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Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:25 Jan 2021, 16:05
by Cable_Fairy
It was about the best day we have had for a week the thermometer was +1. I expected the hive to be dead due to all the cold we have had for over a month. No there they were munching on the fondant on the top bars looking very lively.
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:25 Jan 2021, 16:27
by Spike
Alfred wrote: ↑25 Jan 2021, 15:16
After a sphincter shrinking journey over pack iced hilly lanes to get to the apiary
we found a Christmas card scene with three inches of snow covering everything including the hive roofs
The Kingspan ekes and thermal wrap is well worth the effort
Checked feed levels all doing ok except the 'village idiots' who were all dead.
Two years ago I would have been mortified but
a, I hadn't expected them to survive this long anyway -they were test guinea pigs.
b, I can finally bring the kit in for maintenance
c,that DNA is no longer in the gene pool
d, Im not having to waste any more time on them
It was like a scene from Where Eagles Dare out in the snow with all the white camouflage and treachery.
They don't call me Broadsword for nothing ,Heidi.
Village Idiots?
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:25 Jan 2021, 16:45
by Alfred
Village idiots
Previously documented
Arrived as a swarm bouncing around the bait hives shedding numbers all the way.
Stinging me when I tried to reunite the fragments.
Weren't interested in a honey super,struggled to build up properly over summer.
Got robbed,dwindled down despite plenty of feed and thermally secure.
Should have combined or culled but I wanted to try fondant only feeding ( and not wanting to risk a good colony for the experiment)
Sad they died but glad they're gone.
I doubt nature would have given them so many second chances
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:25 Jan 2021, 17:22
by Steve 1972
Cable_Fairy wrote: ↑25 Jan 2021, 16:05
It was about the best day we have had for a week the thermometer was +1. I expected the hive to be dead due to all the cold we have had for over a month. No there they were munching on the fondant on the top bars looking very lively.
It is a brilliant sight to see isn't it...i have one here the same that keeps defying logic..it may fail in the end for being so small to start with but i will give mine the benefit of doubt and do all i can to help them..
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:25 Jan 2021, 17:26
by Steve 1972
Alfred wrote: ↑25 Jan 2021, 16:45
Village idiots
Previously documented
Arrived as a swarm bouncing around the bait hives shedding numbers all the way.
Stinging me when I tried to reunite the fragments.
Weren't interested in a honey super,struggled to build up properly over summer.
Got robbed,dwindled down despite plenty of feed and thermally secure.
Should have combined or culled but I wanted to try fondant only feeding ( and not wanting to risk a good colony for the experiment)
Sad they died but glad they're gone.
I doubt nature would have given them so many second chances
This reminds me why i will never keep or actively collect swarms..equipment is expensive which can be much better used for nice bees..
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:25 Jan 2021, 18:22
by Alfred
It's a lottery for sure Steve
I have exclusively swarmed bees ,some are rubbish but at least half of my current colonies are worthwhile .
I make most of my own kit, usually from skip finds and upcycled junk so expense is just when I have to buy in things like metal parts.Regards
Much satisfaction gained
Each to their own
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:26 Jan 2021, 00:08
by Patrick
Thanks for the suggestion Nigel, sounds a plan. Can’t see it doing much harm whereas running out of stores before their is anything to usefully forage (which is probably 6 weeks away) and it will be curtains.
Swarms can only be as good or bad as your local bees. Around here they are generally ok. I have heard of far fewer in the last couple of years. I haven’t collected a really decent big prime swarm for probably 4 years. The average size has tended to be nearer to casts. No idea why. But I still get a kick out of collecting one.
We have it, we have it all Alfred!
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:26 Jan 2021, 02:00
by MickBBKA
'Swarms can be only as good or bad as your local bees'..........Ehhhh?
Or maybe as good or bad as some nightmare imported bees ruining your nice calm productive local bees....????
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:26 Jan 2021, 08:41
by NigelP
Mick, if you look at how bee genetics works, that is not the case.
Calm imported bees cannot pass on aggressive genes as they don't have them!
A study done in Germany many moons back showed (before they eliminated their black bees) that the temper of local bees improved when mingled with Buckfast genes. Can't find reference to original work, but remember thinking it was interesting when I first read it.
Re: What have you done today bee-related?
PostPosted:26 Jan 2021, 12:08
by Alfred
Just to muddy the water,I have one colony which is scary looking black but are absolute gems to work with.
I also have some beautiful golden bees which by comparison are complete as##0les.
I take pleasure in different temperaments of the colonies - although the latter will get requeened or get gone this year after attacking the mower.