What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Parsonage Bees]

Last inspection. Variable, only one BIAS and a couple just capped brood. Found 2 queens.
Removed ApiGuard #2. Wish them well.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

At my other apiary today. As expected, most of the colonies have only some sealed brood so I'll be doing the 'Christmas' vape at the end of this month. I think I keep on the safe side with feeding - not more than four or five L/ kg of syrup/fondant at a time. Even so, two hives had filled their brood boxes with stores. I take it they have plans to use the nadired shallow for brood!

I was keen to see what effect the general shut down on brood rearing would have on a couple of colonies that had nine frames of brood 3-4 weeks ago. Answer: none. No effect, that is. They are still full of brood and that includes as much open brood as sealed. I guess they are what is known as (hyper)prolific queens. I believe that is a death sentence in some beekeeping circles. Of course, they have little room for stores but I'm not going to feed them any more for now.

 

[Antipodes]

What I found was that all 25 have no eggs or larvae

By the time the queen starts laying again they will be well and truly devoid of nurse bees, and then further time until new "nurse" bees emerge. I guess it goes to show the plasticity of older bees to resume nursing duties.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

By the time the queen starts laying again they will be well and truly devoid of nurse bees, and then further time until new "nurse" bees emerge. I guess it goes to show the plasticity of older bees to resume nursing duties.

I don't know much about this but if these large populations (most of these colonies are still packed with bees) include winter bees, might it be that their extended youth means that they retain the attributes and roles of young bees?

 

[Antipodes]

I don't know much about this but if these large populations (most of these colonies are still packed with bees) include winter bees, might it be that their extended youth means that they retain the attributes and roles of young bees?

Could be. I reckon bees of any age can probably revert to raising brood, perhaps not as well as in their youth though. I noticed huge gaps in brood in some colonies in the drought down here earlier in the year....but not in every colony of course!

 

[Erichalfbee]

might it be that their extended youth means that they retain the attributes and roles of young bees?

Indeed. Their fat bodies are full and they have no brood to rear save the little that's laid over winter They are the ones that kick start the colony in spring.

 

[Nannysbees]

Out in droves this morning, sun shinning, rain expected this afternoon unfortunately

 

[Penninetrader]

Sunny here, all flying and some still bringing pollen, insulated last of hives and feeder boxes. Used smoke to get them out of the way for that job, one of the hives proper grumbled and in unison. I gave them a bit of syrup to appease them afterwards, they snubbed me.

 

[Macbear]

Yesterday, the car thermometer showed 17 degrees, but I suspect my apiary was more. Checked on the united hive and removed the surplus BB. Ladies happy and peaceable but no sign of anything other than stores. Some space for laying. Reluctant to delve too deeply. The other hive - just removed the now empty fondant bag: I had cut a hole which I left over the holes in the CB and inside an eke with a solid CB above. Covered the holes, but left the eke in case of any further feeding need. Bees happy, so I hope it will be a case of leaving them in peace until next year. Another pleasant, still day, today, so hopefully they will be foraging in the nearby ivy and/or sealing up interfaces of boxes etc.. Thankfully, very few wasps this year.
My roofs have built-in insulation, and being less than 500m from the coast with shelter from all winds we rarely get frost or lying snow.
Time for a bit of maintenance and dreaming for me.