What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

I agree, I don't like it.
I have my home made portcullis type guard on my Paynes

 

[Bee Bumble]

Watched bees bringing in heavy loads of pollen.
I was joined by a Merlin who sat on a gate post and shared the view with me for a minute or two.
Wonderful bird. I was sure I had caught a glimpse of him flying once or twice over the bird tables but it was a real treat to have him sit so close to me in the apiary.

Lucky you. They are usually flying too fast and low for a good view.

 

[enrico]

Lucky you. They are usually flying too fast and low for a good view.

We have a merlin too, it is amazingly quick at taking birds off the bird table! We have had to surround it (the bird table) in wire to stop it decimating our tits!
Got one or two close up views of it, if it catches a bird in the peanut holder it won't let go but can't get the bird out as it is too big with it held in its claw. One day I will get a photo!
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

We have millions of Blue Tits. I consider our Merlin and Sparrow Hawk are welcome to the odd few.
I watched a Sparrow Hawk snatch a Starling from the bird table last winter. It dropped it in the pond where the water is shallow and stood mantling it for ages before it managed to take off with its sodden catch.

 

[pigletwillie]

Yesterday I removed the feeders from the last hive, added a solid crown board and put the roof back on. Noticed forragers returning with lots of bright yellow pollen.

Into the work shop now to make a ruck load of brood boxes and supers ready for next year.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

So sue me

Still pouring as much thymolated (Manley 3) 2:1 as I can into a colony that tested positive for nosema in the spring. I missed last week's final weather hurrah but not too worried; thymolated, it can sit open for a while I reckon even if it picks up moisture. Elsewhere, all over till the OA assault, when I'll see whether my poor little Q- nuc has a chance of making it to test-frame time.

 

[oliver90owner]

when I'll see whether my poor little Q- nuc has a chance of making it to test-frame time.

Err, if you already know it is Q-, what would be the point of a test frame?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

when I'll see whether my poor little Q- nuc has a chance of making it to test-frame time.

Err, if you already know it is Q-, what would be the point of a test frame?

Stop mucking about and shake them out

 

[user 6228]

moved a dead stupid pigeon that flew into a window...

you dont find magpies doing that

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

moved a dead stupid pigeon that flew into a window...

you dont find magpies doing that

open windows are much more dangerous to magpies - especially when there is a gun muzzle poking out of it

 

[Erichalfbee]

The Red Kites here see most of them off and the ones they don't my Bantie cockerel sorts out.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

when I'll see whether my poor little Q- nuc has a chance of making it to test-frame time.

Err, if you already know it is Q-, what would be the point of a test frame?

Sorry: I thought I had bored everyone quite enough about this colony a month or so back. It is almost but not quite certainly Q- and it doesn't seem worth fooling around with a unite and possible disaster in November. Nor am I much minded to shake them onto frost or into a rainstorm, which is currently what's on offer.

I haven't decided what to do with them although I dream of opening them and finding a bunch of brood. And "test frame" is not meant to test but I meant "frame of eggs if I think they have an earthly of raising a Q and maybe just to help my learning process anyway" or "frame of future nurse bees if I get my new apiary site and want to make increase so put a Q in there".

 

[oliver90owner]

frame of eggs

Think about the logistics of that - and expect to be adding a lot of emerging brood before expecting them to raise their own queen in the spring, let alone the risks of getting an early queen mated. Or just dream on....

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

frame of eggs

Think about the logistics of that - and expect to be adding a lot of emerging brood before expecting them to raise their own queen in the spring, let alone the risks of getting an early queen mated. Or just dream on....

I think, in order, the most likely outcomes are

They peter out
I merge them
They already have a mated Q
I add a Q if they reach spring as a serviceable nuc
They raise a Q with the help of all the highly interventionist life support you describe and as you suggest, what's the point.

 

[pargyle]

I think, in order, the most likely outcomes are

They peter out
I merge them
They already have a mated Q
I add a Q if they reach spring as a serviceable nuc
They raise a Q with the help of all the highly interventionist life support you describe and as you suggest, what's the point.

Follow JBM's advice ... find a time when it's fine and dry and tip them out onto a sheet near one of your other hives ... they will beg their way into another hive if they have nowhere else to go. Much more sensible way of preserving them .. bigger colonies have more chance of overwintering and you can split them in the spring.

 

[Itchy]

Follow JBM's advice ... find a time when it's fine and dry and tip them out onto a sheet near one of your other hives ... they will beg their way into another hive if they have nowhere else to go. Much more sensible way of preserving them .. bigger colonies have more chance of overwintering and you can split them in the spring.

However, maybe the other colonies have not made provision for the extra hungry mouths to feed at this time of year, with no chance to correct the balance.

 

[pargyle]

However, maybe the other colonies have not made provision for the extra hungry mouths to feed at this time of year, with no chance to correct the balance.

No ... it really doesn't work like that ... bee power and numbers and the space they fill and heat is a positive factor that will outweigh the small amount of additional food they will consume ... bear in mind that there will be a natural die off of bees over winter so the more you start out with the more you will be left with in a colony. In any case, your job as a beekeeper should have been to ensure that your colonies are well stocked with more than enough stores going in to winter and your job as winter progresses is to ensure they have sufficient to see them through and that could mean fondant on top of the frames if they run low going in to Spring.

 

[REDWOOD]

However, maybe the other colonies have not made provision for the extra hungry mouths to feed at this time of year, with no chance to correct the balance.

It's up to the beekeeper to provide them with enough stores

 

[Itchy]

It's up to the beekeeper to provide them with enough stores

Yes, when there has been interference, but I try not to.

 

[pargyle]

Yes, when there has been interference, but I try not to.

No no no ... there's interference, good husbandry and stupidity ...

I have two hives that will happily manage on the honey they have stored away and one smaller (healthy, but I think the queen's a bit on the lazy side) colony that has already had 7Kg of sugar in 2:1 syrup and I still think they will be getting fondant in early spring.

Low interference does not mean depriving bees of the ability to survive ... I lean on the dark side of beekeeping and I feed them if necessary ... you need to re-think your principles ...