What did you do in the Apiary today?

[lindsay s]

Looks as if you winter has been relatively mild. Hoping that the trout on Harray, Boardhouse and Swannay have appreciated it too ready for my annual fishing trip and stay at the Barony Hotel in the first week in June. Always a fun trip and to meet up again with the super friendly Orcadians.

Same apiary in January and it was below freezing mid afternoon for over a week.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Just added a second super to a single brood colony which I’m going to demarre asap.
A mated nuc which was transferred to a nuc box in October 23 last year had 4 frames of solid capped brood today, extension added after splitting the brood between the two boxes emerging darker capped brood in the centre comb and stores flanking the brood - plan to transfer to a single/double brood next inspection

 

[madasafish]

Managed to split one hive this pm, then it hailed BIG style,, 8C now and thunder..
Forecast it might get better briefly later on. At least it prevents bees returning to their original hive

(I did manage to find and mark a supercedure Q in the half light.)

 

[Fellstoflats]

View attachment 39539
Mike Palmers brood factories in kit form on my hive barrow.
View attachment 39540
Set up ready for their colonies!

Hi Neil- do you happen to have plans for these, or a separate thread? I watched the lecture with interest (thanks for links both) and think I'll knock a few up.

They look like 4 frame nucs to me, but appearances can be deceiving!

Thanks
Jason

 

[Newbeeneil]

Hi Neil- do you happen to have plans for these, or a separate thread? I watched the lecture with interest (thanks for links both) and think I'll knock a few up.

They look like 4 frame nucs to me, but appearances can be deceiving!

Thanks
Jason

Mike uses 4 frame half size langstroths but mine are just half size 5 frame nationals which I make up from taking measurements from full size boxes but with an overall width of 230mm.

 

[Moobee]

I see today that they're now at capacity for lots- should be a good day!

We’re always at capacity! I’m just hoping they have grouped some of the small stuff together this time as it dragged on somewhat last year. As I took over the ‘showing’ half way through, it was a bit tedious to say the least!

 

[Moobee]

My queen from @Black Mountain Honey arrived promptly this morning so she’s gone into a three frame nuc (weather set to be cold overnight for several days so used one of the BS nucs that you can split in half and stuffed the empty side with sheep’s wool). One frame of stores, one frame of a mix of larvae & capped brood and one drawn frame, several good shakes of bees, a quick squirt of air freshener, entrance pointed in different direction from parent hive - it’s in the same apiary so foragers will return home leaving nurse bees plus emerging bees. Will check in a day or so that she’s been accepted and break the tab as there’s a good wodge of fondant in the cage.

 

[enrico]

My queen from @Black Mountain Honey arrived promptly this morning so she’s gone into a three frame nuc (weather set to be cold overnight for several days so used one of the BS nucs that you can split in half and stuffed the empty side with sheep’s wool). One frame of stores, one frame of a mix of larvae & capped brood and one drawn frame, several good shakes of bees, a quick squirt of air freshener, entrance pointed in different direction from parent hive - it’s in the same apiary so foragers will return home leaving nurse bees plus emerging bees. Will check in a day or so that she’s been accepted and break the tab as there’s a good wodge of fondant in the cage.

Just ordered one from them after my disastrous winter losses. Will be doing the same next week

 

[Black Mountain Honey]

My queen from @Black Mountain Honey arrived promptly this morning so she’s gone into a three frame nuc (weather set to be cold overnight for several days so used one of the BS nucs that you can split in half and stuffed the empty side with sheep’s wool). One frame of stores, one frame of a mix of larvae & capped brood and one drawn frame, several good shakes of bees, a quick squirt of air freshener, entrance pointed in different direction from parent hive - it’s in the same apiary so foragers will return home leaving nurse bees plus emerging bees. Will check in a day or so that she’s been accepted and break the tab as there’s a good wodge of fondant in the cage.

Looking forward to seeing her progress

Just ordered one from them after my disastrous winter losses. Will be doing the same next week

Thanks for the order, Enrico and sorry to hear about your losses

 

[Antipodes]

Checking hives for varroa and for stores.
It's just too dry. No brood now.
The dry is helping this hoppy blend in well though. The grasses behind are Lomandra longifolia, many parts of which are edible.

 

[Newbeeneil]

We’re always at capacity! I’m just hoping they have grouped some of the small stuff together this time as it dragged on somewhat last year. As I took over the ‘showing’ half way through, it was a bit tedious to say the least!

I think it may be just as slow as I think Roger is on his own as Angus is away this year.
I know @pargyle proposed an alternative to the secretary last year which wasn’t acted on.

 

[Vanterrier]

My queen from @Black Mountain Honey arrived promptly this morning so she’s gone into a three frame nuc (weather set to be cold overnight for several days so used one of the BS nucs that you can split in half and stuffed the empty side with sheep’s wool). One frame of stores, one frame of a mix of larvae & capped brood and one drawn frame, several good shakes of bees, a quick squirt of air freshener, entrance pointed in different direction from parent hive - it’s in the same apiary so foragers will return home leaving nurse bees plus emerging bees. Will check in a day or so that she’s been accepted and break the tab as there’s a good wodge of fondant in the cage.

Same here... mine arrives next Wednesday. First split for me so very excited....
K

 

[pargyle]

I think it may be just as slow as I think Roger is on his own as Angus is away this year.
I know @pargyle proposed an alternative to the secretary last year which wasn’t acted on.

Yes I did, it was after last year's auction and a suggestion for this year - I suggested that, for items with a value put on them by a seller of less than a fiver, they should have a 'buy it now' section where the seller puts a fixed price on the item and it got sold, without the time consuming auction, to the first person who wants it at that price. Everyone wins ..

It relieves precious time for auctioning those items of higher value (which may still sell for less than a fiver), it opens up the auction to more quality lots, rather than closing it at 200 items, when a third of items are from someone who wants to auction the rubbish they found in the back of the bee shed for a pound,. It means that the auction is not going to go on until light stops play and the inevitable drift off of buyers as the day draws on, when the auctioneers are still trying to flog three Porter bee escapes for a quid at 4.30pm !

I'm sure the 'committee' had a reason for not adopting the suggestion - things move slowly in beekeeping and changing the format of something that has been established for many years needs a bit of courage - but when I hear the general criticisims that it's taking too long to get through all the lots and see the auctioneers looking pretty exhausted by the end of the event there is a good case to re-look at the format.

Even Ebay (the biggest auction site in the world) have a 'buy it now' option. It's not rocket science to organise.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

too cold here....made some frames...and not many of those either!

 

[pargyle]

too cold here....made some frames...and not many of those either!

Yes - despite the sun this morning there is a really chill breeze blowing ... bees are flying but they don't look that enthusiastic ...

 

[Moobee]

Freezing here too unless the sun briefly peeps out. Painting nucs indoors. OH is away!

 

[Moobee]

Yes I did, it was after last year's auction and a suggestion for this year - I suggested that, for items with a value put on them by a seller of less than a fiver, they should have a 'buy it now' section where the seller puts a fixed price on the item and it got sold, without the time consuming auction, to the first person who wants it at that price. Everyone wins ..

It relieves precious time for auctioning those items of higher value (which may still sell for less than a fiver), it opens up the auction to more quality lots, rather than closing it at 200 items, when a third of items are from someone who wants to auction the rubbish they found in the back of the bee shed for a pound,. It means that the auction is not going to go on until light stops play and the inevitable drift off of buyers as the day draws on, when the auctioneers are still trying to flog three Porter bee escapes for a quid at 4.30pm !

I'm sure the 'committee' had a reason for not adopting the suggestion - things move slowly in beekeeping and changing the format of something that has been established for many years needs a bit of courage - but when I hear the general criticisims that it's taking too long to get through all the lots and see the auctioneers looking pretty exhausted by the end of the event there is a good case to re-look at the format.

Even Ebay (the biggest auction site in the world) have a 'buy it now' option. It's not rocket science to organise.

I'm not on the WSBKA committee, just the Chichester one but I'll try to get it added as an agenda item if this year is equally long and tedious.....

 

[Fellstoflats]

I'm not on the WSBKA committee, just the Chichester one but I'll try to get it added as an agenda item if this year is equally long and tedious.....

As this will be the first time I actually manage to attend, (despite several years of good intentions) I'm looking forward to the length and tediousness!

 

[madasafish]

Managed to split one hive this pm, then it hailed BIG style,, 8C now and thunder..
Forecast it might get better briefly later on. At least it prevents bees returning to their original hive

(I did manage to find and mark a supercedure Q in the half light.)

 

[madasafish]

About an hour later, I manged to split the second nuc.. These are 2 x6 frame Maisemore/BS Honey nucs so quite large..
It was 6C then and hail lying on the ground. It was quick and easy.. Yes I know it breaks all the rules. both alive this am..