Recent content by StephenT

Took the tabs off two queens from @Black Mountain Honey that we put in hives a couple of days ago. The bees were very interested in the cage but not aggressive. Put a third super on a very large but overly defensive hive that we we plan to re-queen by merging when one of new queens is up and...

A double screen board would be useful anyway and so I'll see if they have one in the club shop when I go later. If not then I'll use the solid board and keep it all on one stack which makes it easier for uniting.

I planned to use the frames from the top box to make the nuc anyway and so that would work but don't have a double screen board. Does there have to be a screen between them or would a solid board with an entrance work just as well?

Two BMH queens have just been delivered all good and well. One is for a single brood in my garden so was just going to kill existing queen, pop the cage in and take tab off after 48 hours assuming all is well. The other hive is a double brood (with another demaree box on top) we look after for...

Just checked a small single brood hive and they are running on vapour so just put a feeder on. Weather much better now so with a bit of feed they’ll hopefully become self sufficient very soon. Ordered two queens from @Black Mountain Honey. One to replace the queen in a “nightmare to inspect”...

Real mixed bag. Got a couple of very strong double brood hives with 2 supers and was pleasantly surprised to find no QCs. One single brood hive had open and closed QCs but luckily the queen was still there so nuc’d her. Combined 2 other poorly performing hives and will replace the queen if the...

Inspected the 3 hives at the allotment site over the weekend. 2 are really slow to build up so plan to unite them next weekend and then possibly buy in a new queen afterwards. The third is doing ok but was recently upgraded from a nuc to full hive. Replaced a couple of frames of foundation with...

Inspected hive no.6 today which is one that we look after for an elderly gentleman in their garden. My wife and I were shocked to find about 16 frames of brood and not much space for any more. Some queen cups and one did have an egg in it so they'll be off soon. Stuck a super on. Will...

Inspected the three allotment hives and bit of a mixed bag. First hive on a double was not doing great so knocked it down to a single. Must have superseded end of last summer as unmarked queen now. Was hoping to expand the second hive on 8 frames but didn’t need it. Third hive which was in a...

Thanks for your advice Eric. Got 3 on double brood and will check them out at the weekend and see if any action is required.

Thanks Eric. The amount of unused comb is the same in both diagrams but is it the more central position of the unused comb and the way the brood nest is split in diagram 2 that encourages the bees to make maximum use of it?

Hi Eric. Don’t think my hives are as advanced as yours but interested to know the conditions at which you reverse brood boxes and what the expected results are. Got 3 double brood I haven’t been into yet as never seems warm enough for a full inspection. Thanks!

Checked one garden hive that has been kicking out loads more dead than the others and was a bit of mess inside. Damp double brood boxes, mouldy frames towards the outside and shed loads of dead on the floor. 3 frames with brood and still plenty of bees. Gave them a new floor and reduced them to...

Weighed all the hives over the last couple of days and only a nuc needed fondant adding. A couple of hives (with plenty of live bees) had maintained their weight over the last 3 weeks so must have been making best use of the forage.

All hives flying well this weekend, although am concerned about one of the home hives as they have been chucking out a lot more dead than the others and on the inspection board there is just a small amount of cappings at the front. No clear lines of cappings on the board like the others. Gave...