What did you do in the Apiary today?

[evdama]

I scraped and scrubbed propolis all afternoon.
Nearly did a whole queen excluder
My hands are now stained nicotine-yellow like the old boy in the shop doorway.

 

[nantmoel]

New labels arrived today as part of a batch of 26000, just had to try the new labelling machine with them, really please with them as is everyone else who ordered them..

 

[Millet]

New labels arrived today as part of a batch of 26000, just had to try the new labelling machine with them, really please with them as is everyone else who ordered them..

Looking good.. i am struggling to think of nice labels or even making them without spending a fortune on laser printers..how do you get them made on a roll like that ..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Started the hive roof repair/replacement rounds, new or repaired roofs taken up to Carreg apiary, rotten roofs back to the chamber of secrets for refurbishment.
I think I can honestly say that using cheaper plywood (albeit all given free) is a false economy, in the end, whatever you do to it, it's going to delaminate and rot.

 

[Newbeeneil]

how interesting ... will you be able to make anything of the stores and comb ... or just melt it down for wax ?

I squeezed 35lb of honey out but the comb is very old and has very little wax in it. The honey tastes fine but not sure I want to jar it! Probably have a go at making mead.
The bees look like they have nosema as the nuc I set them up in originally is splattered with bee poo, they are also making a mess of their new home so I have my doubts they will survive especially as fear they are Q-.
Let's hope the next colony that I'm due to take out of the same roof on Friday is in better nick.

 

[nantmoel]

Looking good.. i am struggling to think of nice labels or even making them without spending a fortune on laser printers..how do you get them made on a roll like that ..

PM sent

 

[Ian123]

Neil just fyi i find a lot of times with cut outs once youve done a lot of banging around the queen disapears off into some hard to get corner/void. I have found a bit more success exposing the colony so you have access and then returning the next day and cutting combs out with minimal smoke/disturbance. You often then find her maj sitting on a face of comb, obviously depends on distance and location

 

[GuyNir]

The bees look like they have nosema as the nuc I set them up in originally is splattered with bee poo

Not always. Might be because they’re stressed.

 

[jeff33]

Spent the day in the workshop making hives with a friend looking to start beekeeping this year. 4 full national hives, 2 14x12 brood boxes, 4 5 frames nucs. Should be enough to keep us going!!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Not always. Might be because they’re stressed.

I agree, hence my reason for leaving them to get on with it for a few weeks but I have never seen such a mess on the boxes even from pics on the net. Also they displayed other symptoms like bees lethargically crawling on the ground around the entrance.
As I said I'll let them get on with it but I won't be combining then with any other colonies if they are queenless.

 

[Brian Bush]

cut the brush and grass in another apiary today. Very pleased with the result. Proud pictures attached

 

[B+.]

I received a new toy from DCSgadgets today (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzSW0W4WsAAa_m1.jpg ) I can't wait to try it out!

 

[masterBK]

Saw my 1st queen bumble (terrestris or lucorum not quite sure) of the year working the stinking hellabores near the garden hives. Pollen sacs bulging with pollen.

 

[Poly Hive]

Good luck with that B+ quite the wrong angle for me sadly.

I did a double take at your white plugs but they are plastic of some sort yes?

PH

 

[B+.]

Good luck with that B+ quite the wrong angle for me sadly.

I did a double take at your white plugs but they are plastic of some sort yes?

PH

Yes. I had just dropped the cell bar in the garden so they're a bit scruffy. They'll get cleaned up before use though. They're Nicot cell blocks.

It would have made more sense if he'd put horizontal slots for the pins that take the frame lugs though. Then, they'd take any frame format, but, I suppose the Americans only think of Langstroth format. You can see a little video clip on JCs YouTube channel here (https://youtu.be/UfX2K9VUgYg?t=85 ). Obviously I had to pay VAT but the Royal Mail added their charges too (a taste of what things will be like after BREXIT)

 

[Hivemaker.]

You can see a little video clip on JCs YouTube channel here

The first one I saw was on a Ian Stepplar video, nice gadget and easy to make, but think I would find using it quite awkward.

 

[B+.]

The first one I saw was on a Ian Stepplar video, nice gadget and easy to make, but think I would find using it quite awkward.

Yeah. It took him a while to work out what it was. I first saw it there too.
They have only been commercially available for about 3 weeks so I thought I'd give it a try. I'll report back when I have a chance to use it.
You could probably make it cheaper, especially if you use a different format to Langstroth (which I know you do).

Edit: DC has a Youtube channel dedicated to this product here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXcowOHSzIk ). He mentions the pins at the bottom (which I confess, I hadn't realised what they were for)

 

[wightbees]

Spent today hefting and adding fondant on those that needed it. Looked under the hood briefly on some and the Bees are very busy and looking great, which is a relief for me this year! It's been a lovely day here on the island, lots of flowers for them to work, pollen coming in. Looking forward to pulling frames though, Not long now I hope.... But who knows lol

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I had a hive blow off its stand on Sunday, the daughter righted it and set a spare by its side and I transferred the colony over today, this was about as much as I could manage.
It has one of Murrays piedmont queens, they have wintered very well with a lot of stores left, about a third frame of brood and third eggs.

 

[stevebrowning]

Yeah. It took him a while to work out what it was. I first saw it there too.
They have only been commercially available for about 3 weeks so I thought I'd give it a try. I'll report back when I have a chance to use it.
You could probably make it cheaper, especially if you use a different format to Langstroth (which I know you do).

Edit: DC has a Youtube channel dedicated to this product here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXcowOHSzIk ). He mentions the pins at the bottom (which I confess, I hadn't realised what they were for)

I put an old t shirt over my steering wheel which grips the frame and have all my bars on the top of the dashboard or the one I'm working on resting on my thighs. My breeding material and finishers are all on the same site away from my workshop.