What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Boston Bees]

I’ve had a tawny owl box up for a couple of years now but no takers (except the jackdaws). Any tips on how to attract some owls? The box is north facing and about 3 or 4 metres up.View attachment 29770

Have you checked this list or something similar?

I wasn't aware of the need to add earth (or similar) I must admit.

Tawny Owl Box Placement — Peak Boxes

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any tips on how to attract some owls

Staple a squirrel to the tree

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve had a tawny owl box up for a couple of years now but no takers (except the jackdaws). Any tips on how to attract some owls? The box is north facing and about 3 or 4 metres up.View attachment 29770

Tawnies are early nesters so the box has to be sheltered and not facing prevailing winds. Face it south east. The sort of box you have is one designed to be attached to a leaning branch. Facing north and being open like that rain will get in and any chicks will perish. Tawnies are shy. Put the box where you don’t have a good view of it.
Once you’ve done that you need to be evicting Squirrels. The easiest way is to go up there twice a week and throw the nest out. They give up in the end. Jackdaws nest later than owls so they shouldn’t be a problem once owls are in.

 

[Do224]

Tawnies are early nesters so the box has to be sheltered and not facing prevailing winds. Face it south east. The sort of box you have is one designed to be attached to a leaning branch. Facing north and being open like that rain will get in and any chicks will perish. Tawnies are shy. Put the box where you don’t have a good view of it.
Once you’ve done that you need to be evicting Squirrels. The easiest way is to go up there twice a week and throw the nest out. They give up in the end. Jackdaws nest later than owls so they shouldn’t be a problem once owls are in.

Thanks, not had any trouble with squirrels but the jackdaws love it.

I think it’s the open ended boxes that go under a branch. I got my design from the owl trust website and they show it fixed to the tree trunk (see pic).

I’ll try and swing the box a bit more easterly/south easterly as you suggest.

 

[robinharman]

Wow how many hives do you have?

Just over 100 plus about 35 overwintered nucs.
Same again today (frames and boxes) plus chopping up blocks of fondant ready for food checks tomorrow

 

[elainemary]

Hubbie cleaned out all nesting boxes today ready for Spring (to get rid of lice etc which can infect the birds), some lovely moss filled nests. I whipped round my 3 apiaries and weighed hives. All full sized colonies ok, still got between 12-19kg stores. Added first fondant to my Nucs.

Since end Sept all full sized colonies (10) have consumed 4.5kg stores to date. Similar use of stores @ just over 1kg per colony in Oct and Nov, but consumption has increased to 2.4kg in Dec. Interesting that WBCs have consumed 4.5kg and Polyhives 4.8kg, so not much difference between. Love a bit of data to ponder on.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Spent the day checking on 40 hives. 4 hives that were on the weak side going into winter are no longer. 2 seem to have lost their queen at some time. ( old queen cells evident) and 2 small ones look like they starved.
The rest look pretty strong but using stores up quickly, I had to put fondant on about 75% of the hives.

 

[elainemary]

We use these View attachment 29769

Loaned ours to a friend, caught 40 last year Much less this year

 

[Wilco]

Checked hives a couple of days earlier than planned as it's getting cold. One nuc had suddenly finished their fondant. A couple of others seem to be storming through the stuff over the last week.

 

[Amari]

Hubbie cleaned out all nesting boxes today ready for Spring (to get rid of lice etc which can infect the birds), some lovely moss filled nests. I whipped round my 3 apiaries and weighed hives. All full sized colonies ok, still got between 12-19kg stores. Added first fondant to my Nucs.

Since end Sept all full sized colonies (10) have consumed 4.5kg stores to date. Similar use of stores @ just over 1kg per colony in Oct and Nov, but consumption has increased to 2.4kg in Dec. Interesting that WBCs have consumed 4.5kg and Polyhives 4.8kg, so not much difference between. Love a bit of data to ponder on.

How do your gross hive weights compare with mine - post 32737 above?
If your hives have a similar configuration to mine I would be most interested to read what your gross weights are, approx. I'm not much good at estimating 'weight of remaining stores', despite Dani having previously posted a list of empty-box weights.

 

[Hux70]

I made this box in Jan2020. May 2021 I had 2 of these hopping around the allotment. The adults were flying about during the day for a week keeping an eye on them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I made this box in Jan2020. May 2021 I had 2 of these hopping around the allotment. The adults were flying about during the day for a week keeping an eye on them.
View attachment 29784

It’s amazing to watch them. Tawnies fledge very early. Well before they can fly.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I was weighing/hefting yesterday and again today.
Quite a few of the nucs haven't lost loads of weight at all, I think the late warmth in the autumn gave them opertunity to collect ivy nectar and pollen.
Had a look in on a few nucs that where only weighing 9.5kgs or just over and they have good stores no need to add fondant if there's no need as yet.
I try and aim for all my 6 frame nucs to weigh 12kgs but most end up being 10+
Going into winter, my bucks are alot heavier than my black girls as usual.

 

[elainemary]

How do your gross hive weights compare with mine - post 32737 above?
If your hives have a similar configuration to mine I would be most interested to read what your gross weights are, approx. I'm not much good at estimating 'weight of remaining stores', despite Dani having previously posted a list of empty-box weights.

The gross weights of my polyhives were 26-31kg this week (floor, super, brood box, roof); the weights of my WBCs were 31-39kg (floor, cedar super and brood box, glass crownboard and first lift. I take the roof and other lifts off to measure. Is this what you are looking for?

 

[Swarm]

Distributed some 6" x 3" beams and checked the blocks for level before setting the new stands in place. Room for two more stands besides which is good news. Working among the hives, they were all busy. Still not really cold enough to call it Winter, pollen going in, gorse and something yellow.

 

[Amari]

The gross weights of my polyhives were 26-31kg this week (floor, super, brood box, roof); the weights of my WBCs were 31-39kg (floor, cedar super and brood box, glass crownboard and first lift. I take the roof and other lifts off to measure. Is this what you are looking for?

Thanks. Mine are probably a bit light cf. your's but I'll be more vigilant this year - having lost two colonies to starvation last spring due to complacency.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Got ready to start rendering 20 odd buckets of cappings.

 

[user 20297]

I watched the sun rising in front of the hives.

 

[elainemary]

Thanks. Mine are probably a bit light cf. your's but I'll be more vigilant this year - having lost two colonies to starvation last spring due to complacency.

Also bear in mind ceder boxes in WBCs are lighter than nationals - not because they are slightly smaller but the wood is thinner too, as they have the protection of the outer lift. That’s one of the reasons I like them, much lighter to lift than national boxes

 

[Arfermo]

I watched the sun rising in front of the hives.

View attachment 29804

Like watching paint dry comes to mind!