What did you do in the Apiary today?

jenkinsbrynmair said:

Doesn't really matter - it's not the 'vapour' that does the trick but the desublimated crystals that comes in contact with the bees afterwards, it's effective for a few days so eventually all the bees come into contact with it. I never close up the bees when I do it, the bees out flying will get it later

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Ah I didn’t realise that. So rather than clear the supers, could I just put a solid board over the QE, vape below, then remove the solid board after the OA has recrystallised? Say 30 minutes after vaping?

Stedic said:

Ah I didn’t realise that. So rather than clear the supers, could I just put a solid board over the QE, vape below, then remove the solid board after the OA has recrystallised? Say 30 minutes after vaping?

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Yep or even put a clearer board there the night before

Put clearer board on 1 hive, killed a queen in another which I'm now uniting .
Now of to the farm .
Simple afternoon yeah right!

Checked the Q- nuc to find eggs and larvae. Not a fan of virgin Q's sometimes.....

Re-balanced a number of hives and nucs with sealed brood and put the cappings on a hive for the bee's to work in the june gap who are low on stores.

Been away to get married. Several of my colonies have swarmed, even though I gave them loads of space. Mercifully the queens I intend to breed from, that I put into nucs are still there. Took two frames of capped brood out of each to put into the intended cell raiser colony. All in, the hives are in a sorry state and I am sitting general husbandry exam in two weeks. Never mind, that is how it is. Only sitting the exam for my own enjoyment.

drex said:

Been away to get married. Several of my colonies have swarmed, even though I gave them loads of space. Mercifully the queens I intend to breed from, that I put into nucs are still there. Took two frames of capped brood out of each to put into the intended cell raiser colony. All in, the hives are in a sorry state and I am sitting general husbandry exam in two weeks. Never mind, that is how it is. Only sitting the exam for my own enjoyment.

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If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it's that the bees will recover. If the home-life is ticking over, everything will turn out fine.
Congratulations on the wedding and Good luck with the exam.

B+. said:

Congratulations on the wedding and Good luck with the exam.

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+1

Found my first case of laying workers this year in a Demaree top.

I'm no longer an air freshener virgin and will be using it always from now on to unite quicker and less mess.
Black bee's have drawn 6 frames in there super and have good stores doing well . ( 6 nuc may 19)
I've now condensed 6 colony's into three at home ready for summer ( local bee's).
And I have 1 swarm left in a nuc drawn all frames in a week, I didn't do a full inspection I've stop feeding them now.
Sunday afternoons got no mind to worry?

Thanks B+ and madasafish. I have done what I can do, the rest is up to the bees. Have always been of the school, that if I have any doubts to leave it to the bees to sort out. Of course my dreams were of presenting the idyllic colony to the examiners. Even after nearly ten years of beekeeping I can still have such idiotic thoughts! Laugh!

While doing my checks at one apiary, I noticed an owl pellet on top of one of the hives.

Association apiary in the morning, showing a young autistic lad the bees when one of our neighbours called to say that there was a swarm tucked up in our hedge where the lane passes - been there since at least Wednesday. poor beggars were on their last legs, just fell into the nuc when shaken and hardly stirred. Tucked up with a feed of syrup now so hopefully they'll perk up.
Up to the carreg apiary after lunch - all bees just waiting for the brambles to come on, little else coming in up there, but the hives are bursting, a couple with five supers on - mostly to give the bees room.

Splits all have laying queens and the original queens are ticking over well and no swarm signs.
Nice when the bees play by the rules and let you think you know what you are doing.


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masterBK said:

Found my first case of laying workers this year in a Demaree top.

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I have had three of them over the past few years and what a pain they are..I lost a bought In mated Queen last year trying to sort one out..they accepted her then killed her a week later and dumped her on the floor outside the hive..i will not mess on with laying worker colonies..they will be shook out from now on if I am unlucky to have anymore

Checked all hives and swarm nucs.
One hive has no brood - waiting for virgin queen or may be queenless.
One hive has virgin now laying like a good un- seven frames of brood.
Two weeks ago there was nothing - just amazing little creatures!
One hive now so tall I needed a step up to take a full super off the top. Added clearer board to extract and replace this week. Following checker boarding last week the queen has space and foundation is being drawn out quickly.
All swarms (4) doing well - one has filled a super but only working on five brood frames.
I have more bees than I want, so will unite to develop bigger colonies for the Summer.

Got the garden shears out ..got suited up and cleared anything growing around the hives..after that I sprayed the area with good old Glysophate...in two weeks time it will be smooth.

I thought Glysophate was supposed to be harmful to honey bees?

Angry_Mob said:

I thought Glysophate was supposed to be harmful to honey bees?

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https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th...monsanto-weedkiller-harms-bees-research-finds

It is!

Angry_Mob said:

I thought Glysophate was supposed to be harmful to honey bees?

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It also works by being absorbed through the foliage - not much use if it's been cut

jenkinsbrynmair said:

It also works by being absorbed through the foliage - not much use if it's been cut

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Have a little think Mr Magoo before spouting ****.