A Trip around the Apiary

[little john]

It's been raining here solidly for the last 2 days - some parts of Lincolnshire are currently under water, and I swear I've just seen a mole making a dash for dry land wearing a life-jacket ...

So - I've been stuck in the house going stir-crazy - there are queen-cells out there about to emerge, and choice larvae fast running out of their use-by date - this country can be hell when it comes to queen-rearing.

So - thought I'd bore you all rigid with a Virtual Trip around this Apiary ... well, part of it, anyway.  Can be seen at: http://heretics-guide.atwebpages.com/page01.htm

LJ

[BeeMaster2]

Good looking hives.
We have been getting up to 2.5" every other day here for the last couple of weeks. About a month ago my pond was at least 18" low. It is now within a couple of inches of over flowing.
Jim

[little john]

Hi Jim - yes, the weather's particularly crazy this year - most of the countries of mainland Europe are experiencing exceptionally high temperatures: well into the 40's, the kind of heat which areas that have deserts experience.  Seems we're getting the rain that all those countries should have been getting ...

There's a fun commentary about our weather at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40879053

LJ

[Acebird]

How do you get to paint when it rains all the time?

[texanbelchers]

Ace, Just guessing, but probably inside his workshop - check out his "tips and tricks" page.  I wish I had space, both land and enclosed...

LJ, are you just using queen excluders between boxes for your multi-queen hives?

[little john]

T-B - you're right about the paint.  I live in what used to be a small commercial plant nursery, and so have these huge glasshouses to play around in.  Unfortunately they're bl##dy cold in winter, and super-hot in summer.  But their usefulness shows when it's raining cats and dogs ...

Sure, I'd much rather have a large heated workshop/shed, but am grateful for what I have - without somewhere to work under cover, stash wood, and all the woodworking gear - I'd be completely stuffed.
LJ

[Acebird]

But it looks like you painted numbers on your hives.  And I would assume you did that when they were actually hives and not equipment in storage... maybe not.

[little john]

On the full-sized hives the numbers are on the feeder shells - they were initially numbered with a permanent marker pen which turned out to be not very permanent at all - so as and when those feeder shells are freed-up, they can come 'inside' and get their numbers over-painted with non-drip gloss enamel paint.  Non-drip is useful here, as one side can be numbered and the paint allowed to get 'tacky', when the other side can then be numbered - so numbering both sides can be done on the same day.

Nuc boxes are numbered at the time they're made & painted.
LJ