What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

Search for pollen sub is a bit hit and miss
Finman makes his own and he put up a recipe but he uses/used irradiated pollen which is not available here.
You should start a new thread. I’m sure there are lots of home made recipes

Edit

£40 for 10lb in weight the stuff cost with delivery...

Looks like the only alternative available in a smaller tub (10lb) is Bee Pro which is 40% protein as opposed to Ulltrabee's 58%

 

[madasafish]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=532139&posted=1#post532139

 

[Erichalfbee]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=532139&posted=1#post532139

Yes but Ultrabee comes only in 340g or 50lb.
It used to come in 10lb tubs

 

[citrus]

moved two hives last night about 15m to an area with newly laid patio slabs so its a safer working area.

still cold here and wet and likely to rain more over the weekend so took this last chance for spring prep.

my question is ...

is it right that I should put twigs and branches in front of the entrance to get them to recalibrate when they do leave the hive ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

No need if they aren’t flying and the weather is pants fir a few days.

 

[citrus]

Cheers Dani ... first time I've done a small move like this so was a bit worried .. so thanks for the confirmation.

 

[Anduril]

moved two hives last night about 15m to an area with newly laid patio slabs so its a safer working area.

still cold here and wet and likely to rain more over the weekend so took this last chance for spring prep.

my question is ...

is it right that I should put twigs and branches in front of the entrance to get them to recalibrate when they do leave the hive ?

I moved one apiary half a mile just before Storm Dennis, Friday afternoon and opened up the entrances before leaving, had one accident with bees piling out of the brood box of one hive, by then it was raining. Checked the old site a few days later (Monday) when the weather improved and no flying bees had found their way back.

 

[Beefriendly]

is it right that I should put twigs and branches in front of the entrance to get them to recalibrate when they do leave the hive ?

They always re-orientate on being moved, no twigs necessary. It's when they return from foraging that problems can arise, If they forage on flowers at same place as before move their journey memory home is to old site.

 

[Swarm]

Checked that all was ok after another terrible day of rain. Howling wind and some hail today, all colonies bringing in pollen.
I put some fondant one on smaller colony after storm Dennis but they haven't touched it.

 

[drex]

Doing better than me then. None of mine flying. All the slabs the hive stands are on are in standing water. Never seen that before. At least it is nothing compared with other parts of the country.
Hefted them all and they are good as I expected as they went into winter on double brood with their own honey.
Waiting for it to warm up before I check the nucs. Should be OK as all had fondant not long ago.

 

[Erichalfbee]

White out blizzard here just now for ten minutes then brilliant sunshine.
Windy and 5degrees. Nothin flying here but birds

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Been in the shed repairing the warming cabinet (heater finally threw its hand in - well it has been going flat out for over a year continuously!) then hefted the hives in the home apiary, most still pretty heavy one maybe two will need a helping feed in a week or two. Just running back and fore between hail showers and thunder and lightning.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Been in the shed repairing the warming cabinet (heater finally threw its hand in - well it has been going flat out for over a year continuously!) then hefted the hives in the home apiary, most still pretty heavy one maybe two will need a helping feed in a week or two. Just running back and fore between hail showers and thunder and lightning.

I’ve just found some slightly out of date Candipolline gold. Heaven knows what it’s doing in my bed shed. You can have that

 

[Codford]

All hives given 1Kg Candipolline Gold a couple of days ago. Interestingly, those that still had some plain fondant left, have all abandoned it and switched to the Candipolline.

Judging by what I can see through the Perspex covered feed holes and debris on inspection boards, there is huge variation in size/numbers across all hives - some are on just a few seams of bees, others very full indeed for this stage of the season. Al hives poly.

Spoke to local farmer this morning re’ the OSR situation - about 80 acres within 2-3 Km of one apiary, nothing at the other (8km between apiaries). Plan is to move some hives from one to the other next weekend to take advantage of this come Spring.

 

[Ian123]

Ordered up some queens for April and my new makita nail gun.

 

[Antipodes]

Summer came to an end yesterday with no end in sight for the dry. Visited an apiary site and was disappointed to find a queenless colony.....beyond saving unfortunately and very little honey generally. Stringybark has flowered/flowering at that site (a rare event), but the flowers are dry.

 

[pargyle]

A few bees out and about in the sunshine in the early afternoon ... soon gave up when the wind started to blow later on. Undertakers taking the opportunity whilst it's not raining to clear a few bodies as far as the landing board. Hives still reasonably heavy.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Yes but Ultrabee comes only in 340g or 50lb.
It used to come in 10lb tubs

Thornes have begun to stock two new protein supplement products, which come in 1kg, 5kg and 25kg. Keener price than Ultra bee as well.

Microsoja and Api-dry.

 

[simonforeman]

Finished painting up the last of the Thornes 3rds supers I got.... managed to get 13 out of the 15 I bought with a bit of wood filler so happy with that.... the other 2 I have managed to make 3 x1/2 supers so not allot of waste.

Bees flying in ghd sunshine this morning bringing In pollen, very windy as normal...

 

[Millet]

Pollen substitute placed on four hives but I forgot to put the ekes in the car so I will have to do the others next weekend.