I had a virgin queen through the winter and very late to get started.
Same thing with this colony last year , thought there was no queen.
Bought a Buckfast queen.
The queen I thought was not there was and killed my Buckfast.
Verty lazy queens from that hive, unproductive.
She knew she was for...
My local club has an AH 'officer' and at the last meeting a week ago he had about 50 boxed up traps with a bottle of lure in each one. 16 quid.
If we get one, we phone him straight away and he comes round.
He keeps bees for a living , so he is very much on the case.
yes it dulls the senses.
That's it.
I barely use my smoker to be honest.
I guess it depends on how 'lively' the hive is
Light it , give them a few puffs, get in , get out.
We have an almost identical one on the allotments over the road.
Not been a problem for the beekeepers around here.
Someone has two hives in their garden about 100 foot away.
I used to be in a Wars of the Roses reenactment group.
I have bows and arrows, a crossbow, a variety of swords, some real and edged.
A complete suit of armour, spears, a mace and a morning star.
No one gets in unless I let them !