What did you do in the Apiary today?

TryingToLetThemBee said:

Yes, but is she interested in beekeeping?

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Boom, boom!

Reduced entrances, first wasp attacks.

einsteinagogo said:

I think that's what becomes, of taking stranglers from my extraction room back to the hive

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That sounds a bit serious

On inspecting one colony today, much to my amazement I found the girls dealing with a European Hornet which had managed to get through 9mm hole!

Quick visit to one apiary (Garden) and after the season is nearly over finally the bees found my water source!!!

Later got a call from a Pest controller that had been called to a swarm of bees! Referred him to the swarm list as it is out of my area.

Checked brood boxes for stores prior to removing the supers next week. One a bit light so added a spare frame with some solidified in it. Applied MAQS

Checked 3 frame mating nuc: capped worker brood. Success. Laying like a train from the look of things.

Added one frame of capped honey.

YorkshireBees said:

Quick visit to one apiary (Garden) and after the season is nearly over finally the bees found my water source!!!

{pic}

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Water sources for bees need a "beach" - a weighted onion bag makes a beach whatever the variation in water level.
It also needs to be in the sun, stillish water, and ideally not too clean!

beeno said:

On inspecting one colony today, much to my amazement I found the girls dealing with a European Hornet which had managed to get through 9mm hole!

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Coincidentally my son who keeps various breeds of chickens told he had been reading hornets hover in front of hive entrances and some chickens simply grab them out of the air. Biological control at its finest?

Gilberdyke John said:

Coincidentally my son who keeps various breeds of chickens told he had been reading hornets hover in front of hive entrances and some chickens simply grab them out of the air. Biological control at its finest?

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That's usually what the hornets do to my bees, so clever old chickens!

Not technically in the Apiary but I put on another coat of paint onto my spare hive and then drove to the local association shop to get some ambrosia.

Turns out the store is at the end of a lane which is directly across the road from my old house. I'd spent 4 years wondering what was at the end of the lane.

Had a great chat about pollen and feeding with the guy who runs it.

Finally got the last of my supers off today. I now have to extract them.

itma said:

Water sources for bees need a "beach" - a weighted onion bag makes a beach whatever the variation in water level.
It also needs to be in the sun, stillish water, and ideally not too clean!

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Mine is in the sun most of the day and has 2 large terracotta tiles in it for them to land on. They also help to warm up the water. The bees have been using it for a few seasons now, just this season they seemed to have gone elsewhere until now!
Attached a pic where they ARE using the landing area!

Closed up the hive in Apiary 1, ready for the move tomorrow to the new Apiary. Setup the hive stands in the new Apiary this eve, ready to accept the first hive tomorrow. Put on the travel screen, secured on my barrow with two hive straps, and the hive is secured with two hive straps..

It's been a pleasure to hive bees in my garden, and I'll be sad they are going, I always watch the bees everyday, for the last 18 months, but they were only supposed to be in the garden "temporary...."

Discovered the perished remains of a swarm under the favourite swarming branch. Latest swarm I've ever had. On double brood and 2 supers so not sure why they went. Put MAQS on last week (coincidence?). Didn't open brood box up because of iffy weather and colony being ever more nasty when putting MAQS on. Given me the opportunity to remove all sealed QCs and unite with more docile colony. Will see.

They thanked me with a zap to the cheek when removing veil 30 yards away. That will learn me but they were some naughty ladies, got more aggressive as season went on.

nothing in the apiary but still extracting, having to do it in evening so as not to get so many bees around and also had 2 pallets of jars delivered today for distribution around my bka.

Took off 2 super ready for extraction , felt a little guilty . But then a gain it is my first time

Not ideal, cold, wet, heavy rain. Despite this the girls were pleasant.

Took off, three supers for extraction. Closed up hive, which was an overwintered six frame nuc this year, and move to new out Apiary. This has now caught up well.

Three hives remain to move, and will be moving another at dusk this evening.

I hope to have all completed and moved this weekend.

then return to monitor and treat for varroa, and check stores and feed.

Checked varroa boards am. A few mites on each one. The. The rain came down so ordered MAQS and spent a good while reading the posts on this forum about their use.

Beautiful afternoon in our bit of North Staffs. Lots of flying bees heading off and returning with HB on their heads/thorax.

Won first prize today in the clear light honey class at the Epping Forest Beekeepers Association honey show. Chuffed to bits!