Recent content by Jimy Dee

Folks, I am just cutting and pasting from an article published here in Ireland recently. I hope it is of interest to some folk. Jim The pure native Irish honeybee is not extinct as previously feared and is living in many parts of the island of Ireland, a post-graduate research student has...

Thanks folks. We might aim at removing supers and vapourising

Slangers - why do I get the feeling you are taking this a bit too seriously. Consider the front of a beehive as natures TV. Simply watch the bees coming and going and look at their pollen sacks and try and make out what they are bringing in. A chair and good bee suit and sit at the side of the...

Cannot give you a percentage, but we briefly went through them and there was a good number of bees with deformed wings so I am presuming the hives are well infested. The hives are poor.

Folks A novice beekeeper contacted me this weekend and to make a long story short he has had 2 hives of bees for over 12 months and never did any varroa treatment at all. Is there anything he can do at this time of the year to treat his varroa keeping in mind that we are in the honey season...

Folks I am interested in leaving the bees go into foundation-less supers to get 100% natural comb honey. I am fully aware of the down sides of such a move and I accept it is a step backwards in terms of management vis a vis frame inspection, extraction etc, however I wish to give it a whirl...

Yip, bad idea to advertise your bees. Put up a sign about a guard dog - not kidding. Plenty guard dog signs to be bought. Alternatively, go criptic - "Bee ware - Guard Dog stings"

Foghornleghorn - I dont know what the flora is like year-round in your parts, but I would give a small word of caution in taking this early honey from your bees. Keep in mind that if you have a good summer supply in the pipe line, then consider leaving the bees this honey as they will require...

My part of the world is awash with blackthorn and its glorious white blossom this time of year. If conditions come right, and there is a good prolonged hot period (good summer conditions) this bush is a good producer of the most glorious honey which has a nutty flavor. It is rear, does not...

I have often taken out a frame of honey and it noticeably has yellow sections in it. I always wondered if it was just yellow wax cappings or was both honey and wax derived from dandelion just that little bit yellower than other sources. I dont know. Has anyone extracted dandelion honey? Was...

Thanks for the replies. If it only blooms for a week or so I do not think it is worth the effort, because if the weather is bad that one week, then it is a waste of time. Having said that if the weather is good I will move one hive just to see how they go. I am not after a specific honey per...

Hello Folks Could you let me know what is the bottom line with this type of honey? Good tasting or not? Reason is I can bring my hives to a friends farm where these trees are very plentiful (white flowered not pink). My reluctance stems from being in France a few years back when I purchased...

They are a window into nature that nothing else can give you. I have no real interest in honey, but to see the bees working and try and understand what flowers they are working (pollen baskets and the various colours during the year) is just an amazing privilege, and it allows us see how the...

Dare I say it, even the oracles that throw stones with ease have f*"^ed it up many times, like everyone else.

Pete - well done for posting your learning experience. Many would not be brave enough. There are those that seem to be very fast to criticise others and I believe it prevents some from posting their questions or mishaps. We all learn from experience, and we also learn from the experiences of...