What did you do in the Apiary today?

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I finally got out to put insulation on my hives. 2 hives refused any 2:1 so have switched to fondant today, before i had chance to pop lid on they were into it. Sunny in Dorset today bees flying even though it was 5c. Now waiting for a cold spell to move apiary...
 
I moved some nucs into poly boxes at weekend still brood in them all and eggs larvae in about half. I think due to the crappy weather and it restricting foraging on the ivy some have shut down earlier than previous years.
 
Checked on hives, all 9 weather tight. Temperature didn't get above 0C all day today here near Ellon, Aberdeenshire
 
Down in balmy South Devon...
Still feeding....With milder weather coming...topped up several feeders yesterday....
Pollen still going in in good quantities... Ivy mostly .
Later than I would like but there is only so much one can do in a day...!
 
Treated myself/the bees to a provap. Watch out mites!
 
Added second tray of Apigard to last hive and started to fit mouse excluders. Quite a lot of activity in most hives in spite of three days of frosty nights. Then home for tea and toasted crumpets (with honey) and feet up in front of the fire.
 
Added second tray of Apigard to last hive and started to fit mouse excluders. Quite a lot of activity in most hives in spite of three days of frosty nights. Then home for tea and toasted crumpets (with honey) and feet up in front of the fire.
Apiguard needs temps above 20c to be effective.

Much better off vaping this time of year

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:iagree:

A bit late for anything considering winter bees have been made and already compromised
Agreed. Needs to be around Aug/Sept for autumn treatments and then a vape around xmas/new year.

Although an early vape as an extra will do no harm

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Got home from work early enough to use the provap in anger. 16 hives in no time at all , brilliant piece of kit. Observations - don't skimp on the safety gear, I got the fumes back once or twice and didn't notice a thing thanks to the decent mask and goggles. Residue from the api bioxal, yes there is plenty which is annoying but I suppose I will have to get used to it. Tomorrow I will check the boards and see what sort of drop I have which I feel might be high on a couple of hives, we shall see.
 
Nice and thinking same, was that the 220?

Yes it is and a cracking piece of kit it is too. I don't have to think about power supplies with it at the moment as with a rather long extension lead I can reach all 16 hives but next year 10 will be moving to an out apiary so a small genny or inverter will be on the cards.
I checked the boards this morning before work and was very pleasantly surprised by the low to non existent mite drop - ranging between 4 and nothing which meant that the maqs treatment earlier worked well. I do however have one odd hive that has a lot of chuck outs with some dwv so that hive will get the best of 3 treatments and hope that I am not too late. If nothing else it should stop them spreading around the other hives.
 
Just had a walk round to check all was ok and a bit of hefting. All of the 8 nucs were flying well. These are all in one block with insulation round the outside of the block. Only the occasional full hive flying.
 
Cold and damp but not raining - for a change!. Fed fondant to all nucs plus mini nucs plus 1 light hive (hefted last week)..
 
Transferred 8 more nucs into poly added some feed. As an fyi no brood in the nucs
 
Added eke's and fondant to all nucs as insurance, two light hives added fondant to those.
Noticing signs of chalk brood on inspection trays of a few hives too
 
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