Recent content by KayJ

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  1. KayJ

    Drones!

    Thank you RAB for your reply. Doesn't sound too hopeful. :( The colony is quite large, brood and half, and have filled the super part completely with sealed stores this last month. Q cells were found on 2nd Oct. I did wonder how a new Q could mate so late in the year. Dont suppose its...
  2. KayJ

    Drones!

    Baby drones !! I had a lot of undersized drones coming and going from one of my hives last Sunday. It is a hive that had two sealed and one unsealed Q cells at the beginning of October and I just thought the bees were replacing their old Q. I don't know if I have a new unmated Q, an old...
  3. KayJ

    Just as I thought I had everything under control !!

    I have finished the Apiguard treatment, feeding is going well. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon so I thought I'd go through the hives as it might be the last chance before the weather turns cold. I am now thoroughly confused and don't know what to do next. I found two sealed Q cells and others...
  4. KayJ

    New beekeeper - what to read

    Has anyone read 'Keeping healthy honey bees' by David Aston and Sally Bucknall. ISBN 978 1 904846 543. It covers all the basics but also more detail on honey bee nutrition, diseases and general bee health management. I found it very interesting and a good one to have.
  5. KayJ

    Second swarm from hive

    Ahh, thanks for that. I was thinking if I only left one QC I'd be OK. As this is only my first year, I'm not very experienced at judging the ages of the brood. Thanks for your help.
  6. KayJ

    Second swarm from hive

    I have two nice QC's in another box, if I take one and put it in the box with the duff QC's, will that work? If I leave the duff cells wont the Q just take off again?
  7. KayJ

    Second swarm from hive

    Mine have swarmed twice as well and I'm sure I only left the one sealed QC. Would the bees raise another one in the time between sealing and hatching. Most of the brood nest area seemed to be filled with nectar when I looked today but I didn't put a super on because they were on brood and a...
  8. KayJ

    Clusters of bees outside the hive

    I have noticed the same thing. I have a nuc with a new queen but not laying yet and this evening I noticed little groups of bees on the ground in front of the hive. I wondered if they could be starving but I have been feeding them. I had a quick look inside because I was worried but there...
  9. KayJ

    First artificial swarm for me!

    Is it one or two queen cells you leave in the box. I'm a bit afraid of a cast swarm as thats what mine did last year. I've lost one colony to a swarm this year so I want to get it right if my second hive decides they're on the move to.
  10. KayJ

    Can't sit in the garden

    My original nuc last year came from a local gentleman who is into queen rearing and breeding quite docile bees but if a colonies characteristics can change when the new queen mates and you have no control over which drones/species she mates with, it all becomes a bit of a lottery. Many thanks...
  11. KayJ

    Out apiary costs

    Can any one give me a rough idea as to the cost of an out apirary? Is there a going rate? I only have two maybe three hives at the moment.
  12. KayJ

    Prospective beekeeper - needs kick up backside!

    Originally Posted by barratt_sab I have asked two farmers in the last year, both of whom said they'd be delighted to accommodate hives, and I've had someone approach me to ask if we'll put a hive in their field - I have been pleasantly surprised at how willing people are to help. Can any one...
  13. KayJ

    Can't sit in the garden

    Hmm.... moving hives. This is a very steep learning curve for me. Obviously I'll read the books on how to do it but do you have any tips or pitfalls to watch out for?
  14. KayJ

    Can't sit in the garden

    Last Wednesday my bees swarmed, I managed to get them back and rehive them in a new b box. As I was going through the old colony the next day to sort out the queen cells, blow me if the old queen didn't take off again back to the same spot in next doors hedge. This time they stung next doors...
  15. KayJ

    Swarming.... some thoughts.

    Ive had a disastrous day today. My bees swarmed yesterday. They settled in next doors hedge so I managed to get them back and re hived them last night in a new empty brood box. This morning I was checking through the original hive for queen cells, when off they went again from the new hive...
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