Home Page
   Articles
       links
About Us    
Traders        
Recipes            
Latest Articles
how are your bees doing?
Page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> The Apiary
Author 
 Message
Mrs Fiddlesticks



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 07 3:17 pm    Post subject: how are your bees doing? Reply with quote
    

Had a full inspection today - and think we've got the hang of the smoker. Still plenty of sealed brood, but not much unsealed (think that will be because of the poor weather?) didn't spot the queen but there was sealed brood this visit and during Tim's last visit which was a fortnight ago so think that therefore is ok. One super is half full of honey Lots of beely activity around the landing board, plenty of bees coming out and going in with full shopping bags. Good pollen stores - nice dark brick red.

Are we right in thinking the queen might well be starting to slow down (especially in view of the weather) the books say mid July.

How are yours doing?

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 07 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Haven't been into the hive for a few weeks now, we split our colony into two earlier in the year and at last look they were only just settling in. Plenty of activity outside though, so if we get a sunny patch in a week or two we'll have another check and see if we might steal a comb for ourselves this year

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 07 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Lots going on with ours looking at the hives from a distance - it's like the M5/M6 interchange up there!

We are planning to go in this week some time and see if we have successfully requeened the two hives that didn't have any eggs or worker brood in them. If not, we'll be doing the 'newspaper thing' and uniting the colonies with other ones. Fingers crossed the rain holds off again until we can make the time. Clearly I've jinxed everyone by saying that. Sorry .

StuP



Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire
PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 07 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Ours have been very poorly with a fairly hefty varroa infestation. But we've been medicating and nursing them and they're looking much stronger - don't expect any honey this year though...

woodsprite



Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 2943
Location: North Herefordshire
PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 07 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'll report back later, going in this afternoon.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 07 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've made a big decision (me? decisiion?!) and I'm going to get someone from the local bee group to come and have a look at my ives. The bees are so stroppy I daren't go near them! They even drive us away from the veg garden...

StuP



Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire
PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 07 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

mochyn wrote:
I've made a big decision (me? decisiion?!) and I'm going to get someone from the local bee group to come and have a look at my ives. The bees are so stroppy I daren't go near them! They even drive us away from the veg garden...


It's definitely worth getting someone out for good advice. Perhaps there's something you're doing that's annoying them or setting them off. They don't like dark colours, they don't like the smell of sweat (common in gardening!) and the smell of bananas is the same as their alarm pheromone so it really gets them going!

If you haven't joined your local beekeepers association I'd recommend it. We got very good advice, discounts on equipment, and a subscription to the Scottish Beekeeper all for very little cash.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 07 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I agree with the sweat thing, Stu: I'm not a very sweaty person but they had a real go at the old chap yesterday when he was digging spuds!

There must be a smell that calms them down...

FiddlesticksTim



Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Posts: 104
Location: West Oxfordshire
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 07 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

And I can vouch for the fact that they don't like dark colours too!

Just thinking about other things that make them stroppy, ie thunderstorms etc - you haven't got an electric fence near them? Suddenly wondered whether they might take umbrage about that.

Possibly complete rubbish - but maybe worth mentioning?

Tim

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 07 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We do have fences, but they're all quite a distance from the bees. Interesting thought, though.

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 07 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hmm. So this evening I need to a) have shower, b) wear all white and c) not drink any Earl Grey tea.
Any other precautions I should take? Carry a small, portable fence with me?

StuP



Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire
PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 07 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


You should also take your watch off - watch straps, especially fabric ones, can absorb perspiration and even if you are clean and fresh the bees still detect the odour.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 07 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

StuP wrote:

You should also take your watch off - watch straps, especially fabric ones, can absorb perspiration and even if you are clean and fresh the bees still detect the odour.


I'm obviously meant to be a beekeeper: haven't had a watch for donkey's years!

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 07 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Been through ours this afternoon - we've lost one of the ones we were trying to requeen - clearly not enough of them to make up in to a full colony, even with the new brood/eggs we put in. Just about five tablespoons of bees in a little pile at the bottom of hive .

All their stores had been robbed out, presumably by the neighbouring hives.

The second one that we put frames of eggs in, though, have made up a queen cell - I've worked out that she should be due to hatch in a couple of days. And they all seem quite happy - but I think they need feeding.

Of the other two, we've got one really strong hive with quite a bit of capped stores and one that has a lot of open stores and also seems quite strong. So we may get a few jars of honey off in a week or two.

Sad about the one that we've lost - but given the amount of time and effort we've put in to them this year, not bad at all, comparatively speaking.

Nick



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford
PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 07 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I appear to have a small colony of bees settling in my garage, eating into the wooden wall and leaving sawdust everywhere. I don't want them there. Suggestions? I know I can just blitz them chemically, but, I'd rather encourage them to leave.

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> The Apiary All times are GMT
Page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2
View Latest Posts View Latest Posts

 

Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group
Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
Copyright © 2004 marsjupiter.com