Apiary Diary July 2021.

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5,764
6,323
canterbury
Experience
Commercial
The return of the Apiary Diary. Here is your opportunity to tell us (and remind yourself) about what is going on in your hives during the month of May 2021. The idea is you can look back and see when you placed treatments, what hives were strong, what were weak, when you re-queened, split, added boxes, what flows were on etc.

A more detailed analysis can be carried out by completing a log book and these are especially useful when asking for help. Please create a logbook entry here
 
15
7
Auckland
Experience
Hobbyist
Checked on a hive I had at Clevedon, the wasps were hammering them so brought them home. My 2 home nucs are looking busy and it’s July! Will have to give one away come summer, have decided to just have 2 hives, between work and newish orchard, I was just too busy last season keeping up with the 3 hives/harvesting.
 
445
327
Mid Canterbury
Experience
Semi Commercial
Today another -6 degree frost in Leeston. I know that it was -6, cos that is the temp at which the lock on the gate freezes shut. Thankfully today there was no wind, and we got to double digits midday, and the bees were extremely active. Looks like they were bringing in tree lucerne pollen. I wonder if the bees know they are going to be in for at least 9 days of forecasted rain.

We have had a run of -6 frosts, and unfortunately the last fortnight instead of getting still days like today, there has been a wind and the chill factor horrible.

Hope to get shallot cloves out tomorrow, along with broccoli, cauliflower, spinach seedlings. Seedlings will need cover. Won't plant carrot seeds until we get through the next bout of rain, otherwise they will rot.
 
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14
9
Paeroa
Experience
Beginner
Checked on a hive I had at Clevedon, the wasps were hammering them so brought them home. My 2 home nucs are looking busy and it’s July! Will have to give one away come summer, have decided to just have 2 hives, between work and newish orchard, I was just too busy last season keeping up with the 3 hives/harvesting.
I might know a beginner who may be keen on your spare Nuc.
 
3,578
6,706
Hawkes Bay
Experience
Commercial
I wasn't going to look in any hives for another couple of weeks but it was such a beautiful day today I weakened and checked three hives at home. Two were bounding away with heaps of brood in fact one had some drone brood and no visible signs of varoa. Doesn't mean there wasn't any of course just not enough to show damage. The other hive was not quite so hot with one bee with deformed wings and I saw the odd varoa on bees which means there are quite a few there. It would probably survive until I was planning to put in strips in a couple of weeks but I gave it some anyway and a sticky board just to see how bad it was. I want a few hives with some mites in around home anyway as I want to try some alternative treatments soon. Beautiful big frames of brood for this time of year with plenty of fresh pollen coming in..
 
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736
588
Christchurch
Experience
Semi Commercial
Checked ten hives today. Was a beaut day in chch and loved being back in the bees. Tons of kowhai in bloom in this valley and the girls were tucking in. One double FD was full to the brim, so I’d better keep a close eye on that one.

No signs or symptoms of the dreaded V and the winter staples still had heaps of life left in them. All the autumn top splits are growing and have eaten all their dry sugar, so topped them up, but have plenty of honey.

Started stimulating drone colonies and will check back on the pink frames in a week or so.

Looking forward to working the next valley and crossing my fingers for more of the same
 

southbee

Gold
315
264
Southland
Experience
Commercial
We used to think down here would be the crappiest place to keep bees....but they're looking good so far, fingers crossed. Had a few peeks in them as the temperatures came up a bit and we actually had some sunshine as well. Not much sign of V and some are starting to build up. Also have the first Kowhai flowering, which is rather early for here.
 
158
136
Taupo
Experience
Hobbyist
Well on the central plateau mine have been coming out for a fly around on the nicer days. I won't lift the lid to have a look though, still a bit chilly for that caper. Hefting the hive, it feels nice and heavy, so they are hopefully doing ok. Still the occasional wasp visiting them on the nice days, which surprises me, as most of the wasps I have found hiding away in lumps of firewood, are well and truly asleep, nice and easy to kill!
 
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