What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Anduril]

Goodness Anduril, that must have been an awful shock for you and your family, did you (hindsight being a 100% science) notice any pre-cursors to the heart attack ? Loss of breath, tiredness, chest pain, pain in the arms/shoulder ... as you get older you tend to think some of these are just the symptoms of age but - well worth a visit to the doc if you notice these.

Hopefully you are well on the way to recovery but it's a wake up call to look after yourself, you may not be in the right place at the right time if it happens again.

Thanks for tellling us ... for all of us semi-geriatric beekeepers it's writing on the wall.

Philip

Well they have informed me that I have an enlarged heart, which has developed over time, but due to all the activities I've done it has acted as protection up until now. The next stage will be the medication that fits my tolerance levels

 

[Anduril]

As of just a few moments ago, I've had another ultrasound scan. With the ICD fitted the heart is functioning a lot better.

 

[SWHives]

Inspected my colonies today. One which swarmed earlier this year is finally up to numbers and the two supers on them are getting well filled. Noticed a few ghost bees entering the hive so I guess they found the himalayan balsam.
The other 3 colonies doing well too, added another super to 2 of them as they were packed (they have quite a few frames of honey in the UBB as well). Hopeful of a good summer harvest.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

As of just a few moments ago, I've had another ultrasound scan. With the ICD fitted the heart is functioning a lot better.

That's good to hear. Hope you make a good recovery - and are still able to do the things that matter to you.

 

[Eyeman]

Coming towards the end of our main summer forage so time to balance out the nucs for overwintering. I like to get them all on a minimum of double brood. Plenty this year on triple or quadruple brood at the moment so it’s simple to donate and newspaper unite a queenless brood box. Apivar strips going into the nucs later in the week.

 

[Nannysbees]

Don't know what happened today, mass of bees in the air, thought god they are swarming, settled after a while on the front of a nuc box which has a cast swarm inside with their own queen. A lot of bees then appeared under two of the hives, after the cloud of bees settled, they all seemed to have died. Inspected seven days ago all seemed fine, some very big colonies, will go in tomorrow see if we can solve the mystery!!!

 

[Superlativesoul]

OK, people may have noticed that I haven't been on the forum of late. I took the family on holiday setting off on the 29th July, for an overnight stay then a flight to Rome. Well it didn't go quite as planned, waiting to be seen by a receptionist at the hotel. I collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. My son assisted with the first one as well as a receptionist and guest. 11 minutes later the paramedics turned up and dealt with a second cardiac arrest and then took me to the San Giovanni Addolorata hospital in Rome and placed in an induced coma for 2 to 2.5 days.
2 days ago under local anesthetic I had an ICD fitted and yesterday after tests, the unit is working perfectly. Just a waiting gamet to find out when I can return to the UK, luckily I have only lost 1 day of memory.

All the best for your recuperation hopefully you will be back with the bees very soon .
ATB John.

 

[Penninetrader]

OK, people may have noticed that I haven't been on the forum of late. I took the family on holiday setting off on the 29th July, for an overnight stay then a flight to Rome. Well it didn't go quite as planned, waiting to be seen by a receptionist at the hotel. I collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. My son assisted with the first one as well as a receptionist and guest. 11 minutes later the paramedics turned up and dealt with a second cardiac arrest and then took me to the San Giovanni Addolorata hospital in Rome and placed in an induced coma for 2 to 2.5 days.
2 days ago under local anesthetic I had an ICD fitted and yesterday after tests, the unit is working perfectly. Just a waiting gamet to find out when I can return to the UK, luckily I have only lost 1 day of memory.

Jeepers man, I know it is a disaster but boy you are one lucky man to have those around you that could save you. you must have done by the gods cause they were sure with you, i wish you well and your good family

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Opened the curtains and it's all gone a bit feral out there. Robbing frenzy.
Yesterday I put tape over a gap in an extracted super that I'd left on top of biggest colony. Tape came away and the thieving beggars are having a great time.
Throw on a jacket and sort it out. !

 

[Curly green finger's]

Made my last mini nucs up.
Extracting some honey dew honey.
Frame in the photo is all been built by the girls ( honey dew cut comb )

 

[SWHives]

Made my last mini nucs up.
Extracting some honey dew honey.
Frame in the photo is all been built by the girls ( honey dew cut comb )
View attachment 40984View attachment 40985

Funnily enough I had one exactly like that.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Took a large nest out of a Bramley yesterday; been there since May and had swarmed again: had five frames of good sealed brood, no eggs and two SQCs. Sticky job but a Bramley gives good shade; nest weighed about 25lbs even though I cut off most of the apples & branches, so a bit hairy bringing it down.

As is common with these jobs, the bees ignored us; will add combs today to fill and move them when it cools at the end of the week.



View attachment VID_20240811_182131502.mp4

 

[pargyle]

Took a large nest out of a Bramley yesterday; been there since May and had swarmed again: had five frames of good sealed brood, no eggs and two SQCs. Sticky job but a Bramley gives good shade; nest weighed about 25lbs even though I cut off most of the apples & branches, so a bit hairy bringing it down.

As is common with these jobs, the bees ignored us; will add combs today to fill and move them when it cools at the end of the week.

View attachment 40987
View attachment 40988
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Blimey ... I'm not sure I would have been that brave on the top step of an A-frame steps working from below the nest ! 25lbs above head height is a lot to contend with - more so when the weight is surrounded by 40,000 bees ... I think I would have contained the whole shebang in a pillowslip, tied the branch they were on to a rope slung over a higher or adjacent branch and then cut the branch they were on with an assistant to lower them down... credit to you !

 

[ericbeaumont]

top step of an A-frame

No way! Used a tripod ladder, but as usual, ignored the manual which said do not climb higher than the second step, because, well, I had to get it done!

Sawed the main branch gently with an undercut first, so that it hinged slowly; dropped the saw and held the lot on two stub branches while I brought it down.

Last week we did a smaller one late in the day; 25 feet up on the end of a flexi branch, so I had to climb the tree, cut & hinge it and lower the lot as I climbed down the tree. Teenage technical assistant trimmed the branches and gave cool-headed support.

Strange to report that only about six bees flew during all this dislocation, so we put the lid on and took the box away that night.

 

[Moobee]

Took a large nest out of a Bramley yesterday; been there since May and had swarmed again: had five frames of good sealed brood, no eggs and two SQCs. Sticky job but a Bramley gives good shade; nest weighed about 25lbs even though I cut off most of the apples & branches, so a bit hairy bringing it down.

As is common with these jobs, the bees ignored us; will add combs today to fill and move them when it cools at the end of the week.

View attachment 40987
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Good grief, that’s huge!

 

[ericbeaumont]

Good grief, that’s huge!

That's only two-thirds of it! Few weeks ago two big combs fell off.

 

[Roger.Wilco]

Don't know what happened today, mass of bees in the air, thought god they are swarming, settled after a while on the front of a nuc box which has a cast swarm inside with their own queen. A lot of bees then appeared under two of the hives, after the cloud of bees settled, they all seemed to have died. Inspected seven days ago all seemed fine, some very big colonies, will go in tomorrow see if we can solve the mystery!!!

Please keep us informed of your findings. I had a similar event midday Friday (I didn't have dead bees though) - which I cannot explain.

Midday Friday went to inspect the NUC sitting on the roof of the garden shed which was an incoming swarm from (I think) late June/early July - and there was a cloud of bees in the air around it with plenty sitting on the front hive face. I was only carrying tools/boxes down the garden so wasn't in full armor - so ran back to get suited-up. I thought it was the colony swarming - but more bees were running INTO the hive than waking out of the hive. Everything went back to normal after 30mins or so.

Thought it best to postpone inspection on Friday; but yet to have a chance to inspect fully.

My thoughts were either a failed swarm returning or a new swarm taking over? Association associates thought it might be in response to a disturbance like robbing? (but that NUC colony is very strong) or maybe a new virgin queen from a supersedeure going for a mating flight?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Please keep us informed of your findings. I had a similar event midday Friday (I didn't have dead bees though) - which I cannot explain.

Midday Friday went to inspect the NUC sitting on the roof of the garden shed which was an incoming swarm from (I think) late June/early July - and there was a cloud of bees in the air around it with plenty sitting on the front hive face. I was only carrying tools/boxes down the garden so wasn't in full armor - so ran back to get suited-up. I thought it was the colony swarming - but more bees were running INTO the hive than waking out of the hive. Everything went back to normal after 30mins or so.

Thought it best to postpone inspection on Friday; but yet to have a chance to inspect fully.

My thoughts were either a failed swarm returning or a new swarm taking over? Association associates thought it might be in response to a disturbance like robbing? (but that NUC colony is very strong) or maybe a new virgin queen from a supersedeure going for a mating flight?

Orientation

 

[Mint Bee]

Needed to make up some emergency frames so popped out to my workshop at lunchtime. It was 35C. Wax was too soft and kept ripping in frame guides, so its in the fridge now and I'll wait until later in the evening

 

[Erichalfbee]

I can tell anybody who is interested that clearing supers over a clearer away from the hive works a treat