What did you do in the Apiary today?

[gwt_uk]

Went into 2 colonies that I took Nucs from last week. Reduced both down to 1 QC. 11 degrees but no wind. Bees were very tolerant.

 

[E&MBees]

Brief improvement in the weather this afternoon, took the opportunity to check on last week’s nuc’d queen. Laying nicely, short on stores having used up the frame I gave last week so added fondant. Reduced 15 qc's to one in her old colony. Hoping the weather will improve by the time she’s ready to mate.
Nuc’d another queen, a 2021 queen after finding qc’s in her hive. They weren’t impressed, pinging and covering veil and hands. The SBI is due to inspect them on Friday, as I’m not happy with them.
The others are quietly getting on with the job, strong and steady. Filling a super and pleasant to work with.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The SBI is due to inspect them on Friday,

Is there FB in your area?

 

[drdrday]

Had one hive with a couple of queen cups with eggs in last weekend. No royal jelly, just eggs, but I knew I couldn't put off an inspection this weekend, despite temperatures barely over 10C and few breaks in the rain. Managed to get through inspecting three hives late Friday afternoon, and did find a couple of queen cells with larva in one, so glad I inspected despite the weather. Nuc'd the queen.
I expected that they might have started using up all that they'd been storing in the supers so far, but thankfully there's still enough nectar coming in that I actually had to put a third super on one of them. Forecast to be 16-17C next week, albeit with a lot of rain, so who knows what that will bring.

 

[StephenT]

Real mixed bag. Got a couple of very strong double brood hives with 2 supers and was pleasantly surprised to find no QCs. One single brood hive had open and closed QCs but luckily the queen was still there so nuc’d her. Combined 2 other poorly performing hives and will replace the queen if the one I selected to keep isn’t performing. Looking forward to the improved weather next week as have about 4 weeks of forage before the ‘June gap’ kicks in for a couple of weeks, based on what happened last year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

been cleaning poly nucs yesterday before the season starts and decided, as it was sunny today and, after ten or so years the nucs are looking a bit tatty, just finished the last coat on the first half dozen, decided to go in for a cup of tea, as I walked down the garden, the sun disappeared and the heavens opened to a harsh shower of hailstones! another half hour and they would have been dry

 

[E&MBees]

Checked the other apiary today. Bees remarkably well behaved despite the cool weather. At least it was dry.
Minor panic when I couldn’t find eggs in the top brood box of one colony. They had drawn out and queen had laid up the new foundation in the bottom box instead.
Added a second super to another colony. This red queen arrived as a swarm and usurped an older one of mine last summer. She has an excellent brood pattern so far.
This bee landed on my finger long enough for a photo.

 

[JamezF]

The super from the hive I still have to move is now at home (saving the most awkward colony for last), screen on the hive and I'm just waiting for evening to go and pick them up. Now the super is off the colony will fit in the back of the car.

They were so much more pleasant than when I was there on Friday, too. Amazing what difference a little more warmth makes.

James

 

[MrMouse]

Hoping to inspect after work tomorrow. Slightly on the cooler side (12-13 degrees) but it’s been 10 days of rain and single figure temperatures so need to get into them.
Going very much armed with a poly nuc for the inevitable. Although I’m very much just hoping they’re bumbling along nicely and if so, I’ll Demaree them at the end of the week when I’ve got more time.

 

[juno]

Painted a few boxes, repaired a broken QE frame, then for some unknown reason did an entire stocktake of all my kit available at home.

What a lot of bits.

 

[pargyle]

After torrential rain overnight and a cold, overcast morning I wandered down to the apiary - my 8 frame overwintered poly nuc had more bees bearding on the front of it and underneath it than I've seen in some full colonies ... I've been waiting for a sensible opportunity to transfer them into a full hive but there's not been a decent weather window when I've been available - so, in these miserable weather conditions I figured I had to get on with it, not ideal. They were not happy ... bees everywhere - took a few stings through my gloves (not that serious - I rather expected it) - managed to get them into a full size box and added a super for space rather than any prospect of them filling it. Plenty of brood, no queen cells (Breathed a sigh of relief) but a bit short on stores, there was some nectar stored in free comb they had built between the top bars and the crownboard. I scraped that off and gave it back to them in a feeder but tomorrow I'll give them a frame of stores I have in the freezer. They were too excitable today to go back in but I've got the frame out and thawing.

Went back and had a look once it was getting dusk and they were all inside the hive - just a couple of guards at the entrance that took a bit of an interest in me - not surprisingly !

Rewired some of the reclaimed frames I cleaned on Friday - not that warm to be working outside but alright if you kept moving - forecast is for warmer weather later in the week - please let them be right !

 

[philipm]

Checked my hives today thinking that after all the warnings they could be starving .I couldn't have been more wrong all hives bursting at the seams bringing in loads of pollen.I added more boxes to each hive.Funny how things can differ even in a short distance.

 

[JamezF]

Got my last hive back home as it was getting dark this evening. Normally I can carry a double brood fairly easily when it's early or late in the season, but there was no way I was going anywhere with this one. Had to barrow it everywhere, which isn't much fun over bumpy ground.

I have to take my wife and daughter to the airport first thing tomorrow, but when I get home I'll stick an empty box on the original site just to mop up any fliers that return to their old home. Should have organised that earlier, but time got away from me. I also need to remove the mesh screen and replace the super, but it was way too dark to deal with that this evening.

James

 

[Nannysbees]

Inspected all five hives today. Mixed bag, the two monster hives last year are the smallest and very slow building up. Two home grown queens are building quickly and have a lot of bees. Psycho hive is the largest although busy seemed a lot calmer so she lives another day.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Inspected all five hives today. Mixed bag, the two monster hives last year are the smallest and very slow building up. Two home grown queens are building quickly and have a lot of bees. Psycho hive is the largest although busy seemed a lot calmer so she lives another day.

No bees in the air …. That’s good too.

 

[Moobee]

Popped to the out apiary to check on the split I had added one of @Black Mountain Honey queens to. She’s started to lay as (quite a few eggs) so also took the opportunity to clip her. Nice looking big queen but spotted a few varroa on bees - I guess as the nuc has been broodless for a week, they’re wandering around.
I can vape the nuc but thinking I should also tackle the hive the frame came from….. but it’s got supers on.
Can someone please remind me what treatment is safe please?

 

[The Poot]

I would remove supers, vape the brood area, then replace supers.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That. Repeat three times at five day intervals.

 

[Moobee]

Thanks both. That’s what I had thought, but wanted to double check.

That. Repeat three times at five day intervals.

 

[Moobee]

Cleaning up a nuc this morning. I love this photo - in case any more proof is needed that bees don't like having a draughty bottom! I'm saving it to send to the next person who tells me that they must have ventilation.....