Recent content by Chunky Plumpy

Nice, we've had one 'headbanging' in the garden somewhere for several weeks in South Glos... waking us up in the mornings :sleep: Sorry, should add 'headbanging' is what we call our actions when it starts. I wasn't sure it was a cuckoo as not sure we have them around here, but then we found out...

Hello, I'm going into my third year after two successful years with my first hive. I had a second which turned out to be killer bees and during a number of attempts to calm them I requeened both hives, so this remaining hive has a new queen only last summer. Recent inspections were 'okay', I...

Thank you @Sutty , I have posted a free angry colony add on the forum and had some interest so maybe I can avoid it but I was wondering how I’d prevent them escaping and the mesh is an obvious and simple answer to all my questions. Thanks a lot, CP. PS I checked long and hard for rouge queen...

Hi @Wilco , unfortunately not. They sting guests arriving (40 feet from the hive) so truth is it was a last offer and ‘decent thing to do’ before they go. Sorry.

FREE to collect, all the WBC brood frames are free to go but not the brood box (happy to swap one if collection is easier with the bees staying in the brood box or transfer into a nuc to take away?). I believe this is a healthy colony which was recently re-queened from a docile hive but they...

Hello all, Sadly despite my best efforts the angry colony of bees must go; if anyone wants what appear to be a healthy but 'arsey' colony then feel free to contact me and come get the brood frames else they'll be getting burnt just in case disease was the cause of the temperament. I cannot...

Hello all, @jenkinsbrynmair was correct and I was flapping like a proper newbie who only needed leave things for another 2-3 weeks. Both colonies are strong with lots of brood and larvae across 6 or more brood frames. The little nuc was doing brilliantly and bursting with bees whilst I kept it...

Hello all, I thought I should return to post a final update, which is good news. I performed full inspections of both hives today having only peeked in to see if there was any new signs of life last week whilst clearing off some very full supers. There is plenty of brood across 6 frames or...

Hi all, there is a third super on, but right up top as I just keep stacking (first full season starting only last June so didn’t know any different!). It was empty when all this began a month ago and now drawn and filling nicely but not sure if being above two completely full/capped supers...

Thanks everyone, I’ll leave them in peace for another 2 weeks (takes me to 6) and if they are not back in action I’ll try the section of brood/larvae to save robbing the nuc twice. Cheers, CP.

Thanks @markb2603 , I like the idea of 'testing' with a frame of eggs but my edification (thanks @jenkinsbrynmair on both threads :) appears far from complete and the suggestion is that 4 weeks is not enough time. I shall not meddle in the brood boxes and give them more time... then return here...

Hi. Yes @Sutty the queen emerged leaving the cell empty, as it was previously sealed, and there was defo another (on the same frame fortunately) which might explain the 'air show' a couple of weeks ago. So I'm confident a queen(s) emerged. I did have a good look @jenkinsbrynmair and saw no...

Hello all, I need a little advice please after failing miserably to requeen my two hives. For reasons I shan't go into here, one hive was preparing to swarm making queen cells and the second in need of a better/friendlier queen, so lifted the nice queen into a nuc and 'managed' the other two...

Hello all, thought I'd post a final update before opening a new thread as it really couldn't have gone any worse; complete disaster. As we know (recap) I made the nuc with the nice queen, who is still alive and well in the flourishing little box. I selected a queen cell on two frames form the...

Hi. I did think about that @ericbeaumont but thought the worst case was a lovely genetically superior colony would have swarmed? Putting aside that I’m not sure they did swarm as I’m still waiting before going back in to check, I caged the old queen a day or so before dispatching her and then...