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I love the photos - thank you ! Nicolas Geant keeps bees on one of the roofs at Notre Dame. I wonder how he gets his honey down from there ...? http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/spip.php?article1646

Hello everyone. Really enjoyed reading the posts over the summer - interesting and very informative - thanks ! 85lbs of honey from my 3 hives - I'm pleased. Late July was damp but warm here and the traffic up to our 6 large lime trees was noticeable as was the coming and going from the...

Thanks. I've already covered the holes in the crownboards. Will look at other forms of insulation

The local carpet shop has given me an offcut from an unwanted roll of underlay. I'm planning to cut it, 2 / 3 pieces thick,so it will lie over the top of the crown board. A beekeeper friend in Scotland has done this for years - said it works fine. He then sits the insulation over the tubs of...

Very helpful. Thanks :). I wish everyone a successful winter after all the chat and preparation.

Fascinating Dusty! Before I 'nadir' the super (doesn't it work well as a verb!), do I need to have completed winter feeding ? Oh the fun we have... Thanks

I think I'll block off the feeder slot of that's the case. I don't want to risk losing bees if I possibly can.

Yes mine is a Paynes poly nuc. Someone else also told me not to use the integral feeder. They did and loads of their bees drowned. I've got a separate eke which would provide space for a rapid feeder. Encouraging to hear that small colonies can survive. Thanks everyone.

I have a poly nuc but until I see how many bees there actually are, I won't know if they'll survive the winter. I will have the PN standing by. I've never heard of elastic banding the comb into frames but I can see that it would preserve any brood. Would you feed to also encourage them to stay?

There's a small swarm in a laurel bush in the field behind my house. It is now day 10 since the swarm settled in the bush. I noticed this evening that they have drawn comb. I can't reach them and the 'bait' hive I put nearby was rejected despite a great deal of interest shown in the early...

There were very few mites before treatment but loads at the end. I kept the boards in over the 7 day period (kept the entrances wide - no wasps thankfully) and looked at them when I removed the strips. I gave up counting after I got to 70 on each board! Perhaps the boards should go back in...

How do you monitor the varroa drop if there's no floor board - or am I missing something here...

Thanks. I've read the comments and questions but there is very little about MAQS and effects on the queen. Like Enrico says, they also talk about using two strips during application. :)

I removed the MAQS strips from my two colonies yesterday. One colony seems fine - eggs, open brood. The second colony has lots of polished cells in the brood frames but I couldn't see eggs etc. hope things will settle down... Has anyone else had this? Any advice welcome Thanks

I wish I could! The bit of land at the back of our house slopes away and the swarm is on a branch above a roughly 20 foot drop with bushes/brambles below. I've had offers of help but it would be too difficult. Still there this morning. Still hoping...

You don't come across as smug, Cazza. Just pleased with the way life is going at present - and why not? Sounds like you've hit a good phase and I hope it endures. All the best !

The feral colony in my attic swarmed (third time this summer) about 3 days ago. They are still in the laurel bush this evening so I've put the bait hive out - again! Fingers crossed.

Hi Shaun. I've sent you a PM. Hope things go on well for you.

My hives are quite low but stand on gravel - perhaps the rough, uneven surface deters the slugs ?

Thanks Mickeyboy for posting this thread and good to hear that things are settling for you. I just want to add that I've found the advice and comments really helpful too as I've been pretty anxious about using MAQS. This is such a helpful forum :thanks: