Recent content by timaye100

Hi All Thanks for the responses - I am now sorted for Nucs. Many thanks Tim

Hi all I am looking for one or two Nucs on 14x12 frames near Cambs. Many thanks Tim

I have found hessian effective, easy to light and the bees seem to like it. If it hasn't rained too much, I add some of the dry rotten wood from the floor of the wood my hives are in. Seems to smoke for longer this way.

This always makes me a little nervous about giving the exact location of my hives to anyone on the web!r

Agree about the marigolds - one pair lasted me pretty much the whole of last season! You are able to feel lots more than with Marigolds. If you have a friend with a Costco or Booker account, they are cheaper than in big supermarkets.

If you have a little mint in your garden, I think this goes very well with all of the above combinations, although only one or two leaves. Enjoy. Tim

The bee suit I bought fell apart within a year. Serves me right for buying an economy one! Bought a Sherriff Apiarist suit and it is brilliant - would buy again.

I agree - I had a white suit that I bought about 18 months ago a couple of washes saw seams going. At the end of last summer the veil really started to go - just was not robust and seemed to be brittle. This year, I bought a beesuit from a well known manufacturer in Cornwall - hugely better...

At inspection over the weekend, my two colonies were dramaticaly down on stores. Had a quick look this evening and they are down to almost none (as I suspected might be the case based on the weather and distinct lack of forage). So on with the rapid feeders.

Fantastic pictures - a real pleasure to see. Cheers Tim

I have had mine a couple of weeks - and I just want them to get through the winter. I have two hives and neither is expanding at a massive rate - but I have not fed yet. I plan to start feeding as of next week to help them along. Cak29 - are you feeding your bees? Cheers Tim

Hi All, This is my first year where I am keeping bees myself (rather than helping a very good friend). I have a couple of hives (from Nucs) which are expanding slowly - my sole objective is to get my bees built up so they can survive the winter. I don't expect any honey this year. Do you...

Keeping bees for profit I don't keep bees for profit, but would love to if it could provide the same sort of income as my day job. I have a friend in New Zealand who does - his big tip is "standardise everything" - hives, disease management & prevention, maintenance etc Tim

I also vote yes I have a bait hive at home, with no other colonies nearby - no swarms this last or this year. Despite dosing with Lemon Grass Oil, and having used frames in the hive. My friend a few villages away has three hives in his garden, and has had swarms in his garden for the last 3...

I have my hives in a small wood about 800m away from my cottage. The farmer was more than happy to have my hives and told me I was a "silly sod" (in a nice way) when I gave him a bottle of wine as a thankyou. He didn't think farmers should charge when I asked him.... Cheers Tim