Recent content by nicolajanewilkinson

Anyone else got bramble and heather on the go at the same time ?! Lizard , Cornwall

Phacelia …. I’ve only had bomblers so far on mine ! Was beginning to wonder if I’d got it wrong … I have seen them on my red roses this year tho which I’ve not noticed before 🤷‍♀️

Hi is there any reason why i can’t set up a national brood box as a bait hive then just take the whole thing to the apiary once a swarms been caught and let them carry on in there ? thanks

Thanks . so what’s all this about you have to move them 3ft a day or 3 miles away then back to new spot …? Is that nonsense ? Or only applies to established colonies ?

Can I jump in and ask a question here please ? So the 3ft or 3 mile rule when moving bees … if a bait hive caught a swarm 30-100m from your apiary- how do you go about moving them to join the apiary please ?

Thanks for your time and advice :)

Thank you for your time and your advice

Hi quick question : found 2 small Queen cups centre frame, I knocked down . Question is How do you know if they’re planning supercedure ? ( centre frame hard and fast rule? Difference between play cups and intended ?) Couldn’t see any eggs inside) Should I knock down all Queen cups to prevent...

just saying hi as I’m also in cornwall ( near mawnan smith ) where abouts are you & who’s course are you doing?

sorry to nosey in … when did you sow your cucumbers then?! I am behind this year !

Hi I had a great inspection today and moved the follower board closer in … green mark to show where it was and next pic is how far in I moved it … as you can see these wax on the frames and there’s bees investigating that far up … there’s activity on all the frames except the 4 preceding the new...

Thank you - would you recommend to feed fondant as they’ve been robbed? If so how much ? Thanks

Thank you for your advice . Well I don’t know how defensive they are compared to others because I have nothing to compare to really … this is the first year I’ve used a smoker on them and only one or two gentle puffs … couod you try to explain what a gentle colony should behave like for me please ?

Yes I’ve been thinking of covering the front frames whilst I’m working the back - I don’t use foundation so a frame wouldn’t work , would a heavy cotton cloth or a piece of light ply cut to size work or would it get too many bees on it when I take it off? last year and year before I wasn’t able...

Thanks - see below I just typed in reply to another