What did you do in the Apiary today?

[TOBY-3652]

watched bees clearing dead out a few flying at each hive. and cut some wood in lengths for stands all hives alive so far

 

[drstitson]

spent yesterday organising a JCB to rescue snowbound OH.
500m of snow upto waist deep - too deep for the ploughs to manage as nowhere for it to go!
eventually arrived and finished after 2.5 hrs just after nightfall.

Bizarre to be walking on a surface that was actually higher than the poultry housing and reached top of 4ft fencing!!!! had compacted down since sun when deepest parts were 6ft.

Hives only appear half buried - just leaving them to it.

 

[itma]

+9C, occasional sunshine and two colours of pollen coming in.

They are taking my fondant now that I've softened it with some (hygroscopic) fructose (from Holland & Barrett, £1.99 for 500g - and they have 500g of Glucose powder for £1.29 which is much cheaper than the supermarket syrup.)

Removed anti-woodpecker roof membrane drapery, and bravely (but not impulsively), mouseguard. After the last couple of weeks, I reckon any mice must have found somewhere perfectly satisfactory for themselves ... The bees then did a good job of entrance-clearing.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Started making frames in the slack time between other work.

 

[dpearce4]

built 16 raised beds at school today. used the spare wood to then make 5 double hive stands, just need to take them up to apiary, bolt them together and move hives onto them and repair the old stands ready for new hives to go on.

 

[Cazza]

Lovely day off here. Pleasantly warm. Loads of bees collecting water.

Rounded off gardening day putting together a few polyhive bits.

Off for beer and chinky.
Cazza

 

[Polyanwood]

I peaked in the top of the mininuc which I was worried about because there were not enough bees because I have not seen any signs of life for 10 days and as expected they are dead

 

[abi-e]

Put fondant on 2 hives. Both busy and alive

 

[Salamagundy]

Checked fondant. All hives are now feeding on it. A few bees were flying from all four hives. (Temp. was 9 degrees.) Happy to see one return with orange pollen (snowdrops?) Watched the other hives expectantly for ten minutes but that was the only one.

 

[busybee53]

Sorry to hear yours died Polyann.

Checked my hive and pleased to find the bag inside the eke half full of fondant and half full of bees working their socks off. They were also flying and I assume bringing in water - but not from the supply I provided. No pollen going in at the mo. (I was sorry to see what I think was pollen under the trees when we got the first lot of snow.)

Marked more of my equipment with brass pins. Now only need to do the hive parts the bees are in when I can..

 

[user 6228]

time: 7am outside: +6 yesterday:sun
Alwaysfoam: floor 18 C top 25C

WasWood: top of brood bottomof super: 20c
__________________

 

[Ely]

Quite a few bees out taking advantage of the mild weather here. Taking out dead and bringing in dark orange and light yellow pollen

 

[scuttlefish]

Got the strimmer out and cleared the apiary up a bit.

Thirteen degrees out, the ladies are flying & bringing in pollen, mite drop zero

 

[Nose Ma]

Did very little but sat and watched. Busy as a summer's day, lots of flying, lots of pollen coming back, from where I cannot imagine.

 

[beestie]

Added fondant to the strongest hive, all apparantly well with them, pollen coming in but the only source I can readily identify are some snowdrops. Checked the weakest hive to see if they have been at the fondant, expecting to be able to lift the package from the crownboard for a quick peek. Not so - a veritable explosion of bees not entirely happy that their late winter treat had been removed - wasn't ready with a smoker, which proved very necessary in order to replace the fondant and roof without trapping them. Anyhow, I'm much happier now that they all seem to be fit and healthy and in sufficient quantity to see them through to spring...fingers crossed...

 

[Dave /Oscroft]

All Flying

All my six colonies were flying yesterday temps around +10deg, today only about 6deg, not a bee in sight ! all tucked up. Good to know there all ok at the mo.

Dave W

 

[hailtryfan]

A very windy and fairly chilly day but bees were flying and bringing out a few dead ones. Couldn't see any pollen coming in.

 

[user 6228]

time: 9am outside: +7 yesterday: cloudy
Alwaysfoam: floor 18 C top 25C

WasWood: top of brood bottomof super: 16c

 

[Nic Rhodes]

final stages of our association apriary bee shed today, followed by 12 stands made

 

[YorkshireBees]

3-4 degs C this morning with a chilly breeze.

Check 12 hives in 2 out apiaries. One needed attention as mice (I am guessing) had managed to get up under the roof and eaten a tunnel thru the kingspan to the fondant!
Changed the insulation for a new piece and re-centered the roof to leave an equal gap at each side.

All but one colony appears alive and the last I will not know until 1st inspection time. The weakest colony that I suspected would not make it through winter seems to be strong enough with some bees coming out to check what I was doing.