Recent content by Graymich

Very interesting. In my case 7 out of the 10 frames have more than 50% of the comb removed. I think its probably rodents in my brood nest even though I did fit a mouse guard over the winter.

Yes I am inclined to agree with you - I combined two hives earlier in the year and should have reduced them back down before winter but they were pretty full - lesson learnt.

It cant be vape damage - I use sublimox through the entrance same as the other 4 hives.

I have five hives - all came through the winter ok it seamed - However on further inspection, the one hive that was on double brood was not doing as well as the other single brood hives. They are covering 7 of the 14x12 frames with brood larvae and stores in the upper chamber but the brood...

Very interesting - I will take a photo of the queen cell when I next inspect.. I assume a queen cell with drone larvae will make a larger than normal drone.

Thanks - I could not find the queen so will just have to hope she is dead - I added a frame of brood with some eggs and larvae.

Sorry no I didnt take any photos - I will try and take some next time I inspect as I thought the queen cell was interesting especially as I know there wasnt any worker larva or brood a week ago

I did my first full inspection of the year a week ago. 4 hives were fine but one had no brood eggs or larva apart from half a dozen capped drone cells. 14x12 frames - Lots of bees - ample honey stores - lots of pollen and very active bees - lots of foraging. I suspected that the queen was...

Well its now 4 weeks since I removed the old queen and transferred 2 frames of brood and 1 queen cell. All the brood has long since emerged - no sign of a queen or new brood but lots of bees and no drone laying. Perhaps I should have delayed transferring the brood frames till a few days after...

I decided to transfer another frame of capped brood with larva and a capped queen cell. I am hoping that now that the non laying queen is gone and that they are queenless, they will raise a queen cell of their own or accept the one I have donated them.

You were right - the queen hasnt laid - the new frame of brood I added has mostly emerged - they look to be thriving in that all frames drawn and most covered in honey and pollen and lots of bees but no new brood , only a few drone cells - no queen cells. I have now caged and removed the...