What have you done today bee-related?

[AdamD]

My virgin didn't mate so she has gone and a mated queen from a mini plus hive has gone in. The miniplus hive happened to be next to the virgin hive, so I moved the miniplus hive away to sit on top of another miniplus. The flyers will finish up with their queen in the former virgin-hive and I'll unite the two miniplus hives, so I'll have 4 double-height miniplus stocks - easily large enough to survive winter.

I've got a couple of hives that need the excluders off and the supers put underneath - my usual practice. And one full-sized colony is still a bit light.

There's ivy coming in when the weather is warm enough.

[AdamD]

A walk past my main apiary today and I had a quick heft of the polynucs. All are fine apart from one which is particularly light; The weather has been mild and my guess is that they have reared brood rather than slow down so will need feeding heavily now. However if they don't know when to stop, I wonder whether its the sort of queen I want.

[JoJo36]

Fed mine 2-1 syrup which they took down and felt quite heavy, however after adding some fondant in case they are peckish, they seem to be flying around and scoffing that too??!!
I've hefted them and they feel quite heavy so I will stop for now!
It seems that the mild weather has kept the queens laying, but I suppose more bees for next year!
Hopefully I've not overfed as I usually do??!!

[MickBBKA]

As usual its been warmer here in Oct than June so have checked food and brood in 33 colonies.
Most are just about ready for Winter, some are still filling up on 2:1 syrup. 30 are broodless which is very normal for my bees this time of year. BBKA Southern speak does my head in about feeding and when Winter bees are raised. They really don't have a clue as far as being a so called national association. They obviously never read this forum.

[AdamD]

The climate has changed since much of the advice was written - and as you point out, very few of those beekeepers were from your part of the world in any case.
The books say not to open a hive in spring until it's T shirt weather or the flowering currants are out; but that's far too late and not always appropriate. And it's still in the teens now.
As always the presecriptive advice only get anyone so far and as beekeepers, we need to have a better understanding of what goes on at what time and in what weather to manage our stocks.

[NigelP]

Yesterday I removed the varroa treatment strips off my hives. Most are nice and heavy and well populated with bees. One or two were surprisingly grumpy....
Losing one small late superedure colony as queen is a drone layer. I'll let nature take its course as onlty a couple of seams of bees left.

[MickBBKA]

Must admit, my bees are lovely all the time, except this Autumn, they are very grumpy. The slightest knock on the hive and they are out for a fight.
Maybe they are telling us what winter to exspect ?

[JoJo36]

Blimey warmish and some odd rays of sunshine today although mostly gloomy but plenty of bees flying!
I streamed all around my hives and they didn't seem to be bothered at all??!!
Plenty of bees coming and going but may mean more fondant if the queens are still laying??!!
Hmmm, maybe we need a nice dry but cold spell to get them to stay indoors and ear supplies:)

[JoJo36]

STRIMMED!! damned predicted text!!

[NigelP]

A least it come up with streaked......