Cautiously optimistic newbie!

[BoothBees]

One of my other pastimes is miniature painting and tabletop games. A resin printer has always been on my wish list for that.

I want one for Harry Potter prints. I'm a huge fan of the HP franchise and being able to print my own collectables would be great fun. I'd love to also try painting them by hand, which would be particularly challenging for me, and hopefully even more rewarding, as I have both coordination and dexterity issues with my hands. (A challenge I can see coming into play for beekeeping too.)

I like the stuff I've printed using filament thus far, but for really detailed pieces, I think resin is a must.

 

[Ely]

I want one for Harry Potter prints. I'm a huge fan of the HP franchise and being able to print my own collectables would be great fun. I'd love to also try painting them by hand, which would be particularly challenging for me, and hopefully even more rewarding, as I have both coordination and dexterity issues with my hands. (A challenge I can see coming into play for beekeeping too.)

I like the stuff I've printed using filament thus far, but for really detailed pieces, I think resin is a must.

Yes definitely need resin for details. They are slowly coming down in price

 

[BoothBees]

Speaking of hobbies, I was going back through my macro photography collection and found three hornets in there.

I believe one is a European hornet, one is an Asian hornet, and one I'm not so sure but think it's an Asian hornet. Can somebody confirm the IDs?

European hornet



Asian hornets (?)




These were all taken at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire, around 3 to 4 years ago.

It just goes to show how lacking public awareness is of the Asian hornet, as I had no idea what I'd photographed (assuming my ID is correct) and no understanding of the need to report it.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Speaking of hobbies, I was going back through my macro photography collection and found three hornets in there.

I believe one is a European hornet, one is an Asian hornet, and one I'm not so sure but think it's an Asian hornet. Can somebody confirm the IDs?

European hornet

View attachment 35041

Asian hornets (?)

View attachment 35040
View attachment 35039

These were all taken at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire, around 3 to 4 years ago.

It just goes to show how lacking public awareness is of the Asian hornet, as I had no idea what I'd photographed (assuming my ID is correct) and no understanding of the need to report it.

All 3 European hornets.

 

[BoothBees]

All 3 European hornets.

Thanks - that shows my lack of ability to ID them.

I think I might order one of those acrylic blocks with an Asian hornet in them.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Thanks - that shows my lack of ability to ID them.

I think I might order one of those acrylic blocks with an Asian hornet in them.

Download the Hornet Watch App to your phone. Good identification pictures there.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think I might order one of those acrylic blocks with an Asian hornet in them.

I have one. It’s all black which is of no use. You can have it free if you like

 

[BoothBees]

I have one. It’s all black which is of no use. You can have it free if you like

Very kind offer.

I downloaded the app that was suggested and the photos in that are really good, so I think I'll just keep that on my phone.

This is why I love this forum though. It's so quick to get good answers.

 

[BoothBees]

I haven't posted much here as there's not much to say, until I get my bees at least.

I have ordered another Langstroth hive (Paradise poly) as I decided my first year in beekeeping would be a good time to compare that against the Honey Paw Langstroth hives I had planned to solely use. That will help inform what hives I order as a grow my apiary. I also ordered some extra brood boxes and queen excluders. That means I have spare kit as needed for swarm prevention/control (I've been doing my reading! (The Apiarist)), a spare nuc and a complete spare hive, should the need arise to use them.

I also checked in where I've purchased my bees from and I'm told they're doing very well.

 

[BoothBees]

It might be silly to some, but I realised I had never lit a smoker before... I decided I needed to make sure I knew how to do it. I did not want to be in a panic on bee collection day with four nucs in my possession!

I had my camera with me, so I thought... Why not?

 

[Murox]

Nothing silly about that at all, I think we all did it at least once. Whatever fuel you use aim for a cool white smoke and use it as infrequently as possible. Enjoy your beekeeping.

 

[BoothBees]

I started to assemble my frames.

I did try a new car battery to heat the wire, but my battery must be dud or have some sort of surge protection on it, because there was literally no heat generated.

I've ordered a spur embedder and will take over the kitchen for a week. I also ordered a wire crimper, because my poor hands... Ouch! It's like pulling on dental floss, only sharper.

It's all a learning experience.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I did try a new car battery to heat the wire, but my battery must be dud or have some sort of surge protection on it, because there was literally no heat generated.

get a cheapo battery charger on ebay and use that

 

[bountifulbees]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Stunning pictures!

I'd definitely recommend getting in touch with your local beekeepers association and beefriending some local beekeepers.
As for online resources, I'd definely recommend Black Mountain Honey youtube channel. I found his videos incredibly helpful last year during my first season as a Beekeeper. Also bought one of his queens.
Anyway, best of luck to you and I hope you get your bees soon! Goodluck

 

[Macbear]

Having been forced to join my local beekeepers association by a new condition imposed by my bullying allotment landlord, I've been pleasantly surprised. [The landlord believed that it equated to third party insurance for them! and I haven't told the landlord that's not so.] The neighbour who gave me his kit a decade ago and taught me a lot had a nasty experience with a different local beekeeping association, so I was sceptical. I found Rusty Bellew [Honeybeesuite] to be most helpful, although as she hails from North America there are some conditions which differ to those in the UK. However, practical learning in the association apiary and face to face discussion has done wonders for me. I also value this forum!

 

[BoothBees]

I'd definitely recommend getting in touch with your local beekeepers association and beefriending some local beekeepers.

However, practical learning in the association apiary and face to face discussion has done wonders for me.

I'm on it. I'm booked onto a weekend course with my local association.

 

[BoothBees]

It's been a while since I updated this thread, so here goes...

I HAVE BEES!

I grabbed some additional last minute nucs that came up available, so the ones I ordered haven't actually arrived yet. (They're from Modern Beekeeping, so I'm not worried about not getting them.)

I set myself up for a challenge as the nucs were on national frames and I'm on langstroths. Some pre-planning, top bars and cable ties later, and all were transferred into the new hive. I'm planning on changing the comb out so that I can remove the national frames. I still have the nucs (wooden and hand made) so I'm keeping the frames and the nucs for another use (swarm trap maybe).

I gave them some syrup in a top feeder on each hive and left them to it. I'm coming up to my first inspection, but it isn't warm enough and the site is a bit exposed, so Friday or Saturday is looking like the day to do it. The bees are flying really well though, so I'm currently very happy.

 

[enrico]

It's been a while since I updated this thread, so here goes...

I HAVE BEES!

I grabbed some additional last minute nucs that came up available, so the ones I ordered haven't actually arrived yet. (They're from Modern Beekeeping, so I'm not worried about not getting them.)

I set myself up for a challenge as the nucs were on national frames and I'm on langstroths. Some pre-planning, top bars and cable ties later, and all were transferred into the new hive. I'm planning on changing the comb out so that I can remove the national frames. I still have the nucs (wooden and hand made) so I'm keeping the frames and the nucs for another use (swarm trap maybe).

I gave them some syrup in a top feeder on each hive and left them to it. I'm coming up to my first inspection, but it isn't warm enough and the site is a bit exposed, so Friday or Saturday is looking like the day to do it. The bees are flying really well though, so I'm currently very happy.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's been a while since I updated this thread, so here goes...

I HAVE BEES!

I grabbed some additional last minute nucs that came up available, so the ones I ordered haven't actually arrived yet. (They're from Modern Beekeeping, so I'm not worried about not getting them.)

I set myself up for a challenge as the nucs were on national frames and I'm on langstroths. Some pre-planning, top bars and cable ties later, and all were transferred into the new hive. I'm planning on changing the comb out so that I can remove the national frames. I still have the nucs (wooden and hand made) so I'm keeping the frames and the nucs for another use (swarm trap maybe).

I gave them some syrup in a top feeder on each hive and left them to it. I'm coming up to my first inspection, but it isn't warm enough and the site is a bit exposed, so Friday or Saturday is looking like the day to do it. The bees are flying really well though, so I'm currently very happy.

Brilliant

 

[The Poot]

It's been a while since I updated this thread, so here goes...

I HAVE BEES!

I grabbed some additional last minute nucs that came up available, so the ones I ordered haven't actually arrived yet. (They're from Modern Beekeeping, so I'm not worried about not getting them.)

I set myself up for a challenge as the nucs were on national frames and I'm on langstroths. Some pre-planning, top bars and cable ties later, and all were transferred into the new hive. I'm planning on changing the comb out so that I can remove the national frames. I still have the nucs (wooden and hand made) so I'm keeping the frames and the nucs for another use (swarm trap maybe).

I gave them some syrup in a top feeder on each hive and left them to it. I'm coming up to my first inspection, but it isn't warm enough and the site is a bit exposed, so Friday or Saturday is looking like the day to do it. The bees are flying really well though, so I'm currently very happy.

Next step is to be diagnosed with bee fever. You’re certainly showing the symptoms