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    Dead Hives

    Thanks for your replies everyone. I haven't been able to take any pictures yet, but I will endeavour to do so. To answer some of your questions. No living bees are present it either hive. I didn't treat for Varroa in the autumn. I added sheep's wool insulation above the hives early winter, but...
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    Dead Hives

    Both were Nationals
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    Dead Hives

    I have lost both of my hives this winter. This is the first time I have lost any colony over winter so to loose both of my hives was a real shock. They seemed in good health going into the winter, they had plenty of stores and I treated them both with Oxalic Acid in January. One hive was looking...
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    Still swarming

    Yes there was BIAS.
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    Still swarming

    Swarm but no Queen Cells found One of my hives swarmed on the weekend, but when I went inspected the source hive there were no queen cells present. I went through it twice to make sure I didn't miss any and I'm fairly confident the hive was the source of the swarm (I saw them cluster on the...
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    Can Queen Bees Swarm in Their First Season

    Thanks everyone Thanks for your advice everyone. I'll be ready next time. It's funny how you think you are just getting the hang of this beekeeping thing and then you learn something completely new!
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    Can Queen Bees Swarm in Their First Season

    I'm very confused as two of my hives seem to have swarmed even though they have new queens which were raised this year and I'm wondering if this is normal? To put you in the picture I completed artificial swarms early in the season (local oil seed rape seems to have made everything happen...
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    Overfed bees, should I remove surplus stores?

    Thanks for your advice everyone. You have put my mind at rest - I will leave them well alone now for a while!
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    Overfed bees, should I remove surplus stores?

    I completed the first inspection of the year today and I have one hive which would appear to have surplus stores of syrup. I left on a super in the autumn as it had a little honey and I wanted to leave the bees with healthy stocks. Unfortunately I think I may have given them too much syrup as...
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    Help, I don't seem to have a queen

    PS advice on any suitable books would be appreciated. I've read Ted Hoopers guide to Bees and Honey and the David Woottons Beekeeping a novices guide. I've been on a course too so there's no excuse really, but I do believe there's nothing like getting the experience, which I certainly am!
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    Help, I don't seem to have a queen

    Update Bit of a delay, but to update my thread my very helpful local bee inspector has given me some assistance and determined that I had a virgin queen in the original hive and a drone laying queen in the swarm. It was recommended that I shook out the swarm to prevent the drone laying from...
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    Help, I don't seem to have a queen

    I had not seen the original queen (I couldn't find her) but I assume she wasn't clipped as she was from a swarm. I hadn't realised that the original queen leaves with the swarm before all this started, otherwise I might have acted sooner. I'm a bit confused why they swarmed (can one queen swarm...
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    Help, I don't seem to have a queen

    Thanks for the replies. I should be able to lay my hands on a couple of frames so I'll give that a go. Drstitson - I forgot to mention, but the eggs and larvae have been laid in the super above the queen excluder. When I hived them I put on a super which was partly full. The swarm then bypassed...
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    Help, I don't seem to have a queen

    My bees swarmed in April, I hived the swarm and now I don't seem to have a queen in either hive. I'm a novice beekeeper with one colony and I live in Cheshire. The problem started back in April. During the hot spell in March my bees were becoming active but I hadn't completed an inspection (I...
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    Taster Days in North Wales

    Hi are there any places left on the 27th August?
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