What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Interesting stuff..i have been checking on them and the bees are definitely more active and not tightly clustered like they where outside..so fingers crossed if the Queen is still in there it might work out ok..

How long are you keeping them there?

 

[pargyle]

Finman used to use terrarium reptile heaters to get small nucs of his through the Finnish winters.....now there they have some serious minus winter temperatures.]/QUOTE]

I'm sure Finnie will be along to correct me if I'm wrong but my recollection of Finnie's heat mats was that he used them after winter to encourage spring build up ...

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32812 Post#2

It's a good thread all round actually .. well thought out posts by people who are no longer posting very often or at all .. I don't think you were around in those days ... and some current 'experts' weren't even keeping bees.

 

[Beefriendly]

.. I don't think you were around in those days ... and some current 'experts' weren't even keeping bees.

Given the rubbish I still hear spouted by many a seasoned "kept bees all my life" veteran ...time of keeping bees has little to do with knowing your onions.
Yes, Finman used his terrarium (3watt IIRC) around this time of the year to artificially get them going ready for their first flows around June (raspberries I think). Whilst the temps and seasons are totally different it's not a bad card to be able to play when required....food for thought.

 

[Millet]

How long are you keeping them there?

The next time we have a flying day i will put them outside..if the weather turns bad again and the cluster is still small i will bring them back indoors.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I removed the 4 hives from the apiary where a falling tree caught the edge of one of my hives over the weekend to another about 6 miles away to allow the tree surgeons space to clear up. I will put them back in a couple of weeks time.

 

[Millet]

I removed the 4 hives from the apiary where a falling tree caught the edge of one of my hives over the weekend to another about 6 miles away to allow the tree surgeons space to clear up. I will put them back in a couple of weeks time.

Would it not have been easier just to drawing pin a bit of OMF over the entrances for a couple of hours..them tree surgeons are fairly quick...

 

[Ian123]

Lol until they knock 1 with a branch......mind you it may have sped them up a bit more!!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Would it not have been easier just to drawing pin a bit of OMF over the entrances for a couple of hours..them tree surgeons are fairly quick...

For one thing I'm not sure when the work is to be done and the apiary is 8 miles from my house and the hives are just about underneath the branches of the tree....... safer to remove them to prevent any accidents - I wouldn't fancy a bee paying me attention while wielding a chain saw.

 

[Ian123]

What I would have done is close them up move them 10m and let them get on with it....but then we would have also had 6 pages of how much ventilation was needed so easier to move them really.......

 

[Millet]

What I would have done is close them up move them 10m and let them get on with it....but then we would have also had 6 pages of how much ventilation was needed so easier to move them really.......

Only six ..personally i would just shut the door and move them with a swing of ones hips and spine..painful that it may be..

 

[Millet]

Just soaked half of a bog roll in rain water and rapped the outside with cling film..true story

 

[MarHam]

Would it not have been easier just to drawing pin a bit of OMF over the entrances for a couple of hours..them tree surgeons are fairly quick...

Interested to hear how long you might think reasonable to keep the OMF over the entrance for?
Reason I'm asking is I need to replace the shed near to my hives in the garden and am wondering if I can close them off for a day at a time (maybe opening in the late aft/evening) for maybe 3 days (spaced out obvs.).

Pondering if this is the easier option, or is relocating them for a week better???
Mark

 

[Millet]

Interested to hear how long you might think reasonable to keep the OMF over the entrance for?
Reason I'm asking is I need to replace the shed near to my hives in the garden and am wondering if I can close them off for a day at a time (maybe opening in the late aft/evening) for maybe 3 days (spaced out obvs.).

It will not cause any problems at this time of the year especially with the current vile weather we are getting..i have a strong colony in a garden on the north east coast that has not been flying for over a fortnight so three days is nothing..

 

[simonforeman]

Checked all 8 hives through their clear crown boards and all are well and have stores. Strapped up and ready for the weekend storms........

 

[Murox]

Kept my hands in my pockets and avoided the urge to check.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Made two ekes for reeding fondant.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Went round to all my apiaries to check that everything is bolted down before Dennis arrived.
Did a bit of fiddling in the shed including making a few frames up.

 

[E&MBees]

Started building my second national hive. Looking forward to some better weather.

 

[Millet]

Warm and windy and the bees outside where flying so i took the small colony outside..10 minutes later it was lashing down so back into the garage they went..

 

[Horseradish]

Just been to check - looks like I got through the night...