Recent content by Tommo

I acquired a Burgess Fogger some years ago when there was an interest in fogging mineral oil to control varroa. It's been sitting in my shed unused for many years but I now see that it is being used by some beekeepers to fog oxalic acid dissolved in alcohol. Does anyone have any experience of...

It's not old men getting their kicks sneering at beginners. It's called experience.

I saw some brood but no eggs. So I suppose that could be a possibility. In that situation though I would have expected them to supersede in their original hive and not swarm.

I picked up a swarm about ten days ago and because I was going to move it on put it in a five frame Nuc it was fed sugar syrup and they seemed quite happy bringing in pollen etc. I opened the Nuc yesterday and they seemed OK drawing out the new foundation quite calm I needed no smoke but what I...

Matchsticks not used them for thirty years. I overwinter my bees with insulation above the crown board, which stays on all year, fondant on the crown board if necessary. My mesh floor is open fully my hives sit on a stand around which I wrap a polypropylene weed suppressant blanket. This has all...

When I tried vaporising below the mesh floor I got quite a build up of condensed OA on the mesh so I wondered how effective from below would be.

I don't particularly, but I was interested to know what effect these chemicals have. I wouldn't say GWM was a minor pest. If you have had experience of them I don't think you would say that.

I am well aware of the effect Formic Acid has on the varroa mite but I wondered if anyone has any experience on its effect on Greater and Lesser Wax moth in an occupied hive. Also I doubt that trickling Oxalic Acid would have little effect but evaporation might. Does anyone have any experience...

I have use Mypex which is a woven polypropylene weed suppressant material

If you have open mesh floors then the entrance block needs to be in and with an entrance width of only an inch width mid winter UK. I have adjustable entrance blocks into which I clip a castellated mouse guard in mid winter I can reduce the entrance width and as activity increases I can give...

I have kept bees for forty plus years and until the last few years have always made my hives from shuttering ply. I had the same problem with rot although the ply did last a few years longer before succumbing. Whatever I tried to protect them was never successful until I started to wrap them in...

An acrid smoke will stir up bees just as much as it offends our nostrils a gentle smoke like that produced by lavender is more acceptable to bees but does burn to quickly. I mix mine with my shredded prunings from my apple and pear trees. Makes for a slow burning and pleasant! smoke which when I...

I have two poly hives but have insulated my wooden hives for many years believing that keeping the hive that little bit warmer in extreme weather contributes to the hive maintaining adequate food stocks for when they really need it. Which led me to using poly hives. Because the poly hive is so...

I have voted for a hive stand but in addition I will wrap a skirt around the legs to prevent cold draughts blowing on the underside of the mesh floor as I have to leave the insert out to minimise the humidity. Mesh floors are brilliant and the bees are able to control their own ventilation but...