What did you do in the Apiary today?

[pargyle]

Closed up the weaker hive I was worried about - completely devoid of bees - no dead ones on the floor just a small patch of capped brood left. The frames of stores had been robbed out - but they had stores when I looked in a week ago and at that stage there were no eggs or uncapped brood - not enough bees though and I rather expected that they were doomed. No sign of brood disease and I uncapped some of the capped brood left and no signs of varroa. Queen failure I think. Pity, they were never the strongest or biggest of colonies compared to my others - headed up by a supercedure queen last year. NIce bees to handle and they produced a couple of good supers of honey this year - well below the others in my apiary but I accept what nature provides. An empty hive is always a sad sight.

All my other colonies looking good - still taking down Invertbee and flying when they can. Starting to feel nice and heavy now with feeding and the Ivy.

 

[Will C]

Put on Perspex crown boards so I can monitor cluster, insulated both with 50mm kingspan insulation and put in 2 strips Apivar to each hive.

Hive 1 is now closed for winter,

I can’t get front entrance block closed on hive 2 as they’re so angry, clustered up front.

Got 3 stings today and picked out about 10 from gloves. It’s unusual as they are normally very easy to work with.

Will ask a local beekeeper for help I think.

Last year they were a dream to work with. This year, so defensive, angry.

 

[Murox]

Put a few kilos of fondant on a nuc and repainted a poly brood box.checked all , looks good. Fingers crossed.

 

[drex]

Took all feeders off. Hives a good weight. Bees were well behaved. Lots of orientation flights and pollen going in. Weather very mild thus far. I might delay my winter vape by a few weeks

 

[The Poot]

Wasps still annoying the bees, with scrapping going on in front of two hives.
Lots of orienting going on and lots of yellow pollen going in. All bar one colony now up to weight.

 

[gregior]

Watched the entrances, lots of ivy coming in, still plenty of wasps knocking around and have been a bit of a problem going by the amount of bee parts near the entrances. A couple had minimal pollen coming in and drones flying so not looking good for those,will find out in the spring.

 

[Shutler]

Completed my third and final VarroaMed treatment, added a mesh ‘cage’ to keep the woodpeckers at bay, and removed a couple of squirrels from the woodland

 

[JamezF]

Did my final vape for the Autumn. Turns out that wearing a respirator isn't pleasant when you have a streaming cold. I also realised that I'd somehow managed to leave a QX on one hive, under the crown board. I quickly took it off, but the bees were seriously unimpressed and made sure I understood that. Plenty of foragers out though, and ivy pollen coming back in by the looks of it.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Was bored and the weather is nice so made up a gallon of thymol emulsion which means I'm OK for a couple of years again before going through the fiddle - found lecithin powder rather than granules on amazoon and in smaller quantities so less waste as Most ends up getting claggy after a year or so on the shelf in the shed and ends up in the bin. Doesn't matter how careful you are, wearing gloves and all, you always end up in a fug of thymol fumes for the rest of the day.
The ivy is really blooming now so the bees are flat out on it, piling in the pollen and the scent of ripening ivy honey is overpowering.

 

[Penninetrader]

Did my final vape for the Autumn. Turns out that wearing a respirator isn't pleasant when you have a streaming cold. I also realised that I'd somehow managed to leave a QX on one hive, under the crown board. I quickly took it off, but the bees were seriously unimpressed and made sure I understood that. Plenty of foragers out though, and ivy pollen coming back in by the looks of it.

James

They have ways of dealing with those who miff them

 

[Will C]

They have ways of dealing with those who miff them

Yes, as they’ve been letting me know all month…

 

[StephenT]

Checked the two garden hives for the last time this year, took off the Apivar and dummied one down to 8 frames over 8 (the other one was already). Planning to finish off all winter preps for the allotment hives tomorrow.

 

[The Poot]

Just sat in the garden in the sun, (with a beer) and watched the bees. It was like a Summer day with the temperature showing 20c in the sun. Lots of ivy now in flower and bees are busy bringing in pollen and nectar. Several hornets buzzing about as well. If the weather doesn’t change soon, I’ll be thinking I’ve overfed them!

 

[JamezF]

Been having a bit of a "stock take" at home to see what I would like to buy in the sales (prior to whittling it down to what I think can get away with buying in the sales). Fortunately I don't think it's that much, though I may have to buy more foundation because the weather has not allowed me to melt down as much wax as I was hoping to in the solar melter to make my own. The solar melter is now living in a greenhouse to see if it will actually work on days as sunny as today. I really should have thought of that earlier. Other than perhaps a few brood boxes I think I can make almost everything else myself as long as I can find some timber suitable for the sides of roofs. Then it's just odd bits and pieces like hive straps and a spare hive tool or two.

It's been one of the nicest days of the year weather-wise and the bees have certainly been busy foraging. The ivy in the trees is literally buzzing with activity.

James

 

[E&MBees]

Hefted the hives. Good weight gain apart from one nuc that’s a bit light still. Added more fondant. Ivy pretty much finished here. And another season draws to a close.

 

[JamezF]

It's been one of the nicest days of the year weather-wise and the bees have certainly been busy foraging. The ivy in the trees is literally buzzing with activity.

There's a definite roar from the hives now, and the smell of ripening honey. Not quite sure how to describe it.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I tend to call it a cloying reek - it's been hanging over the home apiary all afternoon

 

[Antipodes]

Do you guys get capeweed (from South Africa) over there?

 

[JamezF]

Do you guys get capeweed (from South Africa) over there?

I don't think we do. I don't ever recall seeing it, certainly. From the description on Wikipedia it sounds like it isn't a plant that you really want to have around.

James

 

[Antipodes]

I don't think we do. I don't ever recall seeing it, certainly. From the description on Wikipedia it sounds like it isn't a plant that you really want to have around.

James

There is a definite smell of it in some yards here at the moment. It leans a bit towards the barnyard side of odours I guess. The honey tastes quite nice though.