What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Rock_Chick]

1st full inspection, nice day to day just slight wind but sunny, bees were ok.
2 hives brood on 3- 4 frames 1 hive queen only just started laying only eggs seen. new floors and brood boxes put on, I've condensed them all to 1 brood box and put fondant on them just in case they want it. thinking of some varroa treatment now.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Checked weights on a few hives under quad boxes and on a new queen introduced a week ago.

Snowing up over again now, raining down here.

 

[madasafish]

Rain am, sunny pm.
Topped up fondant all hives in anticipation of gales and snow showers next week.
All main hives in rude strong health ..

 

[Zante]

Proper inspection done, first of the year. Seen brood, both capped and uncapped. Forgot to check for eggs (eh well, inexperience). The queen was spotted and she looked fine.

They seem to have LOADS of stores still, but they have the whole of April before the acacia flow starts.

I also started sorting the supers, and I have 3 supers sorted, already on the hives, ready to be used stored above the crown board, plus another super with some frames still full of syrup. I will use those when I split my colony to get the new colony to draw new wax.

 

[simonforeman]

Sunny and cold here this morning.... 1 hive even tho it was only 7 degrees was out flying collecting pollen.... this hive seems not to mind the cold too much. Other tucked up no action at the entrance, did check fondant on both quickly and both seem to be doing well....

 

[Brigsy]

Mine were flying in the rain at 5c! Checked on the sugar blocks and one was gone so added a fresh one. No where near an inspection at the moment.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Just stared at the rain that continued all day...

 

[Curly green fingers]

This morning sunny 8 c small amounts of pollen going into hive gorse and willow is open about 1/4 of a mile away its not quite open in the garden yet.
I'm waiting for my willow Arch to flower hopefully my girls will benefit from it when it opens!
Afternoon rain snow hail with a bit of wind or was that the brassicas! .

 

[beeno]

Proper inspection done, first of the year. Seen brood, both capped and uncapped. Forgot to check for eggs (eh well, inexperience). The queen was spotted and she looked fine.

They seem to have LOADS of stores still, but they have the whole of April before the acacia flow starts.

I also started sorting the supers, and I have 3 supers sorted, already on the hives, ready to be used stored above the crown board, plus another super with some frames still full of syrup. I will use those when I split my colony to get the new colony to draw new wax.

Good news Zante. As a matter of interest for your area, how many frames of brood did you have?

 

[Zante]

Good news Zante. As a matter of interest for your area, how many frames of brood did you have?

Just one unfortunately (only worker brood, no drone yet), but I didn't look for eggs, so there might be more than I spotted. My main concern was to make sure the queen had survived the winter, seeing I lost the other colony.
Good weather has just started though, it has been either raining or windy until last weekend, and the workers appear to be young, so proper buildup might have just started.

There was very little in the way of flying while I was there, but there is food in the hive, and I spotted a decent amount of pollen in there too, so they must be getting it in. I saw about three frames of bees in the hive, but I don't know how many might have been out.

I will see if the of bees/brood have increased next week, then decide what to do, might have bought a nuc with an old queen last year, and it might be on its last legs. Still early to decide that though, just keeping in mind that replacement is a possibility.

Question: if I were to move the queen from the frame it's on with the brood in the comb, to a frame of empty comb next to it, would that stimulate more laying or is it a pointless move?

 

[masterBK]

Pointless as she will simply walk back to where ever the house bees have prepared/polished the cells they want her to next lay in.

 

[Zante]

Pointless as she will simply walk back to where ever the house bees have prepared/polished the cells they want her to next lay in.

Thank you

 

[john t]

made up a couple of snelgrove boards from spare bits i had laying about

 

[Hivemaker.]

made up a couple of snelgrove boards from spare bits i had laying about

Handy for doing some manipulations.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Rain and cold winds today. Exceptional weather! Nothing done in the apiary.

 

[Goran]

Over here a lot of selling of colonies.. Seems all had none or very little winter losses.. Right when I planned to sell a lot of colonies and bummer seems will have to work my ass off with extraction.. I prefer rather to play with queen rearing, seems something else is meant for me unfortunately. Itself extraction ain't such pain in the ass, but at same time hazels, pay job.. When all comes at same time.. barely can manage some time just for sleep..
Today I thought I could try to take for the first time this season frame in my hands.. but some strong wind and later of course storm prevented me to do so.. Again maybe someone show me to wait some more..
Plums and peaches are opening flowers, bees still on cornel and forest willow. Lot of dead nettle on meadow but none of bees on them.. All were in the forest these days when weather behave.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Seems all had none or very little winter losses.

Much the same here, Goran, we have had a really good winter for the bees for a change, even all the mini nucs have come through with no problems, just need it to dry up a bit now.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What did I do in the apiary?
Still nothing with the bees.............sigh
I've been moving empty boxes into the bee shed in anticipation, though

 

[nantmoel]

Checked and put a few more sugar blocks on a some hive's, this winters weather is starting to really concern me. I've read Mike Whites FB post on winter losses, its seems that some have lost up to 50% of their hives.

 

[beeno]

Checked and put a few more sugar blocks on a some hive's, this winters weather is starting to really concern me. I've read Mike Whites FB post on winter losses, its seems that some have lost up to 50% of their hives.

I would like to read this article too pls?