What did you do in the Apiary today?

[gmonag]

The bees are almost ready for the winter. Trying to beat the first snows. All the hives are ready to wrap. Insulation on crown board. Mouse screens in. Just trying to finish OA dribble. New York apiaries are finished. We're halfway through the Vermont apiaries. Winter break is on the horizon. Looks like snow on Monday.

Is the winter ever severe enough to consider taking the bees indoors?

 

[Swarm]

Spent the morning stacking blocks on the area I supposedly cleared ready for new stands, there are six double nucs to work around now. I'll level this lot up at some point and then add the 6"x 3" beams I have stored.

 

[Moobee]

Sounds pretty much the same as my setup.

I think the netting helps deter wasp attacks too. They dont seem to like the steep decent or lack of space to maneuver.

Yes! They seem confused by the netting and hover around outside trying to figure out how to get in.

 

[Moobee]

All hives have been incredibly active, eaten all the fondant and feel a bit lighter so popped a bit more in. Could do with a cold blast of weather really, they’re out again today en masse! Worried I might need more fondant at this rate and most suppliers seem to have run out

 

[W0otz]

With the mild weather I was concerned they'd be burning stores looking for forage but not finding much - all the ivy I've looked at has gone over. Dug out the luggage scales, lifted the back of the hive, and it's reading 1.5KG heavier than 3 weeks ago so they're clearly still finding something.
Mild weather, nectar coming in - just hope they don't think it's spring and start swarm preps!

 

[Michael Palmer]

Is the winter ever severe enough to consider taking the bees indoors?

Not here unless you figure -20F is severe enough. Doesn’t last too long as it does farther north. The issue here is 4 months when the bees can’t take a cleansing flight

 

[mbc]

I'm really impressed with Ian Steppler's overwintering shed, his ewetewb videos are generally entertaining.

 

[Swarm]

I'm really impressed with Ian Steppler's overwintering shed, his ewetewb videos are generally entertaining.

His loving the snow was entertaining.

 

[victor meldrew]

09:00hrs this morning in the apiary the bees were flying en masse , orientation flights pollen being brought in . No Ivy !
brilliant
sunshine , not a cloud in the sky .
northwest of England .

 

[Swn58]

Do you keep that netting around the hives all year round? Is it working? I am thinking of a similar solution in my backyard. Thanks.

I use netting on one of my allotment apiaries. It makes the bees come in and out at height. People can actually watch my bees a few feet away from the hive entrances without being attacked!

 

[Swn58]

Sounds great. May I ask what the distance is between the netting and the front of the hive.

Mine......a little over a metre.

 

[Goran]

Thick fog, all is wet, slippery and muddy.. Few bees at couple entrances grooming-odd, the rest aren't coming out.. Almost went skiing down the slope in boots.. Well, won't be the first time.. It would be nicer with snow dough..

 

[Nannysbees]

Glorious day today, hefted the hives, no decrease in weight at the moment, girls out enjoying the sun

 

[Crazyhorse]

Out to check the hives and find the missing api strip..
Topped up syrup and new fondant. Surprised to find that the centre frame in the brood chamber was full of stores and honey but no brood?? Maybe they’ve gone down to the Nadir??
The other hive still had plenty of fondant and seem less interested in syrup so I’ll be removing that shortly.
However it seems I forgot to tape the edges of the celotex insulation I placed in…Doh!

 

[Murox]

Out to check the hives and find the missing api strip..
Topped up syrup and new fondant. Surprised to find that the centre frame in the brood chamber was full of stores and honey but no brood?? Maybe they’ve gone down to the Nadir??
The other hive still had plenty of fondant and seem less interested in syrup so I’ll be removing that shortly.
However it seems I forgot to tape the edges of the celotex insulation I placed in…Doh!

In which part of the world do you keep bees Crazyhorse ??

 

[Crazyhorse]

In which part of the world do you keep bees Crazyhorse ??

The sunny Kent coast!

 

[The Poot]

Weeded a bed of hellebores and removed leaves from them to allow light to the centre. Apparently it helps them develop more flowers, according to Carol Kline.
Most already had new growth / flower spikes breaking surface.

 

[lindsay s]

Supers sorted with poor frames removed and stored wet for the winter. A job I hate doing but it’s worth it in the long run.

 

[Crazyhorse]

Supers sorted with poor frames removed and stored wet for the winter. A job I hate doing but it’s worth it in the long run.
View attachment 29218

Can I please ask why stores in plastic bags?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can I please ask why stores in plastic bags?

stops robbing, keeps out ewaxmoth