Recent content by snelgrove

Coat the cut ends with PVA

If cells are found then you have to check 22 frames

A cautionary bees at work sign would be sufficient to enable anyone to avoid the area unless it's a public right of way. 36 hives is alot of bees, you were able to count the hives, three stings. There not the best tempered

I agree with you 100 % brood and a half require the inspection of 22 frames. As doses double brood. However the majority of queens theses days require more space than a British standard brood chamber. The options are a bigger hive in the first place or brood and a half or double brood.

Brood and a half is considered a messy system, if the queen needs more space than a standard box than why not choose a bigger hive. However, I run some of my colonies on brood and a half. Checking for queen cells is fairly easy, just look at the bottom of the brood super there usually seen there...

Snow showers and frost forcast 2nite here. Think I'll do a shook swarm:icon_204-2:

Checked my colonies for stores, all ok apart from a couple, boiling with bees. Seems using Hivemakers thymol mix has done the job. Definate improvement than previous years.

If isolated from stores put a block of fondant above them, then feed syrup later in march. Far better than moving frames about in winter, yes still winter. The disturbance that you cause by moving frames causes increased food consumption and stress within the colony.

Not in my opinion, not only to cold , it's the upset that arises when frames are lifted out at this time of the year. Bees should be left alone till April, apart from hefting or a quick look under coverboard

I had a similar occurrence in February a few years ago with drones flying, in my case it was a drone laying queen on spring inspection.

I was made redundant prior to Christmas this year, I have kept bees mainly as a hobbyist for over 30 years, I did have 120 colonies back in the late 90s. After the initial shock of redundancy I decided to try and make my bees keep me. This is not the business for someone who has very little...

Snowdrops flowering here, cold north east

I removed guards early March last year with the result of 2 mice getting in the colony was weak but the mice finished them off. Will be in no rush this year. Meant to upload a photo with this post but file failed to upload

Room temperature not in the shed. I don't put it into frames until the latest point I can

Nothing wrong in appreciating nature. U mite be in the wrong game