What did you do in the Apiary today?

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Yesterday evening setup a newspaper merge between colonies.

Subsequently had a systemic allergic reaction to a couple of stings on my ankle (rash, hives, itchyness all over body) - very possible that I'm done with my beekeeping now :(
 
Yesterday afternoon went to out apiary to remove all feeders and strap down the hives for winter as all 5 are a very good weight. Got back to my car and there was a note on my windscreen with ring me on it.... Rang the number and a local guy has 2 acres of wild flower meadow and wants me to put some hives on it next spring. He does not like honey so does not want anything for it. So turned out to be a good day all round.
 
Yesterday afternoon went to out apiary to remove all feeders and strap down the hives for winter as all 5 are a very good weight. Got back to my car and there was a note on my windscreen with ring me on it.... Rang the number and a local guy has 2 acres of wild flower meadow and wants me to put some hives on it next spring. He does not like honey so does not want anything for it. So turned out to be a good day all round.
Good day for all..ask him if you can put some Phacilia in the fields.. if you can.. sow the seeds a month apart to give a longer flowering period..
 
Yesterday evening setup a newspaper merge between colonies.

Subsequently had a systemic allergic reaction to a couple of stings on my ankle (rash, hives, itchyness all over body) - very possible that I'm done with my beekeeping now :(

I don't think it will necessarily come to that, my friend had a very bad reaction a few years ago, ambulance, hospital, drip etc. He carries an epipen and takes care but I've seen him stung on his hands and there was less reaction than some stings I've received. On one occasion about eight years ago when I had the SBI with me, I had a battering. Previous sting locations flared up like fresh stings and I had a rash on armpits and crotch but in the years since then, reaction has varied.
 
As above be careful and don’t take risks but in 2018 I had a couple of stings that went up my arm with swelling and itchiness and were strong reactions painful for a week. This year stings have been mild reactions again.

However I am a garden keeper so help is 50yds away it may be different at a remote out apiary


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Thanks both - I'm going to speak with my GP, and take it from there. If I can get referred, and possibly look into desensitisation, I hope I can carry on in the future. Depends how long it takes though.

I've never had such an intense reaction before - usually some localised swelling, but this time entire body covered in red itchy rash with hives all over me. No breathing issues, but pounding ears , itchy scalp and signs of angioedema (and an ankle I'm struggling to walk on this morning!).

Little blighters managed to crawl up a gap in the suit leg and tag me through my thick socks...
 
Bees always seem to climb upwards. Trousers in a pair of wellies works for me! Sorry you had a bad reaction. Every sting seems to get a different reaction to me. Sometimes nothing at all and sometimes itching, swelling etc!

E
 
Removed feeders from the hives and replaced wooden roofs with poly roofs, once the rain had stopped.
Checked inspection trays - one colony still has too many varroa, others sorted.
Stacked empty supers on top of the very tall heap in my garage.
Stowed solar melter away and generally tidied up beekeeping stuff, whilst having a beer and listening to Deep Purple.
 
Removed apivar strips today using "crocodile" pliers. Bees very calm.
 
Removing apivar strips from the mongrel colonys today got to get a wriggle on there 85 miles away down by the river teme .
Also going to be removing a super on a double brood which was weighing 130 lbs .
Funny how my 20 year old uses imperial measurements and weights and I'm all metric .
The super will be extracted and I'll use the honey to feed my drone building colonys next spring .
 
Done apivar removed from 4 colonys , I've brushed the bee's of the super frames I wanted to remove 10 frames .
Nuc was weighing 12kgs so there good single brood 31.3 kgs double brood after taking the super was still 44.4 kgs
And the absconding swarm which is in two supers weighed 19kgs - will feed them some more .
Of to fetch some lifts and more insulation from the tump! Also dig out some straps .
This all feels a bit final for the year.
 
Bees always seem to climb upwards. Trousers in a pair of wellies works for me! Sorry you had a bad reaction. Every sting seems to get a different reaction to me. Sometimes nothing at all and sometimes itching, swelling etc!

E

Every sting seems to kick off the previous ones. I get relatively few (apart from some recently arrived darlings), so the one on my ear, the ones on my wrist and the one on the back of my hand get itchy again if I get stung.
 
Checked in on them Thursday, 'hefted' and plenty of stores.
Sunshine out today, sat and watched them for a while but decided to leave them alone to enjoy the warm weather.
ApiGuard to check next week.
 
Finally got the last of the honey supers off the Rose Hives... nailed down with ivy.
First round of English feeders and ekes on.... filled oll the Paynes nucs...

Now the milk round starts.... with so many gates now fitted with combination locks by the farmers to prevent "Travelers"... will be hard pushed to get around all our apiaries in a day!

...... and given a bottle of brandy by one of my apiary owners for giving them a bumper harvest of apples!

Yeghes da
 
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