What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Goran]

Running with the time before rain storms and havoc to pick the hazelnuts from the field.. Yesterday rushed to peek into mncus, seen 1 queen with " drone sign", promising that it will be OK. Last batch of the season.. I am bit late with nozevit, but in next few days will fit it in the " schedule" due to bad weather for other work..

 

[blackcloud]

Got the syrup made and the feeders sorted out for deployment tomorrow.The ivy hasn't finished yet but the temps are set to drop hard imminently so I want to get onto that pdq

 

[The Poot]

Sat in the sun, watching the bees contentedly coming and going, whilst drinking one of this Summer’s successes -
nettle beer

 

[StephenT]

Took the last super frames out of freezer so now have 12 supers with drawn comb all wrapped up ready for next year. Did a 4th vape on the two main hives. We’re also looking after a late swarm for an elderly gentlemen who found it in a disused hive in his garden about 6 weeks back. They were in a nuc but were running out of space so put them in 9 frame dummied down national and fed them lots. They are thriving with the late season ivy pollen.

 

[Martimart]

Continued filling up the rapid feeders with syrup, I think another week or so and we'll be done. Got to take off the Apivar strips this week, then continue feeding for a little longer. Got 2 with fondant on and they are putting that away. One final inspection maybe, not looked since taking the honey off over 6 weeks ago. I'm going to put on insulation when I next top up the feeders this week, its forecast to be quite cold at night, and it's not going to get any better. While I'm at it I think i'll put the mouse guards on.

 

[elainemary]

Turned my cappings into wax blocks using a small steamer. Plenty for candle making this winter

 

[Brian Bush]

I went to check in my main apiary today expecting to have to feed the bees. I had checked an out apiary hive on Sunday and it was short of stores. Armed with sugar syrup and feeders I opened 5 main hives. Each had refilled the supers I had extracted and had at least 2 full supers per hive.
I moved on to the 2 hives that had been occupied by incoming swarms in June. One was light on stores so received a large rapid feeder. The other, which was very light at the beginning of August had exploded in population and had 2 full supers of honey.
The Ivy around me is not yet in full bloom and the hives do not have the distinctive scent. I cannot see what they are foraging on but as pollen being taken in is of differing colours I suspect that the new houses 400m away may have some interesting flowers available.

 

[Nannysbees]

Checked on the two hives i reunited with newspaper and hallelujah the queen survived, all credit to jenkinsbrynmair. Back to a brood and a half going into winter. Did find a charged queen cell in there as well which I whipped out and put in the hive that have no eggs and no queen, that's in the lap of the gods not going to check them again now going into winter, Rosie my glory hive is just that, packed with food, brood and bees. Don't think any need feeding, going to heft keep and eye on the weight then wrap them in their recticel jackets and put the mouse traps on in a few weeks

 

[Redcap]

Checked feeder contents and was surprised to see it still contained about 1/3 syrup (from full)... really expected it to be empty right now; although they were quite happy feeding but its 1:1 so perhaps too thin now...perhaps replace with 2:1 or straight on to fondant decisions, decisions.

 

[Goran]

Today just some adding syrup ( 2:3 -water:sugar with 1g of citric acid per kg of sugar), this may be some late time, but due to overlapping hazelnut harvest and winter preparations of colonies.. only solution is to clone myself.. Yesterday saw first capped brood of new queens, like a book.. Will see in next season is this just advertisement or real thing..
This winter I have soo much of hardware to repair, it was intensive season and lot of improvisation. Feeders I bought are politely said - junk. Have to repair them all.. I said seller on his remark that they are really cheap - I am not rich enough to buy cheap if they have no function..
What a mistake-a to make-a - mg and g.. oops..

 

[gregior]

Had a look at the entrances today just as the young were doing big orientation flights,lots of nice young winter bees in evidence and more importantly no crawlers with DWV . Still lots of balsam and ivy coming in .

 

[Goran]

Today rain storm chased me down.. Like huge white wall with rumbling and thunder strikes. I was distributing some syrup again.. Just when I was going to the hives, 2-3 meters from me white tailed eagle stroke the hen in the yard. It seems that if it was more hungry would strike me.. Unbelievable that it doesn't care about my presence, maybe because I was in suit.. Hen didn't survived, bones were crashed. It has chosen the fattest hen. I ran toward it, but it dodged me. When it stroke, I just heard hen in panic then whoosh and strike like log thrown. After it lifted up raven came and was annoying it whole time, also other eagle came above - seems are pair..

 

[Goran]

The Boys

 

[Erichalfbee]

Today rain storm chased me down.. Like huge white wall with rumbling and thunder strikes. I was distributing some syrup again.. Just when I was going to the hives, 2-3 meters from me white tailed eagle stroke the hen in the yard. It seems that if it was more hungry would strike me.. Unbelievable that it doesn't care about my presence, maybe because I was in suit.. Hen didn't survived, bones were crashed. It has chosen the fattest hen. I ran toward it, but it dodged me. When it stroke, I just heard hen in panic then whoosh and strike like log thrown. After it lifted up raven came and was annoying it whole time, also other eagle came above - seems are pair..

I’ve seen buzzards go for my neighbours hens. Usually they are too shy if people are about but a white tailed eagle? That must have been quite something!
Bit more impressive than our Sparrowhawk lunching on the bird feeder.

 

[Goran]

At first I thought it was hawk, but then saw wingspan ( around 2 meters) and white tail.. Maybe I am mistaken and some really overgrown hawk..
What I liked is that raven was chasing it away. We always have ravens around ( I remember them as a kid) and they when passing by ,they always " say hello" and not rarely I respond or just wave..

 

[Wilco]

My wife wrote off about half my summer crop this afternoon. Was warming it to 39C for jarring. Came back and she'd adjusted the temperature to nearer 80C. Not sure on exact temp but human thermometer shows sample from the middle to be over 40C (registering as high).

Guess I've got a job lot of bakers honey.

Edit: clutching at straws here. My probe thermometer, with the probe in a food bag and immersed in the honey is reading 42C throughout the 'tub' (highest 42.9C). Realistically it's been exposed to the higher heat for maybe 20 min. Still written off as baker's honey? (my gut says yes).

 

[simonwig]

My wife wrote off about half my summer crop this afternoon. Was warming it to 39C for jarring. Came back and she'd adjusted the temperature to nearer 80C. Not sure on exact temp but human thermometer shows sample from the middle to be over 40C (registering as high).

Guess I've got a job lot of bakers honey.

Edit: clutching at straws here. My probe thermometer, with the probe in a food bag and immersed in the honey is reading 42C throughout the 'tub' (highest 42.9C). Realistically it's been exposed to the higher heat for maybe 20 min. Still written off as baker's honey? (my gut says yes).

Hi

See Important temperatures in beekeeping | Sheffield Beekeepers' Association

Simon

 

[Wilco]

Hi

See Important temperatures in beekeeping | Sheffield Beekeepers' Association

Simon

What are they basing those temperatures on? UK regs say if honey is heated to the point enzymes are denatured then it has to be sold as bakers honey. A few of those sections are saying heat to 49C or higher which would definitely do that.

 

[Erichalfbee]

My wife wrote off about half my summer crop this afternoon. Was warming it to 39C for jarring. Came back and she'd adjusted the temperature to nearer 80C. Not sure on exact temp but human thermometer shows sample from the middle to be over 40C (registering as high).

Guess I've got a job lot of bakers honey.

Edit: clutching at straws here. My probe thermometer, with the probe in a food bag and immersed in the honey is reading 42C throughout the 'tub' (highest 42.9C). Realistically it's been exposed to the higher heat for maybe 20 min. Still written off as baker's honey? (my gut says yes).

No. We were talking about honey being heated to 60 degrees earlier on the forum. I’d reckon it’s ok.

 

[Wilco]

No. We were talking about honey being heated to 60 degrees earlier on the forum. I’d reckon it’s ok.

How though? Enzymes in most cells are denatured around 40-42C. Is invertase or any of the other enzymes present in honey able to withstand higher?

Edit: google suggests three main enzymes in honey with the following rough denature temperatures:
Invertase >50C
Diastase >45C
Glucose oxidase 50-60C

So looks like you're right and there may be some hope @Erichalfbee so thank you. @simonwig I'd still question some of the temperatures they're suggesting in that document.