What did you do in the Apiary today?

[gregior]

Wow, did you just convert from single to double or do a demaree?

It was a brood and 1/2 with old combs i want to change so put a new brood box on top to do a bailey so it's now 2 and 1/2 brood all full of brood it's a monster already!

 

[Wilco]

Had a few of those at the end of last winter. Not seen any this year.

For anyone guessing, look closely at the image. No need to Google, you can work it out from what you can see (and not see) there.

 

[Sutty]

Had a few of those at the end of last winter. Not seen any this year.

For anyone guessing, look closely at the image. No need to Google, you can work it out from what you can see (and not see) there.

Presuming it was in a hive?
Looks like 2 legs, leg segments, and antennae have been removed. And possibly wings too.

 

[Vanterrier]

Presumably it's a bee stripped of its clothes... a bumble perhaps?
K

 

[E&MBees]

Added supers today. What a difference a week makes. All hives smelling strongly of dandelion, compared to last weekend were there was nothing noteworthy. Queens laying strongly apart from a 2021 one, who is a bit slower. Hopefully she will get going, would like to raise one more daughter from her this year if possible. Fruit trees at both apiaries starting to blossom now.

 

[Sutty]

Had a few of those at the end of last winter. Not seen any this year.

For anyone guessing, look closely at the image. No need to Google, you can work it out from what you can see (and not see) there.

The head looks ant-shaped and there's a hint of a mandible, so assuming the abdomen is curled down and longer than it appears a queen ant minus wings and other appendages?

 

[Nannysbees]

you find them there occasionally, but not often do they do any serious damage

Will the bees clear the damage?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Will the bees clear the damage?

as long as it's just a bit of frazz here and there, they'll sort it, if it's quite a bit scrape all the crud, sometimes if one or two frames look really bad, just replace.

 

[Nannysbees]

as long as it's just a bit of frazz here and there, they'll sort it, if it's quite a bit scrape all the crud, sometimes if one or two frames look really bad, just replace.

Thank you

 

[Moobee]

So, as I’d lost hives over winter, a friend who wanted to downsize, offered me a colony for free. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I collected a nuc and some drawn frames from them a couple of days ago.
Left them to settle in & reorientate themselves and checked on them this afternoon as it was warm & sunny.
Not quite what I was expecting….. Queen is present but only a frame and a half of brood, about the same of stores and 4 frames covered in bees.
I’ve added syrup & fondant as wondered if queen might have gone off lay for some reason (their apiary is much more shaded than mine) but very surprised at how small they were.
Will perhaps give them a week or so to get going and if not unite with another colony? I think it’s probably too late to requeen?

 

[Sutty]

I would assume your friend has only just made up the nuc, sounds like enough stores for now. They may well build up quite quickly.
Hopefully you have them in a poly nuc.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I’ve added syrup & fondant as wondered

why? if they had a frame and a half of stores

 

[RJC]

Looks like the deer have been clumsily bumping stuff around in my apiary again. There are quite a number of bees investigation a stack of brood boxes containing foundationless frames that has been knocked askew. It's very scout-like behaviour, but surely not yet? They've barely had time for flying so far this Spring. I shall be investigating later.

James

these caught me out today, alongside Q cells in two other colonies. All in one apiary - other apiaries nearby all behaving themselves.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Presumably it's a bee stripped of its clothes... a bumble perhaps?
K

Hooray!

 

[Vanterrier]

"Dont look Ethel!!!"

 

[Moobee]

why? if they had a frame and a half of stores

Ummm, I’m probably bunging up the queen laying space with syrup I’m guessing from your question……

 

[Moobee]

I would assume your friend has only just made up the nuc, sounds like enough stores for now. They may well build up quite quickly.
Hopefully you have them in a poly nuc.

Indeed but as this came out of an overwintered hive, I’m really surprised at how small they are.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Checked all the hives in my main apiary.
I thought I had only lost 8 hives out of 97 this winter but when I opened up a nuc that was ready to be promoted to a BB I saw they had starved!
They had 4 frames of brood and not an ounce of food.
I carefully went through all the other hives and found several more running on fumes. Added fondant to them.
In fact the nucs I’m putting into the auction are all strong but very little stores. Added fondant to enable them to have at least one frame of food in a fortnights time.

 

[Sutty]

Indeed but as this came out of an overwintered hive, I’m really surprised at how small they are.

May have been split off an overwintered hive and the rest united with another hive. It was a freebie after all.

 

[Moobee]

May have been split off an overwintered hive and the rest united with another hive. It was a freebie after all.

That is true. I didn’t expect a huge hive of bees but I think if I offered someone a colony surplus to requirements, I would be too embarrassed to give this away!