What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Jimmy]

Have been lifting some crown boards/checking floors over the last couple of days and somewhat surprised by the number of slugs in residence. Wood lice far more prevalent in hive roofs this year with very few ladybirds compared to 2019. Indeed, in one apiary last year I thought I was over-wintering a ladybird sanctuary.
Bees in the garden at home also very busy collecting water. Most hives still a good weight with only a few 6 frame polynucs needing attention.

 

[madasafish]

Wow! the difference a few hundred miles makes - just about 10 degrees today but the wind makes it feel much colder. The sun just poking through this afternoon.

Sounds like the forecast for here next week...

 

[Newbeeneil]

BUT some others.. wow, 4-5 wall to wall beautiful frames of brood on 11 frames bees, and drone brood near to emerging.. going to be a busy year. Put QE on and a super to keep them focused.

Same here Heather, I opened several of my hives plus a couple of hives that I maintain for a customer. Hers are WBC's with 6 frames solid with brood and one had a lot of drone brood. There is also **** starting to flower about 200yrs from the hives so if temperatures were going to stay the same I'd put supers on but I'm reticent with temperatures dropping next week!

 

[Tim.S]

10 hives loaded in the van ready for a trip to their new home tomorrow, about 30 minutes away. Not the ideal time to be doing this but whatever.
I shall put a box under and check for stores as a few were a bit light when I put them in the van, that should hold them for a few weeks if I can't get up to see them.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Most of today painting again, sort of regret buying unpainted Abelo hives, especially as the new hives are a pita to paint compared to the older style.

 

[Goran]

Couple pics from Saturday - spriiing..
Today - wiiinter..
To don't think that I exaggerate..

 

[Fritillary]

Couple pics from Saturday - spriiing..
Today - wiiinter..
To don't think that I exaggerate..

Goran your previous post telling us about the loss of all the fruit blossom was heartbreaking.These pics are so beautiful, including the snow, but ... what to say? So hard for you all.

 

[Goran]

Goran your previous post telling us about the loss of all the fruit blossom was heartbreaking.These pics are so beautiful, including the snow, but ... what to say? So hard for you all.

For about 10 years I am in the beekeeping. We had proper maybe 2 beekeeping seasons, and maybe 2 not total disaster.. Maybe I am bad luck and should quit beekeeping. Even so, I am still not in minus in my beekeeping. At least bees fund themselves ( not counting my work - it would be loss).
About all bad things happening to all and accumulating.. we have to move on, day by day. If we surrender then it is game over. In the all happening we must not lose our humanity, empathy. Watching some are putting material things in front of human lives is disgusting to me..
Stay safe and humans..

 

[mike99]

For about 10 years I am in the beekeeping. We had proper maybe 2 beekeeping seasons, and maybe 2 not total disaster.. Maybe I am bad luck and should quit beekeeping. Even so, I am still not in minus in my beekeeping. At least bees fund themselves ( not counting my work - it would be loss).
About all bad things happening to all and accumulating.. we have to move on, day by day. If we surrender then it is game over. In the all happening we must not lose our humanity, empathy. Watching some are putting material things in front of human lives is disgusting to me..
Stay safe and humans..

And you Goran. Hopefully we will all come out the other side safe and sane.

 

[Millet]

Sealed and strapped the garden hive up last night for a 77mile trip today..it is going to Northumberland with my other hives where I will be living in a caravan for the next five to six weeks on a farm lambing...

 

[Popparand]

Sealed and strapped the garden hive up last night for a 77mile trip today..it is going to Northumberland with my other hives where I will be living in a caravan for the next five to six weeks on a farm lambing...

So fair thee well

 

[Millet]

So fair thee well

 

[Tim.S]

New apiary up and running this morning, my furthest out at 30 mins away from home, but such a beautiful site.

 

[Millet]

Hive at it's new home and fondant put on five that feel a bit light..all hives are piling yellow and gorse pollen in as though they where panick buying..

 

[simonforeman]

Checked all 3 hives at home and all 3 bringing in pollen and a load of nectar from somewhere... am going to move one of my best hives back home tomorrow from my out apiary. At least then if we are completly banned from going out I can still stick to my plan of having a go at grafting this year without the hassle.

 

[XYZ]

What a lovely day!! Spent a couple of hours inspecting the hives and switching out some (not all) syrup-packed frames for empty frames.

Had to do rotate the two national brood boxes as I now need to inspect from behind.

My local-bee colony is huge. Bees in every seam. Only four frames of brood though - which is in a lovely pattern. Saw the queen I marked last year. They're 8/10 for behaviour so I'm really happy with them. Also noticed a very small amount of capped drone cells. I am thinking these will build up the fastest and may need to be split soon (or possibly given double brood?)

The middle hive is headed by a queen I bought from Ged Marshall at the end of August. Wow they were so calm and easy-going. 9.5/10 for them. I took some propolis out as it was getting in the way - likely from the pre-GM queen days. Only on 2 frames of brood but building up nicely. Still plenty of thymol syrup stores (these had red food colouring in so were easy to tell).

The nuc bothered me. I think the queen is failing. Only one small patch of capped brood on one frame. No eggs on that side. Flipped the frame to find cells with eggs. Noticed one with 3 eggs and a few with 2. Failing queen? Laying workers?
They were also quite noisy, but weren't aggressive. Again, loads of stores so switched the heaviest frame out.

The girls are still bringing in loads of pollen.

It feels good to have done an inspection again. So good!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

all hives are piling yellow and gorse pollen in as though they where panick buying..

careful they don't run out of room if they're hoarding sh!ttickets

 

[Millet]

careful they don't run out of room if they're hoarding sh!ttickets

All on Nadired supers for now so should have room for the poop tickets.. ..not sure how much room they have though as i will not be peeking inside for a good few weeks yet when the chance of frost and snow is over...supposed to be cold from the weekend on wards that is the reason i give the five fairley light colonies fondant..all of which choker with bees so i hazard a guess that they are going to need it..

 

[masterBK]

Today finally got that photo of bee on willow I have been after for the last week or so

 

[rampino]

Colony short of bees

Tuesday was a really sunny day, so having prepared in advance I transferred a colony into a nuc. When I checked a week ago they were seriously short of bees, although there were two small patches of brood a little less than the size of the palm of my hand. The queen was there, quite easy to spot. I had previously given them some fondant but they had ignored it. When I inspected last week they had plenty of stores, but some looked crystallised. Anyway into the nuc went the frame with the two patches of brood, the best two frames of stores, plus an empty drawn frame. Some of the foragers adapted to the new entrance quite quickly, but there were a few gathered around the old (closed) entrance scratching their heads. Fingers crossed they recover, they produced the most honey last year.