Thanks Drex
Ive just been round to dust them with icing sugar, took the CB off and panic over, all is well it must have been the cold, national BB and they look to be covering 7 frames :)
Got a call from a freind today who had run out of fondant, i called round to give him some of mine and when i removed the cover that covers the hole in the crownboard i saw lots off bees but very very little movement from them,i fed mine on sunday and they were full of life so thought this was...
The modern convention is for a Thymol-based treatment (like Apiguard) starting sometime in August, and when they are broodless in mid-winter (Christmas/NewYear) an Oxalic Acid treatment.
I will be taking some of my colonies to the heather shortly so when do I treat?!