Search results

If there is an excluder in there all that will happen is the drones are stuck up top AFAICS. Why then faff with a Snelgrove at all? PH

I've always clipped and find it a very useful tool to give me more time at swarming time. PH

That's right Enrico my buying hives days are over. I have all the kit I need to see me out now so all I buy are frames and foundation. I doubt I have another ten years in me so it's cruising time. PH

I salvaged some rafters with Manley sidebars in mind. So I bought a router sled kit which depends on two timber rails being accurately cut. However my kit is good but not as accurate as I want for this project. Yesterday I found a furniture maker who very kindly offered to help. He had access...

Ok some ideas there but I am looking for non wood ideas as my boards double as on the ground protectors for super and brood stacks in the apiary. PH

I moved some supers around today and the clearer boards they sit on over winter to keep the vermin out are past their best. I was in a DIY shed today to buy a small (ish) bit of ply to be the base of a router sled and the prices are not funny at all. So... What alternate materials have you...

I merely stated that concrete, that is actual concrete as in the dense stuff, was tried and failed many years ago. PH

I believe someone on here has and is going to try it. Ho hum... BTW thre was a concrete hive at Craibstone, round the back of the workshop gathering moss as it was "invented" in the 1950s and not a colony survived it. I was told they died from nosema and accarine. I can well believe the nosema...

Seems to be the latest and greatest fad along with concrete hives. PH

When there are 4 frames of brood, not halfs note,full frames then inserting a foundation in the middle works perfectly well. After I get to 8 I insert two a time. Not together but with brood frames between them and the following week they are drawn and laid up. PH

Here in the Borders the OSR around me is at 15% so time to move if you migrate. However it only now flowers here for three weeks and so will be over by the end of April which is far too early to make a crop here. 30 years ago in Aberdeenshire it started to flower in the 3d week of April and ran...

I notice that agitation is not being mentioned. To get the most out of the combs if extracting it needs agitation. PH

That's the one, thanks Antipodes. PH

Further North than you I found that colonies in poly were as much as two to three weeks later in brooding compared to timber. I'd have waited a bit longer. PH

I read somewhere that 10mm is now the best size giving larger queens. This is up one mm from the 9 I have always used. Does anyone know if it actually makes any difference apart from saving on sanding down 10mm dowel? PH

I cut them in half and put them in the corners if I use them, but normally I just use some flat 8mm deep wood with an 8mm gap and some mesh. Very simple very effective. PH

I've always used escape boards with clearing down into an empty super. Never failed. Are you sure there is no brood upstairs as that would be my first suspect. PH

I'm just back from breaking in my new bee suit. Ventilated made to my measurements, special veil to allow for my hat and to the door from Pakistan £40. Lovely and cool so time will tell on the durability. The usual first look, one dead and others booming. Loads of fresh pollen oranges and...

I knew I should have said this...........the swarms that arrived in my nucs were so far ALL mated and laying queens. All my bait hives have black brood combs and yet to see them attacked by anything. One of the few benefits of living in the North I suppose. PH

All my swarms have arrived into bait hives firmly on the ground. Lemongrass oil is the dogs danglies. It's that simple. And I'll just mention this, a goodly number chose 5 frame nuc boxes over full hives. 40 litres? LOL PH