Recent content by Newbeeneil

I know what you mean and you never seem to have the right kit with you. A few years ago I had the same sort of scenario. In the end I split an old paper potato bag half way down the sides and put the splits over the fence wire and left them to it while I went for a nuc box. When I returned it...

Just put a cardboard box ( or nuc box) inverted over the post and bees and they just walk upwards into the dark. That’s what I always do when bees are on something that can’t be shaken. I’ve even done it in a tree when it’s not possible to shake them into a skep. Remember bees like the dark and...

I was hoping not to have to dismantle. I was thinking of maybe putting a couple of lengths of 4x2 under the hive, raising it on bricks then sliding the hive along the timbers.

I inspected the WBC colony that is always grumpy today and have decided I need to have another go at requeening them, Normally I’d just pick up the hive and move it 10 m away to drain off all the flyers before dispatching HM, easily done with a national but not so easy with a WBC and 2 chocka...

I would have put an upturned box on the top of that post and the bees would have climbed into it .

I use thin ply ( 5.5mm) with 8mm strip one side and 50mm eke the other. That stops it from warping.

Not really, they just seamed to want to attack te rubber cover. I assume it was the electrical pulses that attracted them.

I would put a bait hive in the locality.

This is what the bees did to the spark plug cover of my strimmer!

Picked up a swarm Sunday evening about 1/2 mile from one of my clients apiaries. I told the nice couple whose garden the swarm settled in that it couldn’t have come from any of my hives as all the queens were clipped. Roll on 2 days and while inspecting the apiary I find a colony with many swarm...

I’ve tried with thicker gloves than nitriles but I really don’t enjoy the feeling. TBH I prefer without any gloves but my hands get too sticky with the amount of hives I inspect and using nitriles is better for disease control. I kept count today, 36 inspections, 11 stings.

Your reactions seem similar to mine. I expect a sting to my hands every 2-3 hives so if I inspect 30-40 hives in a day 15 stings would not be unusual.

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You wouldn’t cut a frozen frame. Defrost, cut it up and refreeze. The trouble with a hot wire is thst unless you pull the surfaces apart while using it they fuse togther again.