What did you do in the Apiary today?

[happyculteur]

Do they work like that?

Normally if they're thinking of superceding then they won't chuck out their drones.

 

[Mint Bee]

At one of the out apiaries, heard what i thought could be a swarm, which turned out to be a large patch of flowering ivy in a sunny sheltered spot. Fair few bees, lots of wasps and plenty of other flying insects. Also noticed that most of the sloes had started to change colour, with some even feeling slightly soft. both feel early for the location

 

[happyculteur]

about 10 drones returned in the space of 30 seconds. Obviously didn’t get lucky today. This hive was chucking them out a couple of weeks ago but maybe that was just to make space for new ones.

I strongly recommend you to read Storch "At the Hive Entrance " on this and many other things.

 

[beeno]

No problem with August-September supercedure here, a few miles south of you. The bees know something you don't if they are trying to supersede.

I don't think bees know in advance when the queen is running of out sperm and they just have to make the best of it. It depends on the number of drones flying and that is the lowest I have ever seen in my locale.

 

[drex]

I don't think bees know in advance when the queen is running of out sperm and they just have to make the best of it. It depends on the number of drones flying and that is the lowest I have ever seen in my locale.

You are assuming supecedure is only when she starts to run out of sperm. Let the bees tell you. They know that she is not up to par for whatever reason. I believe the bees know best, or at least a lot more than me, about their own survival. Bee-centric beekeeping not beekeeper led.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Watched what I think was the return of a (hopefully) mated queen back the hive. A right old melee for about ten minutes, then peace restored.
I found the sealed queen cell in a split that had a very small black queen which was only laying small irregular patches of eggs. I assumed supercedure and left them to it. That was July 29th. So by my reckoning the timing is about right for the mating flights?
I’d appreciate your thoughts as I failed my maths O level three times......

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Watched what I think was the return of a (hopefully) mated queen back the hive. A right old melee for about ten minutes, then peace restored.
I found the sealed queen cell in a split that had a very small black queen which was only laying small irregular patches of eggs. I assumed supercedure and left them to it. That was July 29th. So by my reckoning the timing is about right for the mating flights?
I’d appreciate your thoughts as I failed my maths O level three times......

Yep - could well be, sometimes, if conditions are right, they don't muck around.

 

[Murox]

Checked over a hive with a new "Getty" queen this afternoon. She is laying well and has a really superb pattern
Checked over a split I made a while ago, glad to see masses of brood from a newly mated queen
Checked the hive with the old red queen - still laying well

 

[gregior]

Peeped under the crown boards to see how much honey they have collected this last 6 weeks was very hopeful as we have lots of balsam round here. A range from 1 full super to a swarm that arrived at the end of June has filled 3 supers ! Average is around 70lbs per hive which is great considering I only returned the supers after an early July extraction.

 

[GuyNir]

Painted some boxes as the weather is bad and no real need to open any hives. Forecast for the next couple weeks looks grim at this point

 

[Angry_Mob]

Checked the forecast, giving a yellow wind warning for the next three days and persistent rain. Stuck some clearer boards on the home apiary but the supers aren't particularly heavy and not much capping.

Strapped down most of the nucs in prep for the winds.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Last Thursday we suffered a very severe thunder storm with over a month’s rain in an hour. I’ve not seen rain like it before. Since then there has been a marked reduction in foragers from all colonies.
The forecast for the week ahead is grim with more heavy rain. Not good.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Checked over a hive with a new "Getty" queen this afternoon. She is laying well and has a really superb pattern
Checked over a split I made a while ago, glad to see masses of brood from a newly mated queen
Checked the hive with the old red queen - still laying well

What box type have you got your Getty queen in murox. Nice black queen?

 

[Murox]

What box type have you got your Getty queen in murox. Nice black queen?

She is in a horizontal homemade insulated wooden hive with narrower but deeper frames - imagine dadant size (ish) stood on end.
Of course she is a nice black queen

 

[manek]

Added MAQs strips to my brood boxes.

 

[Apiarisnt]

I strongly recommend you to read Storch "At the Hive Entrance " on this and many other things.

https://biobees.com/library/general_beekeeping/beekeeping_books_articles/At the Hive Entrance.pdf

 

[DaveG23]

Secured hives and nucs for storm Ellen. Still warm and humid, bees were busy enough. Suspect temps will be dropping from now on. Time to remove the meagre supers next week

 

[BigAshW]

Made up heavy syrup for tomorrow and then sanded down and painted a couple of spare boxes. Trying hard to get all my spare kit painted, scorched out and stored early this year.

 

[beeno]

At one of the out apiaries, heard what i thought could be a swarm, which turned out to be a large patch of flowering ivy in a sunny sheltered spot. Fair few bees, lots of wasps and plenty of other flying insects. Also noticed that most of the sloes had started to change colour, with some even feeling slightly soft. both feel early for the location

Experienced the same with bees on the heather. Better check out the blackberries then before it is too late.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Winds only cause a double nuc to slightly tip over so wan't so bad, strap stopped it.

Removed a few clearer boards.

Made up ~165ltrs of sugar syrup.