Recent content by johnmcc

Had a quick look yesterday as it seemed that mine weren't putting down any sealed honey. Lo and behold two and a half sealed supers in each hive. Couldn't resist taking out 4 frames to "suck it an see" and I spun off over 5ibs from the 4 frames - and it's the most beautiful clear flowery...

My bees were very friendly until this year. I've now moved them to a friend's field because neighbours were being stung, apparently for no reason. One thing - because my bees were so calm I'd got used to opening the hives without smoking them. Not any more! I now smoke the entrance a couple...

:iagree: too!

As an aside to the main thread, beware of taking ibuprofen or any 'NSAIDS' - it/they can seriously exacerbate the normal reaction to a bee sting. Absolutely O90 - these drugs have a number of drawbacks which most people don't realise.

Not an untypical response to a newbie on here, Knotty - I've had it a couple of times from some of the usual suspects. What some of the established members don't seem to realise is that, however stupid the question, we're just after a little help. Go easy you old Guys! No need to shout. In...

From my experience in fairly flat arable farmland in Norfolk: http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18753 I've moved hives 15 yards and one mile using the "foliage in front of the hive" method.

Four weeks ago we decided to move our two hives from our garden to a friend's field because we - and our neighbours - were getting stung, after three peaceful years when no-one but me got stung (twice, through my clumsiness). Like a lot of people on here we suspected the strange weather pattern...

I'm hoping I can go through my hives tomorrow or Tuesday when the weather's supposed to be better. I've had enough of opening hives when the weather's certain to annoy them. Last year I took honey with barely a ping, let alone a sting. This year they're alternately nightmare and sweeties and...

Where will they have gone? I've lost a couple of swarms in the past (one this year which was 20 feet up a rotten elder tree over a ditch on soft ground) but I've never seen or been told of domestic bees living wild around here. Do they just die out?

Ahem - 15 through the suit and gloves when moving the hives three weeks ago. Most around the right wrist, resulting in forearm like a hot cylinder from elbow to palm. I let 'em out too soon after moving. Won't be doing that again!

Where are you?

She's trying it as I type this - fingers crossed!

A friend has a swarm (possibly her own bees) 30 ft up an evergreen tree. Even with a cherry picker you couldn't get near them without cutting down the surrounding trees. We've put a bait hive on top of a platform ladder under the tree with some nice old black comb brood frames in. 24 hours on...

To go back to the original post, I wouldn't hesitate to kill a colony if need be. There's a combination of preciousness ("poor little bees just obeying their natures") and "I've kept bees for 70 years and don't notice the stings any more" macho-ness which says you should try everything else but...

Horizontal rain has just stopped here. IMHO it's too windy to open a hive, let alone to stop an umbrella turning itself inside out.