Strapped up and ready to go to the association apiary. Sad. It’s a bit like shipping the girls off to boarding school.
Running "Foundationless All Mediums with No Queen Excluder". Each box is national spec, but 190mm deep.
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It’s a present for the local association!
No, just newer ratchet straps under the flash from my phone.
Sad that they are leaving the backyard, but the neighbors, with their AstroTurf and concrete block garden _know_ they are I my yard. My bees are channelled up and out by a tall fence so they never go into their yard. I’ve been over to their yard and nary a bee to be seen (other than bumbles), but the sheer knowledge of them in my yard seems to make their minds crawl.
So they are going.
We had discussed them before I brought them in and for them the thought of a “natural honey machine” seemed a fun and interesting idea. But when I invited them over to see the hive, they saw these insects coming and going, they had a complete wobble.
Somehow I forgot to connect the dots between honey and the little grub rearing blighters that make it.
I’ve given them a few weeks (nearly two months) and they still insist (tho not so much in words) that they go.
Now, tbh, I never intended them for my backyard. I had plans for a space down the road that was private land, but the lady in charge of the property wanted to do some impromptu landscaping that may take until next year, so I took them home.
I now have 2 years at the apiary site, but it’s part of their education scheme, so in 2 years I’ll need to find another location.
Such is life.
Life goes on.
No, just newer ratchet straps under the flash from my phone.
Sad that they are leaving the backyard, but the neighbors, with their AstroTurf and concrete block garden _know_ they are I my yard. My bees are channelled up and out by a tall fence so they never go into their yard. I’ve been over to their yard and nary a bee to be seen (other than bumbles), but the sheer knowledge of them in my yard seems to make their minds crawl.
So they are going.
We had discussed them before I brought them in and for them the thought of a “natural honey machine” seemed a fun and interesting idea. But when I invited them over to see the hive, they saw these insects coming and going, they had a complete wobble.
Somehow I forgot to connect the dots between honey and the little grub rearing blighters that make it.
I’ve given them a few weeks (nearly two months) and they still insist (tho not so much in words) that they go.
Now, tbh, I never intended them for my backyard. I had plans for a space down the road that was private land, but the lady in charge of the property wanted to do some impromptu landscaping that may take until next year, so I took them home.
I now have 2 years at the apiary site, but it’s part of their education scheme, so in 2 years I’ll need to find another location.
Such is life.
Life goes on.
Running "Foundationless All Mediums with No Queen Excluder". Each box is national spec, but 190mm deep.
Adam,
I have a perfect garden for hives but also have neighbours who panic at the sight of any flying insect, or bird!
So I found a cottage garden belonging to the local country estate 2 miles away, started with 1 hive and increased to 4. Worked well until the lady renting the cottage died and I had to relocate at short notice. Approached a local farmer who found me a spot, not perfect but it'll do, and that's where the 4 are now.
However, around the corner from me is a block of 13 sheltered accommodation flats for the over 60s, and they have a fantastic garden, nice and quiet, lots of shrubs, plants, trees. I approached the local housing association last year and hey presto they now have a hive in their garden. Great for me as I pass it every day when I walk to work and I don't have to get in the car or walk across fields to go and see if the bees are flying or not.
I made-up an information folder for their communal lounge and gave them a little talk prior to the hive arriving. At the first extraction I had 4 OAPs in my kitchen to see how it worked! Each flat was given a half pound jar honey from the first extraction and they now buy more if they want it. One resident keeps me supplied in honey cake!
The housing association are thinking of placing hives in their other locations. All it takes is for all the residents to agree. I created a Risk Assessment to satisfy their legal bods.
I have a perfect garden for hives but also have neighbours who panic at the sight of any flying insect, or bird!
So I found a cottage garden belonging to the local country estate 2 miles away, started with 1 hive and increased to 4. Worked well until the lady renting the cottage died and I had to relocate at short notice. Approached a local farmer who found me a spot, not perfect but it'll do, and that's where the 4 are now.
However, around the corner from me is a block of 13 sheltered accommodation flats for the over 60s, and they have a fantastic garden, nice and quiet, lots of shrubs, plants, trees. I approached the local housing association last year and hey presto they now have a hive in their garden. Great for me as I pass it every day when I walk to work and I don't have to get in the car or walk across fields to go and see if the bees are flying or not.
I made-up an information folder for their communal lounge and gave them a little talk prior to the hive arriving. At the first extraction I had 4 OAPs in my kitchen to see how it worked! Each flat was given a half pound jar honey from the first extraction and they now buy more if they want it. One resident keeps me supplied in honey cake!
The housing association are thinking of placing hives in their other locations. All it takes is for all the residents to agree. I created a Risk Assessment to satisfy their legal bods.
Im lucky enough to have my own rural patch ,but it would be so handy to have the use of another 3+miles away.
Mrs is ok with temporary nuc-starting and bait hives at home but the duration of the arm folding/looking over the top of glasses when I told her urban hives are a great idea precluded that little plan
Mrs is ok with temporary nuc-starting and bait hives at home but the duration of the arm folding/looking over the top of glasses when I told her urban hives are a great idea precluded that little plan
We set our hives up in the back garden. It was initially a temporary spot while we waited for an allotment to come up along with permission to site an apiary there.
I've been assigned an allotment but they're yet to give me a solid answer on keeping bees. I keep phoning but they never know...
Anyway, as time has passed with them in my back garden, my wife suggested today we turn down the allotment and just keep them in the garden.
There's an association apiary to send them to if they misbehave so I'm happy with that..
Neighbours have been fine too. One side reacted with "we'll have to plant more flowers" and the other side loves nature and said it was fine if he gets honey.
Pretty happy with that!
I've been assigned an allotment but they're yet to give me a solid answer on keeping bees. I keep phoning but they never know...
Anyway, as time has passed with them in my back garden, my wife suggested today we turn down the allotment and just keep them in the garden.
There's an association apiary to send them to if they misbehave so I'm happy with that..
Neighbours have been fine too. One side reacted with "we'll have to plant more flowers" and the other side loves nature and said it was fine if he gets honey.
Pretty happy with that!
Jazz
At some times of the year you can get a lot of bee poo - that might get the neighbours a bit unhappy if they realise!
May your bees read the same books as you do.
Was at my out apiary yesterday. 8 queens are now mated and laying. One has disappeared after sitting in the hive for weeks (checked with a frame of open brood put in a few days ago). One looks to be a drone layer.
A colony swarmed whilst I was there - a collected swarm last year. The bees congregated in a hawthorn tree however they came back as the queen had been clipped. By this time I had removed all the brood so with luck she will stay. The brood is now at one side. Next week I will remove the queencells and put in a laying queen. Once she is established, I'll unite the two and remove the swarmed queen. Well, that's the plan anyway!
A colony swarmed whilst I was there - a collected swarm last year. The bees congregated in a hawthorn tree however they came back as the queen had been clipped. By this time I had removed all the brood so with luck she will stay. The brood is now at one side. Next week I will remove the queencells and put in a laying queen. Once she is established, I'll unite the two and remove the swarmed queen. Well, that's the plan anyway!
May your bees read the same books as you do.
Watched one of my garden colonies swarm into the tree next door. Not a queen cell in sight 12 days ago but there was an emerged one today when I checked as well as loads of swarm cells. No clipped queen so I think she probably jumped a few days ago and got lost, then they swarmed on the first emerged queen cell. 4 weeks of rain then 1 warm week obviously made them think it was Spring again LOL.
I appreciate the support. I'm envious of people who can keep their bees a little closer that I can. The sad part about the association apiary is that as a new member, I can only come accompanied by an adult or during the "open" times on the weekends.
:-/ Sad but understandable.
I did move the bees last Saturday. Even though I stuffed the entrance and taped it up the night before they were finding some way out. There were a few bees flying in the morning and a handful got left behind. When I drove the hive to the apiary I could see first one bee, then two, then three crawling along the back window of the car. I'd even wrapped them in two sheets! by the time I got to the apiary, there were a fair few in the car - but all along the back window.
I removed 1 frame from each box, leaving 11 in each, no dummy board, just a space. The inspection was good. Both of the existing boxes were all but completely full and mostly with brood, so I nadired a 3rd box, adding the two removed frames into that new box. I saw BIAS, the queen, 20 frames of mostly brood, some with bands of stores. There was only one frame that was all honey, and two frames that were only partially drawn, but these had nectar in them.
I've ordered two more boxes and frames, which I hope will arrive this week, as the little ladies are filling the frames awfully fast. As I'm running foundationless, it will slow them down a little, but not that much.
At home I put up the nuc box in the same place as the hive and caught the remaining bees, but as I didn't have access to the apiary I couldn't really take them and shake them out there... so it's just become a sad retirement home with fewer and fewer bees each day.
:-/
I checked yesterday and there was no visible activity, but there was a small cluster of bees still in the nuc. Not sure what else I can do with them, so I'm letting nature take its course.
There were two swarms at the apiary last Sat, so I got to watch them get collected. I followed some of the other members while they checked their hives, so I got a bee-heavy weekend.
:-/ Sad but understandable.
I did move the bees last Saturday. Even though I stuffed the entrance and taped it up the night before they were finding some way out. There were a few bees flying in the morning and a handful got left behind. When I drove the hive to the apiary I could see first one bee, then two, then three crawling along the back window of the car. I'd even wrapped them in two sheets! by the time I got to the apiary, there were a fair few in the car - but all along the back window.
I removed 1 frame from each box, leaving 11 in each, no dummy board, just a space. The inspection was good. Both of the existing boxes were all but completely full and mostly with brood, so I nadired a 3rd box, adding the two removed frames into that new box. I saw BIAS, the queen, 20 frames of mostly brood, some with bands of stores. There was only one frame that was all honey, and two frames that were only partially drawn, but these had nectar in them.
I've ordered two more boxes and frames, which I hope will arrive this week, as the little ladies are filling the frames awfully fast. As I'm running foundationless, it will slow them down a little, but not that much.
At home I put up the nuc box in the same place as the hive and caught the remaining bees, but as I didn't have access to the apiary I couldn't really take them and shake them out there... so it's just become a sad retirement home with fewer and fewer bees each day.
:-/
I checked yesterday and there was no visible activity, but there was a small cluster of bees still in the nuc. Not sure what else I can do with them, so I'm letting nature take its course.
There were two swarms at the apiary last Sat, so I got to watch them get collected. I followed some of the other members while they checked their hives, so I got a bee-heavy weekend.
Last edited by Adam Bee on 04 Jul 2019, 12:40, edited 1 time in total.
Running "Foundationless All Mediums with No Queen Excluder". Each box is national spec, but 190mm deep.