Recent content by johncorne

My 9 frame is great, but I also had to have the controller replaced after the first season Jc

While accelerating the frame downwards, thumb on top is pushing. The index finger needs to go down faster than the frame, creating the gap Jc

A long time ago Clive de Bruin showed how to do a "double tap" to get the bees off the frame. Hard to describe in words but essentially accelerate the frame downwards with thumbs and allow a gap to the index finger. When the thumb stops pressing down, frame crosses the gap and hits a now...

Well, I didn't get out and check , but it was probably 18" tall and certainly looked like rape. The mustard I've seen in fields has been pretty low - or is there a taller variety now? Jc

I was driving across Wiltshire the last few days of September and again the first few days of October and saw hundreds of acres of OSR in flower , or just about to flower. This seems very late....is it likely to offer nectar at the current temperature? Jc

Having had hives stolen, I would not do anything to advertise their presence Jc

Alas no, but each has some "short" frames which belong in a non-standard hive! I've just ordered the branding iron (yes, stable doors come to mind ;) ) Jc

Two of mine in an out aipiery. Reasonably well screened from the road, no footpaths! I'm sorely tempted to put out a bait hive now! Jc

One of mine that still has plenty of room in the brood box AND an empty super (and an almost capped one) needed to have an AS yesterday, full of swarm cells! Jc

Does anyone sell honey produced locally to Solihull? I've a friend there who is looking to buy local honey - but mine is distant :( Jc

Always more than you need! I scaled back at the end of every year and even now, hhave run out of crown boards AGAIN! Jc

What sort of ladder do you carry? Jc

If they can't offer a forecast for a single postode (actually, they only do the first 4 characters, so out here, RG17 is quite a large area) they shouldn't make it look as if they can. The last few years, they seem more wrong than right 48 hours ahead! Jc

I've had less this year than normal - probably because everything is so late... but if anything, less reaction than previous years. They usually start "bad" and get "less bad" as the year progresses Jc

Less than 3 feet or more than 3 miles.... so if you move them a couple of feet at a time you will be OK (or 1/2 meter) you will be fine. Jc