Recent content by flemage

Hi if you can give them frames of brood from other hives and feed that would be great. a nuc will keep the warmth... then its fingers crossed, I am in the south so perhaps time? If you have five successful hives, don't let it all go just because of this one issue. As said, I have had many...

Oh and don't move them during the day as all the forgers will be left behind.

Hi And take a breath...... We have all had moments like this, where we should have...could have.....but didn't. Bee keeping is all about learning and that's ok. Remember why you started this. Every now and then, standing in a field with the sun shinning with the bees in a happy mood...

Ok ..thats a shame as there are not going any where, as the bumble has been on the floor since last night.

Hi Every one. Its been a long time since i posted last, but i found this bumble bee... Queen?... (no idea its not my area). So i though this place could help. It looks like its covered in varroa mites? However, the ones i find on the hive floor are normally a dark brown chestnut colour? Any...

Thanks every one I will get slapping the oil on then.

Hi every one Just taking some old equipment out to the field and it was looking a bit old and needing TLC but it's needed now. I don't have any wood preservative in the shed but have got some old engine oil from a diesel car waiting to go to the recycle place. Just thought I would slap some...

Looks really nice good job!

Thanks itma There certainly aren't any dysentery traces, but I will certainly check them out. However they are on an exposed hill near sea so it can be a bit cooler there than else where in Devon. I have plenty of spare kit now and couple of poly nukes and one I made my self, so will follow...

Hi the issue with weather I had last year was that, as it was so cold for so long into spring the queens didn't come in to lay until late which meant that the hives were small and could not take full advantage of the OSR, when it came into flower. Winter loss's was another issue, lost two to...

Hi all This is the beginning of my fourth year, last year was my first crop (which was small) due to the horrific winter and all hives needing to build up. the main crop for me is spring OSR due to the agricultural site This year all 8 hives have come through most with BIAS some smaller ones...

yup mine get the dish washer treatment

I have also had very low varroa drop this year, I have put this down to using hive maker's thymol treatment in autumn last year (I didn’t use oxalic in winter). Although I suppose it could be due to environmental factors that I am not aware of. The two years before this I have had really bad...

Hi Virgil Welcome to the forum its great to hear how people keep bees in other places. There is another special section for saying hello, but what kind of hives and bees do you have? :welcome:

Could I just put in a word about the much maligned mongrel? Mine are very nice indeed very calm and only grumpy when there has been good reason, be it weather, queen situation or incompetent BK! True this is my first year of honey (3rd year) and I certainly have not had as much honey as some...