Recent content by andynorton

Agreed. I have found this site to be more useful than anything else. Books are ok, until the bees decide to do something that isn't covered!

And as predicted, brood boxes from the sale on ebay! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BEEKEEPING-NATIONAL-BROOD-BOX-CEDAR-WOOD_W0QQitemZ280403527755QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Bee_Keeping?hash=item41495a484b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_500wt_976 Now why would anyone pay £28.99 plus £9(!!!) postage...

Thanks, I thought it was probably better to wait until next year. I'll try and put him off until then. I'd like to save the bees if I can, but I think they are going to be very difficult to remove from there. I'll let you know if/when I tackle it!

The farmer whose land my hives are located on, has a colony of bees living in the roof of his farmhouse. He's only recently moved in, but he believes the colony has been there for a few years. He'd like them removed if possible, although I guess this time of year isn't too good for doing that...

First one of these I've been to. I was amazed how busy it was. I was at an immediate disadvantage being there on my own, and without a trolley! Managed to buy three supers, a roof, and 100 frames. Couldn't carry any more! Worth it though. £200 of stuff for £100 - and its only a 10 minute drive...

I'm going to pop along. Just to clarify the original post, its on Saturday, not Sunday. I got sent the following list via e-mail Cedar hive parts in economy grade timber and frames in lower grade timber all at less than half normal first quality retail price. National super...

Thanks for the input. I think I'll try and borrow the association one this year, and see how it goes.

Thorne are doing an "occasional" jacket and veil for £5 this month! https://secure.thorne.co.uk/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/millhouse/thorne/shop/shania?ACTION=thispage&THISPAGE=pagethismonth.html&ORDER_ID=407850556

I'll probably only have a small number of supers to extract this year, but hoping to get another couple of hives next year, to bring my total to 4 or 5. I'm not sure if I'm going to buy an extractor this year yet, (depends if I can borrow one or not!) but if I do, I'm not too sure what to buy...

Yes, they don't seem to like Cuprinol. I had the same thing a few weeks back - mine were good enough to give me a fly by warning, so I didn't actually get stung, but I retreated to the other end of the garden to finish my Cuprinol painting! :)

Mine next to a railway line too, and they don't seem to mind, even when a large goods train goes past in the middle of an inspection!

Thanks - glad to know I had it the right way up! We used zinc slotted excluders on the course I went on, so wasn't expecting as much brace comb as I have been getting on my own hives.

This is probably a very stupid question, but can't seem to find the answer to it anywhere. I'm using a wooden framed wire queen excluder on a National hive. The excluder has bee space on one side. When I initially fitted it, I presumed the bee space should be on the bottom..... but the bees are...

Good tip on the socks..... now why didn't I think of that?! :-) Will look out for the longer nitrile gloves!

I'd like to use nitrile gloves. I bought a big box from ebay, but when I put them on last week to do a hive inspection, there was a big gap of exposed skin where my sleeve joined the glove, so I went back to the leather gloves. Maybe I need to try a different size? I don't really like the...