Apiary Diary: Lumo Cycling Jersey

Diary Entry:
4:30pm, 19C, a bit windy and overcast.

I've just been down to the apiary and the guys were pretty active.
Lots of comings and goings.
Unusually though, they seemed bothered by my presence.
I got buzzed and made to feel pretty unwelcome.
This wasn't at all normal so I decided to let them get on with it and moved away.

I wasn't sure why they were behaving like this; they weren't usually this defensive.
Then I looked at myself.
I was wearing lumo cycling gear and, having just cycled 20 miles, wasn't smelling particularly neutral.

Sweaty lumo-clad cyclists probably shouldn't wander into the Apiary and stand in the bees' flightpath

So I replaced the shirt with something bland and got a bit clean.
Unsurprisingly, when I then went into the apiary the guys totally ignored me.
I was no longer a sweaty, CO2-emitting lumo predator but had morphed back into a friendly bee-neutral beekeeper.

It's always good to be reminded of basic principles and to not take your bees for granted.

Apiary Diary: Encouraging Bees into the New Super

Diary Entry:

29 July, 4pm, 19.4C, a bit overcast, rain forecast but 2 hours later it's still dry.

Inspection:

Smoker fired up first time using egg-box pyramid technique.

Entrance smoked, lid popped and given a puff.

Lid lifted, bees calm and occupied. 

Set up of hive at time of inspection

Super 4 has been in for a couple of weeks but has seen no action at all. It is still just 10 frames of foundation.

Super 3 is approaching completion. F10 is empty and not yet drawn but F9 has construction on the inner side.

The photos below show F6 from super 3. It is a mix of capped and uncapped honey.

Frame 6, Super 3

Frame 6, Super 3 (detail)

Supers 4 & 3 are removed and placed carefully aside. Super 3 is heavy.

Super 2 is a deep and is extremely heavy with honey and bees. I decided to leave it in place as all indications imply that below it, all is well.

Action:

I'd quite like the bees to start drawing out comb on super 4. I'm not particularly impatient; I'm just a bit excited about wanting to see it happen.

There are several schools of thought about whether to and how to encourage bees into a new super.

I suspect that the best course of action is to let the bees decide to move up when they're good and ready, forcing them up by various methods may just mean that you get a pyramidal laying down of honey with the outer frames not being used.

However, because I've never tried this before, I thought I'd do it and see what happens.

So...

I took F4 & F7 from the well-under-way super 3 and placed them in their same positions in super 4.

The equivalent blank foundation frames  F4 & F7 from super 4 I placed into the now free spaces in super 3. It's sorta like checkerboarding.

So super 3 now has 2 new frames of untouched foundation at positions F4 & F7 and the previously untouched super 4 now has frames F4 & F7 fully drawn out and replete with honey.

Switching Frames between Supers

In this way the bees might start drawing out the blanks F4 & F7 in S3.

Similarly, with a viable F4 & F7 now in S4, this may encourage them to expand that work to the neighbouring blank frames in S4. 

That's the theory anyway. 

We'll see if it's worked when next we inspect.

The amended supers 3 & 4 and the lid are replaced and secured with the hive strap.

I've also re-inserted a varroa tray. I took it out to help with air circulation when it was really hot a few weeks ago, and as there weren't any issues in the hive, I've been a bit slack in getting re-inserted.

Varroa Tray Re-inserted

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the BeesofSpike Apiary

The old year is now fast receding into the dim and distant past.

Not receding into the dim and distant past is LandofSpike's remarkably resilient cough; a legacy of a festive season of which he spent every single day afflicted with A Ghastly Illness. 
Moan, whine etc. 

His Man Flu was so virulent that he was unable even to drag himself to the western borders of Spike Acres to monitor his bees.
So the daily Apiary observation chart, over the Christmas & New Year period, records nothing apart from a maximum temperature of 12.2C, a minimum of 3.5C and a scribbled note that it had been rainy but mild.

The bees didn't seem to mind his absence though. They just carried on without him.


Another consequence of The Great Illness, but also partly due to A General Uselessness, was the LandofSpike Christmas cards failing to meet their December deadline.
So, in time honoured fashion, the Apiary Christmas Message is making a belated, yet still heartfelt, appearance.

LandofSpike and his Bees would like to wish all you Friends of Bees a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Join them for more bee-related nonsense in the coming year.

A Thermometer for the Apiary

The BeesofSpike Apiary has a sparkly new min/max thermometer. 

It was installed in a sheltered spot on the western perimeter wall on the 19th of November and has now been in place for a month.

LandofSpike had previously been relying on the BBC's online, London-wide weather forecast for all his bee-related activities but had reached a point when this was no longer site-specific enough. 

Also, at times, it had proved to be a mite inaccurate. 

LandofSpike can recall for you a day in July when he was watching yet another biblically proportioned rainstorm turn the grounds of Spike Acres into a swamp. Simultaneously, on their website, the Beeb were defiantly claiming that the sun was, had been and would keep on, shining brightly.

This clearly wasn't good enough.

His legacy lives on

So after a bit of research, the most robust, accurate and bee-budget-friendly min/max thermometer was ordered and hove up at Spike Towers just in time for his birthday.

At this point thanks go out to the venerable and bee-friendly MumofSpike who funded the purchase.

It's billed as a greenhouse thermometer but does seem to function just as well in the great outdoors. 

Although just to be on the safe side LandofSpike has built it a little roof to keep the rain off.

Operation couldn't be simpler. 

The middle reading is the current temperature. 

Top and bottom are the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded since the reset button was last pressed. 

Maximum 14.1C, Current 13.9C, Minimum 13.7C... Simple. 

And it's been a great success.
The daily chart of maximum & minimum daytime and nighttime temperatures, when correlated with LandofSpike's general Apiary notes, make it easy to match bee activity with fluctuations in the weather.

As a consequence, The Apiary's autumn and winter thermometer-related highlights so far include these thrilling events:

   After a season-shifting cold snap starting on the 26th October (which arrived too early for the new device to record), the daytime temperature in The Apiary hovered, generally, between 11C and 14C. 
This still allowed plenty of foraging and a variety of different coloured pollens were seen being brought back to the hive. 
Despite the continued activity bee numbers were noticed to be steadily dwindling.

   The rain and cold of the 24th of November effectively ended any significant flights.
After that it didn't get back above 10C and was often well below that.
Around about now any interest in the top feeder seemed also to end.

By the 29th of November a nighttime dip below zero heralded two weeks of wintery weather and flying bees disappeared off the radar.

   As reported in the BeesofSpike post 'A Mild Winter's Day', a little warm spell on the 15th of December saw bees out and about for a little while but generally, the new Apiary Thermometer has so far recorded only seasonally cold temperatures.


Winter has set in at the BeesofSpike Apiary.

Get Thee Behind Me, Jet Stream

Somewhere the sun is shining, 

So, honey, don't you cry,

We'll find a silver lining,

The clouds will soon roll by. 

So sang Elsie Carlisle, vocalist for the rather excellent Ambrose and his Orchestra in 1935.

And now, seventy seven years later, the clouds are indeed about to roll by. 
And the place where the sun is about to shine is right above the BeesofSpike Apiary.

Yes indeed, the English summer is, eventually, almost here.
This is due to the Jet Stream finally shuffling back up into its customary, more northerly, position after having lingered too far south for far too long.

And happily, it's taking its appalling weather with it.

No more of this for a while

It has rained every day at the BeesofSpike Apiary since the bees arrived.

The Apiary's newly laid grass has more or less disappeared, and the yet-to-be-named Hive Number One stands glumly in a depressing sea of mud.

But all is about to change.

Today, Friday 20 July, apart from being Mrs LandofSpike's birthday (Many happy returns, of course) marks the end of the interminable Jet Stream-induced rainy season.

And about time too

Tomorrow, it will be sunny all day. 

And the forecast is set fair for as far into the future as LandofSpike's weather-predicting seaweeds can tell.

The BeesofSpike will like this.

It's at last a chance to get a concerted spell of foraging under their belts before they have to hunker down for their first winter at the Apiary.

A BeesofSpike forager finally out and about, collecting pollen from the privet hedge two gardens down

The Empire Strikes Back... Apiguard vs Varroa

The previous episode of BeesofSpike ended with a pretty sorry colony of bees blighted by a rather nasty infestation of the varroa destructor parasite.

A new BeesofSpike worker afflicted with varroa

Varroa can very quickly destroy a colony so LandofSpike needed to start medicating his bees straight away.

The batch of Apiguard that he had ordered online was not due to arrive till the next week, which would be too late.

However, one emergency trip to the not-so-local Bee Supplies Shop across town later, and this was no longer a problem. 

So before he set to work dosing the hive with his newly purchased bee medicine, there was just time to find out about Apiguard.
What is it and what does it do?

Varroa Destructor does not like this

Apiguard is a shallow tray of thymol in a slow-release gel which is placed in the hive.

It's the thymol which is the active ingredient. 
It kills the varroa mites.

A treatment period runs for 6 weeks and uses 2 trays of the stuff.

The first tray is left in for 2 weeks. 
It is then replaced with a second tray which is left in for a further 2-4 weeks.

The bees themselves distribute the thymol around the hive. They see it as something which should be removed and whilst the house cleaning workers are busying themselves cleaning it away their activities distribute it to every part of the hive, and therefore to every varroa mite.

The distribution happens more efficiently in warmer temperatures as the thymol sublimes more quickly and is easier for the workers to detect.

The varroa particularly dislike the thymol vapour.

Housekeeper bee cleaning away thymol. Vapour can be seen disabling varroa

Varroa, at the moment, has no resistance to thymol.

Some strains of varroa have already developed resistance to some pyrethroid varroa treatments but the non-specific effects of thymol on the varroa mean that it's likely to continue to be an effective deterrent for the foreseeable.

Currently, Thymol is LandofSpike's favourite chemical

Before the treatment, LandofSpike removed, cleaned, oiled and replaced the varroa board.

the varroa count was 67 individual mites across the whole board which amounts to 33.5 per day over the two day period.

This is way too many.

Waaaaay too many varroa

Inserting the Apiguard was pretty simple.

LandofSpike and BKJ1 suited up, fired up the smoker (not particularly brilliantly this time, must work on our technique) and smoked the entrance.

The roof and top feeder were removed and the brood box smoked.

BKJ1 tests his smoker

There was time for a quick inspection to reveal that, although still small and beleaguered by rain and varroa, the colony was making new honey and pollen stores. Also, the queen, although not spotted this time, was laying new brood.

The Apiguard pack was opened so that all but one corner of the foil was removed and the lid was folded back. The open tray was then laid on top of frames 4, 5 & 6, above the most active part of colony.

Opened Apiguard tray laid on top of broodbox frames

A super was placed on top of the brood box with the corresponding super frames removed to make space for the Apiguard tray.

The queen excluder was left out out for the time being.

The reasons for this were:

a) to give the bees clear access to the Apiguard tray, the QE may have acted as a barrier.

b) to give the bees unchecked access to the top feeder if they needed to use it.

c) it was decided that there would be little risk of the queen starting to lay in the super frames as there was as yet no comb on them, just foundation.

The entrance reducer was fitted partly to stop too much of the thymol vapour escaping that way and also simply because our small colony didn't really need that big a front door in this grim weather.

I'm sure this door used to be bigger...

The base of the hive should really be shut during treatment to trap the thymol vapour inside but that isn't an easy option with the EPS hive so, with the varroa mesh screwed in place, the varroa board approximates a partial seal.

With the thymol installed, the roof and top feeder were replaced on top of the new super and the hive secured with its strap.
Mission accomplished.

As a little schoolroom addendum to our in-the-field account, here's a little extra theory.

Instead of using a super to make space for the Apiguard, LandofSpike could have used an eke.

An eke is simply a shallow, and hollow, 4 sided box, the same dimensions as the hive, which fits above the brood box and acts as a spacer so that the tray of Apiguard can sit on top of the frames in the newly formed space between the frame tops and the queen excluder or the super.

Without an eke to make the space, well, there's just no space.

An eke is so-called because with it you can 'eke out' extra space

LandofSpike now knows that one of the drawbacks of the EPS beebox is that it doesn't have a designed-in option of fitting ekes into its system.

Which is a bit pants.

However, this becomes an opportunity for LandofSpike to put his legendary carpentry skills into practise and supplement his EPS hive with a custom built, homemade wooden eke.

It'll be ready for winter when we'll again need that space above the brood box to house a big lump (that's a technical term) of fondant.

So with everyone now up to speed on ekes, even though we haven't got one yet, and a big blob of thymol sublimating nicely on top of the frames we can rest assured that the housekeeper bees are just starting to distribute the stuff around the hive. 
Best of all the varroa are just starting to get a nice big dose.

You can run but you can't hide, my pretties...

Your Bees are in the Post

LandofSpike has ordered his bees.

A Five Frame Nucleus of Buckfasts.
The Queen's already marked, which is good, as that means LandofSpike won't have to risk squashing her to death trying to mark her himself.

She's not clipped but that shouldn't be a problem.
The Nuc will be Varroa treated before despatch and will have brood eggs and flying workers.
And, happily, it's all on National frames which will slot right into the Beebox.

They're due to arrive at Spike Towers by registered post in a couple of weeks.

LandofSpike's postman, I'm sure, will be delighted.

Yes, he's delighted

On the one hand LandofSpike is really rather excited about the Imminent Bee Arrival, but on the other hand, he's seriously wondering what on earth he thinks he's playing at.

Up Above the Ground... Bees on Stilts

LandofSpike and BKJ1 have built a stand for the Beebox.

It needed one.

Because Beeboxes like to be raised above the ground.

There are several reasons for this:

a) Working at a Manageable Height

If the hive is positioned too low or too high it's going to be a difficult job hefting honey-laden supers and brood boxes.
Even day-to-day inspections are more arduous if the box is positioned incorrectly.

Ouch to beekeeper back problems.

b) Fresh air

Keeping the hive away from the ground helps to minimise problems with the damp and helps with the ventilation of the hive.

c) Creature Incursion

An elevated hive helps keep crawling insects, especially ants, at bay.

Setting the legs in a margarine tub of cooking oil is a good idea. The sea of oil is a good insect barrier.

CONSTRUCTION

Making the hive stand was a simple enough job.

LandofSpike made it 30" long x 20" wide.

He used 4" x 2" lumber to construct the hive stand and fixed it together with 5mm x 75mm screws.

LandofSpike's Secret Blueprints

The platform was designed so the base of the hive would be at 14" above the ground.

The back legs continued above the deck level to form an end stop for the rear of the hive.

At the front a landing board for the bees was fashioned from an offcut of 15mm planking and it was held in place by some strategically positioned supports.

Without landing board

And with landing board

Once completed the stand was given a couple of coats of garden wood preserver. 

The landing board was painted with the more bee-friendly Dulux Weathershield. 

A landing board isn't really necessary but it's nice to watch the bees crawling around on it rather than just darting efficiently into their front door.

Apparently they like a highly visible landing area so it was painted a highly visible Classic Cream colour.

Weatherproofed stand with hive and landing board

LandofSpike now has to do a little more work on the western borders of Spike Acres before it is fully transformed into the new BeesofSpike Apiary. It just needs a bit more screening along its eastern edge, some more grass and a bit of weatherproofing.

Then all we need is some Livestock.

Living in a Box... Some New Accommodation

It's all very well waxing lyrical about the splendour of being a beekeeper but at some point our beeless blogger does need to have some actual real-life contact with his own boxful of bees.

It does cost though.

So LandofSpike has eventually had to bite the bullet and release funds from his Empire's not particularly vast Reserves of Wealth.

Over the last few weeks Purchase Orders have been raised and orders have been placed.

Subsequently, the Post Room at Spike Towers has been kept busy receiving regular deliveries of Bee-related Equipment from a worthy array of suppliers.

It's very tempting to list all the exciting new arrivals but this post will put aside hive tools, bee brushes and smokers for the time being and deal with our Most Important Piece of New Kit...

The Hive has arrived.

It's rather smart.

It's from Finland and is called The Beebox.

It takes National frames and is made not of cedar but is lovingly crafted out of EPS.

Yes, that's Expanded Polystyrene. 

Not particularly traditional in this country, but hopefully functional, user-friendly and warm in the winter. And with any luck, the bees will love it.

LandofSpike and BKJ1 have spent some time piecing it together and painting it.

It comes flat-packed and slots easily together.

The unpainted Beebox

It currently comprises of (from the top down) a roof, an inner cover, a top feeder, 2 supers, a queen excluder, a brood box and a base with varroa mesh and tray. And a big strap to tie it down.

The Beebox has a cool entrance reducer

Modern Beekeeping recommended painting the Hive with Dulux Weathershield Smooth Masonry Paint. 

So it got several coats of the stuff in different colours for the different components.

LandofSpike thinks it looks pretty good.

How it all fits together

The boys have also been constructing a big stack of frames.

The delightfully and cunningly designed Hoffman ones.

Ten full size frames for the brood box and ten smaller frames for each super.

Frame components

Completed frame

It's a goodly task once you get your rhythm and is extremely satisfying.

BKJ1 was particularly good at it.

LandofSpike will spend some time on frames and frame making in a later post.

The Beebox, painted, but still masked up

So with the Hive now looking box-tastic the next task is to make a stand to keep it well above the ground.

LandofSpike will be lovingly handcrafting this himself.

Anyone who has seen his previous attempts at woodworking will have some idea of exactly just how magnificent this will be...

Right Suborder, Wrong Genus

Spike Towers is finally home to a colony of insects.

Unfortunately it's not the expected arrival of a 5 frame nucleus of Apis mellifera carnica but a surprisingly robust colony of ants. 

And they've decided to take up residence in the bathroom.

There really are quite a lot of them.

Lots of these

LandofSpike supposes that the higher than average rainfall this month has sluiced them out of their usual subterranean home and into the relatively more arid environs of Spike Towers.

At this moment a bitter struggle for territorial advantage is probably raging between the newcomers and the previously dominant silverfish.

This untimely invasion may, however, be opportune, for on his last visit to the Secret Underground Vault which harbours his Empire's Capital Reserves, LandofSpike couldn't help but notice that the coffers were more than unusually empty.

Not many of these

Consequently, LandofSpike is considering postponing his acquisition of a flight of honeybees and adopting, in their stead, the already installed, and therefore significantly cheaper, colony of ants.

AntsofSpike could make perfect sense.

It would mean that emphasis would shift from honey production to a prospective entry into the fledgling formic acid market. 

A FriendofSpike has suggested that he could even diversify into cultivating and marketing that nutritious fungus that the ants produce. 

With careful husbandry and a couple of well placed features in the Sunday supplements, FungusofSpike could possibly become next year's Groovy New Superfood.

LandofSpike could solve World Hunger at a stroke or, better still, get totally minted by opening the World's First Ant Salon and Exclusive AntFungus Restaurant in Primrose Hill.

Or, conversely, LandofSpike could just stop wasting everybody's time with his nonsensical AntTalk and make sure his next post is actually about honeybees.