What have you done today bee-related?

[Alfred]

And thanks for the tip off about the Maisemore sale.
I thought I had enough kit but got caught out this year with a near tripling of colonies

[JoJo36]

Ha ha Nigel, its true, you can never have enough kit!!
We need a new shed next year so maybe a larger split one would be good as we have petrol lawnmower, strimmer etc.,
I thought the sale prices were really good and glad I waited.... I'll have frames galore!!

Alfred, glad the sale was worthwhile for you as you seem to be expanding all the time, what with the electric extractor and all! It's nice enjoying spending on things you need/want rather than leaving it in your wallet for the moths!!
Next year you will have fields full of colonies and workers to check them while observing your workforce by app on your phone!!

[NigelP]

Good to see the site back up and running again.
Thnaks to all who engineered its resurrection.
Amazing how much one misses something when it's not there.

[Patrick]

Indeed. Nipped out to check bees and all feeling heavy and bringing in pollen on a lovely warm day (whilst I was staring at a computer screen but hey). Noticed in bee shed that a stack of drawn comb supers had been knocked off centre and a big gap was open round the side - any bets on mice having got in? Weekend job to check those out.

As it's so mild I am a little concerned about another stack with some used brood combs I have unusually kept back and the risk of wax moth taking hold. No freezer room. Last year we had very few frosts all winter. I am thinking about treating them with burnt sulphur strips I bought years ago. I only used them once and they were throat-catchingly strong. Supposed to be repeated during the winter every few weeks - anyone used them and did you use the suggested burner or an alternative?

[NigelP]

Use them routinely.
Bought the burner, but easy to make a DIY one to hold the strips up.
Usually do a stack of 6 brood frames with poly sheet under bottom one. Empty brood on top with burner with WOODEN roof...they get hot. Set off a couple of strips wait to finish, poly sheet over top box + lid, ratchet strap and leave alone.
Last couple of years stored outside....braving inside this year to try and avoid all the mould that I seem to get on the frames in the damp winters we get around here.

[Steve 1972]

I have a uncanny low mite drop in my garden apiary after 5 weeks of using nearly out of date amitraz..so today I vaped them with OA mix and I will slowy await the outcome..watch this space..

[NigelP]

For what its worth Steve, I used the same just out of date Amitraz strips. Most of my hives didn't drop many varroa either. But some of them did, 1000's in one case. Which suggests that the strips where working fine, at least in those hives.
Be interested to see what what you OA vaping produces.

[AdamD]

"Empty brood on top with burner with WOODEN roof...they get hot. "
Yes they DO get hot. If you use a wooden roof with a trapezoidal bee escape fitted - the escape melts!

[AdamD]

Last weekend I flipped (nadired) my hives which had a super on; with the super now under the brood box. Queen excluders removed for cleaning and repairing. Varroa strips are out. There is a decent amount of bees in most colonies after an OK September. Plenty of set ivy honey in the boxes (adhering to the excluders too) and a nice ivy-honey aroma.

[Patrick]

Thanks for the feedback. The "getting hot" and actively burning strips bit was really the concern. Loads of drawn beeswax in wooden boxes in a wooden shed is not something you want igniting.