Search results

Added third super to one colony, the other hasn't moved out of double brood. She's only 2, should be more productive. ? One colony, Q cups (one with egg), lots of drones, the other, no cups, few drones. Marked both queens. Great success. (y) Two colonies is not enough. :LOL:

I like the idea of involving the local beekeepers association. If this neighbor is a member they could have a word. If not (they could still have a word but) they could find a member who would put a swarm box in a nearby garden and collect it when occupied. Yes it could attract bees from...

Looking back a couple of years there was interest in my bait hive from now, early May. This year no interest yet so, yes, delayed but better than average temperatures in the forecast that could all change. Swarm that arrived May 11th last year now my best hive. I could do with some more free...

Continuing to weigh my colonies beyond just making sure they don't starve. This week one has regained the weight it had last October (with 2 extra supers, brood lighter than stores, incomplete supers?), the other gaining but still 20lb down.

Two very different hives today. One which got going early, found some stores, weathered the last couple of weeks of cold, now given second drawn super. The other, big hive last year, has made no gains this year. Lost weight, stopped laying, lack of open brood. Needed feeding. Thinking, disease...

No . . . just no. Not heard of this before. Oh no! Not this again. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

I suffer from this. Bottom of my garden is a footpath between football field (where there are bins) and a round about (where there is a bin) but people decide to lob it over the fence. I don't understand, you've done the worst bit picking up the poo. Just risk being seen carrying it a few yards...

Reading this again I think there's probably a basic mismatch in how I see things and how my landowner sees things. I'm talking about "my bees" in "my out-apiary" and assuming what happens with an out-apiary. My landowner being very territorial is seeing bees arrive in their hive (we set up...

Yes.

Such a shame that for decades, when I see a St George's flag I think National Front.

If the bee inspectors have tried to contact or get access directly I'd get the blame. And I'm the loser. Another scenario I have no evidence of. I said to the inspectors back in June(?), good luck getting access.

Thanks to all the suggestions above. Any idea of climbing gates or cutting padlocks does not appeal given the barky dogs. Not keen to find out how fast I can run in the new ventilated bee suit. :LOL: However I don't need the stress of dragging this out or the worry of possible retribution...

! I did not think you could go that far. Thanks.

For the last 6 weeks I've been getting no response to my requests for access to my bees. The last time I visited was just before New Year when I was let in to check stores. After I left sent message, "They both look OK. See you in April". They approached me when I was selling honey at a car...

I'm thinking of commercial bee keepers I follow on Twitter. Perhaps the difference is needing to push the colonies early to get a spring crop. I find mine have eaten their way up into the super by first inspection in April. Tho' I don't feed heavily in the autumn to pack the BB.

There are commercial beeks who overwinter on single National standard BB. They usually need to feed fondant in the new year. I'm not a commercial beekeeper. I overwinter with brood and a half and I don't worry about feeding. Normally. But I have super frames that have been on during treatments...

My go-to is Wally Shaw "There are queen cells in my Hive - what should I do?" in the Welsh BKA library. If the last inspection was 2 weeks ago and they started QCs soon after you could have queens emerging any time. Look at the ones you pinch out to see how old they are. If you do find the...

These bees don't sound to have made a good decision. The spaces under the bonnet or dash are not big enough to make a decent nest. ? I agree. A nightmare for the car owner.

I'm just weighing my 2 hives again this week. Not opening them until it's warmer next week. There's a good bit of flying happening but it's only 8-9degC. No interest in bait hives so thinking no swarming underway. One hive has lost 7lbs in the last week which is probably most of the stores I saw...

Too damn cold to open them up so just weighed them. The weight gains have stalled. Don't need that extra super.