todays news

[Greengage]

Based on flowering times in a range of hedge and meadow species, we are about 2 weeks ahead of last year. Masses of willow, dandelion and Prunus-type (laurel?/plum?) pollen loads coming in. Hives bunged with bees, sealed brood and ivy stores (bees sucking water from damp leaves to dilute?). Early swarming year?
That's interesting the same here in Ireland lots in flower even lots of OSR about but all too far from me, I suspect while lots of plants are in flower the temp is low so maybe they are not all yielding nectar, it would be interesting to know what specific temps are required for different plants to yield nectar. I have read reports from other Beekeepers that have their bees on OSR that some are expanding and others are not as nectar is not yielding from the plants due to cold weather.

[lindsay s]

One hive was riddled with drone brood and there was no sign of the marked queen. I will sort it out and unite with an over wintered nuc as soon as the weather improves.
Cold here today 8-9c with no wind but I managed to get the job done with the help of Sue. We found the drone laying queen, dispatched her and then united the colony with the nuc. Then it was off to Sue’s apiary. In her 2nd colony we found a drone laying queen the result of a late supersedure and she too was dispatched and the bees united (déjà vu).The rest of her colonies were ok with the exception of one, it had 7 frames of brood and was given a super. This was the earliest I can ever recall a colony I’ve seen getting its first super up here. Despite the chilly weather the bees at my apiary were bringing in plenty of pollen.
A sight you don’t want to see in the spring.

[Adam]

Typical brood pattern of a DLQ rather than laying workers.

I had one marked DLQ this spring - well she was laying perhaps 80% drone brood - united the colony to another after removing her. Another colony had a virgin queen and no brood - they had decided to supercede the 3 year old after my last inspection last year - although the old girl had already been superceded in 2016 and I had whipped her out of her hive to safety and leaving her virgin daughter behind to mate. I still hate killing queens - even if they are duff ones!

[Feckless Drone]

This was the earliest I can ever recall a colony I’ve seen getting its first super up here.

Had to do swarm control on two colonies yesterday - this is between 1 - 2 weeks ahead of last year in this apiary, these are not particularly swarmy - the brood box and supers are really full of bees, and lots of sealed brood to emerge. I might have been better to go to double brood. Lots of drones flying and good level of stores in the supers which is just as well since they may need all of it to get through this week with snow and frost possible. I can only think that they have found a good source of sycamore and maple over the last week - pollen hints at that, but seems too early. Hawthorn not yet flowering in west Dundee and the cold snap might slow things up a bit. OSR fields seem variable in terms of how much is flowering, some fields really early. Don't know if this is due to more variety in types being planted.

I noted Ian Craig proposes leaving ALL worker bees access to the whole hive when he first does his split, lets them arrange through the excluder with flyers down to the Q and nurses up with the brood, and after 20 hrs then introduces a board. Does anyone else do that? It might give a better balance with the existing Q. For what its worth - i just do the splits and put Q below, cells above a Snelgrove board.

[Mellifera Crofter]

...
I noted Ian Craig proposes leaving ALL worker bees access to the whole hive when he first does his split, lets them arrange through the excluder with flyers down to the Q and nurses up with the brood, and after 20 hrs then introduces a board. Does anyone else do that? ...

Yes, sometimes - but my timing for keeping the colony like that isn't exact. Sometimes just an hour or so, on other occasions a day or more.

No beekeeping today. It's been snow and sunshine on my hill today - and quite fast and busy snowing too.
Kitta

[wee willy]

Had to do swarm control on two colonies yesterday - this is between 1 - 2 weeks ahead of last year in this apiary, these are not particularly swarmy - the brood box and supers are really full of bees, and lots of sealed brood to emerge. I might have been better to go to double brood. Lots of drones flying and good level of stores in the supers which is just as well since they may need all of it to get through this week with snow and frost possible. I can only think that they have found a good source of sycamore and maple over the last week - pollen hints at that, but seems too early. Hawthorn not yet flowering in west Dundee and the cold snap might slow things up a bit. OSR fields seem variable in terms of how much is flowering, some fields really early. Don't know if this is due to more variety in types being planted.

I noted Ian Craig proposes leaving ALL worker bees access to the whole hive when he first does his split, lets them arrange through the excluder with flyers down to the Q and nurses up with the brood, and after 20 hrs then introduces a board. Does anyone else do that? It might give a better balance with the existing Q. For what its worth - i just do the splits and put Q below, cells above a Snelgrove board.

All workers have access to the whole hive anyway or am I missing something here?


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[Feckless Drone]

All workers have access to the whole hive anyway or am I missing something here?


Maybe not explained well - The way I normally do it is to introduce a split board (Snelgrove) with entrance in a different direction. So, bees on top stay with brood or fly back downstairs but they cannot go through the board. In Ian's Craig's notes he rearranges the combs so just has a Q excluder separating top and bottom, that is old Q from brood (Q cells). Any bees on the frames below that want to go up to main brood nest do so, and the idea is that flyers keep foraging but stick down below with the Q. After 20 hours or so when the bees are where they choose he then puts in the split board to stop any bees swapping between top and bottom.

[fatshark]

I noted Ian Craig proposes leaving ALL worker bees access to the whole hive when he first does his split, lets them arrange through the excluder with flyers down to the Q and nurses up with the brood, and after 20 hrs then introduces a board. Does anyone else do that? It might give a better balance with the existing Q. For what its worth - i just do the splits and put Q below, cells above a Snelgrove board.

I do it as you describe but use a simpler single entrance solid/screened board to avoid confusing myself. I generally leave the foragers to exit the rear and enter the front. A week later I turn the lot through 180 degrees (horizontal plane!) to bleed off flyers from the QC's.

Going by the speed of colony development this side of the Tay I'll be doing this in late July ... 8-(

[Feckless Drone]

to avoid confusing myself.
I live in a state of confusion.
I'm surprised about your rate of buildup. My site where things are too good, is very well sheltered, south facing and in Dundee the spring pollen is plentiful, BUT maybe less nectar (in part due to competition) judging from my own experience and speaking with an old hand who keeps strong colonies near mine. On another site up high in the hills things are slower but even so this year they are well ahead of schedule compared to last year. In part maybe due to use of poly-hives, strong colonies with a heather boost going into winter, and more feed for and over winter with the 12.5 kg block of fondant approach that you have encouraged. In the past I have not been so good at making sure that I only take strong colonies into winter but seeing what the commercial guys do has guided me.

I say too good above because I would prefer to be doing splits about a month from now when a good spring crop is in and when you can be sure about the number of drones and of chances for good mating weather.

Is your Fife environment just a bit exposed, nearer the coast with the cool winds we've been having?

[fatshark]

Is your Fife environment just a bit exposed, nearer the coast with the cool winds we've been having?

I suspect I'm just a rubbish beekeeper.

In fairness, I've not enough experience up here (this is only my second Spring). Last year Spring was very late. This year it just feels cold and I've only looked at half my colonies - I'm hoping to get to the others next Thursday. The little time I've had available it's been too cold. I've also been travelling South a lot where it's a whole lot warmer. This makes me feel as though things should be further advanced than they actually are.

Most of my colonies went into the winter pretty strong. One I lost to viruses. Two more queens have failed/disappeared. One looks weak, but the rest are piling in the pollen and are probably OK, though less advanced than I'd hoped based upon my experience in the balmy South.

My bees are all in reasonably sheltered spots. All but those in the shed are in poly.

[Mellifera Crofter]

...This year it just feels cold and I've only looked at half my colonies ...

It's the same on my hill, FS. I've established al my colonies are alive, but I've not yet been able to give them all a full inspection. I think I'll be able to do that this weekend, in time to complete the over-wintering survey.
Kitta

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[The Drone Ranger]

Had to do swarm control on two colonies yesterday - this is between 1 - 2 weeks ahead of last year in this apiary, these are not particularly swarmy - the brood box and supers are really full of bees, and lots of sealed brood to emerge. I might have been better to go to double brood. Lots of drones flying and good level of stores in the supers which is just as well since they may need all of it to get through this week with snow and frost possible. I can only think that they have found a good source of sycamore and maple over the last week - pollen hints at that, but seems too early. Hawthorn not yet flowering in west Dundee and the cold snap might slow things up a bit. OSR fields seem variable in terms of how much is flowering, some fields really early. Don't know if this is due to more variety in types being planted.

I noted Ian Craig proposes leaving ALL worker bees access to the whole hive when he first does his split, lets them arrange through the excluder with flyers down to the Q and nurses up with the brood, and after 20 hrs then introduces a board. Does anyone else do that? It might give a better balance with the existing Q. For what its worth - i just do the splits and put Q below, cells above a Snelgrove board.

Strictly speaking that's the method in Snelgrove's book
I have done both ways
If it is cool and they are flying less than expected it might be better to sort them through the QX for a day
On the other hand its an opportunity for migrating varroa so if you are using a finer mesh on board I would say just put it on
I'm not sure if Ian uses a solid board or one with a mesh
If its solid then that might be a factor
Lots of pollen coming from rape not much nectar though FD could be the variety as you say

[Feckless Drone]

" migrating varroa "
yeah, didn't think about that and not sure if Ian Craig has solid boards or not. I primarily use the Snelgrove board to bleed flyers back down, and tend to only put it on after I see the Q cells charged. Then it does become a lottery trying to keep the old Q from doing a runner. I''ve not had a good spell of weather to check colonies up in the hills for over 2 weeks now and getting nervous. There will be swarms in Dundee west towards the end of the week. If I've missed a cell their mine OK?

[RDMW]

What a good site for an out apiary.
Great weather again after a cold snap
All colonies doing well
Starting the breeding program this week
[emoji4]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170507/137d0c17e144d1b72347f2a2febdc6ea.jpg


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[greengumbo]

Demaree demaree demaree all day !

Thats whats happening. I'm a bit bee'd out.

One question I have for you regarding splits after demaree. The OSR is still going strong here and supers are getting filled up nicely ergo my preference for demaree to keep the hive at full strength. However I do want to split these colonies in half at some point. How and when would you recommend I do it ? Just after OSR seems harsh as the sudden dearth might retard the growth of both halves of the split.

Just interested in what others do. I think I'll harvest QCs from the demaree top boxes and get the queens mated then split but open to suggestions.

[Feckless Drone]

How and when would you recommend I do it ?

In my case the Q cells appeared pretty early on so I have had to do splits (last ones done yesterday), but I use a Snelgrove board to supply the foragers box. You may not be able to chose when to split, the bees will decide that. A benefit of splitting early, I think is that forage is good and less issues with stressing out a small mating nucleus.

[Mellifera Crofter]

Hooray. The sycamore is in bloom. It's cold and overcast outside, but the hum underneath the tree made me look up - and the bees are busy.
Kitta

[mbc]

Hooray. The sycamore is in bloom. It's cold and overcast outside, but the hum underneath the tree made me look up - and the bees are busy.
Kitta

I love a good sycamore year, it doesn't always happen but in some years sycamore can flow right into the brambles first blossom and these years are invariably red letter years.

[Feckless Drone]

Not really today's news but a request. C4U posted his approach to getting comb drawn in the autumn. I've really got to get more drawn comb to replace some old and to help with a increase in numbers so can anyone guide me to that post. I've searched but cannot find it and if I can I'm thinking about taking colonies out of honey production come the June gap to work on comb a la Bailey approach or waiting until later on. I've really missed a trick with the OSR this year and I should have gone to double brood with the top box as super.

[Jimbo]

I am in the same situation
I took out one colony from honey production, placed a brood box of foundation on top and fed with sugar to get the foundation drawn
I just then keep harvesting the drawn foundation
I also will use this colony for providing bees for my mini nucs


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[Adam]

I have too much old comb. Once the honey has been taken off I want to seriously get the bees to move up to new comb in a number of hives. I often winter on double brood so if I can get them one box of good comb, the oldest can go downstairs on the outsides of the hive and by spring it should be empty of anything worthwhile.

[The Drone Ranger]

Look at using a Snelgrove board next year you get new comb in the bottom a new queen in the top and no interruption in honey gathering
Won't say any more :)

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[fatshark]

"Too good to be true" ... and I'm thinking my colonies with Snelgrove boards in might be upside down :(

[Mellifera Crofter]

Not really today's news but a request. C4U posted his approach to getting comb drawn in the autumn. ... I've searched but cannot find it ...

Here is one post from C4U (http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?2024-Overwintering-a-queen&p=31134&viewfull=1#post31134), FD, and another (http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?453-todays-news&p=32610&viewfull=1#post32610). I think he wrote in more detail about it, and that I've kept in Evernote, but I can't find it!

Kitta

[Feckless Drone]

Kitta - thats great thanks. I am warming to the idea of changing the comb over much more than just a couple of frames each year. I can see however, that you need to feed or exploit the OSR perhaps.

[RDMW]

I did a bailey comb change last year on a hive I got from another beekeeper. Worked a treat


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[The Drone Ranger]

"Too good to be true" ... and I'm thinking my colonies with Snelgrove boards in might be upside down :(
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=388185#post388185

You need a flow otherwise it will fail (won't draw wax /no honey)
You have to get the board in before any queen cells are started

I wouldn't attempt upside down
Training the old field bees to a new entrance disruptive
Best of luck with it fatshark :)




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[RDMW]

Angry bees today. Inspecting a friends hive and ended up with a pile of bees trying to sting my ankles and climbing down into my boots! Followed me right down the field. Lesson learned - tuck trousers into socks. Time for a new queen asp. Never encountered such unpleasant bees. Luckily we have 11 nice QC on the cupkit and hoping for a successful hatch next weekend from a lovely amm colony.



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[greengumbo]

Really great beekeeping day today. Took my wee boy of 6 out to one of the more placid apiaries to check on 5 new hives. Spent a good hour going through them and answering his questions. Second supers on two of them and demareed another.

3 weeks till end of OSR I reckon and a good week forecast. Swung past another apiary on the way home and they were piling in. Great sight to see :)

[Poly Hive]

OSR here looking very bare now and with the deluge we have just had no doubt even barer. 1.4mm in ten minutes, it was literally bouncing.

2nd sups on some and 2nd BB and first sup on a ex nuc which is building up very nicely now using an Amm Q from Greece of all places. And before anyone kicks off you tell me first where to source them in Scotland?

On that note what is happening with the new society? Gone utterly silent it seems. I do hope it's not a fur coat and no knickers jobby?

PH

[The Drone Ranger]

OSR here looking very bare now and with the deluge we have just had no doubt even barer. 1.4mm in ten minutes, it was literally bouncing.

2nd sups on some and 2nd BB and first sup on a ex nuc which is building up very nicely now using an Amm Q from Greece of all places. And before anyone kicks off you tell me first where to source them in Scotland?

On that note what is happening with the new society? Gone utterly silent it seems. I do hope it's not a fur coat and no knickers jobby?

PH
It's a secret society :)



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[Jimbo]

All busy producing Amm queens at the moment perhaps?


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[mbc]

now using an Amm Q from Greece of all places. And before anyone kicks off you tell me first where to source them in Scotland?

PH

You want the moon on a stick handed on a plate for you! The onus is on you to ask not for anyone to tell you.
Try asking politely in the right places and don't expect to pay by PayPal on a slick website from Greece and you might get somewhere.

[greengumbo]

OSR here looking very bare now and with the deluge we have just had no doubt even barer. 1.4mm in ten minutes, it was literally bouncing.

2nd sups on some and 2nd BB and first sup on a ex nuc which is building up very nicely now using an Amm Q from Greece of all places. And before anyone kicks off you tell me first where to source them in Scotland?

On that note what is happening with the new society? Gone utterly silent it seems. I do hope it's not a fur coat and no knickers jobby?

PH

Its been busy behind the scenes PH ! Most of the new committee are pretty committed beekeepers so the planned newsletter etc taking a bit longer than hoped. Watch this space very soon though :)

Sourcing native queens is a priority but one which might take a while.

[Jimbo]

You are right GG a lot been happening behind the scenes. In Speyside we are busy assessing the best breeder queens. Working out a plan of action and about to start our first round of graphs tomorrow. I also had news that some beekeeper in Helensburgh have already produced 10 local nucs last week from some good Amm and near Amm stocks


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[prakel]

now using an Amm Q from Greece of all places. And before anyone kicks off you tell me first where to source them in Scotland?

Good French genetics crossed with cecropia?

[drumgerry]

About getting a Scottish queen - Have you asked Andrew to go on his list for queens? There are ways to get a Scottish queen PH but you have to ask around. This afternoon I grafted 20 larvae from one of Jimbo's Rosneath AMMs (now resident in Speyside) and they're now in my cell raiser. This is my way to go about it. Plus I'm on Andrew's list for a Colonsay queen. Just because they're not a click or two away on the internet doesn't mean they can't be got. Is there no-one in the Borders you can work with to improve things?

[fatshark]

3 weeks till end of OSR I reckon and a good week forecast. Swung past another apiary on the way home and they were piling in. Great sight to see :)

I nearly ruptured myself turning hives round this evening that I'm doing splits on ... this time last week supers were echoing cathedrals of emptiness, now they're filling fast :o

[RDMW]

I have 11 queen cells in a cup kit from a queen that was from a AMM breeding program in Gairloch. Obviously they will be mongrelised (is that a word?) but am hoping for some fine queens. I plan to send a sample of bees from the hive for analysis.
Quite please with my first attempt at queen raising. Hair rollers on tomorrow!


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[The Drone Ranger]

You want the moon on a stick handed on a plate for you! The onus is on you to ask not for anyone to tell you.
Try asking politely in the right places and don't expect to pay by PayPal on a slick website from Greece and you might get somewhere.
Steady mbc
Got out on the wrong side of the bed lol!

I think there has been hints of big things to come
I have lots of mininucs at the moment
Not an AMM queen in sight though all my own trusty local mongrels
Happy days :)


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[greengumbo]

Okay. I'm recovering from the heat and have just sunk an irn bru so bear with me and my inane ramblings.

I attempted to catch a truly massive swarm in a 6 frame national nuc box. Unfortunately I kind of bodged it in and it was clearly too big for the box. So I have got half of it in another nuc box I had spare.

One of the nucs has a queen and the bees are fanning like mad at the entrance. The other I have closed. Can I stick a mated queen in the queenless half and bingo 2 swarmed nucs ? Or is it best to combine and chuck into a full sized hive when I can (might be a few days).

Okay the bru is kicking in. Onwards.

[Feckless Drone]

Can I stick a mated queen in the queenless half and bingo 2 swarmed nucs ?

Yeah - I had similar experience last year, luckily I was able to swap over from nuc to full size brood box in two goes at the swarm. You could introduce a mated Q - in cage of course, and after leaving them for a few days they should be receptive. My worry would be the Q-less part absconding when they sense the problem. I don't know if anyone has seen that happen. But could be a good approach to increase your numbers.

Do you know where the swarm originated? Someone using double brood box setup? If that Q can hold the colony together at such a size before swarming in an OSR environment then she should be good un.

[fatshark]

Some brood perhaps to encourage them to stay as well?

[The Drone Ranger]

Okay. I'm recovering from the heat and have just sunk an irn bru so bear with me and my inane ramblings.

I attempted to catch a truly massive swarm in a 6 frame national nuc box. Unfortunately I kind of bodged it in and it was clearly too big for the box. So I have got half of it in another nuc box I had spare.

One of the nucs has a queen and the bees are fanning like mad at the entrance. The other I have closed. Can I stick a mated queen in the queenless half and bingo 2 swarmed nucs ? Or is it best to combine and chuck into a full sized hive when I can (might be a few days).

Okay the bru is kicking in. Onwards.
Hi GG
You might have problems getting them to accept a queen
I've tried in the past with no success
You can get a second broodbox for a Payne's or Maisemore nuc
I would go with the excellent advice of putting them all in a broodbox instead

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[greengumbo]

Hi GG
You might have problems getting them to accept a queen
I've tried in the past with no success
You can get a second broodbox for a Payne's or Maisemore nuc
I would go with the excellent advice of putting them all in a broodbox instead

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Ah the fun and joy.

So it turns out I had my halfs mixed up. Locked the one with the queen in by mistake thinking it was Q-ve and the one fanning like mad that I assumed was Q+ was not. The Q-ve one tried to bugger off but I stopped them again. This time I had a mated queen from an apidea into a cage and as soon as I put it in they started acting all happy.

So the upshot is I have 2 colonies from 1 swarm :) Even if I did bugger up the process initially.

[The Drone Ranger]

It's a wonder that the queenless half didn't just either go back up the tree or back to the hive
They usually won't stay put without the queen :)


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[Calluna4u]

A fair number of apparently large swarm are actually composites, lots of flying bees get drawn into the excitement of the 'party' and tag along resulting in swarms you could not think of as coming from one of your own hives as it is so large.

However, most of the prime swarms have gone off already and what we are seeing coming into the bait boxes at home this past 2 weeks are all swarms with virgins, of varying sizes from 2 bars of bees up to a full box.

Prior to arriving in these boxes they have generally hung around somewhere for a day or two until the virgins have eliminated eachother and one remains. Thus it is possible that BOTH halves of your swarm might have a queen, especially if it was not especially settled in its demeanour. The most virgins we have ever taken (just by picking them out) from a single large swarm is *17*. They generally hang around rather than go into their chosen destination until they have had their 'sort out'. Its also one of the reasons they do not like to stay put in new hives, although a bar of open brood can pin them, but not always. Closed brood is ineffective although they sometimes stay, probably more a coincidence of them being ready for a hive at the same time.

[busybeephilip]

Thats one thing i have been wondering about, last season someone told me of a big swarm clustered and observed coming from my apairy, i had dozens of apidea type boxes with virgins flying but when i checked my full hives all queens were present, however a few of the mating boxes had absconded. I reckoned that the virgins had, as you say, attracted flying bees to create a swarm. I now place my mating boxes well away from my hives to help avoid this sort of behavior happening (if it does). could also be linked to the idea of Apairy Vacinity Mating. I can picture that time of day when loads of young bees are making their first orientation flight being attracted to queen mating activities esp when there are 30 odd hives spewing young bees out at the same time.

[Calluna4u]

A tale of disaster related to the above from Phillip. Disasters plague us all from time to time, so while this was a real waste of time and effort in the queen unit it just goes to show that nothing is foolproof and any beek that has never had a disaster is probably full of the fertiliser emanating from the male members of our bovine friends......

Think back only a short while...though it now seems so distant....to the heatwave of 3 days we had. We made a late start to the queen rearing this year due to the cold dry east winds not being the best for producing quality QC's. The first wave of mating boxes had been placed on their stands a few days earlier. The hot days were mayhem even in the cooler conditions in the forest where the mating boxes are and a significant swarm appeared about 20 feet up in a pine tree. From 15 to 20 of the mating boxes were either empty or severely bee depleted.

The swarm was seriously unsettled, moved location several times over the next three days, divided into multiple clusters and went back together again. After this they ended up on a fence post and were a bit quieter, without the masses of dancing bees waggling away on the face of the cluster. One of my guys on his own initiative hived it in a Langstroth nuc box, and to my surprise it stayed put. The carnage among the virgins must have been complete. Now it is in great order with a fine queen laying strongly. Its is almost entirely (we think) the product of the absconded mating boxes, so the sad part is all the lost virgins grafted and raised by Jolanta who found the whole episode disheartening. At least she did not have the full compliment set out already. One UK rearer, of long experience, who got going early told me he had zero success from his first 200 and what had not absconded had to be shaken out. Big loss.

I tell Jolanta its just a freak weather pattern to blame and just to take it as one of these things and carry on. Its not an easy country to be a queen rearer on any scale.

[greengumbo]

A tale of disaster related to the above from Phillip. Disasters plague us all from time to time, so while this was a real waste of time and effort in the queen unit it just goes to show that nothing is foolproof and any beek that has never had a disaster is probably full of the fertiliser emanating from the male members of our bovine friends......

Think back only a short while...though it now seems so distant....to the heatwave of 3 days we had. We made a late start to the queen rearing this year due to the cold dry east winds not being the best for producing quality QC's. The first wave of mating boxes had been placed on their stands a few days earlier. The hot days were mayhem even in the cooler conditions in the forest where the mating boxes are and a significant swarm appeared about 20 feet up in a pine tree. From 15 to 20 of the mating boxes were either empty or severely bee depleted.

The swarm was seriously unsettled, moved location several times over the next three days, divided into multiple clusters and went back together again. After this they ended up on a fence post and were a bit quieter, without the masses of dancing bees waggling away on the face of the cluster. One of my guys on his own initiative hived it in a Langstroth nuc box, and to my surprise it stayed put. The carnage among the virgins must have been complete. Now it is in great order with a fine queen laying strongly. Its is almost entirely (we think) the product of the absconded mating boxes, so the sad part is all the lost virgins grafted and raised by Jolanta who found the whole episode disheartening. At least she did not have the full compliment set out already. One UK rearer, of long experience, who got going early told me he had zero success from his first 200 and what had not absconded had to be shaken out. Big loss.

I tell Jolanta its just a freak weather pattern to blame and just to take it as one of these things and carry on. Its not an easy country to be a queen rearer on any scale.

Wow. Amazing set of events there Murray. Disheartening for Jolanta but its a neat set up she has there and I'm sure she'll bounce back.

[Adam]

I have never had nucs abscond during mating as you have described although I have had absconding from mini-nucs but not nucs with full-sized frames.

[Calluna4u]

I have never had nucs abscond during mating as you have described although I have had absconding from mini-nucs but not nucs with full-sized frames.

These WERE mini nucs, worst of all were the Apideas. Nil abscondees from the mini plus size ones so far....but they did it last year.

Early season just could not afford to set up 1000 full size nucs, either in hardware costs or in robbing the main colonies for the bees and brood needed.

[alancooper]

So - is vQ mating dependent on nuc size? Is mating success greater in normal National brood frame nucs, intermediate size mini-nucs or small minis (eg, Apideas)?

[Feckless Drone]

I suspect the answer to all of Alan's questions is "depends". I raise Qs as replacements, to try and select for positive traits, to sell a couple of colonies each year and to have enough colonies and young Qs to unite for the heather.
On my scale its very convenient to have Qs on deep frames with their own bees and reduce risks of Q introductions. This year the weather has been decent and trying to get 9 new Qs on one site has given 7 decent, 1 that is noticeably smaller (scrub? and I know why) and 1 drone layer that I cannot yet find. These come from 2 and 3 frames mating nucs (with lots of stores - I'm paranoid about that since screw ups in the past) and a couple of strong colonies where the clipped Q beat me to swarm control. I suspect that the "grafters" will have similar OR BETTER rates of success. Its the next bit - the introductions where losses can occur. My own experience of introducing new Qs is pretty positive however - but this is only an n=2 experiment. And here I took some advice (thanks GR) and introduced to a relativity small nuc, got Q accepted before uniting with a bigger colonies that were needing to be re-queened.

Aside - in Tayside: appears little nectar now coming in which is a surprise given the clover is out everywhere, its been warm and damp. I thought the gap was much closer to the end of the month. Anyone made observations?

[fatshark]

OSR is long gone south of the Tay but the bumbles at least were hammering the bramble when I was last out.
Of course, the pissistant rain last week has meant there's been no foraging going on ... and my access to the apiary is again flooded :(
2835

[Adam]

So - is vQ mating dependent on nuc size? Is mating success greater in normal National brood frame nucs, intermediate size mini-nucs or small minis (eg, Apideas)?

From my experience and without detailed note-taking, I don't think that mating success is that much different between nucs on standard frames, smaller boxes and mini-nucs although the risk of losing all the colony to a mating swarm may be a little higher. (Not had that problem myself). However having nucs on standard frames is better if you can spare them because, in no particular order:-

1) better chance of seeing the brood pattern of the queen rather than be on tiny frames.
2) can expand into a complete nuc to overwinter if started early.
3) no absconding
4) queen matures more slowly before laying and may be more reliable when introduced to a full-sized colony. (A hunch - I am open to be proved wrong).
5) less 'maintenance' and feeding compared to a small mini-nuc which can run out of room very quickly - so you are moving frames around to give space or having to move the queen out promptly.
6) robbing less of an issue with a larger colony
7) I suspect that a decent nuc will supercede a poor queen more readily than a very small mini-nuc colony; indicating there's a problem with her.

However the cost per mated queen is probably less using mini-nucs.

[Feckless Drone]

However the cost per mated queen is probably less using mini-nucs.

Good summary Adam.

[Jon]

Philip, that was me told you that.
I was standing beside a hive which started to swarm.
I quickly checked the record sheet and noted that the queen was clipped.
Sure enough she dropped to the ground in front of the hive and I put her in a rollercage and returned her to the hive.
The swarm had clustered at this point and I waited for it to return as it should have been queenless.
After 45 minutes it was still hanging there so I went and collected it.
It had picked up a virgin from one of my apideas. I had about 40 with virgin queens at that site.

Calluna - I also had problems with virgin queens all taking to the air at the same time during the hot spell of 24-26 May.
At one site I reckon I lost at least 30 out of 50 and the remaining Apideas were mostly overpopulated.
Once you get fanning at the entrance they can call in workers and queens and carnage results.
In the past I have picked apart clusters and found 5 or 6 virgin queens from my apideas in them.
The problem is that the workers mutually ball the queens and you end up losing the lot.
I used to try and rescue them but they have nearly always been damaged.
Means that clipping is not a great guarantee as you could lose the prime swarm with a virgin from an apidea.

[The Drone Ranger]

I
Aside - in Tayside: appears little nectar now coming in which is a surprise given the clover is out everywhere, its been warm and damp. I thought the gap was much closer to the end of the month. Anyone made observations?

Hi FD
Gap sems to be starting now but there is a lot of stuff (weeds) that might be ready to flower in a week or two
My big colonies in smith hives or Lysons have loads of stores
The nucs (which had a lot of wax to draw) some of them have next to no stores
I have too many bees here at the moment for available forage
Will be fixing that next month when half go elsewhere to pastures new (literally) :)

[alancooper]

Aside - in Tayside: appears little nectar now coming in which is a surprise given the clover is out everywhere, its been warm and damp. I thought the gap was much closer to the end of the month. Anyone made observations?
FD - In Fermanagh, flowering times in April and may have been 2-3 weeks earlier than usual - the "June gap" probably started when the sycamore flow stopped and (hawthorn and holly had largely finished flowering by 25th May. Since then there has been much pollen coming in but not much nectar.

[greengumbo]

Having read the thread on apideas absconding a few days ago.....low and behold I think one of mine did just that. Found a tiny swarm clinging to an apple tree. No bigger than my hand and with an unmarked queen in the middle. I have caught and stuck into another apidea. Not really sure what to do with it other than move to a new site and open it up again.

Weather was thundery so not checked which apidea is missing bees / queen.

Also split a lot of hives last few days but need to feed them as not much forage about and too high density of hives. They are in raiding mode as well. Any frames lying about the garden / sheds are getting hammered.

[The Drone Ranger]

the answer GG is to get a copy of "Breeding Better Bees" (£234.75 on Amazon) wave it around with a bit of Shamanic chanting
Ammm 🎵Ammm 🎵Ammm 🎵🎼
Problem solved 🔔

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[gavin]

the answer GG is to get a copy of "Breeding Better Bees" (£234.75 on Amazon) ...

Wow! Thought you were kidding there but apparently not. Save yourself £226.75 by going to NBB.

Might see some of you in Aberdeen tomorrow where we can all do the chanting and dancing together. Rare appearance by one of the Mac Giolla Coda dynasty, should be good.

G.

[The Drone Ranger]

Lol !
I wondered w here you had gone Gavin
best of luck with your get together
weather is is to be fair and sunny
Be careful you dont do a rain dance instead :)


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[drumgerry]

What's happening in Aberdeen tomorrow then?! Is it a secret meeting for select SNHBS members?! :)

[gavin]

What's happening in Aberdeen tomorrow then?! Is it a secret meeting for select SNHBS members?! :)

Lol! No, not one of our series of secret meetings but the Aberdeen and District Beekeeping Association's conference on Breeding Better Bees. Timely, ambitious, great speakers (I'm just a warm-up act ... ). Must dash .....

G.

[drumgerry]

How did I miss that this was happening?! Oh well have a great day and report back! [emoji846]


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[fatshark]

Look on the bright side drumgerry (do you realise the spellcheck for your name corrects it to drudgery?) ... this is the first Saturday this season I've been free and on which the forecast is settled and good. I'd prefer to be beekeeping than sitting in a hall talking about beekeeping (though I've no doubt it'll be a good day).

I spoke in late March at a Welsh event - it was a really warm sunny day, perfect for a first inspection. Although the big audience seemed to enjoy themselves, I've no doubt that many of them would have realised the opportunity they were missing.

Time to get suited up ... ;)

[drumgerry]

Sometimes Drudgery would be a more accurate username for me! It's definitely a day to be outside. Feels like swarmy weather here in Speyside

[fatshark]

Hot as hell in a bee suit all afternoon, but good to see how things are progressing. Looks like swarming has finished here for a bit. Colonies seem to be settling down. Forage is now patchy, but stores levels are reasonable and none of the colonies were too tetchy.

[Bridget]

I noticed last Sunday problems with one hive. Discovered discarded pupae and some dead bees. Starting feeding immediately all hives. Since then they have taken down litres. One hive super back on today, others still draining their syrup. Pretty sure reason for lack of stores is big expansion of brood. We have never had double brood on at this time of year here in the highlands. Lots of pollen but little nectar. Can anyone advise whether 1:1 or 1:2 is best in these circumstances at this time of year? Also how long to continue feeding. I would estimate they have taken down about 4-5 litres each. Can one go on feeding too long? We don't have any great nectar flow here until the Heather starts.


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[The Drone Ranger]

Hot as hell in a bee suit all afternoon, but good to see how things are progressing. Looks like swarming has finished here for a bit. Colonies seem to be settling down. Forage is now patchy, but stores levels are reasonable and none of the colonies were too tetchy.
one of the mesh suits helps a lot
I bought the Mann Lake one
Mrs DR got a HumbleBee one XXS for somebody just over 5ft
Any lady beekeeper a couple of inches taller than 5ft should​ go to XS
Other manufacturers small size mesh suits will almost certainly be too big for vertically challenged females

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[madasafish]

I noticed last Sunday problems with one hive. Discovered discarded pupae and some dead bees. Starting feeding immediately all hives. Since then they have taken down litres. One hive super back on today, others still draining their syrup. Pretty sure reason for lack of stores is big expansion of brood. We have never had double brood on at this time of year here in the highlands. Lots of pollen but little nectar. Can anyone advise whether 1:1 or 1:2 is best in these circumstances at this time of year? Also how long to continue feeding. I would estimate they have taken down about 4-5 litres each. Can one go on feeding too long? We don't have any great nectar flow here until the Heather starts.


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1:1 .. is what I use in summer.. easily taken.. (I had to feed two nucs with no stores and full of brood..

How long? Until they start storing nectar/capped honey - as then they have surplus stores.. Then I stop and review next inspection.

[The Drone Ranger]

Is DNA profiling practical as a method for identifying Native Bees ?
Or is morphology the only option available to the general beekeeping population
Im glad that chopping the wings off thousands of bees each year is no longer relevant
It did seem unreasonably cruel
Could one drone recently hatched tell everything about the queens genetic heritage ?
Does Bibba have equipment for analysing DNA yet if not perhaps a lottery grant could be on the cards

I actively improve my bees all the time so have no issues with bee improvement
Just a reasonable level of scepticism about ice age and Viking ancestor bees
After all we dont have any Vikings running around the place now either
Is morphology just Crufts for bees (I like the look of the one )





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[Feckless Drone]

After all we dont have any Vikings running around the place now


You have obviously not been in Carnoustie on a Friday night!

I guess if there are specific markers then its possible to type the bees by race. But - where would we find a true marker? Specimen from museums perhaps? I'm just becoming more and more aware of the large number of imports going way back - Amm from France and the Netherlands, the trend for caucasian bees in the 70s (?), both types even into north of the country. How similar are Amm from central France to what we had here? Does it matter?

I'm in pessimistic mood given a weekend of making a botch of pretty much everything (damaging a nice Q when clipping, chasing one that flew of the comb, going to mark and clip a new Q only to find 3 lovely frames of brood and 5 mature Q cells, two colonies where new Q is now almost 5 weeks from emergence and not laying) and then watched a colony with an old clipped Q try to swarm a week before I was planning to unite. Have to deal with that one now. I would have been better off attending a day of lectures on basics never mind breeding better bees.

[The Drone Ranger]

sorry you have had a few issues FD it can be a bit disheartening
I stabbed a really good queen with a crown of thorns when marking
That was a couple of years back
This year I thought I had decapitated a really good queen when marking with the one handed queen marking gadget
She curled up looked dead I put her back in the hive anyway
luckily she was playing possum and next check was there in good health
Just catch them by hand and mark them now :)

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[Adam]

I've not stabbed with a crown of thorns as I pick up queens or just hold them on the comb to mark them, but did once chop a queen in a queen cage.
I've not ha d a queen faint on me for a while now. It can be a bit disconcerting for a few moments until she stops playing dead.

[Bridget]

1:1 .. is what I use in summer.. easily taken.. (I had to feed two nucs with no stores and full of brood..

How long? Until they start storing nectar/capped honey - as then they have surplus stores.. Then I stop and review next inspection.

Thank you



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[greengumbo]

I feed my splits, well those that are in apiaries with full sized colonies, with fondant at this time of year to discourage robbing as I have a tendency to slosh syrup all over the place ! They take down fondant and use it readily.

Went round the splits I made after spring honey crop last night and knocked down queen cells ready for mated queens :)

Lots of clover out at the moment and bees still working rasps and blackberries. Some summer rape up here as well. Rosebay willow herb shooting up so will be open soonish.

Do (honey) bees get anything from buttercups ?

[Jambo]

Do (honey) bees get anything from buttercups ?

My reading says no. Apparently they are toxic and bees tend to avoid them totally. Have you seen yours on them?

[greengumbo]

A few times but not in huge numbers.

Pity as huge swathes of them here this year.

[Jambo]

A few times but not in huge numbers.

Pity as huge swathes of them here this year.

I was about to say likewise then realised we're in the same area!

[fatshark]

The bees were really obnoxious when I inspected them this afternoon. All the worse because I've been splitting colonies and both the upper and lower boxes needed inspection. I got so fed up getting pinged and generally roughed-up that I packed up and walked away from the last stack. No stings, but that was more luck than judgement.

Funny (not funny ha ha) how their temper changes with a falling barometer, the flow stopping, me taking all their supers and then wanting to rummage through the downstairs neighbours ...

[lindsay s]

Dull, cool (12-14⁰c), very windy and showers here today. Three hives had to be inspected and a split was carried out in between the showers. We had a couple of calm evenings mid-week so most of my inspections were done then, but still it’s not easy when all the bees are home for the night. We didn’t get any heat wave last week and when high pressure is in charge down south all the s!!! weather gets pushed over the top of us.
Two weeks ago most of my hives were bursting with bees, supers were being added and new foundation was getting drawn and laid up in about five to six days. Fast forward to now, queens have almost stopped laying, foundation is being ignored and the most worrying thing of the lot is their stores are rapidly diminishing. We don’t suffer from the June gap here and at one apiary there are fields of clover within spitting distance of the hives, it’s just the weather that’s holding things back.
Oh the JOYS of beekeeping in Orkney.

[greengumbo]

Had a look around the SBA tent at the RHS this weekend. Looking good and great to catch up with familiar faces.

Some nice honey on display as well.

[Jambo]

Rosebay willow herb shooting up so will be open soonish.


Spotted my first open flower of RBWH this morning so optimistic mine will survive!

[The Drone Ranger]

A lot of my hives have responded to the lack of forage by practically stopping brood rearing
Some are a little behind the curve with lots of sealed brood less larva
One or two are just coming into lay again

If there is no stores smoke has no effect on them and a light spray with some sugar water might be better

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[fatshark]

Hi DR ... yes, I'm sure this is a temporary skirmish only. Most of the hives I've been checking are newly mated queens (the top part of my splits) and they're all laying really well. Stores levels are good as - during the time the Q was getting ready to do her stuff - the bees were piling in the nectar. Now there's nothing coming in they get very protective.

Actually, not entirely correct to say no flow ... it's raining this morning and is predicted to do so all day. I have to split off a nuc from a colony in the shed which are determined to otherwise swarm.

Wrong sort of flow :(

[Adam]

Lots of clover out at the moment and bees still working rasps and blackberries. Some summer rape up here as well. Rosebay willow herb shooting up so will be open soonish.



Rosebay Willowherb is in full flower in my part of the world.

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi DR ... yes, I'm sure this is a temporary skirmish only. Most of the hives I've been checking are newly mated queens (the top part of my splits) and they're all laying really well. Stores levels are good as - during the time the Q was getting ready to do her stuff - the bees were piling in the nectar. Now there's nothing coming in they get very protective.

Actually, not entirely correct to say no flow ... it's raining this morning and is predicted to do so all day. I have to split off a nuc from a colony in the shed which are determined to otherwise swarm.

Wrong sort of flow :(
Hi fatshark
I think your forage will get better sooner than here
I'm a bit higher up and agriculture is mainly arable
The three crop rotation is potatoes, wheat, OSR
Rain today so feeding the ones which are low




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[greengumbo]

Hi fatshark
I think your forage will get better sooner than here
I'm a bit higher up and agriculture is mainly arable
The three crop rotation is potatoes, wheat, OSR
Rain today so feeding the ones which are low




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My splits are doing fine with stores but the main hives are very low and I had to nip round and feed 13 hives last night in the rain. One had almost nothing left.

Brood rearing had stopped in most of them. A bit of sun and I think they will find forage soon. The on off rain has put everything back this past week or so.

[Calluna4u]

My splits are doing fine with stores but the main hives are very low and I had to nip round and feed 13 hives last night in the rain. One had almost nothing left.

Brood rearing had stopped in most of them. A bit of sun and I think they will find forage soon. The on off rain has put everything back this past week or so.


Its a really dire nectar dearth right now. Plenty pollen, very little nectar. Nothing building up here now, expansion at a dead stop.....unless feeding.

Boys report that three small splits in Aberdeenshire had actually keeled over due to lack of food. Casts arriving in the last fortnight are dying unless fed. Good news is that the bell is early but some have bolted for the hills way too early. You only get a yield once the bigger acreages of bell come out AND the temp is above normal.

Clover rarely yields thee days. Willowherb is greatly overestimated in amateur circles, and the limes in most of our places are not yielding despite many being in flower.

Hungry times.

[mbc]

Same down here, I'm enjoying the dearth in a way as its provided me with a window of opportunity nicking any full supers from the last warm spell without there being a nectar shake to confuse matters.
I heard talk of a swing in the jet stream possibly bringing back some settled weather next week, if so then it could be the season of seasons.

[busybeephilip]

Philip, that was me told you that..

Just catching up after being away in St Petersberg on 2 week hols - bees not too bad just a few swarms lost

I said..
"last season someone told me of a big swarm clustered and observed coming from my apairy, i had dozens of apidea type boxes with virgins flying but when i checked my full hives all queens were present, however a few of the mating boxes had absconded."


Dont think so - you dont know where i keep my bees and its in a restricted area !

Phil

[Jon]

Wrong end of the stick. I told you that had happened to me. I had a prime swarm leave and it picked up a virgin from one of my apideas. The clipped queen dropped in front of the hive and I caged her.

[busybeephilip]

Shit weather today - wanted to set up 10 mating boxes with 10 Qs in the incubator waiting to go and several waiting to set out, but hey ho its fun

[Jon]

Same here. I have a few queens in the incubator and have almost run out of Apideas.

[Jambo]

Clover rarely yields thee days. Willowherb is greatly overestimated in amateur circles, and the limes in most of our places are not yielding despite many being in flower.

Hungry times.

First year in beekeeping and I had pinned most of my hopes of a harvest on being surrounded by willowherb, this isn't the news I need!

[greengumbo]

First year in beekeeping and I had pinned most of my hopes of a harvest on being surrounded by willowherb, this isn't the news I need!

You never know !

I have no idea what mine are on at the moment but it was pissing down and at 8pm one hive was still foraging in force. So much I went to check nearby hives were not getting robbed or they had found a way into my extracting room. But no....up and off over a field. Odd.

[Jambo]

You never know !

I have no idea what mine are on at the moment but it was pissing down and at 8pm one hive was still foraging in force. So much I went to check nearby hives were not getting robbed or they had found a way into my extracting room. But no....up and off over a field. Odd.

Really, I had just assumed mine would be hiding inside today and didn't go and check them. Brambles have really opened up this week, could be on them?

[fatshark]

You never know !

I have no idea what mine are on at the moment but it was pissing down and at 8pm one hive was still foraging in force. So much I went to check nearby hives were not getting robbed or they had found a way into my extracting room. But no....up and off over a field. Odd.

Did you see them coming back though? ... perhaps they were abandoning the NE of Scotland.

It's official ... the wettest June on record in Fife. I am pleased to announce the selection and successful mating of a new honey bee subspecies ...

Apis mellifera aquaticus

[alancooper]

Jambo - best to have your "location" to give geographic context to your flowering time observations. There are considerable differences depending on how far N/S or E/W

[fatshark]

Jambo means 'thing' in Swahili ... Tanzania? Congo? Rwanda?

[Jambo]

Jambo - best to have your "location" to give geographic context to your flowering time observations. There are considerable differences depending on how far N/S or E/W

Yes indeed, didn't realise I had omitted that. Hopefully fixed now, thanks!


Jambo means 'thing' in Swahili ... Tanzania? Congo? Rwanda?

Always thought it meant hello? None of the above, though I do have some African roots and lived on that wonderful continent for over three years - nothing to do with the username though :)

[fatshark]

hujambo Jambo = Hello thing!

[busybeephilip]

I always thought "Jambo" meant hello , that is what I was uttering to the natives in kenya, must have been right otherwise i'd be on the flo, nepana sante

[Jambo]

:)

My bees are going mad for this weed at the moment - any idea what it is? Seems to produce copious amounts of bright green pollen.

Thanks.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170701/821bd29af86df44508aaa5b296d90900.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170701/11f57aecf43016c9d0efa63a0ba6a4ea.jpg

[Jane S]

:)

My bees are going mad for this weed at the moment - any idea what it is? Seems to produce copious amounts of bright green pollen.

Thanks.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170701/821bd29af86df44508aaa5b296d90900.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170701/11f57aecf43016c9d0efa63a0ba6a4ea.jpg


Filipendula ulmaria, likes the damp, flowers smell, er sweet.

[Jambo]

Filipendula ulmaria, likes the damp, flowers smell, er sweet.

Aha, meadowsweet, thank you.

[Poly Hive]

Interesting day. Some nucs have mated well and are motering but two big units have failed to mate after a month so test frames are in.
Went through some colonies belonging to a lady I am mentoring and one of the nucs we created now on 5 frames of brood is a gem. Quiet bees, they froze on the comb, and no smoke needed at all. No flying at us no stinging... hmm.... I can see some grafting from her next year.

I perpetually live in hope.

PH

[Feckless Drone]

Saw Himalayan balsam in flower on Balgay hill. Nightmare - we've gone from June gap to autumn in one week almost. Bees (all types) loving the Hypericum at the moment, for the pollen mostly I guess. Every garden should have these.

[Poly Hive]

Willow herb is out here in the Borders which seems to me to be very early. I hear the Bell is out too so are we looking at a very early Ling season?

PH

[Greengage]

Everything is approx. three weeks ahead of time over here so far lets hope it lasts and we get second flush of flowers, too late for trees everything has set seed. sugar can be expensive.

[The Drone Ranger]

honeysuckle, russian vine , cow parsley, clover loads of flowering stuff in July if the rain stays away

I have had half a dozen of my mininucs fail after a promising start but still 20+ on the go


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[Poly Hive]

It's very odd here but I have a fair bit of wild clover in the lawn and not a honey bee to be seen on it it's being worked by lots of bumbles instead.

PH

[Greengage]

Today bright and sunny here ours were on Mustard, Clover, Escellonia, Echium, Phacelia, Hogweed and Willow-herb.

[fatshark]

Had use of a van yesterday and dropped into a well-known trade supplier for building materials to buy a couple of sheets of Kingspan/Celotex for insulation purposes.

Overall-clad TP employee "Afternoon mate, what are you after?
fatshark "A couple of 8x4 sheets of Kingspan"
Overall-clad TP employee "What thickness are you after?"
fatshark "50mm"
Overall-clad TP employee "Nope ... no 50mm in stock"
fatshark "What thickness do you have? 25mm?"
Overall-clad TP employee "Nothing at all ... "

I thanked him for his help and returned to the van giggling ...

[Adam]

Today bright and sunny here ours were on Mustard, Clover, Escellonia, Echium, Phacelia, Hogweed and Willow-herb.

I didn't know that bees worked hogweed.

[Feckless Drone]

FS - you have to admire the clarity in communication! and the entertainment value as well.

Unrelated - bell heather, I've missed it again.

Tonights job - involves a ladder, a neighbour, dodgy brickwork and dealing with a small swarm. Mea culpa.

[Mellifera Crofter]

I didn't know that bees worked hogweed.

Pollen, said Gavin - here (http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?972-Cow-parsley-or-something-else&highlight=hogweed). I occasionally see them foraging on that here as well.

[Jambo]

My bees have started on some new forage today - loads of them coming back fully loaded in bright green pollen, with their 'noses' and bellies covered too - any ideas? Similar colour to meadowsweet pollen but this doesn't seem to cover them the same way.

I've got plenty of hogweed and brambles around, meadowsweet, and willowherb is getting going.

I'll see if I can get a photo later when I'm suited up, they look ridiculous.

[Kate Atchley]

The limes's in full bloom here so bees picking up.

I found the start of swarm cells in a colony I'd failed to check for a while. The largest of these was 24 hours short of being capped, I reckon, with a neat hole on the side of the cell wall, as you see sometimes when the queen attacks additional swarm cells.

Could the Queen (2015) have been having a funk about the workers' planned changes or what caused the cell wall hole?

[Jambo]

Here's a photo further to my post earlier, they're enjoying whatever it is.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170708/26cc1905eabd390a6f5078943f29b21f.jpg

[Mellifera Crofter]

... I found the start of swarm cells in a colony ... with a neat hole on the side of the cell wall, as you see sometimes when the queen attacks additional swarm cells.

Could the Queen (2015) have been having a funk about the workers' planned changes or what caused the cell wall hole?

I had to look up what 'funk' means. I would not be surprised if the queen had a funk facing such an uncertain future away from her cosy home. But it might also have been the workers who decided the time is not ripe - or, could you have overlooked an open queen cell from which a virgin might have emerged recently?
Kitta

[Kate Atchley]

Here's a photo further to my post earlier, they're enjoying whatever it is.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170708/26cc1905eabd390a6f5078943f29b21f.jpg

Are you sure there'e no meadowsweet out around you? I'm seeing the first flowers out here in Ardnamurchan. The centered bee looks as though she could be carrying meadowsweet and I've found that flower's pollen loads, in particular, vary in colour from pale yellowy green through to a darker, more rusty-coloured version.

The right hand bee with a different green pollen could be carrying raspberry perhaps?

[Jambo]

Thanks Kate. There is tons of meadowsweet around, but I hasn't previously noticed them being covered all over in it which I thought seemed quite distinctive.

[Kate Atchley]

I had to look up what 'funk' means. I would not be surprised if the queen had a funk facing such an uncertain future away from her cosy home. But it might also have been the workers who decided the time is not ripe - or, could you have overlooked an open queen cell from which a virgin might have emerged recently?
Kitta

All of the above Kitta! However, having kept an eye on the colony, I think the time lapse between a virgin queen emerging (from an un-noticed cell) to do the damage, and these half-formed Q cells, is too long to be likely ... and would the old queen not have swarmed? No sign of her flying off.

The workers have now gone on to complete all the cells, including repairing the one with the neat hole. I'd separated them from the queen by then so who knows who did the damage.

My bet is on the queen in a funk ... but finding nothing inside the hole to sting, the new queen larva being still buried in royal jelly deep in the cell. Wish I'd taken a pic!

[Adam]

Were they definitely swarm cells you had - could it be supercedure that they or the queen decided against?
(I harvested a few supercedure queencells from one colony last year and then they decided to keep the queen anyway so she headed up a colony all this summer until a couple of weeks ago - she had started to fade, and has now been retired for now with the colony being united to a strong nuc. Interestingly the old queen has 5 1/2 legs with the bottom half of one back leg missing. I am not sure whether it went before she was introduced to a small nuc or as a result of it).

... So being separated from the queen you now have to decide on what to do with the queencells.

[Kate Atchley]

Were they definitely swarm cells you had - could it be supercedure that they or the queen decided against?
(I harvested a few supercedure queencells from one colony last year and then they decided to keep the queen anyway so she headed up a colony all this summer until a couple of weeks ago - she had started to fade, and has now been retired for now with the colony being united to a strong nuc. Interestingly the old queen has 5 1/2 legs with the bottom half of one back leg missing. I am not sure whether it went before she was introduced to a small nuc or as a result of it).

... So being separated from the queen you now have to decide on what to do with the queencells.

Yes they might have been superseder cells and I'm keeping an eye on the Q and frames. She's in her second season and been laying fantastically well so I sense they were probably swarm cells but now split between two nucs so, if they need a new queen, I am likely to be able to return one of them (if the rain ever stops to allow for Q mating!).

[Jambo]

First good flying day this week in Aberdeenshire yesterday, spotted blue pollen coming in which I believe to be willowherb. It's not quite in full bloom where I am but getting there.

[prakel]

Stray cat living in empty dadant brood body.

[fatshark]

Looked through photos from apiary visit last w/e as it's raining (again) ... nice laying pattern from this 2017 queen.
2839
This is a wired frame so I'd usually expect the typical V pattern.

[Bridget]

Looked through photos from apiary visit last w/e as it's raining (again) ... nice laying pattern from this 2017 queen.
2839
This is a wired frame so I'd usually expect the typical V pattern.

This taken about the same time from a split done earlier this year, probably May. You didn't seem to have much in the way of stores in that frame. We were pleased with this and it was my first day back at the bees since desensitisation started. I was holding the camera!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170716/c8a9998916a2fd1bc925766141437361.jpg


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[Bridget]

Looking at the two photos together my bees look quite a bit darker.


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[fatshark]

Good to see you back with the bees Bridget.
That's a rather swish beesuit in the background of your photo.
Mine had stores elsewhere in the box.
These queens are the widely used Heinz strain ... 57 varieties. There's a bit of everything in there ;)

[Bridget]

Good to see you back with the bees Bridget.
That's a rather swish beesuit in the background of your photo.
Mine had stores elsewhere in the box.
These queens are the widely used Heinz strain ... 57 varieties. There's a bit of everything in there ;)

Yes well re the swish beesuit....... present to husband because he gets awfie hot in the normal suits and this well ventilated one, offa eBay via India seems o be working well for him.


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[Feckless Drone]

You know how you have a plan? - I'm checking colonies and getting ready to unite for the heather. Three Qs that were mated when the weather was good, started laying well in June, were marked and clipped and have now gone. I have not been inspecting these small colonies regularly (just wanted to leave them to build up) but in two cases they left me with Q cells and now new Qs just started laying. These bees will not be that much help at the heather, too young, too old, too few. The third case was yesterday - colony had no brood, small patch of eggs and the marked/clipped Q was nowhere to be seen but I did find another Q. Again, not going to be much help for honey now. I've not noticed this problem before - the colonies are of course weaker than those where the Qs just got going. Anyone else seeing this? I thought that once the new Q got going there was not much call for regular inspections but may have to revise that.

[fatshark]

Queens mated in early/mid June have been a bit dodgy here. I've had a couple vaporise, leaving Q cells. Others simply never got mated and turned into drone layers.

One drone layer I shook out but was rushed and forgot to move the hive they came from (but left it turned round). They clustered on the outside for 3 days until I returned. Again I was in a rush so I just shook them into a box with some drawn comb. A week later there was no sign of drone layers, but they nearly filled the box with nectar. I united this with a nuc and they're now doing fine.

[Poly Hive]

I have 18 nucs under observation not all mine some belong to the BBA, but I am keeping a wary eye on how they get on, as some at least of the mating happened during that cool wet spell we had. Time will tell as it always does.

PH

[Thymallus]

Yes well re the swish beesuit....... present to husband because he gets awfie hot in the normal suits and this well ventilated one, offa eBay via India seems o be working well for him.

Looks very similar to the Oz armor ventilated suits. Treated myself to one of theirs for this hot weather, money very well spent. No more working in a sauna....and midge proof :)

[fatshark]

And you thought that retrieving supers from that stroppy colony in your out apiary was a pain ...

https://vimeo.com/223495819

Apis dorsata laboriosa in Nepal ... a topic covered previously by Eric Tourneret in his book Cueilleurs de miel (http://www.j-aime-les-abeilles.fr/blog/livre-cueilleurs-de-miel/) but awe-inspiring nevertheless. The video accompanies an article in National Geographic (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/07/honey-hunters-bees-climbing-nepal/) this month.

[Jambo]

Lots and lots of blue pollen coming in - is there anything other than RBWH at this time of year that yields pollen like this?

2842

Also has anyone got any tips on photographing flying bees!? Not easy!

[fatshark]

One of these rigs perhaps?
2843

It's neat how they store the pollen by colour in the frames. Mine have individual cells packed with the RBWH pollen, interspersed with some yellow stuff.

[RDMW]

Good result from my new water boiler
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/28b0170294ec0857d56d62df288e0c44.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/1fc4c308b8c19b347b5ac11edead100b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/eb1a7e4c6fa34e7e939364ded37d22ff.jpg
Nice clean frames (boiler no longer shiny[emoji3])



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[RDMW]

And from my homemade solar wax extractor -980 grams https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/99cf7badfdf61bcb01dc32afb21453f9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/cdf825b3acb12a980790cdda3e3cd286.jpg


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[RDMW]

Here is a flying bee. It's a bit fuzzy but not bad with an iPhone (California lilac)https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/c1c26bf20bcec5e5460cd9018569234e.jpg



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[Jambo]

One of these rigs perhaps?
2843

It's neat how they store the pollen by colour in the frames. Mine have individual cells packed with the RBWH pollen, interspersed with some yellow stuff.

Ha maybe that's what I need.

Yes... I suppose they must do it by taste, as not even bees can differentiate colours in the dark, surely? And has anyone ever proposed a theory for why they might bother doing this?

[Adam]

And from my homemade solar wax extractor -980 grams https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/99cf7badfdf61bcb01dc32afb21453f9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170727/cdf825b3acb12a980790cdda3e3cd286.jpg


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980 g and a sink! :)
Can we see inside the extractor? And what's the wire for?

[RDMW]

The wire is for a thermometer. One day it got up to 102 degrees! That was too hot and I think scorched the wax a bit.


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[RDMW]

Here is the inside. I bought the metal work from thornes and made the rest from plywood. It is insulated with several layers of metallic bubblewrap stuff from B&Q and double glazed with two sheets of 4 mm window glass. I was surprised by how clean the wax it produces is and it is clean and there is no risk of fire in comparison to trying to render comb over a double boiler on the stove. Should last forever (well as long as I will)https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170728/0b637f7f384f5a002cf8952ce4202b22.jpg


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[gavin]

The blue pollen there looks like Phacelia. It is quite widely planted by gardeners, bee enthusiasts and even on a field scale. I was delighted to see a field appear recently near one of my apiaries and less pleased to find out that the farmer mowed it in full flower. Rosebay willowherb is more of a slate grey/blue and due to the huge size of the pollen grains the loads have a rough surface.

There is a picture of the pollen load in this earlier discussion:
http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?453-todays-news/page277&pp=10

[Adam]

Thanks RDMW. I have yet to make/buy/bodge a solar extractor.. It's probably one of those things that once I have one, I will say that I should have bought one years ago!

[Jambo]

The blue pollen there looks like Phacelia. It is quite widely planted by gardeners, bee enthusiasts and even on a field scale. I was delighted to see a field appear recently near one of my apiaries and less pleased to find out that the farmer mowed it in full flower. Rosebay willowherb is more of a slate grey/blue and due to the huge size of the pollen grains the loads have a rough surface.

There is a picture of the pollen load in this earlier discussion:
http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?453-todays-news/page277&pp=10

Thanks Gavin. Haven't seen any of that about but will keep an eye out for it!

[RDMW]

Made some fondant. First attempt. Using 1 kg sucrose and 25 g glucose with 300 mls water and boiled to 240 f.


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[RDMW]

Ok that didn't work! Much too runny and a sugary mess
Al the recipes on the net seem to involve marshmallows and glycerine. Any words of wisdom ( Apart from buying it commercially) I have 40 kg of sugar in the cupboard


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[Feckless Drone]

Fed up of sweating buckets when at the bees and I am either going to need wipers for the glasses or a different suit. There were recent posts about a good suit, possibly Australian, but my searches have not found it. Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

[gavin]

Fed up of sweating buckets when at the bees and I am either going to need wipers for the glasses or a different suit. There were recent posts about a good suit, possibly Australian, but my searches have not found it. Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

In this weather?!

You could also invest in contact lenses and use your own natural windscreen wipers!

I've wondered about copying a friend who uses a headband. It makes him look slightly hippyish but I think I could live with that.

I do sweat but I had assumed slender fit guys like yourself may have less of a problem :)

[fatshark]

I have the physique of a racing whippet (more or less, ahem!) but, despite being a highly trained athlete I still perspire (or at least glow) slightly on a warm day.

I also highly recommend a sweatband. Make sure you wash it as often as you wash the suit - it can get distinctly ripe.

It helps if you also hum along to Twisting by the pool as you prize the crownboard off ...

2844

I'll be marketing a new beesuit for Fife beekeepers next year ... it's made of neoprene.

[gavin]

Can you also buy chestbands and tummybands?!

There was one day in the recent past (might have been early last week) when I spent an hour out in a beesuit in the pouring rain getting colonies ready for a heather move, taking advantage of another wet day to get the whole thing done early. I can confirm that the suit wasn't waterproof. Nor were my jeans, t-shirt, wallet .... thankfully I had left the phone in the truck and the chippie in Kirrie still took damp tenners.

The heavy rain turned into hill fog and lugging hives out on a hillside in that fog in the gloaming with my chosen CD blaring out of the pick-up (no-one for miles) was one of those delightful experiences that lighten the spirits and make it all worthwhile.

[gavin]

At the queen rearing workshop on Saturday my colleagues had insisted on organising a series of gazebos 'just in case'. I had poo-pooed the idea, fool that I am. The rain was torrential in the middle of the afternoon but we just calmly carried on lifting frames, finding queens and sharing techniques for grabbing and marking them. The Amms were all on their very best behaviour and just calmly accepted the situation.

[gavin]

While I'm in blether mode, I was pleased to visit an apiary yesterday a km or so from the Tay. The air was full of heavy workers coming home (you know that low hum of a heavy worker coming home?) most of them with a white stripe down the back. The Himalayan balsam is in full swing early this year.

[fatshark]

... you know that low hum of a heavy worker coming home? ...

No

I remember it in the dim and distant past ...

[Bridget]

While I'm in blether mode, I was pleased to visit an apiary yesterday a km or so from the Tay. The air was full of heavy workers coming home (you know that low hum of a heavy worker coming home?) most of them with a white stripe down the back. The Himalayan balsam is in full swing early this year.

We stood outside our hives tonight and the smell of honey was really strong. Heather honey here.


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[Calluna4u]

We stood outside our hives tonight and the smell of honey was really strong. Heather honey here.


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Yes indeed Brigit. its one of the heaviest ling flows *at this date* for many years right now. Weather looks like it might go crunch around 16th/17th....so take it while its there. Bees over at Kincraig have in many cases filled a deep from foundation in only about four or five days. Seems to be in all our areas to a greater or lesser extent. we are facing running out of gear for the first time since 2008..........and it has all turned around in the last week.

[Feckless Drone]

Bridget, C4U - Enough already! Its the hope that kills me. Saw these posts and was tempted to run home and make up some frames. Just found C4U on twitter with some lovely pictures. My bees should be within a hen harriers flying range of one of C4U's sites so fingers crossed.
Its an exposed site but the sounds made by large numbers of lapwings, skylarks, oyster catchers, curlews and grouse are pretty wonderful.

[Bridget]

Yes indeed Brigit. its one of the heaviest ling flows *at this date* for many years right now. Weather looks like it might go crunch around 16th/17th....so take it while its there. Bees over at Kincraig have in many cases filled a deep from foundation in only about four or five days. Seems to be in all our areas to a greater or lesser extent. we are facing running out of gear for the first time since 2008..........and it has all turned around in the last week.

If we could ever get hives as strong as yours I still don't think they would fill a deep as quick as yours. However learnt lots from your talk last year and seen an improvement already. If you are passing by while checking your bees pop in. Can't promise a pizza this time but you never know , Fraser always keen get get the oven lit.


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[Poly Hive]

Excellent news C$U.

I very much doubt Chain Bridge is in the same boat unless they move up north too? Bloody useless around here at the moment apart from pollen from the HB. Give it another week or so then take off the empty supers and start feeding.

Sighs.

PH

[Mellifera Crofter]

Last week's news: I was on Gavin's - or rather, the Ochils Breeding Group's, excellent queen-rearing course last weekend, and came home with a queen cell. I think a queen has emerged, but the clues are a bit confusing. She might also have been killed before emerging. I'll find out soon enough.

2845

And today's news: I have been on the heather with the association visiting Murray's apiary. It was so good and, as on any visit to Murray, I learned a lot. I like this photo - that elegant contrapposto:

2846

Kitta

[Jambo]

Really enjoyed the visit to the heather with Murray today too - I'm the glaikit one above Murray's left shoulder in your photo!

[Calluna4u]

It was a pleasure having you all, as always. Thank you for those who got stuck and helped me through doing the site. You all saw the rather quick reuniting process in action too although some worried about the fate of the queens. Was nice to see some honey on board and glad that as far as I could see, only a black wooly sock wearer got unwelcome attention. Weather a bit dodgy unfortunately, which you guys almost always seem to get, but todays rain gives us a break and what comes down this week will keep the heather fresh all the way to seasons end. Looks good.

Must get a smaller bee suit.....looks like an wrinkly yellow elephant that's gone through a car wash in that pic!!!

[Mellifera Crofter]

... Must get a smaller bee suit.....looks like an wrinkly yellow elephant that's gone through a car wash in that pic!!!

Now you've put a whole new image in my head, C4U: by combining those two images, I now only see a small yellow elephant pirouetting in the middle of a circle of beehives. I think that's preferable to the car-wash image.

Kitta

[lindsay s]

The last of my supers were cleared and taken home tonight and all hives bar two are now on syrup. It’s been a mixed picture for me this year. Although I made up less nucs than I planned for, their queens got mated and are now doing well. My town apiary is quite exposed and the honey crop this year was very poor. Two colonies with 14x12 brood frames stored all their honey down below and put nothing in the supers, I’m going to finish with 14x12 frames but I’ll leave that for another post. As for the rest I’ll be lucky if they average 14-18lbs per colony.
I had moved three hives to a good clover site ten miles away and they have saved the day. They managed to nearly fill eight supers between them. As usual demand for my honey is far higher than the supply despite keeping more colonies. There is not much you can do if the bees don’t produce the goods.
Is it safe to ask how everyone else’s honey crop has been this year or will I be met with a deafening silence?

[Feckless Drone]

Hi there - still got extracting to do and when it settles will get back to you on this.

[Jambo]

I'll jump in since I'm a beginner and have done infinitely better than last year :)

Started with two nucs late April, harvested about 15 lbs of lovely blossom honey last weekend. About 12 lbs of it came from one hive. A modest harvest but for year one I'm delighted!

The hive with the tiny yield tried to swarm and got split.

So now taking three good colonies into winter, and I've got about 50 frames of drawn comb that I didn't have 6 months ago so that alone gets me ahead for next year :)

Hoping next year I can get my average production cost per jar down into double figures...

[gavin]

Is it safe to ask how everyone else’s honey crop has been this year or will I be met with a deafening silence?

Spring: OSR more or less failed but many of my colonies flew instead to bring in a fairly decent spring blossom crop. Sycamore, bird cherry, whatever they could find. I guess the deep roots of the trees helped in the dry spring, as did the reasonably vigorous overwintered Amm queens (and some hybrids). Overall average of 25lb/production colony.

Summer: washout. The very strongest colonies brought in some light summer blossom (must be some clover and some RBW in the mix) or darker blossom (bramble perhaps) plus just a little lime here and there. Summer harvest was under half that from spring and pretty poor. As is usual in poorer conditions, only the strongest colonies produced honey. A bit of poorly controlled swarming didn't help either :o.

Heather: probably average. Heavy, heavy brood boxes and one or two supers jam-packed.

Balsam: Why did I bother leaving some for the balsam?! Murray always gives good advice but I don't always listen. Plenty of bee activity but only the odd half super here and there, some of it mixed with coneflower which is colonising the Tay. 'Rudbeckia-bashing' can't be far away and this time I might join in. It isn't a nice honey. However the coneflower is now over and the balsam will have a while yet to work its magic.

[lindsay s]

Thanks for the replies so far and I’m sorry if the last sentence of my previous post seems a bit offhand. The main reason most of us keep bees is for the honey at the end of the season and I think a lot of beekeepers seem to be reluctant to share details about their harvest. Prove me wrong?

[Beeman]

Probably not of huge interest to the Scottish beeks but I do follow your site closely..over in n ireland best season I've had in recent years. Took hives to Armagh for May apple blossom, hit a super hot month,back up to County Down ,June a bit crap, then July was just good enough temps 16-20 and did well on clover and blackberry. 8 hives ,averaged 50 lbs overall ,
which is pretty good for this part of the world.

[madasafish]

Is it safe to ask how everyone else’s honey crop has been this year or will I be met with a deafening silence?

8 jumbo langs in back garden about 0.25miles from National Trust Garden (BiddulphGrange ) and assorted woods/homes/cows.
Only 3-4 produced this year due to weakness of others (since rectified requeening).
One used as a Queen raiser. Cloake Board - produced about 40lbs - left on hives to overwinter.Three remaining produced 170 or so pounds (some not bottled) plus about another 50 left for bees..

Summer ended mid July and it rained and rained and...

[fatshark]

Not dissimilar to Gavin (geographically unsurprising) ... about 25lb/colony of Spring honey. Almost nothing in the summer. I've just jarred the latter. Excellent flavour, but barely worth the effort. Didn't take anything to the heather and all colonies now munching down the fondant.

From a honey production standpoint my worst ever season since the year after I started.

From a more general beekeeping point of view a reasonably rewarding season. Only aware of one swarm missed, almost always knew what state individual hives were in, bait hives worked, requeening via splits went well, colonies - with one exception (and likely to be united soon) - looking in very good order. Extremely low Varroa levels apparent now treatment has started.

[lindsay s]

I’ve been feeding more syrup to the bees today and was surprised at the speed it’s being taken down. I hefted a few hives and found them to be very light, probably because they are still strong and there’s very little forage coming in. A reminder to any new or lazy beekeepers out there don’t SCRIMP on the autumn feeding, because it’s too late when you find they’ve died out.
I spent a little time observing the front of three hives today and I wouldn’t like to be a Drone (Ranger) at the moment. The bees are throwing them out onto the landing boards with a vengeance and even Tonto wouldn’t have been able to stop the ensuing massacre. This time last year I found hundreds of dead bees outside one of my hives and I thought it might have been the result of robbing, but on closer inspection over 90% of them were drones.
I’m taking over the airing cupboard tonight and will dehumidify and warm up my unsealed honeycombs, it works a treat if you’re careful with what you’re doing.

[madasafish]

Is it safe to ask how everyone else’s honey crop has been this year or will I be met with a deafening silence?

62lbs last year, 170lbs this.
Left 60lbs for bees this year - none last.

That's with only 4 out of 8 lang jumbos firing on all frames.

[Bridget]

Too early to say here. Won't take boxes off for about a other 10 days. But expecting at least double last year's. However last year we did not perform that well as Beekeepers and this year we put the lessons learnt to good use. So our honey crop is not always a reflection of the weather or heather! 🤣


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[Feckless Drone]

Is it safe to ask how everyone else’s honey crop has been this year or will I be met with a deafening silence?

I estimate overall its close to 20 lbs per hive over the season (that has so far ended up in an edible form!) - I also got a pleasant surprise when bringing bees back from the heather, a good super yet to be pressed - the forage/flow/weather has been very good, even excellent, at my sites and the 20 lb/hive would be much higher if I had done a better job. I set up 8 colonies for production this year. In spring all had to be split for swarm control. In late summer 3 had to be split again and I missed a cell in one (predictable result), 3 swarmed at the heather, all this years Qs. A significant amount of the spring OSR crystallized in the frames and is now being feed back to the bees, a bit of the summer and heather honey is uncapped and is also going back to the bees. 3 of the colonies were set up for sections and that does lower the yield a bit, also Qs going upstairs was a bit of a spoiler. I made the colonies too strong for the summer/heather with my uniting, coupled with good weather then it might have helped if I gave more space. Overall - I am happy with that yield (and the quality of the honey, apart form the bog standard OSR), some good lessons learned but have ended up with more colonies than I really wanted. For those, especially the commercial beekeepers, who can get yields way above mine - respect.

Two weeks after catching them still waiting on 1 of the heather swarm Qs to start laying - if she is there and well mated I want her cause she is from a good line. The colony is behaving well and there is lovely cleaned out patch just waiting for brood.

Main lesson this year - new Qs can swarm if you put enough pressure on them.

[Feckless Drone]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkbKExPgPi8&sns=em

Stay with this to 30 sec in. Reminded me of an afternoon in my apiary.

[Poly Hive]

Another wonderful story..... not. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4952858/Three-quarters-honey-contains-harmful-pesticides.html

PH

[busybeephilip]

quote from dailymail:
Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex, said: ‘Beyond doubt ... anyone regularly eating honey is likely to be getting a small dose of mixed neurotoxin

Bloody hell - I eat at least over a 1 lbs per week for years in tea, cereal, toast and straight off the spoon, my nervous system must be shattered to pieces. Or maybe its that I am walking proof that we dont have a Neonicotinoid problem in Northern Ireland. There is very little rape sown here, dont know what other seeds might be coated with neo's - it would be interesting to know. We could be the only part of the UK that is free of this wonder drug

[madasafish]

quote from dailymail:
Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex, said: ‘Beyond doubt ... anyone regularly eating honey is likely to be getting a small dose of mixed neurotoxin

g

That statement is sweeping and misleading.. If you live in an area where there is no arable farming and associated mass spray to enter the local food chain - spraying/sewing neonics treated seed, then there is no source of neonicotinoids - then the only source surely must be water bourne . And if all your ground water comes from land with the same lack of sewing/spraying, it's going to be pure.

But then he knows that and is just saying it for effect.

(NO arable land here- too hilly and wet clay)

[mbc]

That statement is sweeping and misleading.. If you live in an area where there is no arable farming and associated mass spray to enter the local food chain - spraying/sewing neonics treated seed, then there is no source of neonicotinoids - then the only source surely must be water bourne . And if all your ground water comes from land with the same lack of sewing/spraying, it's going to be pure.

But then he knows that and is just saying it for effect.

(NO arable land here- too hilly and wet clay)

I agree, he's probably right in that detection equipment is so advanced that our many branched hairs electrostatically charged little charges pick up small amounts of absolutely everything in the environment and so no area is safe, especially given the mobile nature of pollen, weather balloons come down with pollen from all over the world attached. It's still a bit of an unhelpful sensationalist comment though.

[busybeephilip]

More ... this was on the BBC site :(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41512791

[wee willy]

That statement is sweeping and misleading.. If you live in an area where there is no arable farming and associated mass spray to enter the local food chain - spraying/sewing neonics treated seed, then there is no source of neonicotinoids - then the only source surely must be water bourne . And if all your ground water comes from land with the same lack of sewing/spraying, it's going to be pure.

But then he knows that and is just saying it for effect.

(NO arable land here- too hilly and wet clay)

An extensive study has revealed the evidence of neonic s in honies from remote areas as well as recognised organic areas .
Quantities are minute and quoted as being harmless to both bees and mankind !
Don’t shoot the messenger .


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[busybeephilip]

Just a thought but how much of this stuff gets into wax, has anyone looked at that ?

[Adam]

There was a lot of chatter about chemicals in wax 7 - 8 years ago, particularly in the 'States, I recall. There's not been much since but it is possible that residues can build up over time.

[Jambo]

Stupid question time - first year beekeeper, I have managed to get to the ripe old age of 32 without being overly interested in ivy...! I'm not sure what it looks like when it is flowering, I think I have buds nearby which are nearly open but not quite, just north of Aberdeen, does this sound right?

Do we normally get much from ivy this far north? I feel like it might flower when the days are too cold for flying!?

Thanks

[alancooper]

ivy...! I'm not sure what it looks like when it is flowering, I think I have buds nearby which are nearly open but not quite, just north of Aberdeen, does this sound right? Do we normally get much from ivy this far north? I feel like it might flower when the days are too cold for flying!?

Jambo
The flowering heads are 2-3cm globes of small green flowers (2-3mm). When the flowers open you can see the yellow stamens. Here ivy starts to flower in Sept, continues during Oct and Nov and I have even seen a small number of flowers with pollen in December. My bees take it down massively when it is mild and not too windy and I take a crop towards the end of Oct when clustering starts and temperatures fall. Frames of honey are crystalised and need to be warmed in a metal container heated by a water-bath. When cool the set wax surface is taken off to access the honey.
This year flowering has been slow, with currently only about half the flowers open.
The honey has a strong taste - delicious in porridge. It sets in the jar within 2-3weeks, then gets progressively harder - warming jars during the winter lessens the strength of the taste.
Alan.

[Calluna4u]

Do we normally get much from ivy this far north? I feel like it might flower when the days are too cold for flying!?



In the milder west perhaps you have a chance...see the reply from N. Ireland.....but here in Tayside we have NEVER seen any appreciable nectar from ivy in over 60 years. They do work it keenly on open days, and bring in a bit of dirty yellow pollen, but never seen a flow that would be anything more than a few drops. If you have it in an utter abundance and not many bees around you might have a chance. Gavin has reported significant flows near Dundee and at the same time we had bees about a mile away which were getting zilch.

Its feeding time, not honey time.

[Poly Hive]

Never seen it flower by Aberdeen and to my knowledge never got anything from it.

Some ivy offering to flower here in the Borders but not a bee looking at it.

Not sure how far south one has to be to get a flow but its's somewhere between here and Leicestershire. I say that because that is where I have just moved from (after moving from the NE down to there) and I can say for sure the bees were working it there.

PH

[Jambo]

Thanks Alan, C4U and PH.

Alan I think you're the first person I've seen posting anything positive about the taste of ivy honey :)

To clarify I wasn't very interested in it from a nectar point of view as I've fed them loads and have no desire for another crop, but they've had little pollen available to them since the end of August really and therefore I assume some ivy pollen would be useful.

I'll keep an eye on it - some decent-ish weather forecast for the rest of this week which might push it on. It is at the stage where the flower heads are expanded but the individual flowers are not open.

[mbc]

Jambo
The flowering heads are 2-3cm globes of small green flowers (2-3mm). When the flowers open you can see the yellow stamens. Here ivy starts to flower in Sept, continues during Oct and Nov and I have even seen a small number of flowers with pollen in December. My bees take it down massively when it is mild and not too windy and I take a crop towards the end of Oct when clustering starts and temperatures fall. Frames of honey are crystalised and need to be warmed in a metal container heated by a water-bath. When cool the set wax surface is taken off to access the honey.
This year flowering has been slow, with currently only about half the flowers open.
The honey has a strong taste - delicious in porridge. It sets in the jar within 2-3weeks, then gets progressively harder - warming jars during the winter lessens the strength of the taste.
Alan.

Have I got it right that you're warming the frames prior to spinning them out? Does the ivy honey reliquefy at a low enough temperature that the wax doesn't get damaged?

[busybeephilip]

Have I got it right that you're warming the frames prior to spinning them out? Does the ivy honey reliquefy at a low enough temperature that the wax doesn't get damaged?

Ivy, if pure, goes rock hard in the comb, the only way i find is to melt the whole comb down in for example a cappings tray. It is an acquired taste, personally I like it and eat all I get with little side effects (others who know me might think differently :) I have heard people say it is the UK's equivalent to Manuka honey with claims of medical properties, true or not I can not say.

[The Drone Ranger]

Stupid question time - first year beekeeper, I have managed to get to the ripe old age of 32 without being overly interested in ivy...! I'm not sure what it looks like when it is flowering, I think I have buds nearby which are nearly open but not quite, just north of Aberdeen, does this sound right?

Do we normally get much from ivy this far north? I feel like it might flower when the days are too cold for flying!?

Thanks

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2009/hitchins_abby/Life%20Cycle.htm

A lot of ivy we see clambering over things will not be mature enough to flower so there might not be enough to get a crop of any kind

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/beekeeping/10018009/Gardeners-urged-to-let-ivy-flourish-to-save-bees.html
http://highburywildlifegarden.org.uk/the-garden/bees-faves/english-ivy/
2864

[Bridget]

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2009/hitchins_abby/Life%20Cycle.htm

A lot of ivy we see clambering over things will not be mature enough to flower so there might not be enough to get a crop of any kind

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/beekeeping/10018009/Gardeners-urged-to-let-ivy-flourish-to-save-bees.html
http://highburywildlifegarden.org.uk/the-garden/bees-faves/english-ivy/
2864

No ivy here but bees still bringing in bright deep orange here. No idea where it’s coming from. BTW is it true or myth that bees bringing in pollen means there is brood in the hive? We have one that’s looking as though it’s lost it’s queen but some weeks ago we saw what we thought was a mating flight. (Should have made a note of the date but weren’t really sure what we were seeing). Just two bees in flight one on top of the other but they were too quick to check if one was a Queen. They passed us three times.


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[alancooper]

Have I got it right that you're warming the frames prior to spinning them out? Does the ivy honey reliquefy at a low enough temperature that the wax doesn't get damaged?

Mostly the honey has set before extracting - you need to cut it out of the frames.

[Greengage]

2865

[Poly Hive]

We have a very over grown plot for sale next to us and it is full of ivy, in fact it is busy killing some seriously big trees which is a concern. However it is barely flowering and I am not seeing bees on it. Not that much of a disappointment as the hives are still working HB. I am actually after lunch taking off the last super. The hives are lead weights too so my fondant purchase may be un needed but that is fine as it will happily keep.

PH

[mbc]

So no one successfully reliquefy's set ivy to spin out the honey and save the comb, shame as there is a ready market for ivy honey in bulk these days.
Thanks for the replies.

[Poly Hive]

I will stick my neck out here and say it is not very common to have ivy honey is Scotland. Only report I have ever heard of was from Dundee or near there who claimed to see bees working on it. Over my 20 or so years of bees in Scotland I can honestly say I have not even seen ivy in flower properly here. In East Mids yes and very busy it was with bees too but not up here.

Wrong forum for the question?

PH

[Mellifera Crofter]

I’ve not seen ivy honey either, but last autumn I was called out about a ‘swarm’, and it was only a huge amount of very happy bees foraging on the people’s ivy hedge, up here in Aberdeenshire. The owner then said he’ll cut down the hedge because he has grandchildren visiting. I don’t know whether I succeeded in dissuading him from doing so.

[Jambo]

The owner then said he’ll cut down the hedge because he has grandchildren visiting. I don’t know whether I succeeded in dissuading him from doing so.

:( I hope so!

Still not flowering here...!

Bees enjoying the beautiful weather here this afternoon and quite a bit of pollen of various colours coming in. Took the opportunity to get the feeders off and mouse guards on.

[alancooper]

We have a very over grown plot for sale next to us and it is full of ivy, in fact it is busy killing some seriously big trees which is a concern. However it is barely flowering and I am not seeing bees on it. Not that much of a disappointment as the hives are still working HB. I am actually after lunch taking off the last super. The hives are lead weights too so my fondant purchase may be un needed but that is fine as it will happily keep.

PH
The reason we get a lot of ivy in Fermanagh is that there are a large number of tall hedges with trees. Ivy has a "reputation" for killing trees but it does not. As trees become over-mature they can be blown down in strong winds. Old trees happen to support much ivy, but the main cause of wind-throw is old age, particularly if the trees have a hollow trunk. Countryside with few hedges or hedges cut regularly will not give ivy honey because firstly, there is little ivy and secondly, there is little opportunity for it to flower in a low hedge.

[gavin]

Gavin has reported significant flows near Dundee and at the same time we had bees about a mile away which were getting zilch.


I've seen patches in frames in years with settled warm days in October - and I think that it is a major pollen source for that last burst of brood rearing - but have never had enough worth harvesting. Ted Hooper writes that it gives honey crops in the far south-west (of England) and presumably global warming in the intervening decades is responsible for that extending over larger areas now.

There are two species of ivy, Hedera helix and Hedera hibernica. The latter tends to be on south-facing rock faces with the former mainly on tree trunks and generally cooler situations. It is in the warm spots where you will see honey bees on the better days along with a range of other pollinators. Take a sprig indoors (in some water and on a sunny windowsill) and you will see the copious secretion from both types but more of it from the second, lusher species.

[greengumbo]

I noticed the bees coming back with some ivy pollen last week and pinpointed the source to a plant about a mile away absolutely heaving with bees.

Its earlier flowering than any others I see locally and looks quite different. I wonder how easy it is to propagate from cuttings / roots ?

[Mellifera Crofter]

... Its earlier flowering than any others I see locally and looks quite different. I wonder how easy it is to propagate from cuttings / roots ?

I’ve read somewhere it takes about twenty years before an ivy plant will flower. I don’t know whether that is true, or whether a cutting may flower sooner - but still worth trying, I think.

Kitta

[greengumbo]

20 years ! wow !

I guess it can go next to the mulberry then :) They should flower about the same time.

[steve]

It will take fifteen years and it only flowers when in the arboreal stage. I have a Persian Ivy that began flowering a few years ago and that was from a rooted cutting, it's a long wait. Mine flowers later than the native variety and still has buds as well as open flowers.

[RDMW]

Queenless in October! Hello I did an end of season inspection today (14 degrees in bright sun) one of my hives is on double brood and has lots of beams and stores but no brood or eggs at all. The bees are quiet and easy to handle. There is no pollen. This hive had a 2017 Queen do bag well 6 weeks ago. Poor weather and work have prevented me looking in since. So either there is a non laying queen or they are queenless. What to do? I don’t really want to unite as I have two other colonies both on double brood so would end up with huge hives. I don’t have easy access to a new queen and am keen to maintain local stock rather than buy in a queen from far away.
Do I have any other option than to see how they overwinter and assess in the spring? Any advice welcome


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[Poly Hive]

Can you offer a test frame? If it is negative saying there is a queen present then a feed of syrup my bribe her to get going. You have said you have had poor weather so I would wonder about a brood stop myself.

PH

[fatshark]

Are you sure they're queenless? I looked through a few boxes recently that had vanishingly low levels of brood, or in one case none whatsoever, but they were all definitely queenright. These were in Aberdeen, not balmy Fife ;)

Which is no guarantee they'll make it through the winter of course ...

We took drastic action, culled the non-functioning Q and united the box with another. However, these weren't particularly 'valuable' bees.

Wasn't there recent discussion about a test frame this late in the season? Here or the BKF? I've never tried. There's zero chance of them rearing one and getting her mated, but I suppose that doesn't mean they wouldn't try.

You do have time to split the double box, unite each half - over a QE! - with existing hives and then use a clearer board to compress them down into just a double box. If I was confident on my abilities to find the Q and hadn't then that's what I would do.

[Mellifera Crofter]

Are you sure they're queenless? I looked through a few boxes recently that had vanishingly low levels of brood, or in one case none whatsoever, but they were all definitely queenright. These were in Aberdeen, not balmy Fife ;)

Same here. Quite a few of my colonies' queens stopped laying when I looked a while back now. But a few days ago, I had to move a nucleus colony to a better hive and didn't see any brood - but I did see the queen, and left well alone. Even if I hadn't seen her, I'd have left them as they were.


Wasn't there recent discussion about a test frame this late in the season? Here or the BKF? I've never tried.

It was here, Fatshark. I asked the question because I was trying to help two people with possible queenless colonies. In both instances they did not make use of the test frames to draw out any queencells, but on a second or third visit to one of the colonies, I saw the queen. For the other one - we'll have to see what happens in spring. Also, a few days after asking the question, one of my colonies tried to supersede a queen. I stopped them, and she's still laying fine.

So, RDMW, you could try a test frame as Fatshark suggested, but I'll probably just leave them, but perhaps give them some pollen patties as you've said you didn't see any (and syrup or fondant).

Kitta

[fatshark]

In fairness Kitta it was Polyhive who suggested a test frame. I wouldn't do that at this time of year as I'd want my strong(er) colonies to remain that way, and I'd prefer not even to go rummaging through them unless I had to.

Of course, PH and RDMW wouldn't "rummage". But I would.

[Mellifera Crofter]

Oh, yes - PH. I should pay better attention!


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[Poly Hive]

In all honesty I would be very reluctant to go through bees at this time of year. Intellectually I know it can be done safely but instinctively I feel this is their time of year and I don't want to disturb them.
As for being Q- well not having been in for some 6 weeks now if not more then I don't know, and if they are they are and if not then great.
Where people are getting the idea that it is ok to be going through them like a swarm inspection I just don't know. I actually read the other day this question. "When is it safe to stop swarm inspections?" They were still hunting swarm cells in mid October in the UK.

There is so much information out there and so much of it is unfit for us. I put up a slide on Tuesday night warning the class off from Youtube et all.

PH

[Feckless Drone]

I would prefer not go rummaging myself either. I assume the Q was not marked. Are there any drones present in the colony? If yes then maybe there is a problem but brood rearing really tailed off sharpish for my colonies in August so I would not be surprised if the Q is just taking a break.

[Jon]

If the colony was calm it almost certainly has a queen in it. Whether it is a virgin or a non laying queen is a matter of waiting until Spring.
Mid October it is not unusual at all to have a broodless colony especially if the weather has been bad for a few weeks.

[Bridget]

Where people are getting the idea that it is ok to be going through them like a swarm inspection I just don't know. I actually read the other day this question. "When is it safe to stop swarm inspections?" They were still hunting swarm cells in mid October.

PH
As a beginner you are taught to inspect every week. You get your bees in summer and you inspect every week. And there’s no trainer to tell you when to stop bothering the bees. I was lucky to find this forum right at the beginning of my beekeeping and soon picked up it was not ok to be going through your bees weekly in September. However it was only later I found out about winter brood etc.



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[wee willy]

In all honesty I would be very reluctant to go through bees at this time of year. Intellectually I know it can be done safely but instinctively I feel this is their time of year and I don't want to disturb them.
As for being Q- well not having been in for some 6 weeks now if not more then I don't know, and if they are they are and if not then great.
Where people are getting the idea that it is ok to be going through them like a swarm inspection I just don't know. I actually read the other day this question. "When is it safe to stop swarm inspections?" They were still hunting swarm cells in mid October in the UK.

There is so much information out there and so much of it is unfit for us. I put up a slide on Tuesday night warning the class off from Youtube et all.

PH

A swarm in October ?
Not if you are Sober !


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[fatshark]

A colony definitely broodless in October is a good candidate for OA* trickling ... there will still be mites left over from the late summer treatment and, if they're all phoretic, they're easy to get. By January, many colonies have started rearing brood again.

You could do some calculations, but I bet that 95% knockdown of all mites now would be preferable - in terms of mite numbers by late Spring - to 95% of the phoretic population once the colony has brood in early January.

I treated with OA last year in late November after a protracted cold period. I didn't check for brood but someone - FD perhaps? - commented that their colonies were broodless when checked about the same time. My Varroa levels this year have been really low.

* I mean Api-Bioxal of course ;)

[greengumbo]

A colony definitely broodless in October is a good candidate for OA* trickling ... there will still be mites left over from the late summer treatment and, if they're all phoretic, they're easy to get. By January, many colonies have started rearing brood again.

You could do some calculations, but I bet that 95% knockdown of all mites now would be preferable - in terms of mite numbers by late Spring - to 95% of the phoretic population once the colony has brood in early January.

I treated with OA last year in late November after a protracted cold period. I didn't check for brood but someone - FD perhaps? - commented that their colonies were broodless when checked about the same time. My Varroa levels this year have been really low.

* I mean Api-Bioxal of course ;)

Totally agree with this FS. Treating a broodless colony now to mop up phoretic (and in my experience "less fit end of year Varroa") would probably be far better than waiting until January.

[Poly Hive]

In theory I completely agree but..........I am not pulling frames at the moment to see and the reason why not is simple. It is still quite warm and the bees I am quite sure in my mind have brood as I seeing a constant stream of pollen going in. So over the last ten years I hyave been using OA trickle in January. In late April and May I have been checking drone brood which as we all know is 8 times more attractive to the mites so that is where they should be in droves. Not found a one yet. I pick open fifty or more cells and put the frame back feeling quite happy with the situation. Now as long as that test works for me and the bees look healthy which they do, and produce honey which they do, then I am happy.

Going back to poking around in October are people not going on courses to learn these things or reading books now? Or is it all oh I'll find out what I need from the pool of misinformation that the web is?

PH

[fatshark]

I wasn't commenting on whether we should be rummaging around in colonies at this time, just that if they were broodless (which you'd discovered because there were doubts about the queen or whatever) then I'd treat. I've got several colonies I've not looked in since the first week of August.

GG and I had cause to go through some colonies with vanishingly (desperately?) low levels of brood a few days ago which, under other circumstances, were ideal for treatment.

Here's another thought, and possibly one for GG ...

A broodless colony in midwinter has the highest (100%) proportion of phoretic mites. If the colony starts rearing brood, do they get heavily infested with mites? In relative terms there are lots of mites in the colony per late stage larva. Or are the mites "not very fit"?

If they do get heavily infested, it has potentially dire consequences for the very early season build-up of the colony ...

[greengumbo]

I wasn't commenting on whether we should be rummaging around in colonies at this time, just that if they were broodless (which you'd discovered because there were doubts about the queen or whatever) then I'd treat. I've got several colonies I've not looked in since the first week of August.

GG and I had cause to go through some colonies with vanishingly (desperately?) low levels of brood a few days ago which, under other circumstances, were ideal for treatment.

Here's another thought, and possibly one for GG ...

A broodless colony in midwinter has the highest (100%) proportion of phoretic mites. If the colony starts rearing brood, do they get heavily infested with mites? In relative terms there are lots of mites in the colony per late stage larva. Or are the mites "not very fit"?

If they do get heavily infested, it has potentially dire consequences for the very early season build-up of the colony ...

Oh fun.

I would wager that even in a non-treated colony a fair proportion of phoretic mites don't survive very long in winter anyway and those that do might not be in optimum reproductive state, at least come first brood rearing. In fact I wonder if in general these survivors use the early brood as, in effect, a hide out and to regain fitness - rather than to kick start full-on reproduction ? They would still be transmitting DWV but maybe not at the same rate ?

[fatshark]

Thanks GG
Someone needs to sort these types of Q's out ;)

So here's another one ... is it the mites that are different, or is midwinter brood (or late season, or whatever) for some reason less suited for the mite reproduction? I can't imagine the convoluted experiment that would need to be done to sort this out ... perhaps a business-class flight to the Southern Hemisphere with a pocketful of summer mites?

[The Drone Ranger]

Oh fun.

I would wager that even in a non-treated colony a fair proportion of phoretic mites don't survive very long in winter anyway and those that do might not be in optimum reproductive state, at least come first brood rearing. In fact I wonder if in general these survivors use the early brood as, in effect, a hide out and to regain fitness - rather than to kick start full-on reproduction ? They would still be transmitting DWV but maybe not at the same rate ?I think thats fake news GG
as the Donald might say

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[fatshark]

I'm not so sure DR.

Colonies with high mite levels can stagger through to the next season. If untreated the ratio of mites to pupa must increase hugely in winter simply on account of the low level of brood. Why isn't every new bee wrecked?

[greengumbo]

I think thats fake news GG
as the Donald might say

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Possibly DR. One thing I definitely have in common with Trump is the need for a wig.

Mites are not machines though. A couple of months of living phoretically with no / low feed will take its toll. Many of the mite population at this stage will also be old grannies and could have undergone multiple reproductive cycles during the summer previous, which is no mean feat. I just can't see how they can be in tip top condition at the start of brood rearing. Could be totally wrong though :)

[The Drone Ranger]

Possibly DR. One thing I definitely have in common with Trump is the need for a wig.

Mites are not machines though. A couple of months of living phoretically with no / low feed will take its toll. Many of the mite population at this stage will also be old grannies and could have undergone multiple reproductive cycles during the summer previous, which is no mean feat. I just can't see how they can be in tip top condition at the start of brood rearing. Could be totally wrong though :)Lol!

This is what beebase say
"The life expectancy of Varroa mites depends on the
presence of brood and will vary from 27 days to
about 5 months. During the summer Varroa mites
live for about 2-3 months during which time,
providing brood is available, they can complete 3-4
breeding cycles. In winter, when brood rearing is
restricted, mites over-winter solely on the bodies
of the adult bees within the cluster, until brood
rearing commences the following spring."

Various sources might disagree I don't know for sure but I bet the people recommending a layer of leaves and moss in the bottom of the hive or hives made of cowpats will be at the forefront :)

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[greengumbo]

Lol!

This is what beebase say
"The life expectancy of Varroa mites depends on the
presence of brood and will vary from 27 days to
about 5 months. During the summer Varroa mites
live for about 2-3 months during which time,
providing brood is available, they can complete 3-4
breeding cycles. In winter, when brood rearing is
restricted, mites over-winter solely on the bodies
of the adult bees within the cluster, until brood
rearing commences the following spring."

Various sources might disagree I don't know for sure but I bet the people recommending a layer of leaves and moss in the bottom of the hive or hives made of cowpats will be at the forefront :)

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Are we not in agreement here ? Maybe "the summer previous" is a bit misleading from myself. I mean - during reproductive months. So a mite could have reproduced in the last bit of brood in September / October / November and then be in poor winter condition to survive phoretically.

[fatshark]

GG ... I've found just the thing for you.

2871

[The Drone Ranger]

GG ... I've found just the thing for you.

2871

Ha ha

worse than him for delusional thinking though is the Lithuanian Prime Minister who said Britain needs to agree how much to pay the EU before trade talks begin


In 2015 the taxpayers of Lithuania received from the European Union 148 euros per head over what they contributed. Since its accession to the EU the country has received from the European Union EUR 11191 million over what it has contributed



Lithuania has been a member of the European Union since May 2004

Lithuania GDP is 12,613 million Euro It has received 11191 million over and above what it has contributed to the EU
Thats only up to to 2015

So I say shut up Lithuania your getting greedy

[The Drone Ranger]

You could say the same applies to the bees though GG

[Jambo]

Turned into a decent ish day here so the bees are out and about. Surprised to see a handful of drones emerging from my wee hive. Shouldn't they have been done away with by now?

Colony is a split I made up during the summer, queen from a swarm cell mated here...

I don't intend to investigate until spring but could this be early signs of becoming a drone layer?

Thanks.

[Mellifera Crofter]

The Year of the Wasp is not over yet. They're not a problem any more, but there are still a few flying about hoping to gain access to a hive.
Kitta

[Feckless Drone]

Creative use of bees -

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001258490/bees-keep-guard-at-polling-station-entrance-in-kakamega

[greengumbo]

The Year of the Wasp is not over yet. They're not a problem any more, but there are still a few flying about hoping to gain access to a hive.
Kitta

Last few days have seen an upturn in wasp activity around some of my hives. Looked like something had pulled the entrance blocks away from two and the wasps were having easier access. I suspect rats.

Bulk order of mouseguards just arrived so on they go.

[prakel]

Last few days have seen an upturn in wasp activity

Considering the incredibly mild weather down here (we even missed 'Brian') I'm a little concerned that there are no wasps to talk of, even in August/Sept they were in short supply.

[wee willy]

Last few days have seen an upturn in wasp activity around some of my hives. Looked like something had pulled the entrance blocks away from two and the wasps were having easier access. I suspect rats.

Bulk order of mouseguards just arrived so on they go.

I don’t use mouse guards .
My under floor entrance open mesh floors require a mouse to wriggle up a 10 mil slot 3” deep. The whole width of the hive is left open .
I’ve never had a problem since using them !


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[Greengage]

Lots of wasps still around in Ireland especially in the east.

[Jambo]

Done a fair bit of driving this weekend - ivy in full flower down in Galloway, just starting here in Aberdeenshire. With highs of 10 degC forecast this week I wonder if it's too late to be of any use to the bees!

[Feckless Drone]

Bees bringing in pollen yesterday in the lovely sunshine here on Tayside. 100% sure its from ivy; saw the foraging. Some more yellow pollen noted as well. Mahonia maybe?
But - couple of frosts might change things. Wasps seem to have disappeared now.

[greengumbo]

Bees bringing in pollen yesterday in the lovely sunshine here on Tayside. 100% sure its from ivy; saw the foraging. Some more yellow pollen noted as well. Mahonia maybe?
But - couple of frosts might change things. Wasps seem to have disappeared now.

Some bright yellow pollen coming in last week up here as well that didn't think was Ivy. Some flowering brassicas (turnips?) in a field nearby but maybe it could be mahonia.

[gavin]

Some bright yellow pollen coming in last week up here as well that didn't think was Ivy. Some flowering brassicas (turnips?) in a field nearby but maybe it could be mahonia.

Might be worth a trip north to see those Aberdeenshire fields of Mahonia ;). Who am I to talk with some clumsy wording in yesterday's SNHBS circular!

I seem to have inadvertently set up a wasp monitoring station here overlooking the Tay to the west of Dundee. Three ways:

- a stack of extracted supers out the back
- the Asian hornet trap as requested by the nice lady at the Scottish Government
- a pile of supers in my front room with as yet unextracted heather honey plus an open window (a necessary health precaution given my sensitivity to certain particles)

The bee equipment was a major wasp magnet through September but went quieter when the local ivy came into flower (and, no doubt, the available scraps of sticky stuff has been used up). And when the Asian hornet trap was set up. :)

The Asian hornet trap has sooked in zillions of wasps but that has slowed now to a trickle. No Vespa velutina in case anyone is wondering.

The front room still has a few wasps commuting to the stack of supers today. Maybe two. They know their way in and out quite well. There has been a certain attrition as, when they deviate from the usual route to and from the window and start to harass me instead at the desk that tends to trigger a bout of vespicide.

With the vehicles outside white this morning I did wonder whether the wasp season had now finished. Not so, it seems, but we're nearly there.

I wonder if the red admirals in the orchard are still alive? Early in October I estimated 2,000 of them but at every visit there seems to be fewer and fewer. They've probably been migrating south since then but they did seem to be leaving it late.