What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Murox]

This post is beginning to sound like the miserable old gits club, or is it just me?

 

[pargyle]

This post is beginning to sound like the miserable old gits club, or is it just me?

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/just-for-some-fun-an-excuse-to-smile.48955/page-54

Post #1069

 

[JamezF]

Had a stroll around the hives at home this morning and all are flying well. The overcast and rainy weather has kept them indoors for quite a while now, but for a change today I can even see blue sky.

James

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Had a stroll around the hives at home this morning and all are flying well. The overcast and rainy weather has kept them indoors for quite a while now, but for a change today I can even see blue sky.

James

Looking at mine around 13.00 in the sunshine, the sound of orientation flying was heartening, plus a lot of incoming and outgoing forage flights in evidence.

 

[gregior]

Did nothing in the apiary but judging by the vast amounts of pollen coming in I'll be inspecting sooner rather than later.

 

[The Poot]

Watched at the entrances today, lots flying and a tremendous amount of willow pollen going in. No drones
I decided that I need to hive my double decker nuc asap. Very busy with congestion at the entrance.
I really want to sell it and can’t decide on selling as a nuc or as a hived colony….

 

[gregior]

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

still madness to think of inspecting, but it brightened up this afternoon so I had a wander up the garden to check on the new hens and have a look at the bees -bees extremely busy, the willow started flowering yesterday and they've found it, all hives piling in pollen by the shovelful.

 

[deemann1]

Checked an apiary of 15 hives today all alive just a few feeling a bit lite gave them fondant..
The field next door looks promising dont know what the white flower is

 

[StephenT]

Checked one garden hive that has been kicking out loads more dead than the others and was a bit of mess inside. Damp double brood boxes, mouldy frames towards the outside and shed loads of dead on the floor. 3 frames with brood and still plenty of bees. Gave them a new floor and reduced them to single brood with a new brood box. Is it normally too much space in a colder environment that causes this?

 

[Erichalfbee]

. Is it normally too much space in a colder environment that causes this?

No. Not enough bees.

 

[E&MBees]

Checked one apiary today. The bees were enjoying the sunshine. Lots of pollen being collected. Three were lighter than desired, so added fondant. A few weeks ago, they were still quite heavy. Took my first sting of the year on a finger as I added the fondant.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Checked an apiary of 15 hives today all alive just a few feeling a bit lite gave them fondant..
The field next door looks promising dont know what the white flower is View attachment 39255

White mustard with some yellow ?

 

[JamezF]

White mustard with some yellow ?

I was wondering if it might be mustard, too. For ploughing in prior to sowing a Spring crop.

James

 

[BeeBird]

Yes green manure

 

[MrMouse]

Lots of pollen coming into my double brood poly nuc. Remains really quite heavy. Probably fed excessively by a beginner beekeeper…
I’m now worried about blocking brood space - should I be worried?
I don’t want to go and break the two boxes apart to remove spare stores frames in the lower box to replace with foundation as it’s not that warm yet (14 degrees, Dorset).
Other option is to just add another brood extension on top and remove the spare stores frames when I move them to a national BB when it’s warmer.
What would you all advise?

 

[Sutty]

Lots of pollen coming into my double brood poly nuc. Remains really quite heavy. Probably fed excessively by a beginner beekeeper…
I’m now worried about blocking brood space - should I be worried?
I don’t want to go and break the two boxes apart to remove spare stores frames in the lower box to replace with foundation as it’s not that warm yet (14 degrees, Dorset).
Other option is to just add another brood extension on top and remove the spare stores frames when I move them to a national BB when it’s warmer.
What would you all advise?

I'd remove any fondant if you have any on them (as it's heavy), and wait until it's warmer before having a look.
Then, once it's warmer, put them in a hive, add an excluder and a super (of drawn comb if you have it), assess for space to lay.
I have a double brood nuc I'm itching to put in a hive too, but I'm waiting - maybe in a couple of weeks here.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'd leave well alone for now - they'll be stepping up brooding now, there's not that much forage out there yet so they'll be burning up stores, just hang on until you can do a quick inspection.
Don't fall into the trap of following the mantra chanters in thinking the first inspection should be a frame by frame, cell by cell examination looking to tick every box on the bingo sheet, just quick in, see if there is brood, see if there are sufficient stores, see that there is sufficient space and no glaringly obvious signs of sickness/disease, then get out.
If the hive is overloade3d with stores, swap a frame or two out with drawn comb or foundation.

 

[JohnRB]

The OSR in the field next to our Assn apiary has started flowering. We might have to add supers sooner than expected

 

[Curly green finger's]

I was wondering if it might be mustard, too. For ploughing in prior to sowing a Spring crop.

James

As bee bird said it’s winter mustard they’ll plough it in, we have some