What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Mint Bee]

Why do we produce 4 European football teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, when bigger nations like Germany and France only have one?

Maybe if we had a UK team we'd be unstoppable.

Another accident consequence of history. All set up as individual groups after the English FA. Welsh, Scottish and NI FAs want to keep independence even though we are all part of the UK and NI. This is why there is no GB football squad for the Olympics (as organized by IOC), as they fear UEFA / FIFA would treat all as one if an Olympic team was entered, leading to lose of places for their teams at European Championships and World cup
To be honest the GB and NI football team for the Olympics for the 2012 games was only put together begrudgingly because was on home soil. That consisted on 13 English and 5 Welsh representatives.

With current split of population as follows (2022 figures)
England 84%
Wales 5%
NI 3%
Scotland 8%

based on statistics (and I know it not the be all and end all) going to struggle to get many non English players in a GB & NI squad, base do population size. Plenty of other influences such as competing sports. I've no issue with a GB & NI team. It would have enabled some exceptional Welsh and NI players from the past to have feature in international final.

However, what this has to do with 'What you did in Apiary today?' I have no idea.
Seem to me there is only one way this conversation is going with the comments so far

 

[Parsonage Bees]

However, what this has to do with 'What you did in Apiary today?' I have no idea.

 

[Erichalfbee]

However, what this has to do with 'What you did in Apiary today?' I have no idea.

Here’s another. It’s mid July ffs!

 

[Vanterrier]

Aye we have had our Woodburner on too in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
K

 

[Vanterrier]

But today it was warm enough to move the red Queen colony from its Nuc to a dummied down (so 8 frame) hive.
5 Nuc frames all had BIAS- most being capped worker, with stores filling the remaining cells. I think I moved them at the right time.
K

 

[Mint Bee]

Here’s another. It’s mid July ffs!

Lit the log fire at the beginning of June, a first for me. Been getting warmer since then, but without much in the way of prolonged sunshine

 

[gregior]

Interesting one today, took 6 supers off some close to home bringing them back by wheelbarrow. There were a few stragglers in the supers so I blew them all out in the back garden before bringing the supers inside. An hour later I was half way back returning the wheelbarrow to the farm when I noticed a cluster of around 50 bees under the lip of the wheelbarrow, had a look and noticed a newly mated queen in there. I tried to grab her but she flew off out of sight. I waited a few minutes but she didn't return so I went back the 100metres to the house and left the wheelbarrow in the garden where it had been and amazingly the queen returned and I was able to catch her and cage her. Went back to the apiary and put the cage next to the entrance of the colony I suspected she was from and they immediately covered the cage and were fanning like mad so ran her in. She must have been out on a mating flight and somehow ended up in the super stack!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Found a queen I’ve been looking for for the last 3 months. I hate to think how many times I’ve been through the colony.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Had several hives that needed checking today in the rain, all had in excess of 4 supers and all were extremely feisty.

 

[Nannysbees]

Miserable swarm collection today, we and they were soaking wet. Said they'd been there since sat and a huge cohort has moved on. In the nuc box in the greenhouse at the moment, used Calpol syringe and squirted some sugar solution through the holes in the side. Can hear them roaring as I walk down the path!!!!! Really need to inspect before I pass them on to check if there's a queen amongst them

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Because everybody hates the English it would have to exclude any English players. Add to that Wales and Scotland are separate countries

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/PCAMf8QDX1ysfCnZ/

 

[madasafish]

Nice bright and sunny morning yesterday.
Cut all hedges,
Then one hive swarmed at 10am straight into dwarf pear tree in our only near neighbour's garden. Waited till they settled, caught and tried to hive them,, (This involves climbing over the 1 meter high adjoining wall with their permission to avoid a 300m walk ).
Would not enter a hive. Left them to check Queen rearing.
Then it rained at 11.30am. Cats and dogs stuff,
They went into the hive..

Beekeeping finished for day... Typical for this summer

 

[The Poot]

Miserable swarm collection today, we and they were soaking wet. Said they'd been there since sat and a huge cohort has moved on. In the nuc box in the greenhouse at the moment, used Calpol syringe and squirted some sugar solution through the holes in the side. Can hear them roaring as I walk down the path!!!!! Really need to inspect before I pass them on to check if there's a queen amongst them

You’re having fun with swarms most days it seems…..
My local BKA, in their monthly update, state they’ve had the lowest number of swarms for a good number of years and have been unable to offer swarms to folks wanting one.
However….
Of my four, I’ve had to split three making swarm preps, gave a split to a BKA member, who reported they had consequently swarmed on him. I must have swarmy bees - all were local mongrels.
I’ve recently requeened the one that hasn’t swarmed and one other, with bought in Buckfast queens. One from BMH and one from Exmoor Bees to change the genetics a bit.

 

[Newbeeneil]

You’re having fun with swarms most days it seems…..
My local BKA, in their monthly update, state they’ve had the lowest number of swarms for a good number of years and have been unable to offer swarms to folks wanting one.
However….
Of my four, I’ve had to split three making swarm preps, gave a split to a BKA member, who reported they had consequently swarmed on him. I must have swarmy bees - all were local mongrels.
I’ve recently requeened the one that hasn’t swarmed and one other, with bought in Buckfast queens. One from BMH and one from Exmoor Bees to change the genetics a bit.

This time last years I had collected 32 swarms either from call outs or from my bait hives. At the moment my total is 9 so I agree, a very quiet swarm season.
Of the approximate 100 hives I look after I would say only about 50% have put up swarm cells and I’m likely to go into next spring with quite a few red queens still in residence.

 

[Wilco]

Found I can't put some hives on the fantastic heather on a local training areas because they're managed by the local wildlife trust who are trotting out some twaddle about it threatening native pollinators. Hacked off.

 

[Swarm]

Found I can't put some hives on the fantastic heather on a local training areas because they're managed by the local wildlife trust who are trotting out some twaddle about it threatening native pollinators. Hacked off.

I know a couple of beekeepers who were refused apiary sites for the same reason.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Found I can't put some hives on the fantastic heather on a local training areas because they're managed by the local wildlife trust who are trotting out some twaddle about it threatening native pollinators. Hacked off.

Are there no houses backing onto the ranges you could chat up the owners and put some in their property?
At one time I was looking to put some in a property near Thursley but the owners moved before the heather was blooming.

 

[Wilco]

I know a couple of beekeepers who were refused apiary sites for the same reason.

Its ridiculous and not even backed up by the science - studies are mixed and most of the reasons and 'facts' they gave were utter tripe. There are plenty of beekeepers in the area so there will be honey bees there anyway.

Are there no houses backing onto the ranges you could chat up the owners and put some in their property?
At one time I was looking to put some in a property near Thursley but the owners moved before the heather was blooming.

Perhaps one although not ideal (although downhill!) but I can think of some houses to knock on and ask, come to think of it. Was hoping to have some right in the middle of the heather.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Demareed these and adding a super tomorrow three supers between brood boxes.
Split two nucs into 4.
Tomorrow I’m making two more nucs and putting some cells from splits in the incubator, couple of brought in queens coming at some point this week so they will need a home.

 

[Swarm]

Demareed these and adding a super tomorrow three supers between brood boxes.
Split two nucs into 4.
Tomorrow I’m making two more nucs and putting some cells from splits in the incubator, couple of brought in queens coming at some point this week so they will need a home.

I packed my incubator away today