Recent content by OursonAnglaise

OK, so I think I'm going to try to over-winter my 'smaller' colony. Getting a poly hive may be tricky as I have a UK langstroth in France and they don't realy 'do' Langstroth here and the one they do is a slightly different size. But I can insulate and keep them fed. Will see what the status is...

At the end of this year I have 2 hives going into winter. 1 is strong the other is weak. I am thinking about combining the two hives if I can find the queen in the weaker colony. Please bear in mind that although it is Autumn it is still warm in my part of the world so I don't think it's too...

I leave my entrance blocks in all year...this is my second year & what they're used to! Never had a problem with queuing.

Hi Castenea, Do you have a French mentor? I would never have thought of spaying Pastis lol! I'll have to raid my husband's supply I may be uniting my two hives in the next couple of months, if i can find the queen in the smaller of the two colonies.

What a fantastic idea. I would love to be able to help, but sadly in the wrong country & certainly not experienced enough. I wish you every success & if there is any way I can provide help (fund raising, for example), please let me know Rachel

I saw my first 2 VV for this year last weekend. They have arrived later than last year, and I hope that some of that is down to my early spring trapping (where unfortunately I also caught a LOT of native hornets). My experience of VV matched Mazzamazda's although I only have 2 hives. We get 3-4...

A question...has anyone seen washboarding on poly hives? I saw this recently on one of my cedar boxes which I had not had a chance to varnish before placing into service. I was wondering if they were collecting resin which had been drawn to the surface due to the hot weather? Could this be an...

I saw this regulary last year - not so much this year, (yet!). When I returned home on a Friday I often found them just hanging about on the outside of the box. My husband said that they must know that its POETS day, & it's time to parrrrrtttttayyyyy:party:

I didn't count....but I did get a few right, but not as many as she did. My husband accuses me of being a bee bore, but I think 18m into my beekeeping I think I need to read my books again

Ok, come on admit i, which of the ladies on here was on Mastermind this eve, with a specialist subject of Honey bees?

:iagree: too!!! I don't understand this 'phobia' to having bees in the garden; My interest in beekeeping has only evolved in the past 3 years or so, and prior to that I didnt know what a honey bee looked like, but I knew the difference between bumble bees, wasps and hornets & hover flies & I...

In this instance I don't think it is lack of food....they have drawn out a second super & have started to fill. The first super is completely full. I'll try again next week, if the weather is better....

Last year my bees were in the main very calm, but like another poster today for some reason they decided they really didn't like me! Earlier this year they swarmed, and my new queen is doing fine. The last time I was able to inspect (due to weather) was 3 weeks ago, and although a little more...

Aggggh How frustrating. Could you try to ask for a replacement?

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