Recent content by Ginger19

Thanks Eric, all makes sense. Struggling for a frame of brood though. Apart from the one that has been shuffled, it may be full of perished brood.. If I wait a few days I could go with a frame of eggs and brood from the main hive, now that she is getting started. Would it be best when making...

Ok so here is the update.. I'm still in the pooh to some extent. I made up the Nuc with 4 frames of what I thought were young bees. (those that clung to the frame when shaken, went in). I also put in the frame of sealed brood from the main hive to give her a head start. The queen was in her...

Ha ha, for sure! I guess I wouldn't let go - even putting together an empty hive made me feel like I was still a beekeeper. I have 1 hive and 1 Nuc now, crazy!!

Ok, job done - Nuc made up, pulled the plug ..see how it goes.. Thanks to those who offered some advice! PS - The reason for the single hive...I gave up my 4 hives a few years ago, but the next year decided I would set up an empty hive to lure a swarm - for a bit of fun and to give it away...

Thanks for the feedback. You forum is a lot friendlier than I recall.. :-) To reply to the points raised.. Jenkins - I was going to do exactly that but I'm bothered if this carries on I will just end up packing in. Beeno - I had thought about Virgin Queen. I don't do weekly inspections, just as...

Having a bit of fun, all of my own doing. I only have 1 hive now after developing a reaction to stings (sting free for 4 years :winner1st:). This colony came in as a swarm 2-3 years ago, very placid so I thought why not... On inspection roughly 5 weeks ago, I knew they were building up, there...

All sorted, much easier than expected. Chucked a few handful of bees in the Nuc box - along with the queen I guess and the rest followed. Left them to come and go until 9pm and took them away.

Hi - thanks for this. All good advice. Going to go with the Nuc of old frames first. Will update tomorrow!

This has apparently taken residence here since Saturday, very residential, in a square surrounded by houses. I guess they are already building comb and are settling in. Any advice on how best to re-house them? Would they run into a closely placed hive with the aid of some smoke and a bed sheet?

I have not read all of the science involved- it's over my heed! However, the purpose of my OP, was to point out that sugar dusting gave me a very clear indication (that I had not gained from natural drop). Compared to the other 3 one of my hives had a much bigger mite population. I don't mind...

As a relative newbie still, I thought I would share my experience last week. I have treated only with January Oxalic trickle in my 2-3 years, but came out at Spring minus 2 queens. So that is the end of Oxalic for me. The last few months I have monitored natural mite drop and as it was so low...

Thanks for the input - it is much appreciated. To be honest I do dress up like an astronaut usually. The incident without the wellies is a foolish exception where I was only in to remove an empty queen cage and didn't expect them to go on the attack. Gloves is the area I must focus on. I think...

It looks like I may be on the slippery slope regarding stings. I have been beekeeping for about 2 years. During year one the few stings I had were brief and of no concern. Roughly 12 months ago I was stung through the veil from a hive that was queenless and unpleasant, the stinger was in for...

Hmmm - that was a big boob too Greg, we all make mistakes! I keep chickens also and have recently noticed Scaley Leg Mite on quite a few of my chucks, another eye off the ball. Back to the bees, I would appreciate any advice going forward for this colony. My plan was to go back tomorrow and...

The weather has been hellish up here lately, not great for 2-3 weeks and hellish for last 4 days. Today I went to my out apiary to be greeted by a hive with lots of dead bees in front of the hive. Upon opening there were 2 to 3 inches of dead and dying bees on the floor. The entrance was almost...