What did you do in the Apiary today?

[user 6228]

Noticed wasps going into the hive this morning, so thought I best close up the entrance (Dartington/JMB style) a bit. To do that I had to remove some what i thought were dead bees from the landing vestibule. They werent all bees but mostly dead wasps. A closed it up a bit and later saw another wasp go in was go in so I closed it up further.

Lunchtime the hive had vigourous (for the weather) orientation flights. What was going on?

This afternoon I was there to witness a large queen wasp being ejected by two honeybee bouncers.

It seems that it is the local wasps that are getting a hardtime.

 

[philipm]

All my hives flying today,Noticed that there are a lot of queen wasps about.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Noticed that there are a lot of queen wasps about.

Here too, chucked one out of the porch. The last time I found one in the porch she was in the sleeve of my running jacket. Well at least the adrenalin kept me going...bloomin hurt for days!!
There were at least six flying up and down in front of the pyracantha on the house wall where there are sparrow nest boxes and little hidden holes in the stone work and soffits

 

[madasafish]

5C and raining. No bees. Tried to collect leaves . One bagful and then it rained.
Gave up..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The last time I found one in the porch she was in the sleeve of my running jacket. Well at least the adrenalin kept me going...bloomin hurt for days!!

That'll teach you to do such a foolish thing - running indeed!
If you want to get somewhere fast and you don't fancy driving, phone a taxi........or an ambulance

 

[Finman]

.
-7C degree and 12 cm snow. No wood pecker holes.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That'll teach you to do such a foolish thing - running indeed!
If you want to get somewhere fast and you don't fancy driving, phone a taxi........or an ambulance

That's probably true
Where I live an ambulance would have to be one with a rotor

 

[alldigging]

Pah - why go to all that bother - just get a few apiary sites in quarries - biggest issue with my next one is removing the scalpings to make way for the hives

You need to find a bee keeper who wants some and persuade them to collect!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Nah, my cousin sells it - just have to ask him to shift it to one side

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Washed all the feeders yesterday (apart from the association apiary ones) put them all away today. Not much bee movement at the apiary, I think they've finally decided to batten down for the winter.

 

[Teemore]

Washed all the feeders yesterday (apart from the association apiary ones) put them all away today. Not much bee movement at the apiary, I think they've finally decided to batten down for the winter.

That reminds me of my next out of season job... haven't had a free weekend for about 6 weeks so am hoping to gather up and wash my feeders on the 18th and 19th.

 

[user 6228]

watched bees briging in pollen and the wasps getting a kicking

 

[Plenty of honey]

Made up a couple more racks for nucs that are coming back from their Ivy foraging valley. Put in place on concrete blocks and gave them a quick lick of wood preservative.
Bees all flying very briefly, for about 2 hrs. Sudden eruption when the sun broke through. Still some pollen coming in from Mustard green manure! an added bonus.
Will move nucs tomorrow or sunday. Loads to do!!

 

[pargyle]

Mine were flying for a few hours in the middle of the day - did not look like much coming in - no sign of pollen so probably just testing the air. Checked the stack of spare hives and supers for wax moth - all clean and green at present but I have some Certan and I'm going to give all the frames a blat just in case ... A few wasps about still but seem to more intent on finding a home for winter than bothering the bees. One made the mistake of landing on the landing board - poor little beggar, I think it was an accident not a attempt to get in the hive - three little she devils were out of the hive and pouncing on it before it could flap and fly ... they rolled it off the edge of the landing and the last time I saw it it was crawling off into the longer grass ..

Going to put the strimmer round at the weekend now they are not flying so much...

 

[Tim.S]

Put fondant on the nucs in the rain today - so many things going on in life that I have to do my beekeeping when I can!
As the leaves have fallen off the brambles I discovered another 2 hives in the jungle that yielded 2 hives earlier this year. One was dead, the other turned out to be an old wooden nuc.
A quick heft revealed that they have some stores at least, but the nuc had a super welded on (hammer and chisel job!) so will hope for the best. As I was clearing the brambles around it the girls came out and they were a feisty lot! Hopefully it is just down to the weather today, if not HM will get squished later on.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Went down to the association apiary to take the feeders off - like a summer's day down there (bee wise not weather ) all bees out and flying, when I was last down there I thought I'd have quite a bit of syrup to pour back into the cans, but they've done a smart job of hoovering most of it down.
Back home and washed off the feeders - stowing them tomorrow.
Put all my empty invert jerrycans on Freecycle. Twenty already booked and being collected Monday.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Put all my empty invert jerrycans on Freecycle. Twenty already booked and being collected Monday.

Didn't get a single taker for mine, do you know what use they are they going to be put to?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Didn't get a single taker for mine, do you know what use they are they going to be put to?

Lot of people with horses around here, usually tacking out a small field with no water supply so they're just the right size for lugging water each day to the scrubs they keep

 

[Goran]

Winter, snow falling right now - but won't be much of it..

 

[Plenty of honey]

Winter, snow falling right now - but won't be much of it..

I see you've got a fair few bottle traps up there Goran, is that for Asian Hornet or similar? If so, what attractant have you been using?