What did you do in the Apiary today?

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Sat and got depressed: my main flow is done, based on last year. Blackberry is done and the lime is a no-show, as discussed elsewhere. Less traffic than on a moderately busy spring day. Maybe the bit of rain we are promised will help.
 
Re queened three hive's with Exmoor Buckfasts, then went through the others hives to find one queen less with queen cells (does not look like its swarmed) another with a queen, but with loads of queen cells and no eggs or larvae!
 
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oppresive and thundery all day here with some heavy albeit brief showers, restricted my lunch break to delivering honey to one of my retailers and taking orders from another; but had to grit my teeth this evening as I needed to hive a nuc. They were fine actually - a bit agitated on the comb but it only took a few minutes - got more hassle from the hive next door (they are a bit feisty this year) they took umbrage at my presence and came bowling out after me. Glad it's done as they were getting short of space. as the smoker was going I thought i might as well check on another nuc that was awaiting the queen mating, Pleasant surprise - looks like she's been laying for about ten days - four frames BIAS and nice and placid regardless of the thunder rumbling above, now in a six frame nuc and I think she will be going to a new home - I can't keep them all!!
 
Did my routine weekly inspection to check for Q cells. Both colonies packed with bees/brood but sod all honey.
 
Steve H said:
.... and capped cells not to sure if they are brood or drone though Only been at this for a month. any guidance gratefully received.
Click to expand...

What book have you got, and what training did you do? (You've probably already said, but it's too warm to remember!)

Check these pictures
 
I was supposed to check through a colony on Tuesday....but the weather was iffy....so today took a look. Last week we found a Queen cell on a frame...but thought it may have been formed as the queen had laid the eggs behind a frame containing honey and pollen. So it was a bit separated from the main brood nest. Took it down. Nothing today..except they weren't best pleased to see us.....it had been raining all afternoon and they had been stuck at home...perhaps should have waited an hour. Anyway...all was OK...they settled after a little smoke. One super was very heavy with honey but not capped. Second super....some honey....so no need for a third one yet. Lots of brood...wall to wall in double brood. I will need to keep an eye on these girls...when the present brood emerges there will be a lot of bees. So may need another super for space and storage next week.
The best bit was looking in the Long Hive.....4 (14x12) frames of BIAS ...so adjusted a few frames to give her 2 more to lay in. It is a pleasure to work this hive....virtually no lifting. You can just uncover a bit of the hive at a time....far less traumatic for the bees than having their brood nest torn apart.
Also in Nuc 1....5 frames of 14x12 all laid up. These are Tremyfro Queens.
I had a look through Nuc 2, in which the queen has not started to lay yet...still no eggs...which is disappointing. I didn't see her today but the bees were very quiet...so she was there somewhere. This Nuc is heading towards a combine.
 
Made one of these and placed my new queen 36 ( now called 36B :icon_204-2:) inside it. Removed her attendants first then placed her cage and frame in a nuc. She is destined to run my towerblock hive.
Thanks B+ for breeding her and all your help in answering my many questions.
 

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Obee1 said:
Made one of these and placed my new queen 36 ( now called 36B :icon_204-2:) inside it. Removed her attendants first then placed her cage and frame in a nuc. She is destined to run my towerblock hive.
Thanks B+ for breeding her and all your help in answering my many questions.
Click to expand...

Did you make this yourself? Have you been raiding skips again?.... Totally in awe.......loads of Good Luck with 36B.
 
Tremyfro said:
Did you make this yourself? Have you been raiding skips again?.... Totally in awe.......loads of Good Luck with 36B.
Click to expand...
Raiding skips. Not me. That mesh cost lots from B & Q and cut my fingers to ribbons bending and shaping it. The tape is for 36B to shelter behind not to hold the cage together. I'm paranoid the bees will tunnel in despite me pushing it down to the midrib and holding it tight with lazzy bands. I'm really worried about her. Will feel I let B+ diwn if she doesn't make it!
 
A bait hive on a compost bin in the field next to the apiary is being mightily investigated all day. I took another bait hive down from a tree near the hives to move it to the garden. Went to get the wheelbarrow and there were bees in that too. Which will they choose and will they come tomorrow?


Obee1 said:
Made one of these
Click to expand...
Wow...lots of space!
I'm hopeless. I bought a couple of plastic ones from Mann Lake and they must be a third of the size. Not tried one yet.
 
Obee1 said:
Raiding skips. Not me. That mesh cost lots from B & Q and cut my fingers to ribbons bending and shaping it. The tape is for 36B to shelter behind not to hold the cage together. I'm paranoid the bees will tunnel in despite me pushing it down to the midrib and holding it tight with lazzy bands. I'm really worried about her. Will feel I let B+ diwn if she doesn't make it!
Click to expand...

Stress city.....!
 
Erichalfbee said:
A bait hive on a compost bin in the field next to the apiary is being mightily investigated all day. I took another bait hive down from a tree near the hives to move it to the garden. Went to get the wheelbarrow and there were bees in that too. Which will they choose and will they come tomorrow?



Wow...lots of space!
I'm hopeless. I bought a couple of plastic ones from Mann Lake and they must be a third of the size. Not tried one yet.
Click to expand...

I'm paying the price. Fingers cut to ribbons and I don't even want to admit how much I paid for the mesh. But got tons left. Planning on making a snelgrove board next :)
 
BeeJayBee said:
What book have you got, and what training did you do? (You've probably already said, but it's too warm to remember!)

Check these pictures
Click to expand...
BeeJayBee I have a couple of books, guide to bees & honey, Ted Hooper & the dummies guide, but i have to admit i was a little Excited/nervous as it was my first real inspection!
Training as they say is on the job lol.
Your memory is fine its not melting. I have only described how i got my bees a long long story, and to cut it short was planning on doing things properly .
Ie club/ Ass but after a FB post I had a couple of people beg me to look at their swarms went home made the first of a couple of swarm lure for the guy up the road hung it on the fence started to make the second and within 5 mins had a swarm come strait to the first swarm box. Never did get back to the guy up the road to busy learning and reading this forum.
 
BeeJayBee,
Thanks for the link for the photos, i have compared them to my photos and I'm pretty sure now they a re gonna be daddy's little girls.
 
After seeing all of the posts about wax melting I did a bit of dumpster diving as the Americans call it and knocked one up this eve.
Now a question whats best, Black to absorb the heat ( as All of the solar stuff on u tube seems to be painted black), Or shiney silver tin foil. has anyone done both and if you have which seemed to work better?
 
Steve H said:
After seeing all of the posts about wax melting I did a bit of dumpster diving as the Americans call it and knocked one up this eve.
Now a question whats best, Black to absorb the heat ( as All of the solar stuff on u tube seems to be painted black), Or shiney silver tin foil. has anyone done both and if you have which seemed to work better?
Click to expand...

We are topic drifting but, based on my experiments, you want the heat source as low as possible (obviously). That means dark base, conductive to get the heat to the wax (I use an old roasting pan) and shiny sides. Two layers of glass or similar. There's a current thread with some great pics.
 
TryingToLetThemBee said:
We are topic drifting but, based on my experiments, you want the heat source as low as possible (obviously). That means dark base, conductive to get the heat to the wax (I use an old roasting pan) and shiny sides. Two layers of glass or similar. There's a current thread with some great pics.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. that's more or less what i have done, dumpster-dived an old double glazing window ripped it out and built a box and frame. also have a couple of old "cake" type trays that i built it around. hopefully ill get a photo in the morning.
 
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