What have you done today bee-related?

[JoJo36]

Well done Alfred, you're certainly a worker not a shirker for sure!!
Taken my feeders off as pretty heavy now! Checked all 3 hives, 1 definitely weaker than the other 2 and a few bees spotted with DWV in weaker one! Still got Apivar strips in so hopefully that should help!
Other 2 hives still have loads of bees and about 5-6 frames of eggs, brood etc., They have plenty of honey and pollen!
I'll put mouse guards on after this latest spell of sunny weather and then leave them alone!

[MickBBKA]

Weather is perfect for beekeeping here, its 32c, no wind or rain but not done any beekeeping at all because I am in Jamaica HA HA HAAA !

[Alfred]

Bloody southerners

[MickBBKA]

Removed a double brood hive killed by wasps. They are relentless. Had the back of my truck open with a couple of sticky supers in it and there must have been over a hundred wasps in there in 10mins. That's what I get for daring to go on holiday.

[JoJo36]

Not many wasps here now although not that cold still!!
Made an asian hornet trap but not seen any wasps or hornets!
I'm hoping next year doesn't see a rise in them as it's going to make all beekeepers edgy but only so much anyone can do !!
Been very quiet on this forum??!! Have you retired Alfred??!!

[AdamD]

There are a few bees flying and the odd dopey-looking wasp and the occasional bumblebee.
All my colonies have now been left for the winter although I know that one doesn't have a proper laying queen. They will have to hang on until next year.
I have 2 WBC's at home that I hadn't checked for a long time until last weekend. Both are full of bees and food and I saw for the first time and marked a 2023 queen in one. I need some insulation on top of the crown boards to finish them both off.
After the rain of the past few days, it's a sunny sunday, so a good opportunity to do it.

[MickBBKA]

Winter food checks look like I am going to have to put fondant on already. Colonies that had 40lbs+ stores a month ago are feeling lighter already. The abysmal weather since June and the very early end of Summer flowers has not allowed the bees to collect any extra stores so they have been eating what they have. Its still a learning curve as I never used to have so many double brood colonies going into Winter. But every year natural selection improves my strains so got to roll with the punches. My bees are a million miles away from what I started with 11 years ago

[bees_love]

Today I bought new bees, for my backyard.

[B1B2]

It’s late in the year for that?

[MickBBKA]

'Backyard' sounds American and some states have all year around beekeeping unlike some of us in the UK who have 3 months.