Recent content by Teebeeaitch

My own hives are heaving with bees and drones a plenty on the wing. One hive swarmed on Thursday, my first ever April swarm. It hung up in the neighbours laurel tree tantalising out of easy reach and she was happy leaving it there. Scout bees from that swarm almost immediately started checking...

Coming to this post late but just thought I would chip in. I have had Warres in my back yard continuously for 12 years now. Maximum of four hives, minimum of one. Never ever fed them sugar or anything else. I only take off honey once a year in September if the hives are heavy. A complete box at...

I think Bingevader has it pretty much spot on there, nothing much I can add. I have run Warres for about ten years and never needed to try and lift multiple boxes either. The question of harvesting honey is pretty much the same as any hive. Lift the top box and use a rhombus bee escape to clear...

Mine usually swarm regular as clockwork last week May or first week June. However yesterday the strong hive that arrived as a swarm last year, were up in the air. I watched as usual expecting them to land somewhere but they didn’t. Five minutes later all back in the hive. (No, it’s not a mating...

Heather, you started off mentioning frames but I am guessing you are referring to top bars in a KTBH. You can’t go wrong if you listen to Michael Bush’s advice so I would check out his website, it’s much more informative than this forum for TBHs. I agree space is needed but the key is where you...

I don’t think the bees will really miss the OSR, there are plenty of other nectar sources out there. Millet seems to be favoured locally as an OSR substitute. It may not do much for the bees but it has its advantages at harvest time for the declining sparrow population. That is of course as long...

A fair point Pargyle. I was suggesting that you don’t need to lift boxes to check for Queen cells if you are not interested in checking for Queen cells. Yes, I do lift boxes to nadir to increase space and to allow the colony to expand downwards. A quick look with a mirror is all that I do to see...

I have kept them for ten years. Actually you don’t need a mechanism for lifting boxes if you decide... not to lift the boxes. You don’t need to lift the boxes to check for Queen cells if you decide... not to check to check for queen cells. Don’t over complicate a very simple system. It may not...

For those of you who like to ridicule natural beekeeping, have a look at the the review of the Oscar nominated Honeyland documentary. Not a bag of sugar in sight.

I think your approach of leaving them what is theirs should be applauded. There seems to be a general fashion these days of loading them with sugar as it makes no difference and is cheap. Years ago people said I am only feeding sugar in emergencies. Then they said I am only feeding sugar to new...

I believe you only need to feed them sugar if you rob them blind of their honey. Just don’t be greedy.

Perhaps best to leave them alone. I have found working with them is a better way than forcing them to do something else.

It’s your hive and your choice but it seems a lot of effort and chance that things won’t go to plan. Why not simply populate with a swarm.

I completely agree with reducing entrances and that’s about it, let them get on with it. Good colonies will have no problem. Nucs? Win some lose some, don’t worry about it. I despair a bit with the kill, kill, kill approach to wasps but I guess this is what is required if you want to secure...

I wish the all the best with your ivy. Around here it is the most important crop of them all as far as I am concerned. Not for me of course as I don’t touch the hives after mid September but for the bees it’s their winter stores and their spring brood food. Yes, it has a distinctive odour when...