Recent content by Jonathan01

Good luck with your new queen installations. I am not going to try again. If they can't make their own queen before winter, its done for. I al also not willing to merge it with another colony, incase they still have regicide on their minds.

I had a hive that killed 2 black bee queens I introduced. The first was released from her cage at 4 days and they killed her. The second I kept locked in for 10 days and they killed her as well. I did check for an existing queen and laying workers and it was definitely queenless. I am not giving...

I understand that the whole of the summer season is preparation time for the winter, but that assumes we don't take the honey. I am beginning to remove supers from the hives and not replacing them. I want the bees to start filling the brood box with winter stores, so that they can go through...

Lots of trees around here - I have a small forest (about an acre) right next to the apiary - so moving to 10 hives probably not an issue.

Lancashire

I live in a small hamlet of about 30 houses. All with lovely gardens, with lots apple trees and plum trees. Lawns all well mown (so very little dandelion). I have 8 hives and about 1/2 a mile away there are another 4. There are no nearby crops, all the fields around us are grass for sheep. I...

I have heard of keepers not using QEs and really interested to note that in your experience, the queen prefers to lay in the brood box (when maintaining bee numbers). Would this be the case right through until the autumn. When would removed all supers for varroa treatment and winter. I am...

Wow! Thanks for your comprehensive reply - found that really useful.

Thanks for the link. I have read it a couple of times now - n ot sure I fully understand what's going on here; but there is time for me to get my head around it. Cheers.

I know it's early days yet, but it looks like my colonies are going to make it through the winter - some incredibly well! On the warm days we have had here in Lancashire recently, a couple of the colonies have even started bearding on the landing board! Given how packed some of the colonies...

Do you not use OAV during the year at all, just during times hives are broodless (over winter). What do you use after honey supers are collected and honey removed. In the past I have used Apiguard in August/September, but was thinking of doing a series of OAV treatments then - not a good idea...