worrying

[Heather]

Just back from 3 weeks away - I left each hive all good (except one) with supers to spare. and on return these supers are the same, in fact each hive seems depleted in stores. i know August is not as good a month for honey, unlike June- but i expected some increase.

One hive that is struggling as was drone laying and now just corrected - I have starved larvae, dead in the frame as they were emerging. Have whopped in a full frame fees, but how is everyone else out there doing? Is this a normal scenario for August.

And I collected a prime swarm yesterday, doesn't seem to be from mine but too local not to be, so a mystery. If July isn't worth a bale of hay, what on earth is August!!

 

[Frisbee]

If July isn't worth a bale of hay, what on earth is August!!

Well that lovely little rhyme was from the days when bees were kept in skeps and bags of sugar not available from the supermarket nor indeed the money to buy it with either. These days with the price of bees I would thing a swarm is well worth having no matter when.

Yes August has been funny.................an unbelievable amount of wasps around, wet at times, the summer semed to end quickly but this last week or so mine have had a mini flow, I was planning on removing supers but have had to leave them there. I think the wet at the end of July has prompted some unexpected flowering.

Frisbee

 

[JCBrum]

In some of my newly established hives there was a modest amount of honey, maybe 5 or 6 frames, but during July and early August the bees seem to have consumed it all.

I kept thinking that with better weather in August they might replace it but the frames are still bone dry. I don't think it has been robbed or gone to wasps.

Maybe I'll get a bit from Ivy this year.

JC. (HF)

 

[mikethebee]

JC Brum
Don’t you let that little nuc die you had off me.
Don’t be tight put some feed on, little and often use a frame feeder, close up the entrance to allow 3 bees to pass not wasps? Don’t poke about in the nest until next spring.
heather still love you??
www.easybeeproducts.co.uk

 

[Hawklord]

I got my nuc in July and fed fondant as the weather was fairly wet. They have hardly touched it but are now putting honey in the super. I should remove the fondant really.

 

[Poly Hive]

The weather has been pure rubbish here in the Midlands, with rain and yet more rain, and so I expected to find many of mine a bit short but no they are actually quite comfortable. Some of the nucs have filled the food compartment themselves. Bless.

PH

 

[victor meldrew]

Just returned from a walk with Sasha; 20:45, wasps were still working HB by the thousand . My wasp traps are full every day , One trap I filled a little full, upshot being , although level had been reduced (through theft) the wasps were finding their way out . ! sussed chemical trails ,as I watched the blighters entering and leaving at will. I quicky drowned the ones inside , washed the trap thoroughly, bingo ,it's working again. Thank god , still the bait they were nicking plus Hb is keeping them from my hives (YET).

John Wilkinson

 

[JCBrum]

JC Brum
Don’t you let that little nuc die you had off me.
Don’t be tight put some feed on, little and often use a frame feeder, close up the entrance to allow 3 bees to pass not wasps? Don’t poke about in the nest until next spring.

Ok Mike, I'll put a frame-feeder in first thing tomorrow. They're across about 4 or 5 frames at the moment (14x12). At the beginning there was just about enough bees for one side of a 14x12, so they're not doing too bad.

I did give them a feed during the bad weather in July.

 

[Frisbee]

(HF)

HJC

 

[hedgerow pete]

whilst we are on the subject of feeding nucs several of mine are on the thin side so i will be feeding tham earlier tan normal to start them laying a few more eggs to help with the winter shut down. the entrances will be shut down to one hole 9mm by 9mm single bee space i might evan shut it completly for a few days to allow them to feed quietly

 

[JCBrum]

My bees are flying well at the moment. I'm not quite sure what is happening but some are bringing in bright yellow pollen on their legs, and others are coming back with white/light grey dusty backs. I saw a new drone come out of one hive today. I've put entrance blocks in with 80x9 mm slot.

 

[victor meldrew]

My bees are flying well at the moment. I'm not quite sure what is happening but some are bringing in bright yellow pollen on their legs, and others are coming back with white/light grey dusty backs. I saw a new drone come out of one hive today. I've put entrance blocks in with 80x9 mm slot.

Your bees are into Himalayan Balsam . hence the dusting of pollen .
Whilst this plant flowers from mid Summer , the bees only seem to show an interest in it when other richer sources begin to dry up .

John Wilkinson

 

[wilderness]

Mine have been out and about most days this last month apart from the really wet days. Not much happening in the supers so I guess they are eating most of what they bring in. They have been very busy the last 3 or 4 days.

I am using 14x12 brood box and don't intend to leave supers on for the winter.

What to do with the part filled frames over the winter?

 

[JCBrum]

Your bees are into Himalayan Balsam . hence the dusting of pollen .
Whilst this plant flowers from mid Summer , the bees only seem to show an interest in it when other richer sources begin to dry up .

John Wilkinson

Thanks John.

What to do with the part filled frames over the winter?

Extract 'em, or save 'em for next year ??

 

[Heather]

I extracted the part filled supers- and used as cooking honey - then I can start the new year with clean supers.