly]

Frustrating inspections...I "know" several hives have new queens but will the buggers start to lay.....Been perfect mating weather as well.
Only new laying queen is in an apidea....
Patience.....
Not my best quality.
Perhaps get Erica's husband to tie me up as well....
I can do kinky

 

[B+.]

Perhaps get Erica's husband to tie me up as well....
I can do kinky

Steady on. This isn't that sort of website!

 

[Beefriendly]

Steady on. This isn't that sort of website!

What you do in the privacy of your own home is your affair ;-)

Hoy!!!! you started it Or was it Erica...little minx.