What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve no invert unfortunately. Would 1:1 be ok? They’ve both just been double brooded and each of them has about 5 frames of foundation to draw out across their two boxes.

Probably only got about one frame of stores left max in each hive (perhaps a bit less) so I’m getting nervous.

If they need food then give them thick syrup.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Consolidated one unite
Gave a spare frame of brood to another

 

[Eyeman]

Today I revisited the colonies I had a quick look at yesterday afternoon. The water company (I assume) have gone a bit overboard with the bramble clearance, though it looks like they had to, to find a manhole that is still leaking. Unfortunately it's also removed any protection for the garden of the house next door, so I'd best take some honey and make a pre-emptive house call tomorrow. Not that they'll know it's my bees if they do have a problem. I know of at least two feral colonies the other side of their house. But they're bound to assume it's mine....

One colony was doing really well. but the little *****ers had made play cups all over the place. I didn't find a single charged one, but there were easily more than a dozen. There's still plenty of room for the queen to lay, but I might put a super on anyhow. I only realised yesterday that they were on a floor without a vaping rim, so I swapped it out. That got them a bit riled and I had a few followers for the rest of the inspection. Also saw the queen. Most of her red "blob" had worn off, but I decided I'd upset them enough for one day. I'll sort it next time.

The colony that was quiet yesterday only really had two frames of brood, but they were far more active than yesterday evening. I swapped their entire home -- floor, brood box, crown board and roof -- because it was a swarm from last year that arrived when I was running out of kit. The brood box had an entire family of slugs living inside. Hopefully I didn't miss any before I put it in the car.

I had three frame lugs snap on me too, when I was levering the frames sideways against the top bar inside the position of the side bars. One I had to remove completely. The others I'll try to work to the outside of the nest over the next few inspections and swap out.

James

A nail to replace the broken lug works well for me. I will work the frames to the side then replace when necessary

 

[gregior]

If feeding would it be fondant or 1:1 syrup at this time of year? I’m in the same boat with two of my colonies

I have some frames of honey i can feed them

 

[The Poot]

Update on the cutout we did on Wednesday evening. Unfortunately the queen and a lot of the sticky bees didn’t survive, it was a cold evening when they were added to the nuc. Not enough heat and bees to clean them all up. The surviving bees were united with another hive today. Not the result we wanted but the colony in the wall was due to be destroyed anyway. It was a steep learning curve for us and we would do things slightly differently the next time. On a positive note the occupants of the building were pleased that we had removed them.

Well done for trying. At least you saved the majority of the bees

 

[Superlativesoul]

Completed the manipulation of the langstroh to my national after 3 weeks ,
All appears well and all bees now in the national .
John.

 

[E&MBees]

Moved a queen into a nuc after finding charged qc’s. She was difficult to find.
Added a second super to another colony, they’ve half filled the first one in a week. They are very strong with 16 frames of solid brood.
Two others are ignoring the super and storing fresh nectar in the brood boxes. They refused to move across the queen excluder last year and I removed them but the queen laying up there made inspections quite difficult. Will measure the gaps between wires incase it’s a bit tight, stopping them moving across. Fortunately there is enough laying space in the double brood boxes for the time being.
The final colony at this location I have some concerns about. SBI is visiting in a few weeks.
Planning on checking the other apiary tomorrow.

 

[gwt_uk]

Found a charged QC in a very populous colony. Made up a Nuc with the existing queen and removed to another apiary. Added supers to 4 colonies All right next to fields of OSR.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Looks like it’s holding its own. Will probably follow @Wilco advice and donate a frame of sealed brood from a stronger colony (although I’m a bit limited for choice).

make ure it's brood on the point of emerging - a weakish colony may struggle to cover a sudden influx of more brood

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If feeding would it be fondant or 1:1 syrup at this time of year? I’m in the same boat with two of my colonies

1:1

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I’ve no invert unfortunately. Would 1:1 be ok? They’ve both just been double brooded and each of them has about 5 frames of foundation to draw out across their two boxes.

Probably only got about one frame of stores left max in each hive (perhaps a bit less) so I’m getting nervous.

1:1 will be perfect at this time of year

 

[Antipodes]

She is very close to six o'clock

Correct Swarm. Well done . I hope the others who spotted her were also correct . Here is a more complete photo of her adorned with decorative flies.

 

[Antipodes]

Saw this beastie being kicked out of one of the hives, any ideas what it could be?

Perhaps something like one of these?
https://petehillmansnaturephotography.wordpress.com/common-green-lacewing-chrysoperla-carnea/

 

[gregior]

Perhaps something like one of these?
https://petehillmansnaturephotography.wordpress.com/common-green-lacewing-chrysoperla-carnea/

Not quite that but similar

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Up early (as usual) so up to the range to do the first full spring check of the bees up there, and the last of the spring checks for all the apiaries, all colonies up there doing well, some a lot better than others and needing supers already. That means that all overwintered colonies made it through to the spring. Marked a few of the 'new' queens which are probably late summer supersedures. One, a long, jet black queen I didn't manage to mark because she was running around on the crownboard, and quickly dove between two frames first opportunity she got, but just for balance, saw two new queens in other colonies that were so light in colour as to be light amber rather than orange.

 

[JamezF]

That means that all overwintered colonies made it through to the spring.

Good news. I've not quite finished mine yet, but I'm relieved not to have found a dead-out so far, even where I thought I might be chancing my arm and probably should have combined them.

I went out to put a super on a hive this morning and to deliver a few (rather late) jars of rent. As I was suiting up two young girls, perhaps five and seven years old, ran to the gate of a nearby house and one excitedly asked "Are you a beekeeper?" before disappearing back indoors.

I sorted the super, dropped off the rent and on the way back past left them with the spare jar I'd brought with me. The chap who answered the door said that he knew a beekeeper, I think over towards north Devon, who had lost all their colonies this Winter and was desperately upset by it.

Whilst I was at the site I had a bit more of a look around at what the water company have been doing around the pumping station. It's much more tidy whilst at the same time removing any semblance of privacy for the garden of the adjoining house, but one of the manholes (there are many) has a steady stream of water running out of it. The landowners told me that workers came in when a major water main a couple of miles away was "punctured" during construction work a couple of weeks ago and they had to divert the water otherwise all of Taunton would have been cut off. They're coming back "some time" to sort everything out, probably with earth-moving machinery, so I need to have a think fairly sharpish about how I'm going to keep the hives out of harm's way.

James

 

[E&MBees]

Checked the other apiary today. Alls good, flying strongly in the sun despite the wind. Queens laying well, averaging 12-14 solid frames, good pattern. Added second super to one, the other hasn’t touched theirs, it’s all in the brood box, so swapped frames around, bringing brood up to the excluder. Hawthorn, Horse Chestnut and apple trees in full bloom within metres of hives. Some beautiful arcs of pollen seen.

 

[Nannysbees]

Just watched an interview on countryfile talking to the minister who has authorised the pesticide to be used on sugar beet as a "one off" even though the past three years have been one offs!!! It leeches into the soil causing untold damage to the environment especially to pollinators and the honey bee.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just watched an interview on countryfile talking to the minister who has authorised the pesticide to be used on sugar beet as a "one off" even though the past three years have been one offs!!! It leeches into the soil causing untold damage to the environment especially to pollinators and the honey bee.

Yes. Watched that. You should read what Dave Goulson has to say about what neonics do to other pollinators let alone honey bees.

Birds too http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/goulsonlab/blog/neonicotinoids

 

[The Poot]

Checked the other apiary today. Alls good, flying strongly in the sun despite the wind. Queens laying well, averaging 12-14 solid frames, good pattern. Added second super to one, the other hasn’t touched theirs, it’s all in the brood box, so swapped frames around, bringing brood up to the excluder. Hawthorn, Horse Chestnut and apple trees in full bloom within metres of hives. Some beautiful arcs of pollen seen.

Sounds good