Recent content by Bluebell

Just seen this talk in Oxford on Tuesday advertised on Facebook: Honey & Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt & the Bible - entsoc Tue, January 22, 6pm – 7pm Brasenose college, Oxford http://www.facebook.com/events/120021658169112 Bees! Pharaohs! Honey! EntSoc returns with a special event on...

Thanks for all your kind words. Enjoyed watery porridge with honey this morning! Bob - an article about that lifemel honey is pinned up in the chemo unit. £40 for 120g! Perhaps if I add a few medicinal plants to my garden next year I can put my prices up! VM - thanks for radiotherapy tip, I...

I'm having chemo at the moment and have been told to avoid anything that may cause infection. I know that untreated honey shouldn't be given to infants - anyone know what the risks are? I guess I could heat some to make it safe - not managing to eat much but fancy a bit of my honey on porridge!

Just had a long chat with very experienced beek (our association chairman). When I mentioned that a lot of the dead/dying ones this morning looked very odd - almost completely black - he said it may well be insecticide poisoning. Also noticed woodlice tucking into the dead ones - perhaps...

At least a hundred in front of hive. I've cleared them away to see how many more tomorrow. With low mite drop, I'm not sure it can be varroasis. Most live ones look ok, just a bit dopey. Some have sticky-out wings, so perhaps k-wing (acarine?) Would this cause the very deformed wings too...

Lots of dead/dying bees in front of my hive today. Inspected on Sunday;all looked fine. Varroa board has been in since then - only 4 (dead) on it. Saw at least 6 bees on the ground with deformed wings, I assume this must be dwv, or could it be anything else? Can't add images but looks...

Good idea - I'll put those QCs into a nuc tomorrow. There's already 2 supers on, one almost full (of honey and bees!). Thanks!

nope, not clipped.

Quite a relief to read other thread about being overwhelmed. I too am just into 2nd year and it’s quite a bit more challenging than expected, although I have been getting great support from local BKA. Anyway, any suggestions as for what to do with a swarm that, possibly due to very sudden...

Someone put a link to it a few days ago, it's really good. Won't let me post the link but its on Pembrokeshire BKA site under "knowledge", the document is called "Queen Cells in my hive what should I do?"

I found similar situation today, between hail showers it was finally sunny and warm enough to inspect. There seemed to be queen cells in all stages - one with larvae/royal jelly, 4 sealed and a couple apparently open (although they could have been pulled when I moved frames). I was pretty...

Power Station Bees I met someone recently who keeps bees at Didcot Power Station, sorry - don't remember her name tho!

I bought the £105 hive from Amazon and am really pleased with it (also bought Th**nes budget hive in December and a pre-assembled Maisemore hive). Seems to be good quality cedar and as my carpentry skills are not great I was thrilled to find that the roof and floor were already assembled...

This book looks just what I need. I too am only 3 weeks into keeping bees and hoping the novelty will wear off a bit as I'm wandering down to look at them way too much and not getting anything else done! I'm keeping a beginners blog if anyone's interested; http://http://tjbeebuzz.blogspot.com/