Recent content by Spinney

which spinner have you bought Dani

An ex colleague of my husband, newly retired, bought his first hive last summer. Has sent a photo of him hiving a swarm. Bees walking up a sheet - the whole shebang. Is this real? I said it must be from last year. Will bees swarm this weather with no drones about?

thank you. I was worried it is too wet.

the hives are on a slight rise so that they are dry. The rest of the garden is sodden. Will it be safe to leave them a week?

I would be grateful for advice after my first brief inspection this year. I have two hives. One has 5 frames with large patches of sealed brood, large and small larvae. I didn’t take the frames out long enough to look for eggs. I didn’t see the queen so I am assuming (hoping) she is there. The...

Two. Sort of. Hive B has the new queen. Hive C had a charged queen cell on 15 June. Looked like a possible supersedure. I didn’t want to risk the same happening so removed her to a nuc (Cc). On 22 June all looked well then 29 June there was a charged queen cell and no queen. 29 June I checked...

I would be grateful for a plan of action before I open the hives. If indeed I have just more drone brood in both. I couldn’t see eggs because somebody had borrowed my torch and I need that or bright daylight to see them. There were tiny larvae. Made me wonder - hasn’t occurred to me before -...

Oh dear. I probably have two nucleus hives of laying workers then. Most drone brood in super. Last saw queen on 26 May - result of charged queen cell left when they swarmed in week 2 of Bailey. 1st June another single queen cell. Then last week drone brood.

This is what has happened in my colony. Except more drone brood including super. My problem is finding her, obviously small enough to go through the queen excluder. I have separated the colony into two, giving each half a patch of eggs and young larvae from my good queen in the hope that I will...

Don't know where to put this post. Thank you for your advice a few weeks ago. New queen doing well. This week another question. How to find a drone laying queen. My other hive swarmed 2 weeks into a Bailey comb change. Queen laying in top box, queen excluder over bottom box. So much for their...

I seem to have found this a bit late. I would like to put my name down for 3 x National size with frames and holes. Thank you for the offer.

Thank you. The nuc advised by Dani sounds easiest, away from the hive. I note I need to introduce the new queen immediately.

This morning I read Heather’s message about her nasty colonies and re-queening. I can’t find it now. I wanted to ask you Heather what you are doing with the flying bees in the supers? Will you introduce your new queens with them on? The only time I have bought a queen was in 2017. Killed...

Thank you all very much. I feel overwhelmed by your kindness. Brightened my week, month even. It’s my own fault I didn’t have any help. I didn’t ask, everybody I know is shielding from this wretched virus. Unfortunately, I live on the East Sussex border. I hope to get local help towards the end...

I don’t know which thread this should belong to. I have 4 hives in my garden. I had chemotherapy last year and my near neighbour was amazingly helpful. Unfortunately she has retired to the seaside ! I experienced very aggressive behaviour , covering my veil upon opening the hive and stinging...