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Pleased to see my new Q had mated successfully and started laying, spotted her too - a big ginger Q - so popped that frame into an empty nuc box whilst I picked up my kit to mark her. When I picked up the frame again a bee was hanging off her leg trying to sting her. Moved that bee off and...

As the weather was so good today had a final check before winter. It seemed very damp on the crown boards with a bit of mould on some. Anyone put anything in to reduce moisture there? I know they do in the US.

Had a 'visitor' to my garden yesterday, forced their way into 2 of my sheds - nothing to steal in either, lifted the roof on my stack of spare supers (which is next to my unfriendly bees - if they'd lifted that roof instead they would have soon gone). My smoker was outside the back door where I...

On my first inspection of my 4 colonies in March, two had brood and seemed queenright whereas 2 had none. Subsequent inspection showed an increasing amount of drone brood in one of the originally ok colonies, so only one colony now seemed right. Unfortunately this one colony was the one with a...

The first swarm I've collected was hived on foundation which they are drawing out well, but no sign of eggs. They went in last Saturday so I had a quick look today during one of the sunny spells. How soon should the queen start to lay?

On Friday I collected my first swarm, weighed the box and about 3 1/2 lbs of bees. Is that a reasonable size of swarm? Didn't want to leave any bees behind, but waited until 10pm and almost dark but still a handful of bees wouldn't go inside. For future reference, what should I have done about...

I made up a nuc in a poly nuc box in May which built up too much before I had equipment to hive it, so there were QC when I did get to do so. I split it three ways, majority of bees were left to raise a new queen and did so successfully. The Q was put in a nuc box and also built up and these...

I had left a part filled super in the porch whilst I was sorting out my hives. Closed all the hives up, went back to the house to find the porch full of bees as I'd forgotten to close the outer door.:eek: Took the super away and dealt with that but still have a porch full of bees. If I open the...

New queen arriving today to requeen aggressive colony. Plan is to make up a nuc from the colony and introduce queen in a push in cage, then re-unite ASAP. If she is accepted how soon would I be able to reunite? I know I rushed things when I tried to introduce a queen last year and they...

My bees have become very aggressive, no OSR in the area, and I need to re-queen. Couldn't set foot out of the house today without being stung, about 100ft from hive, even followed me into the car. What do you recommend as the least aggressive strain to use for re-queening?

Got my first bees 2 years ago and now have three hives. Hive 1: original queen who now seems to be failing as brood is becoming increasingly drone. Superceedure cell seen 2 weeks ago so left to get on with it. Hive 2: daughter of original queen, but with characteristics of hive 3 ie propolise...

Brood box wall to wall with brood, only outermost faces not laid up and one super on, I don't want double brood so tried to remember details of method below. I went to a talk about preventing swarming by putting the queen on a frame of brood in the bottom box, then supers then a board with mesh...

Inspected today to find 5 swarm QC with grubs, that I really don't want to see at this time of year. Panicked and re-arranged hive - then thought I should have put the queen somewhere safe first. :banghead: Just hope I didn't squash her

At the moment I have: H1: Q+, fine H2: Split from H1, no laying Q, (advice asked here http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25332) H3: Split from H1, Q+, fine H4: Q+, some chalkbrood issues, intending to replace in spring What I think I shall do: I have a new queen ordered for next...

Spotted on holiday

Forgot to put the dummy board in the other week and a week later this is what they had built - leaving that nice new super empty! http://www.flickr.com/photos/22587818@N08/9397410481/

I hived a nuc this year who had filled the BB but showed no interest in the super, so I followed the advice here and placed it below. I didn't think to put the QE on so when I returned a few days later they were happily drawing and laying in it! Now I have a super that is mainly brood under a...

Split hive three ways in late May. Both QC hatched and started to lay late June but then no more eggs in one part; the brood hatched and that was it. Nothing laid for 2 weeks, bees calm and happy, experienced beekeeper said he thought a queen in there - give a bit longer, still no eggs a week...

Split my colony 3 ways on the 26th May. Today I checked the 2 QC parts and eggs in both, didn't spot the queens though. New hive on its way.

I found a site last week - I think based in N Wales - that did small amounts of honey labels. I thought I bookmarked it but didn't and have spent an hour searching again this morning but can't find it - anyone any idea?