What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Penninetrader]

I must say it seems odd, putting your two posts together, that you did this at this time of year, when you are also a little concerned about wasps.
If you intended to condense the colony down, earlier would have been better than October. You have broken the propolis seals the bees would have worked on for Winter, you’ve split sealed honey stores and alerted the local wasps to what’s in the hive.
To keep them on double brood, using the lower box as a baffle might have been a better option, then you could continue feeding to be sure they have sufficient for the Winter, safeguarded them against wasp robbing and the bees would have sorted themselves out, as to configuration within the box.
You also risked harming your lovely queen at a time the bees would have been doomed if you had….

Having said that, I hope it works out for them - and you

Worry not Poot, first the wasps, they are no match for this colony and not great in number, I have steadily taken care of that, they were mainly a nuisance for the nucs and the odd ones are still having a go plus a very nice black bumble. It was a great and calm day, these girls are very tolerant and I never use smoke. The honey frames are virtually all capped and plenty of, the rearranging was mainly to give one side of drawn comb next to the brood frames, 2 of which are pretty full and also capped. The Queen is in good shape and the frame she was on I gave just a little extra space when replacing. Propolis, the main brood was not disturbed from the floor and the only other joint is the feeder box which fits very snug, it is something I pay particular attention to. All my hives will this next 10 days or so have outer sleeves of 25mm foil faced foam placed over them covered by a 50mm insulated roof. Entrances are being reduced as required. My vented floors I designed to take wind limiting trays under. As an unecessary treat after their upset, they did not appear the least upset, I gave them some 2-1 plus laid out the pieces of honey filled rogue comb in the feeder box. Finally, I had a quick look in the feeder box to see how things were going, now yesterday, and they wwre going about their business with not a care in the world. Finally finally, you are right it should have been done earlier but so should have the repairs to a gable pike and a driveshaft on my car plus a thousand and one other jobs. I thank you for your reply and interest, I have taken note and learned.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Nice queen - clearly a Coldplay fan……?

Can't be, otherwise the Queen would be marked "Yellow" .

 

[Newbeeneil]

What size was this one that succombed. I have some wasps about but not great in number. I have nothing like in number the colonies that you have to look after. My one weak nuc, I have shut the entrance down to 8mm which at the moment seems to be working.

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It was small but seemed ok last time I had a look. There have been a lot of wasps around the two hives in that apiary so I should have closed up the entrance when I started the vaping serious a couple of weeks ago but in my haste and not wanting to disturb them too much I thought they would be ok.
Another lesson learned

 

[The Poot]

Can't be, otherwise the Queen would be marked "Yellow" .

Think “Green eyes”…..

 

[Moobee]

Bees bringing in lots of black and pale yellow pollen this morning, which considering the lack of flowers about now makes me wonder on which plants they found it; any ideas?

Hmmmmm, don’t know anything that is black. Poppies & borage are dark grey. Pale yellow could be pumpkins/squash maybe?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Hmmmmm, don’t know anything that is black. Poppies & borage are dark grey. Pale yellow could be pumpkins/squash maybe?

It’s a bit late for pumpkin flowers, I would say the light yellow is ivy or even mustard, black pollen could be poppies

 

[Moobee]

It’s a bit late for pumpkin flowers, I would say the light yellow is ivy or even mustard, black pollen could be poppies

Mind you weird stuff is flowering here. I’ve got blossom on one of my apple trees and the persicaria is throwing up flower buds…..

 

[robmort]

It’s a bit late for pumpkin flowers, I would say the light yellow is ivy or even mustard, black pollen could be poppies

Not poppies, none to be seen now. Otherwise maybe propolis of some kind?