Recent content by DonkeyDonz

I think both queens failed to lay winter bees. No varroa

I had known something was amiss with my two hive apiary from earlier in the winter, and yesterday the bright, relatively warm weather allowed me to confirm any fears I had. The apiary has been inactive with no food debri visible dropped through the open mesh floor onto the slabs below, no hum...

Okay, thank you! Yes had OSR here this summer, successfully span off before crystallisation & achieved a good colony split. Now spinning off all capped super frames this weekend & applying Apiguard

Can anyone advise me of the average peak times in SE England? We're in East Sussex! Ian

Can I also dust with icing sugar but not inspect at this time?

Last weekend I placed 2 capped QCs into 2 queenless hives. How long should I wait until inspecting both next? One hive queenless 2 weeks, the other a month but not showing laying worker signs yet.

I inserted two separate QCs into two separate queenless hives last weekend. How long should I leave until I next inspect? Worried about them failing the queens & becoming laying workers by next week as both hives queenless two weeks before insertion!

Is it true all traces of OSR should be removed to avoid crystallisation of further non OSR stores?

I guess I only need to use my uncapping roller on capped stores not the whole frame?

Can members point me please to a definitive OSR harvesting document? What if the frames aren't capped? Do I return to the bees for cleaning/replenishing? TIA!

Why didn't you just use a queen excluder to place the fondant on? 🤔

Stick with what please? Here's a photo of my set up - OMF National/Brood Box/Eke/Fondant/Polycarbonate Crown Board/Ply over Feeder Hole

Hi all, When installing do I cut the insulation to fit within an eke or super above the crown board so it sits snug within the hive? TIA!

Yes, I've seen these used & agree about PBEs!

Thank you!