Recent content by janandmaxbee

Hi My queen (clipped) is in her third year and has been performing really well, but today I have found several queen cells. I do not really want to start another hive or nuc. Is there anything wrong with just letting the hive produce a new queen and letting the bees get on with their...

I know how you felt - found my first queen and marked her a few weeks ago - not so many bees in the hive then, so I did have a sporting chance - but still feel very proud. J

I have put in unwired foundation this year for cut comb which I would like to put in the jars with the honey. Should I freeze this before I add it to the honey jars? thanks

my hive is really busy - brood - stores - eggs - new queen but there are no bees at all in the super and certainly no sign of honey - sealed or otherwise. The hive beside it is also busy and the super full of honey, have just had to add another. Feel I should do something, but not sure what...

Hi two questions really. 1) I have 2 hives. hive A is SOO busy and the super is nearly full, can hardly lift it. Do I put the new super above the first one, or under it. 2) My second hive B situated on the same plot (but with not quite so much sun) seems to be fairly busy but...

re varroa control with a super I have put a super in - how long should I leave it - Would 20 days be a reasonable time. ? bearing in mind I am not sure how long the bees will take to make the foundation below the super. Dont want the drones to hatch with the varroa. thanks.

Hi. Thank you all for taking the time to reply. Really appreciated, and also very helpful. J.

Hi - last autumn I was advised to reverse the boxes on each of my hives (brood box at the top, super at the bottom) and to remove the queen excluders - at the risk of sounding really really stupid - why should this be done - and more importantly - is this the right time to turn them...

Hi.. The hive faces east and the frames were two in from the entrance. varroa board in. No insulation on the crown board. Regarding ventilation - Matchsticks inserted in the four corners to allow a little air to circulate. Cedar hive. The other hive, exactly the same position etc seems...

Hi. very warm here today, so opened the hives to have a look. In my second hive, created last year there were plenty of bees and lots of activity BUT two of the frames near the front of the hive were covered in a whitish/light grey mould. Any idea what this could be, and waht I should be...

OMF Open Mesh Floor - Obviously - thanks for that. { that is what I have**. Will do as you suggest with the hives and hope for the best. thanks again

Hi Thank you all for your advice. I am a very new beekeeper - what does OMF stand for. Unfortunatly it is not possible to move the hives. Workmen have been warned and say they will be fairly well protected anyway (health and safety wear) . I have been advised by another bee keeper...

Hi. My 2 hives are at the bottom of my garden. About 10 ft behind them is a row of leylandi. The man who owns the trees is having them trimmed this week and I was a bit worried as to how the bees would react to the noise of the chain saws etc. (It will take all day to complete the work)...

this is only my second winter as a beekeeper - I was advised not to feed after October - was this good advice - should I feed now . worried there is not enough food in the hives (2) for them.