What did you do in the Apiary today?

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Getting ready to remove apivar strips in all hives today week 6 +2days .
I've had really good results with apivar week2/3 mite drop was surprising . I'll be using a pair of pliers to remove. I'm not looking forward to splitting the hives in half but needs must. Please forgive me girlys.
 
All out & pollen coming in!

High Noon and temps approx. C.12-14 (in sun) in the in hills. All hives out in strength and pollen (yellow and orange) going in by the barrow load. The majority of hives this season are light despite constant stream of syrup. First occasion to have experienced this. Some still on syrup but will cease as cold weather approaches from east midweek. Ivy was availed of, but many hives reduced in weight as if negative cost-benefit effect. Will feed fondant (belt & braces) soon as suspect this level of activity (late in year) likely to reduce stores/weight even more. Been a very odd and oft-times trying season.
 
Garden hive today quite busy bees making the most of the mahonia only 3 foot from their front door
3BDC0E02-78AE-4754-B684-C4CED79F4EA5.jpeg
 
Not that i like to say it but two hives needed help today...the same two where doing ever so well but today light as a feather... this mild weather with little forage does not seem to have done them any favours.. crown boards off..eke on and fondant placed on the top bars.. one is a swarm i caught but the other holds a bought in Queen from a supposedly good source..we will see how they do ...
 
Gave two of mine fondant as stores diminishing in the supers above the brood boxes. Now worried about the amount of stores available.

Insulated above the fondant with three layers of bubble wrap.

A swarm captured this year is proving the most active, piling in pollen - gold and creamy yellow. Concerned that one colony that was harassed by wasps through October, (gaining entry through the mouse guard), seems a tad lethargic.

Lots of ivy still not in flower around here!
 
If you are feeding fondant now then, with respect, you didn't feed enough in autumn. A full brood box of food should easily last until early spring! If you overfeed you run the risk of sugar in your spring crop!
E
 
Feeding sugar is a balancing act. Too much and there is no room for brood or pollen, and as above any left over will end up in your spring crop. Too little and the bees will starve. I ensure my bees have ample stores to overwinter, using fondant only if they have consumed more than expected, and removing excess store frames in spring and replacing with drawn empty comb. The excess frames are used when I make up nucs.
I am afraid the balance is only gained by experience, careful monitoring, (and a bit of luck)
 
enrico said:
If you are feeding fondant now then, with respect, you didn't feed enough in autumn. A full brood box of food should easily last until early spring! If you overfeed you run the risk of sugar in your spring crop!
E
Click to expand...
Regarding the two i have had to feed fondant...one was slow too build up in numbers never touched the syrup till the last minute and the other took the same as all the other colonies that are upto weight... i do not know what they where doing with the syrup but they stored very little..
 
Visited all my apiaries to remove feeders and put fondant on. All a good weight except one and the nuc has I think a 50/50 chance of making it.

Remove one feeder and forgot it was a shop bought crown board and with fondant on it left one hole free, well out they came like the flight of the Valkyrie…… Cor that 'urt.

All now have fondant on so I'm now in the waiting game until spring.
 
drex said:
I am afraid the balance is only gained by experience, careful monitoring, (and a bit of luck)
Click to expand...

And includes obligatory usage of your crystal ball so you know how cold and how long the winter will last. Something no amount of experience can tell you.
 
Beefriendly said:
And includes obligatory usage of your crystal ball so you know how cold and how long the winter will last. Something no amount of experience can tell you.
Click to expand...

Drex is right. Experience is what you need in beekeeping. If it does not help, try forum's theories.
 
Last edited:
enrico said:
If you are feeding fondant now then, with respect, you didn't feed enough in autumn. A full brood box of food should easily last until early spring! If you overfeed you run the risk of sugar in your spring crop!
E
Click to expand...

You're right Enrico, I didn't feed enough. I believed the "experts" who state the bees won't take syrup if the night temperatures drop below 12 degrees ish and you risk the bees getting dysentery if they can't evaporate enough water from it.
But I've learned too late that you guys feed syrup right through October despite falling temperatures. So I missed the boat and now am committed to continuing with fondant. I hope we get enough warmer days at weekends through the Winter, so I can keep them topped up.
Experience is what is needed to look after the beasties well, and I beat myself up when my lack of experience causes them harm.
 
Looked out of the window at the first snow of the year - unusual for it to be so early in Kent!
 
The Poot in Somerset said:
You're right Enrico, I didn't feed enough. I believed the "experts" who state the bees won't take syrup if the night temperatures drop below 12 degrees ish and you risk the bees getting dysentery if they can't evaporate enough water from it.
But I've learned too late that you guys feed syrup right through October despite falling temperatures. So I missed the boat and now am committed to continuing with fondant. I hope we get enough warmer days at weekends through the Winter, so I can keep them topped up.
Experience is what is needed to look after the beasties well, and I beat myself up when my lack of experience causes them harm.
Click to expand...

It really wasn't a critisism, just a comment. We all had to learn and before the internet I learnt many things the hard way! I was just confused that you said you had a super on and you were feeding fondant! Is the super empty?
E
 
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