What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Penninetrader]

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

I love scavenging wood, skips or anywhere. I have plenty of wood that is much too good for hives that will probably be in my stock long after I am able to use it. So i will continue my frugal ways. I have a great advantage in having a workshop full of professional woodworking machinery so i am able to convert timber of any dimension to any dimension required. Like yourself James, I make as much of anything myself. Pallets, if you dismantle make great floor and roof components. I glue up timbers of 18" plus in length into panels which turn into brood or super components, usually 18mm or 22mm thick. I am considering a hinged mesh floor that can be opened to clean out debris etc. I am still working on a hive box design that will allow it to be easily insulated, any ideas anyone ?

 

[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

They do find it attractive and go all yellow with the pollen, but I get where you are coming from.

 

[Moobee]

They do find it attractive and go all yellow with the pollen, but I get where you are coming from.

Is related to osteospermum?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Removed Apivar strips from 50% of the treated hives. All but one looked good and almost up to weight. (I’ll put the “one “ in a poly nuc on Thursday )
And only one was fiesty even in the constant drizzle.

 

[Antipodes]

Is related to osteospermum?

I'm not sure but they say it is related to the sunflower family. It certainly shows strong tropism. It is in most lawn areas here at the moment. A good year for it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctotheca_calendula

 

[Penninetrader]

They do find it attractive and go all yellow with the pollen, but I get where you are coming from.

That is a very dark bee, one of your's ?

 

[Antipodes]

That is a very dark bee, one of your's ?

Could be!

 

[JamezF]

Assuming I can crawl out of my pit sufficiently early tomorrow morning (I have had the lurgy since Saturday and am short of a fair bit of sleep), I am going to visit a chap with regards to getting a load of freebie cider apples from him. The place is actually a christmas tree farm, close to some small lakes/large ponds, a load of (deciduous) woodland and a moderate size village. It would be very tempting to drop the whole beekeeping thing into the conversation and see if he might be persuaded to let me take a little space for some beehives. Google Earth doesn't show anything obvious in the area in the way of hives at the moment.

The only downside is that it is on the edge of the 10km square on the NBU maps with the highest number of EFB diagnoses in the country this year.

James

 

[Moobee]

Hefted the home hives and topped up fondant as they’ve all been flying madly. One hive looks low on bees so I’m going to dummy them down to help keep warm.
Bit concerned with the growing pile of bee corpses behind the hives though. Neat piles with their abdomens chewed out.
I can’t decide if it’s post mortem or something is actively preying on the bees.
As my hives are surrounded by mesh netting, the dead & dying do tend to accumulate at the front so could be ferried to the back for consumption I guess.
Anyone seen anything like this before?
I’ve added mouseguards in the meantime….

 

[Penninetrader]

Hefted the home hives and topped up fondant as they’ve all been flying madly. One hive looks low on bees so I’m going to dummy them down to help keep warm.
Bit concerned with the growing pile of bee corpses behind the hives though. View attachment 41513Neat piles with their abdomens chewed out.
I can’t decide if it’s post mortem or something is actively preying on the bees.
As my hives are surrounded by mesh netting, the dead & dying do tend to accumulate at the front so could be ferried to the back for consumption I guess.
Anyone seen anything like this before?
I’ve added mouseguards in the meantime….

That looks a little severe, will be interesting what others on here think

 

[Penninetrader]

Assuming I can crawl out of my pit sufficiently early tomorrow morning (I have had the lurgy since Saturday and am short of a fair bit of sleep), I am going to visit a chap with regards to getting a load of freebie cider apples from him. The place is actually a christmas tree farm, close to some small lakes/large ponds, a load of (deciduous) woodland and a moderate size village. It would be very tempting to drop the whole beekeeping thing into the conversation and see if he might be persuaded to let me take a little space for some beehives. Google Earth doesn't show anything obvious in the area in the way of hives at the moment.

The only downside is that it is on the edge of the 10km square on the NBU maps with the highest number of EFB diagnoses in the country this year.

James

Just the apples

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hefted the home hives and topped up fondant as they’ve all been flying madly. One hive looks low on bees so I’m going to dummy them down to help keep warm.
Bit concerned with the growing pile of bee corpses behind the hives though. View attachment 41513Neat piles with their abdomens chewed out.
I can’t decide if it’s post mortem or something is actively preying on the bees.
As my hives are surrounded by mesh netting, the dead & dying do tend to accumulate at the front so could be ferried to the back for consumption I guess.
Anyone seen anything like this before?
I’ve added mouseguards in the meantime….

Put a wildlife camera at the front?
I had a mouse running up and down inside the porch grabbing bees as they came out to investigate. These were taken to the inspection board and consumed there.
It must have managed fifty bees in one sitting.

 

[The Poot]

Hefted the home hives and topped up fondant as they’ve all been flying madly. One hive looks low on bees so I’m going to dummy them down to help keep warm.
Bit concerned with the growing pile of bee corpses behind the hives though. View attachment 41513Neat piles with their abdomens chewed out.
I can’t decide if it’s post mortem or something is actively preying on the bees.
As my hives are surrounded by mesh netting, the dead & dying do tend to accumulate at the front so could be ferried to the back for consumption I guess.
Anyone seen anything like this before?
I’ve added mouseguards in the meantime….

How long did it take to accumulate this many dead? If it is a mouse moving dead bees, I think you’d spot it as it must take a long time to move that many.
It’s odd that they’ve been dumped behind the hives. I’ve had mice or shrews eating the dead on the inspection tray, but nothing like this.
Very worrying!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Moved some single brood into nucs one has two queens, both look mated.
Good amounts of ivy pollen being collected.

 

[Curly green finger's]

.

 

[Moobee]

How long did it take to accumulate this many dead? If it is a mouse moving dead bees, I think you’d spot it as it must take a long time to move that many.
It’s odd that they’ve been dumped behind the hives. I’ve had mice or shrews eating the dead on the inspection tray, but nothing like this.
Very worrying!

Probably a couple of weeks as even though they’re in the garden, I don’t look at them every day and it started with a tiny pile as the drones were being kicked out.

 

[JamezF]

I went to check out the orchard this morning and we got talking about insects because there were a few hornets flying around the trees. Turns out the owner used to keep bees himself and would love to have some hives on the site. He said there's even heather nearby, though I certainly don't know where.

It's tempting, I can't deny... I'd be able to drive right up to the hives, but they'd be out of the way and no bother to anyone.

I might have to talk to our SBI to see what she thinks about the location.

James