Recent content by pnkemp

Provisionally sold, but if that for some reason doesn't work I've got the DMs from those of you interested.

Due to the imminent move to New Zealand and their incredibly strict biosecurity rules I've been getting rid of all my bee gear (colonies sticking with my bee partner before you ask). The Swienty Breeze has been an absolute boon. Not one sting through it in 3 seasons of use, no rips or tears at...

Not for the bees but went very summery at the training apiary this evening. Forgot my wellies so ended up doing the inspections in flip flops beneath the bee suit. All the instructors trying not to snigger and wondering how many stings I'd get. Answer - one (first this year), but actually on a...

Another vote for Swienty here. Catches any hint of breeze (especailly as I inspect in tshirt and shorts beneath it) , never been stung through it.

Not that I doubt the power of propolis as an Egyptian magic potion (ok ok so I do, I believe in science, so sue me), but 60Gy will kill *anyone* stone dead. The LD99 (i.e. will kill 99% of people exposed to it) is 8Gy.

For some reason reminds me of when I caught my first swarm in a nuc on my garage roof. I'd spotted a few dozen scouts but had no thought they'd moved in until the evening when I got up on a ladder to adjust the nuc slightly and saw a dozen or so of the girls peeking out the entrance in the...

Personally I don't even think about an inspection without my suit on, smoker lit (even if the bugger goes out after 5 mins), and gloves on (nitrile or marigolds). Then you look at YouTube and American and Canadian beekeepers seem to habitually inspect with at most a veil. I'm not just talking...

First full year of beeking so too much to mention but I did learn: Not to hang around, an inspection can be quick and still be calm and complete. Write notes on a hive as soon as you're done or you will *not* remember them next time

Bloody immigrants, coming over here, taking the jobs of hard working native Hornets /s

Tasting my first honey, catching my first swarm from a tree.

I must sort out a nice toolbox sometime, but for now £2 got me a metal file box I can pop the smoker into - a bit cheaper than an Abelo or Thornes box at £50 or so!

Special Ingredients Lecithin Powder 100g Premium Quality : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery is what I got from Amazon arriving yesterday. Mixed it up today and apart from stinking out the kitchen (my wife will be chuffed when she gets home) it worked fine.

My personal brew is wood shavings sold as animal bedding, with some dried orange/satsuma skins added (I just save them when I nosh one). Nice fragrant and cool smoke as long as I don't puff too hard. If it's getting a bit hot a handful of grass cools it down and provides plenty of smoke. What I...

If you want a weirdly anachronistic measurement, I give you the U, or rack unit. It is used to measure the height of IT equipment that goes into racks, so some of the most modern equipment out there. So a thin switch might be 1U, and a big old server might be 12U. The racks are,19” wide, and a...

Looks like mostly drones to me. The huge eyes are a great ID point