What did you do in the Apiary today?

[madasafish]

12C and 25mph gusts so topped up feeder on Q rearing nuc.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Cold and windy here but some nucs needed hiving and some just checking as I intend to change the queens. Surprisingly good tempered and really tight on the comb for a day like today, if I was feeling a little less flat I might have ventured to inspect a few more but decided a good long walk was needed so I mowed the lawns instead, by the time I'd finished it was tea time and an evening meeting - before going out and shutting up/loading some hives from the range in readiness for their move to a new apiary tomorrow.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Break in the rain this even and weather was fair so got to the Orchard Apiary for a quick inspection, one hive I removed the outer frame, lifted one close to the middle and queenie was just there just asking to be marked. Love it when that happens, lovely brood pattern she had as well.

Put a few wasp traps out, stack of boxes that are strapped moved slightly in the high winds and seeing wasps robbing already.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Forecast not good today - getting worse as the day progressed.
Early start to close up some hives destined for the new apiary at Amanford and load them up, then a quick cup of tea and check work emails before setting off, just on the point of leaving and up turns the postman with three new queens for me (posted yesterday) bit of a bind with the forecast and rain clouds looming,but hohum....
Offloaded the colonies (all this year's new queens) and put them in place then home and with an hour before my meeting, thought I'd try and hunt down the most elusive queen in the home apiary who was destined for the gatepost. opened the hive, first frame out which had nothing but empty comb on, and there she was! and then no more..... Same success with the next hive then back in for dinner and the 1230 meeting.
By this time it was miserable out, drizzly, dull and wet but I decided to venture out to the castle and deal with the third queen and, if it was this bad over the mountain, close up a nuc and bring it home.
Did the hat trick today, another swiftly dealt with queen at the castle, and as, even in the mist and drizzle, the bees were flying cleared all the inspections there. Bees were needing another super even though there hasn't been much good weather the last week.

 

[madasafish]

Warmer yesterday so put clearer boards on my largest colony which had 5 full and 1 half full super...Kitchen ladder job and they are heavy..


Inspected a few colonies. Grafted a bit.
Helped beginner with a hive almost as tall as the above...

Weather today not very nice - raining so extract tomorrow I think..

 

[GuyNir]

Non stop rain. Last time the bees were out was last Thu...

Sure it’ll be nice once the clover, lime and bramble are gone.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Because I'd inspected the castle apiary a day earlier (yesterday) as I was up there putting a queen in it gave me a free day.......to inspect the home apiary which I couldn't do Monday due to the weather, was also a busy day office wise for me today but as it rained most of the morning I had no excuse but to get the work done!! The forecast was always meant to be a bit iffy, but after my lunchtime meeting I got outside to find it a rather pleasant day - you could swear it was midsummer!
Anyway, all inspections sorted (apart from one massive colony who were having a seriously bad hair day) confirmed another queen mated and needing hiving. Demarreed one of my 2018 queens who seems to be laying for Wales, then loaded up another stack of supers into the truck ready for tomorrow..

 

[Niv]

Quite nice out today, a little dark cloud but other than that nice, so decided to inspect the home apiary.

One hive calm, only used a bit of smoke to prevent crushing when closing up. One cup (uncharged), nest on 9 frames. Added a 3rd super as other two filling well and well populated with bees. The new super is thin foundation which I am trying for the first time as I intend to use this one for cut comb.

Second hive, not a terribly happy bunch - were fine last week. BIAS present, no signs of swarming. Added a 4th super to give plenty of space and the others are filling well. The nest is on 9 frames which is an increase of 3 frames since last week when i took three frames out to make a nuc - maybe they took exception to that!

I am now officially out of supers until my order arrives!

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Strange today - the weather was better, warmer, less windy but still a little unsettled with odd showers. The bees in all hives decided to stay home as very few were flying. I decided to tidy the apiary, cut the grass, deadheaded roses and weeded and was left perfectly alone by the bees.

 

[Tim.S]

Inspected 17 hives at an out apiary, 7 of which will be moving soon to a new site. It is getting busy there! They are piling the honey in like crazy and I am running out of spare frames. Time for extraction I think.

Put one qc in an odd hive there where a re queen failed using the cotton wool in the top pocket trick which worked just fine. 13 more queen cells to deal with tomorrow morning and that's me done queen rearing for this year, no where else to put any more!

 

[G4WIL]

Strange today - the weather was better, warmer, less windy but still a little unsettled with odd showers. The bees in all hives decided to stay home as very few were flying. I decided to tidy the apiary, cut the grass, deadheaded roses and weeded and was left perfectly alone by the bees.

My bees have been flying strongly inspite of conditions.
I did get a call off a newbie . He’d inspected his bees Yesterday . A swarm from late April having three supers already .
His question involved the old Queen cells question,
I asked him was the Queen present and where were the Queen cells . He said mid frame but a couple of manky looking ones on the bottom of the outer frame . .
What have you done about it ! He said . I’ve despatched the old Queen .
Damn I thought . I then knocked down the Queen cells save one . Is this ok !
I thought bugger . I advised him to re inspect in 4 days to see if the bees had produced any more cells . If so , to pick the best looking unsealed cell in a sheltered position . Stick a pin in the frame top and the side of the frame containing the selected cell.
A advised him the four days was to ensure that they wouldn’t have anything to build any more cells .
What have I forgotten ! It’s a long time since I found myself the his situation .


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[gregior]

Checked mine today we have had a huge flow on during the 3 day heatwave with most colonies filling a super each. I removed the excluders from a couple last week to make it easier for them to work the supers and the queens have laid the centre few frames all the way up to the 3rd super which is a pain as I need to get some extracting done.

 

[madasafish]

Checked grafts in the rain. 60% success.

Extracted 7 supers. Spilled honey on kitchen floor despite cardboard .....! In doghouse.

 

[enrico]

My bees have been flying strongly inspite of conditions.
I did get a call off a newbie . He’d inspected his bees Yesterday . A swarm from late April having three supers already .
His question involved the old Queen cells question,
I asked him was the Queen present and where were the Queen cells . He said mid frame but a couple of manky looking ones on the bottom of the outer frame . .
What have you done about it ! He said . I’ve despatched the old Queen .
Damn I thought . I then knocked down the Queen cells save one . Is this ok !
I thought bugger . I advised him to re inspect in 4 days to see if the bees had produced any more cells . If so , to pick the best looking unsealed cell in a sheltered position . Stick a pin in the frame top and the side of the frame containing the selected cell.
A advised him the four days was to ensure that they wouldn’t have anything to build any more cells .
What have I forgotten ! It’s a long time since I found myself the his situation .

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That should work ok. Was the queen cell he left capped? They may still swarm of course. Needs a new thread really for help from the others

E

 

[G4WIL]

That should work ok. Was the queen cell he left capped? They may still swarm of course. Needs a new thread really for help from the others

E

Yes he tells me he left the one capped middle of the frame . He knocked down just a couple more . And culled the Queen . I’m in sheltered lock down so I can’t actually visit him . I could only advise on what he tells me .
I suspect a supercedure as it’s a swarm .
Yes swarms swarm .
But I’ll see what he has to say after his Saturday inspection .


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[Repwoc]

And culled the Queen .

A novel approach to swarm control?

 

[G4WIL]

A novel approach to swarm control?

Lol . The guy rang after he’d taken action .
Second hand fire fighting .
If they swarm they swarm .
I doubt it . At least he’ll learn to think before he acts .


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[jenkinsbrynmair]

And culled the Queen

A novel approach to swarm control?

I've heard it advised from some 'beekeepers'
I remember a few years ago one of the association members phoning me to ask could I call around to remove the queens from his hives 'to stop them swarming'

 

[G4WIL]

I've heard it advised from some 'beekeepers'

Sounds like a good Queen too .
I’d have loved to have had a look .


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[jeff33]

I've heard it advised from some 'beekeepers'
'

Are they the same ones that advise blocking the entrance off to avoid swarming?

Today it is p*ssing down here so I am catching up with some overdue work...melting the wax from last year. One of the job that bores me, alongside making frames up.