todays news

[gavin]

OK, we'll just have to switch our meetings to the Caird Hall. You can get hundreds in there and park a tank in the square outside if you so wish.

The ling in the Eastern Angus glens isn't fully out yet, just some tufts here and there. Was up there today (thanks for the help Harry).

Yesterday they were hitting the Himalayan balsam round the Tay inbetween the showers. It seems these flowers are well protected from rain and the brighter gaps between the showers were good enough for some enthusiastic foraging.

There are a few km of Rudbeckia along the river at one of my sites and they were working that too. I never imagined I'd get Rudbeckia honey .... not getting a decent sample this year either but they were working that too.

[greengumbo]

OK, we'll just have to switch our meetings to the Caird Hall. You can get hundreds in there and park a tank in the square outside if you so wish.

The ling in the Eastern Angus glens isn't fully out yet, just some tufts here and there. Was up there today (thanks for the help Harry).

Yesterday they were hitting the Himalayan balsam round the Tay inbetween the showers. It seems these flowers are well protected from rain and the brighter gaps between the showers were good enough for some enthusiastic foraging.

There are a few km of Rudbeckia along the river at one of my sites and they were working that too. I never imagined I'd get Rudbeckia honey .... not getting a decent sample this year either but they were working that too.

Sounds good Gavin. Moved some of mine up to Strathdon last night - bell started and ling still about so fingers crossed for less of this autumnal weather.

Anyone got good tips on closing up those swienty entrances in the rain ? My usual sneaking up on them and duck taping the entrance was a shambles. Ended up doing the best I could then loading them into the trailer asap. Pinned correx might work but the entrances have those wee side bits on each end so a single sheet isn't good enough.

Sponge ? But where to get ?

Bloomin' bees always posing new engineering problems.

[Kate Atchley]

... Anyone got good tips on closing up those swienty entrances in the rain ? My usual sneaking up on them and duck taping the entrance was a shambles. Ended up doing the best I could then loading them into the trailer asap. Pinned correx might work but the entrances have those wee side bits on each end so a single sheet isn't good enough.

Sponge ? But where to get ? ...

Yes, I find foam much the easiest to use and most secure. Can cut it to fit and it stays put.

This foam place in Edinburgh has inexpensive offcuts (I used to live nearby): http://foamcentre.org.uk. There must be others or online. You may find some 20mm square strips which cut in half for Swienty entrances or as they are for wooden hives.

[Calluna4u]

Sponge ? But where to get ?

Any upholsterer. They generally stock the foam in sheets and will cut you a piece (its the one inch size you need) to the correct width you ask for (always make it a couple of inches longer than the entrance).

[greengumbo]

Any upholsterer. They generally stock the foam in sheets and will cut you a piece (its the one inch size you need) to the correct width you ask for (always make it a couple of inches longer than the entrance).

Cheers Murray and Kate.

I have the odd bit of sponge from a few years ago that fits but with an upturn in hive numbers I am after more. Will get some and practice using it before I need to shift a load of hives

[Feckless Drone]

The bloody foam!. I found you really need be "assertive" with the hive tool when pushing the foam into the Swienty entrances. Late on a wet Wednesday evening and with a bit of water spraying on the entrance I persuaded the bees to go indoors. But, you have to be careful not to dislodge the foam by accidentally tugging on the extra length that extrudes from the side or you make a small gap and then guess what happens early on a Thursday morning? Answer: you lose all credibility with your first born who reminds you about saying how straightforward this all is and then sits in the car with veil on for the drive.

A pity nobody sells the older heather hives where the bottom can simply be screwed shut. What I want is a poly-box, National, able to link boxes, travel screen and then roof together rather then strap them, with OMF that can adjusted to close up the entrance and with two settings - open but no mice, or closed.

[fatshark]

... always make it a couple of inches longer than the entrance ...

... to maximise the chances of snagging it with the next hive you add, thereby providing a wee gap for the little blighters to make a break for it as you barrel up the A9 dodging speed cameras

PS FD beat me to it and described the situation perfectly ... I use a push-in L-shaped wooden block. Takes no time to fit. Friction-fit for quick jobs (vaporising) or screwed/taped in place for complete confidence on long trips (though there's also the dozen or two under the OMF you forgot about).

[Mellifera Crofter]

I'm distressed this evening and really, really annoyed with myself. After reading so often about, 'just bang them together' with smoke or some lavender sugar water or something like that, and having done it once successfully, I united two colonies this afternoon and it resulted in a horrible war that I couldn't stop.

I now realise that the reason the previous unite was ok, was because one colony was hopelessly queenless. Today's was different. One was queenless, but with a queen cell that I destroyed, thinking with all this terrible weather we're having, that queen doesn't stand much of a chance of getting mated - so I reunited them with the mother colony. Big mistake. I'll never ever ever do that again.

Can't say I feel better confessing this ...
Kitta

[mbc]

Putting bees together is fine to do when joining lots up a frame here and a frame there from different hives, but when joining them together with a box which isn't moving, on home turf as it were, I go with newspaper every time, sometimes (most times) it's probably unnecessary, but it's so reliable at avoiding fighting it's worth it for the occasion when the paper stops any defensiveness from the home colony triggering a war. I try and always keep an old broadsheet in the truck.

[Kate Atchley]

Ouch! I tend to use belt and braces ... newspaper, like mvc, and lavender-scented light syrup spray (keep it ready in my bee kit). Also make sure a queenless colony knows it is, if possible. So removing the old queen or QCs at least an hour or so ahead. Very upsetting Kitta and I hope the queen is none the worse for the experience and gives you some good winter bees.