What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Millet]

As shows above, put it somewhere protected out of the sun if you want an accurate reading!!

More or less Yes..out of the wind and out of the Sun ..a bit like a care thermometer ..

 

[oliver90owner]

I have 3 thermometers around the house:-
1. One is on my heatpump which is slightly in the sun and hence gives a high reading if the suns out but I can read it at the heating controls.
2. The second is in my CCTV camera which I can interrogate from anywhere via the phone but gives a high reading while the sun is rising as it faces east!
3. The third one is on a weather station I got on Freecycle as the LCD display only shows half of the digits of the time! The sensor is adjacent to my hives, out of the sun and facing north, so gives the most accurate reading of all 3.

As shows above, put it somewhere protected out of the sun if you want an accurate reading!!

That is the way of all proper meteorological weather stations.

That is why bees often appear to fly in conditions lower than the official weather forecasts provide. Yet another reason why queens can get mated at lower than ‘indicated’ temperatures.

My garden is a ‘suntrap’ and sheltered from the wind. The temperatures indicated are often higher than the official stats. Once bees are warm and out of the hive, they can, no doubt, operate in lower temperatures - at least for a short time. They may well start brooding earlier in the season for that very same reason. Simple, when you think about it.

 

[Murox]

Home made box a nuc box murox?

A box designed to take just 3 frames. Ostensibly to hold frames during inspection times in not so ideal weather - as is often the case here. Of course it could also double as a small nucleus.

 

[Newbeeneil]

A box designed to take just 3 frames. Ostensibly to hold frames during inspection times in not so ideal weather - as is often the case here. Of course it could also double as a small nucleus.

Very interesting murox, I too knock up boxes like that, I use mine for storing comb when inspecting to stop robbing, transporting combs from apiary to apiary, keeping 3 combs ready for an imergency split, using as a short term 3 frame nuc, and because it's big enough for 14x12 frames I can even use it as a seat.��
The one in the picture was one made during the long dark days of winter out of cedar which will go into the local BKA auction.

 

[madasafish]

Yesterday: Light overnight snow. Sunny pm.Quick peek through clear CB on two full colonies - lots of bees and eating pollen patties - one had demolished one and a half in two weeks.
All full colonies still with stores- a proper weighing session due when weather warms up (next week?).
All flying strongly with lots of new fliers (orientation flights).

Today: Torrential rain and 4-5C . Local small stream a raging torrent on morning walk -10cm deep yesterday, 50cm today. All worries of possible drought this Spring gone..

 

[drex]

chainsaw out to tidy up a tree that came down in the gales. Mercifully no hives knocked over but several under a mass of branches.

 

[Murox]

Very interesting murox, I too knock up boxes like that, I use mine for storing comb when inspecting to stop robbing, transporting combs from apiary to apiary, keeping 3 combs ready for an imergency split, using as a short term 3 frame nuc, and because it's big enough for 14x12 frames I can even use it as a seat.��
The one in the picture was one made during the long dark days of winter out of cedar which will go into the local BKA auction.

Very nice box. Mine is made up of scrap wood and not at all worthy of admiration. I hope it sells for a good price at the auction .

 

[Hivemaker.]

Fed fondant to lots of mini nucs... and fed syrup to lots of 6 frame nucs, marked out some that were syrup fed two weeks ago that will be getting double broods next week.

 

[Ian123]

Pretty wet and windy here all day, tomorrow looking ok though

 

[Hivemaker.]

Pretty wet and windy here all day, tomorrow looking ok though

Gales here, trees blowing over, torrential rain, rivers flooding over the banks, roads flooded...about normal really.

 

[Murox]

Pretty wet and windy here all day, tomorrow looking ok though

Pretty windy hear as well, gusting over 70mph (local radar shows 80+) and steady at god knows what, lets guess at 55 plus.

I know what i will be doing tomorrow in the apiary, hoping there is one.

 

[Portsoy]

Strong winds, but sunny. Checked fondant and topped up as required

 

[foghornleghorn]

Came across a hive with some dwv bees outside it, surprised as they would have had apivar until the end of november

 

[mike99]

Still very windy up here but they are bearding around the entrance.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Was travelling between apiaries today and spotted a field with quite a few of these in it!

 

[Dave /Oscroft]

been out to check the hives due to strong wind and also check the fondant and all seem fine.
I've got some on top of a very exposed hill, well these wont blow over as i've strapped them together and put a great big block of concrete on top, not pretty but it'll stop em going anywhere!

 

[Curly green fingers]

Was travelling between apiaries today and spotted a field with quite a few of these in it!

We are about 3/4 weeks to get to that stage the osr is looking good though . I'll grab a picture when I go to check fondant to compare .

 

[blackcloud]

Held back tears,swallowed bitter pills,kicked my own *** and shovelled up ( with a very small shovel) the remains of my only colony.(see 'Fatality' post if you could offer me your opinion)
Went on to another job and burned out by best drill.
Id left the house partly to give the missus a bit of space as her mums just died.
Hope you guys had more fun than we did...

 

[simonforeman]

Nothing today.... cold and windy.... from Sunday onwards the outlook is more settled and warmer.....

 

[Swarm]

Held back tears,swallowed bitter pills,kicked my own *** and shovelled up ( with a very small shovel) the remains of my only colony.(see 'Fatality' post if you could offer me your opinion)
Went on to another job and burned out by best drill.
Id left the house partly to give the missus a bit of space as her mums just died.
Hope you guys had more fun than we did...

Feel for you, Blackcloud. Life can feel really ***** at times, I hope things begin to look brighter for you and your wife.