What did you do in the Apiary today?

[drex]

Did the last moving about of hives and boxes. One hive had had two supers to be cleaned above a near closed crown board and they were lovely and clean. Two others had been set up similarly a few days ago, but the bees had added to the stores. I then nadired these a couple of days ago and today they were empty and removed. You never quite know what the bees will do.
Now set up for winter, but 2-3 will need a feed, the rest are very heavy.

 

[E&MBees]

Completed a 6th and hopefully final vape on my problem colony.
Fed another, which had a late mated queen. They are doing nicely now. Lovely bees, so I hope she lasts.
Unblocked another colonies feeder after they had propolised the little holes shut. They must have done it in between feeds and I didn’t notice during the week when I topped it up.
Need to fit a mouse guard to the one hive that’s not on an ufe but still a few wasps around so will keep the entrance reducer in for now.
Almost ready for winter.

 

[SWHives]

Put some insulation under the hive roofs. Noticed one of the roofs had moisture drops on the inside at one-end. Replaced with temporary roof until I repaired the bad one. Now repaired one back on the hive. Will see how it holds up in the next two days of rain.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Opened up my long hive to check for stores and make sure it was Q+. Sure enough there she was busily laying. Great to stand and watch her move accross the frame dipping her abdomen in every cell.

 

[Bluetractorman]

Just out of interest ... what is that in the entrance ?

Shaun the sheep from Wallace and Gromit

 

[mbc]

So yesterday I went to check an out apiary to prepare them for winter and discovered I hadn't cleared the last lot of supers from them, oops! Twenty four full supers from eleven hives, I put them over rapid clearer boards and went back to the beginning once I'd done them all to blow out remaining bees and load into the truck, all done in an hour or two, we'll see if it spins out today.
This will be the fourth pull of honey from the site this season.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well I’m looking forward to your two queens doing the same for me

This will be the fourth pull of honey from the site this season.

 

[Swarm]

Went to add a second feed to the colonies and a quick heft to see how they are doing. Windy and raining when I got there but they were bouncing off my head it was that busy, Ivy and Balsam piling in.
Luckily, the sun came out just before I was leaving so I had an opportunity to have a quick peek in one late nuc that I had doubts over. Some beautiful black bees in there now, very calm and happy and also doing well for stores. Weather is set to improve going into next week as well

 

[einsteinagogo]

fitted a wasp baffle to one of my hives, which is under attack, in the rain, plenty of wasps around, no bees

other than the roar of bees coming out of the other 3 hives, very defensive because of the wasps, but they are keeping them out.

Fed yesterday evening, and will continue feeding and check later in the week.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Nothing. I’m away in the camper but I tracked down some local Forest of Dean honey.

 

[Nannysbees]

Hefted all four hives one side,two of them now at 20kg so removed those feeders.Thec other two a little lighter so given them one last feed hopefully that should do it

 

[drdrday]

Went up at dusk to do final vapes on two colonies to find that the front of one of the hives was covered with bees. At least a foot diameter patch of bees. It was quarter to 7 in the evening and although today has been our first bright and rain free day this week, it's still only around 10C.
Can't think of any other reason for this behaviour other than they knew my vaping timetable and did it just to make my life difficult

 

[Erichalfbee]

Nothing. I’m away in the camper but I tracked down some local Forest of Dean honey.

And these. There are masses of chestnut trees here. I wonder whether it was warm enough for a nectar flow ?

 

[pargyle]

Topped up feeders on all hives ... it always amazes me how fast they guzzle it down. The ivy in the garden has just started to break into blossom on the higher branches. Good weather today and could be as high as 20 degrees tomorrow so the Ivy should really come out. There is still the smell of Ivy ripening around the hives so that will be getting mixed with the Invertbee ... might make it a bit softer for them to eat over winter - although I never see a problem with them using it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Went up at dusk to do final vapes on two colonies to find that the front of one of the hives was covered with bees. At least a foot diameter patch of bees.

makes no difference - The time I vape my hives coincides with whatever time I'm free to do it. No need to get all hung up about bees not being in the hive, I never close them in when I vape - they'll get a dose of the OA when they next get inside It's great seeing the bees merrily going about their business bringing in nectar and pollen and totally ignoring the puffs of OA vapour at the entrance.

 

[SWHives]

Started feeding 2 to 1 for winter stores today, after a week and a half of break as the hives were honeybound.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Started feeding 2 to 1 for winter stores today, after a week and a half of break as the hives were honeybound.

If they had that much stores, why carry on feeding again? they'll just get honey bound again if you're not careful

 

[SWHives]

If they had that much stores, why carry on feeding again? they'll just get honey bound again if you're not careful

Have lot of bees in the hive and we had bad rainy weather in the last week or so, and the stores have been depleted. Will see how it goes, whether they bring in ivy and try to balance the feeding.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did the final non treatment of the home apiary bees. I had one colony with an elusive DLQ that I hadn't yet had the opportunity to shake out, and as today was the first fine day in ages I decided to crack on with it. Popped the crownboard and the first frame out - there she was on a perfectly laid frame (one side) of drone brood wandering about without a care in the world, she quickly became one with the gatepost and the still strong colony has been put over a couple of sheets of newspaper with the neighbouring colony - happy days!

 

[hemo]

If honey bound 10/11 days ago highly unlikely they will be much different now, unless of course robbing is taking place.