The Excellent newsletter for March is now available and you view it at: http://www.deanforestbeekeepers.co.uk/sitefiles/docs/newsletter/March2011.pdf#zoom=90
A big thank you to all the contubtors and especially the grand designer who put the hard work in putting it together. Being biased I like the articles on Bees in Sri Lanka and Bees in the Hall the best.
Enjoy reading it.
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Tuesday 15 February 2011
Clean Floors & Bees Alive
Last week I paid the apiary a couple of visits.
On Thursday I checked the food situation and looked at what else I needed to do.
It turned out all the floors need a clean urgently because of the cold spell the bees had failed to clean out the dead bees, so fully suited I went on Saturday with a helper and lifted all the hives whist helper clean the floors. There were a lot of dead bees, which also explains the low varroa count as the mites were not reaching the boards. As an experienced beekeeper I really should know that they will find the weak point, and they did stinging me through my soaks, should have worn wellys!
The bees are now entering the most difficult part of the year so lets hope they all survive they were okay last week with only one needing a little more fondant. However I got the impression that a couple of failing, it is just a six sense at the moment.
Now for a deluge of photos and videos that I have let build up.
On Thursday I checked the food situation and looked at what else I needed to do.
It turned out all the floors need a clean urgently because of the cold spell the bees had failed to clean out the dead bees, so fully suited I went on Saturday with a helper and lifted all the hives whist helper clean the floors. There were a lot of dead bees, which also explains the low varroa count as the mites were not reaching the boards. As an experienced beekeeper I really should know that they will find the weak point, and they did stinging me through my soaks, should have worn wellys!
The bees are now entering the most difficult part of the year so lets hope they all survive they were okay last week with only one needing a little more fondant. However I got the impression that a couple of failing, it is just a six sense at the moment.
Now for a deluge of photos and videos that I have let build up.
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| Proplizsed up nucleaus entrance, they sure don't like drafts |
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| This is supposed to show the cheeky blue tit hiding out of the rain and eating the dead bees. |
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| New bench in the shed |
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| A pile of dead bees that came of the floor. |
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| First lots of pollen of the year? |
A video of doing the Oxalic Acid treatment
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