What did you do in the Apiary today?

[pargyle]

Oh Spark is lovely. We’re getting better at not crying all the time but the house feels too empty & quiet. It feels so odd without a dog.

We kept seeing our old Labrador momentarily when he wasn't there - the mind playing tricks. Opening a door and looking to see where the dog was, coming downstairs in the morning or returning from work and expecting the dog to be there to greet you ... I think their spirits linger. Spark lies in the same places as Leo did although it was nearly a two year gap between them and it's a bit unnerving at times when we see elements of what Leo did in what Spark does.

Get another dog .. they are the best therapists on the planet. There's a reason why they are called man's best friend.

 

[Nannysbees]

It’s so quiet in the house, we’re already thinking about a new pup. It feels like a betrayal so soon but the whole home feels empty and not complete.

We had our two until they were both16. I was heartbroken, have decided not to get another. We never put ours in kennels so were really tied if we went anywhere for any length of time. It does get easier

 

[Swarm]

It’s so quiet in the house, we’re already thinking about a new pup. It feels like a betrayal so soon but the whole home feels empty and not complete.

It's not betrayal, loss is the pain we accept for loving so deeply. It always hurts but nothing heals the pain like another little companion to cherish.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Having a look at some inspection boards and hefting , the mini nucs that were put into 6 frame dummied nucs in October are doing ok .
No looses yet and low levels of varroa on inspection boards some even 0 count

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Having a look at some inspection boards and hefting , the mini nucs that were put into 6 frame dummied nucs in October are doing ok .
No looses yet and low levels of varroa on inspection boards some even 0 count

Yep, most of mine dropping 0 mites over 4 days. And then the one that went broodless after the MAQS treatment last September plus OAD in December dropping 3/day. ?
Steady weight drop.
. . . . Ben

 

[Erichalfbee]

No mites dropping under mine either. They are all in the brood

 

[gregior]

Hefted and fed a few lightish ones in preparation for the pretty deep cold spell forecast for next week.

 

[pargyle]

Hefted and fed a few lightish ones in preparation for the pretty deep cold spell forecast for next week.

Yes ... it's forecast a cold snap down here on the Costa del Fareham so I'm going to heft all mine tomorrow. Now is the time when you have to be on top of the stores situation ... the next few weeks are when most colonies are at their most vulnerable. If they are light, fondant is your best friend.

 

[Redcap]

Checked on my poly 14x12 nuc, home to a smallish swarm from last summer....(unsurprisingly) there was no activity at the entrance, so a small peep to look under the roof...didn't expect to see a single bee; but there they were in the feeder, looking quite active too! So, gave them a very quick feed, roof secured, and left them to it until we meet again when its a tad warmer...just sooo pleased they've made it this far; and that they (and I) can make it through the next likely cold spell.

 

[JamezF]

It's been cold here for almost a week now I think -- air temperature has been around 6°C in the day and down close to freezing at night, but with a persistent north-easterly wind adding several degrees of wind chill. There's no sign of it getting any worse according to the forecast, but sadly no sign of it getting any better either. Even when it snowed I was quite comfortable just slipping my bare feet into a pair of gardening clogs to take kitchen waste out to the compost heap, but not at the moment.

I have a colony that swarmed into a stack of brood boxes awaiting repairs. They're now on a proper floor with an insulated crown board and roof waiting for Spring to arrive so I can start to sort them out. In the mean time however they've started using worn patches in the side rails as small entrances. I've taken the opportunity to close those off by screwing pieces of wood over the top whilst they're not flying so they don't make the damage any worse than it already is, and so I don't inadvertently walk through their flight lines when I'm wandering through the apiary whilst inappropriately attired.

James

 

[Moobee]

We kept seeing our old Labrador momentarily when he wasn't there - the mind playing tricks. Opening a door and looking to see where the dog was, coming downstairs in the morning or returning from work and expecting the dog to be there to greet you ... I think their spirits linger. Spark lies in the same places as Leo did although it was nearly a two year gap between them and it's a bit unnerving at times when we see elements of what Leo did in what Spark does.

Get another dog .. they are the best therapists on the planet. There's a reason why they are called man's best friend.

We decided it was the only thing to do to fill the furry hole left in our heart by Ellie…….
So…….. this is Tiggi. A 3 month old grey Merle cocker spaniel. We are already smitten although I had to look twice when she flopped on the floor in the kitchen just like Ellie did while I was cooking

 

[pargyle]

We decided it was the only thing to do to fill the furry hole left in our heart by Ellie…….
So…….. this is Tiggi. A 3 month old grey Merle cocker spaniel. We are already smitten although I had to look twice when she flopped on the floor in the kitchen just like Ellie did while I was cooking

OMG - The eyes ! She looks a beauty ...

 

[Murox]

Painted a couple of poly brood boxes today and put together a STBK wooden brood box, the first wooden one I have ever bought!

 

[The Poot]

We decided it was the only thing to do to fill the furry hole left in our heart by Ellie…….
So…….. this is Tiggi. A 3 month old grey Merle cocker spaniel. We are already smitten although I had to look twice when she flopped on the floor in the kitchen just like Ellie did while I was cooking

This was our new recruit last year…

 

[pargyle]

This was our new recruit last year…
View attachment 35367

OMG ... More eyes ....

 

[madasafish]

Checked all hives etc for stores and fed fondant prior to forecast cold spell..

 

[Moobee]

This was our new recruit last year…
View attachment 35367

Gorgeous

 

[Wilco]

Checked hives, the poor overwintering trend has continued with both colonies at one site having died out in the past two weeks. One apparent isolation starvation but hadn't touched fondant, sad but at least an answer. In future I will be implementing a suggestion from a member here of having feed holes offset from centre so CB can be rotated around if the bees aren't central.

Another just weird- tonnes of stores, bees previously appeared strong (this one had a clear CB) but dead today. Small cluster on the comb but several other areas of high numbers of dead bees notably in the corners by the cover board. Some capped worker brood. It's the bees in the corners which has got me. Q- might explain it but doesn't fit with the patch of brood. Anyone got any thoughts?

Fortunately looking stable elsewhere.

 

[Lazy K]

We've had some lousy weather this winter. Lots of wind. Today was pretty nice so I decide to do a quick look to see how the bees were faring. One of the hives, which was my strongest going into winter, now seems to be the weakest. My bees fly all winter when the weather cooperates and I've been a bit worried because it has had the least activity this winter. This is the one hive that did NOT have a mouse guard and a few months back I put in a varroa board. My poly hives have screened bottoms. And I found mouse droppings on the board. I quickly made a mouse guard and now there is no sign of any mice.
The hive is a brood box and a super. Today I didn't see much activity in the brood box (I only looked in from the top removing some frames from the super so I could see in) The super was full of resources and a bit of brood. And I found the queen which is amazing since I've NEVER been able to find the queen in my hives.
I'm coming up on my 1st year anniversary of beekeeping. I'm thinking of putting the super under the broodbox in hopes that they move back into the brood box. I guess that's called nadiring.
Any thoughts or advice? The other hives looked happy a 'normal'.

 

[Ian123]

We've had some lousy weather this winter. Lots of wind. Today was pretty nice so I decide to do a quick look to see how the bees were faring. One of the hives, which was my strongest going into winter, now seems to be the weakest. My bees fly all winter when the weather cooperates and I've been a bit worried because it has had the least activity this winter. This is the one hive that did NOT have a mouse guard and a few months back I put in a varroa board. My poly hives have screened bottoms. And I found mouse droppings on the board. I quickly made a mouse guard and now there is no sign of any mice.
The hive is a brood box and a super. Today I didn't see much activity in the brood box (I only looked in from the top removing some frames from the super so I could see in) The super was full of resources and a bit of brood. And I found the queen which is amazing since I've NEVER been able to find the queen in my hives.
I'm coming up on my 1st year anniversary of beekeeping. I'm thinking of putting the super under the broodbox in hopes that they move back into the brood box. I guess that's called nadiring.
Any thoughts or advice? The other hives looked happy a 'normal'.

Leave them well alone till the weather improves, fiddling with boxes at the moment will certainly do them no favours.