Recent content by Eyeman

A nail to replace the broken lug works well for me. I will work the frames to the side then replace when necessary

Bees on the rear could be a swarm that landed are bees hanging under the hive. Otherwise the queen may have gone walk about?

Until one day! Now I give mine a spray of Dipel before storing & a second spray 1 month later.

You won’t be able to extract them if the stores are granulated so check first

Having requeened my share of defensive hives, some definitely take time to come round p

The bay tree has come into bloom

Those putting swarm traps out early in the season make sure the entrance is reduced or in some way restricted to prevent nesting birds moving in

In spring I like to equalise the strength of colonies. With this weak colony I would shake bees out of super, move super to stronger colony above QE. Consolidate weak colony into a smaller space or nuc & feed. Allow to build up on its own or add frame of soon to emerge brood to speed up development.

The broodless colony almost certainly has a defective queen. As others have said not a lot to do at the moment. By the time new queens are available the colony will have dwindled.

My only reason to take a peek inside early is if I suspect a dead out. Clear the dead bees off the frames before the. Mould sets in.

Does anyone know what insurance cover the local BKA have in place for their summer apiary visits? You’ve paid a membership fee & sometimes a pound for a raffle ticket so not sure whether that counts as a contract?

With double brood I prefer a more gentle approach to brood nest organisation at this time of year. My ideal configuration going forward with a strong expanding colony is brood just below the QE with an empty super above. Avoid that honey band developing in the top brood box by swapping some...

Bees are new to Anglesey but from a choice of celandine, Hebe, dandelion, plum the’re consistently going for the Alexander.

Tut tut some folks will expect top dollar from what you refer to as ‘not very nice tasting’ brassica honey.

May well like a bit of a sauna or Turkish bath- nothing like it for a real clean!