What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Boston Bees]

Collected my first swarm today! Not the biggest, but not tiny either. I put them in a BS nuc, propped it up on a sheet and went back for it a few hours later. It was in a tree on a street, so had to trust no one would mess with them. People are so interested when they see the bees!

There are some circumstances where I wouldn't leave the box until evening - a street is definitely one of them. Had a nuc kicked over once, with bees everywhere - never again.

I know you will leave flyers if you take it immediately, but this happens naturally when swarms leave their temporary home anyway.

Well done for collecting though.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

There are some circumstances where I wouldn't leave the box until evening - a street is definitely one of them.

You need something to read! I waited over an hour last week, and most of the bees had gone in. I make sure to tell everyone that there will be stragglers but that they will 'eventually' go back to where they came from. I don't know how true that is.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Got a swarm call this afternoon. I asked about the size of the swarm. 'A rugby ball? No, far bigger than that.' He didn't mention that the cluster was two-dimensional! This is new to me. There seemed to be no queen. Might the swarm have split and this queenless half here were left behind?

 

[nettle]

There are some circumstances where I wouldn't leave the box until evening - a street is definitely one of them. Had a nuc kicked over once, with bees everywhere - never again.

That did cross my mind, but the guy who called the beekeepers said he'd keep an eye on it for me for most of the afternoon. It's a risk though. I wouldn't have done it on a busier street.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

After the swarm pick-up (above), I checked all the hives in one apiary. Queen cells are appearing again here. I thought I'd lost a swarm from this colony in the photo. There were about a dozen cells, nearly half of them sealed. Delighted to see the queen wandering around inspecting the work. She's spending the night (and next few weeks) in a nuc. In the picture you can see her near one open and one sealed cell. BTW, would anyone care to say how to decide when it's safe to unite a nuc back to its parent after swarm control?

 

[JamezF]

Got a swarm call this afternoon. I asked about the size of the swarm. 'A rugby ball? No, far bigger than that.' He didn't mention that the cluster was two-dimensional! This is new to me. There seemed to be no queen. Might the swarm have split and this queenless half here were left behind?

Well I'm fascinated to know the cause. I've never seen one like that before.

James

 

[JamezF]

dog in the manger syndrome maybe?

Entirely possible, but I guess I shan't be finding out. Life's too short. There are plenty of people in the area who have large gardens, so I shall keep asking around.

James

 

[Brian Bush]

Looking forward to see how you get on.

I have an incubator arriving today. Don't think I'm going to attempt grafting until next year as I've a lot of reading and youtubing to do first on it but I'll hopefully have a few queen cells to pop in and experiment with.

I have to say I was very disappointed upon inspection yesterday. None of the grafts had been accepted so i looked further into the cell raiser box. It was full of eggs and young larvae. Obviously a queen was present. I had taken every precaution to try to ensure that no queen was present. I had brushed the bees from the donor frames and placed them in a box above a QE for them to cover the frames with nurse bees. I added extra bees by passing them through a box with a QE attached to ensure no drones or queens were there. I can only think that she is very small and can get through a QE. I searched in vain for 20 minutes and could not find her. All is not lost however, as I have a very healthy box of bees and brood that I will split later. Somewhere I have a queenless hive. If I can decide which one, I will start the grafting again.

 

[jeff33]

Pr

dog in the manger syndrome maybe?

Probably worried his 6 jars crop was going to diminish with more bees around

 

[madasafish]

I have to say I was very disappointed upon inspection yesterday. None of the grafts had been accepted so i looked further into the cell raiser box. It was full of eggs and young larvae. Obviously a queen was present. I had taken every precaution to try to ensure that no queen was present. I had brushed the bees from the donor frames and placed them in a box above a QE for them to cover the frames with nurse bees. I added extra bees by passing them through a box with a QE attached to ensure no drones or queens were there. I can only think that she is very small and can get through a QE. I searched in vain for 20 minutes and could not find her. All is not lost however, as I have a very healthy box of bees and brood that I will split later. Somewhere I have a queenless hive. If I can decide which one, I will start the grafting again.

I run a cloake board system with two boxes.The Q is in the bottom box all the time with QE above all the time. A divider boards inserted above the QE makes the top box Q-. It's easy to setup and manage - especially for an ancient like me. I graft badly so get 50% acceptance at best but still manage 20-30 queens a year.

 

[Redcap]

Thought I'd go gloveless on a hive inspection yesterday (first time doing so)...mainly to allow me to turn my camera on and off for a video for the family WhatsApp group...all went well in the early stages of filming; then got zapped to the back of the hand (holding the camera). Filming halted; gloves back on and maybe another ten years before I try going gloveless again ! (Note to self; get a tripod or bear the pain!).

 

[MrGoat]

COVID has finally kicked my *** after some time of avoiding it...

Managed to make up some super frames and put a super on a hive that's starting to burst.

Promise of some better weather this way in a few days which we really need.

 

[Goran]

We are riding a heat wave.. 20ish Celsius night temps.. I am reluctant to jump into suit.. but in few days I must.. This sun is scorching real bad, yesterday I was all day in the field.. Today I was avoiding sun to get some rest.. Drought.. Weather prognosis almost every day say that we have a rain or heavy thunderstorm, but in reality we haven't got any rain more than 10 days.. I am worried for our hazelnuts, but no real use of worry if I am almost powerless..

 

[madasafish]

Thought I'd go gloveless on a hive inspection yesterday (first time doing so)...mainly to allow me to turn my camera on and off for a video for the family WhatsApp group...all went well in the early stages of filming; then got zapped to the back of the hand (holding the camera). Filming halted; gloves back on and maybe another ten years before I try going gloveless again ! (Note to self; get a tripod or bear the pain!).

I have been gloveless since I started in 2010.
Stings still hurt : and after 5-6 in a session I wear vinyls.
I am immune to the venom but some stings can be very painful: I occasionally drop hive tools on really bad ones..
Annual count runs around 120.

 

[pargyle]

I have been gloveless since I started in 2010.
Stings still hurt : and after 5-6 in a session I wear vinyls.
I am immune to the venom but some stings can be very painful: I occasionally drop hive tools on really bad ones..
Annual count runs around 120.

Mike the Masochist .... need to change your user name .... on second thoughts - perhaps it's more appropriate as it is !

 

[Swn58]

I am reluctant to jump into suit.

I have been to Croatia four times in the summer. It can be so hot. I cannot imagine wearing a bee-suit when it is like that! A Swienty Breeze suit with nothing worn underneath may be the only answer I think?

 

[JamezF]

I have been to Croatia four times in the summer. It can be so hot. I cannot imagine wearing a bee-suit when it is like that! A Swienty Breeze suit with nothing worn underneath may be the only answer I think?

A friend's son worked for a commercial beekeeping operation in New Zealand a few years back and told us he used to wear only a pair of shorts under his Oz Armour suit.

James

 

[drex]

After the heat of last summer I bought an old castle ventilated suit. I strip off to underpants and T shirt. 2 weeks ago I did full inspections in 28 degrees, and apart from stopping for drinks I was perfectly comfortable. Might be different in the heat of Croatia

 

[Erichalfbee]

I must say all these beekeepers semi naked under their suits sounds a bit alarming

 

[Newbeeneil]

I must say all these beekeepers semi naked under their suits sounds a bit alarming

It can be quite liberating Dani, especially with a neck fan!