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Greasy sunken cappings, pepper pot brood pattern, some perforated cells, so I would go with AFB as well? Can't zoom in the pics to see what's in the cells though.

Visited an out apiary yesterday, a found the inspection tray on one of my poly hives had been pulled out, and broken in two with the two pieces around 8ft apart. No damage to the adjacent wooden hive on the same stand. Claw marks on the back of the hive, and on the inspection tray. I'm...

Thanks - that's helpful. I don't usually use the smoker unless they're particularly feisty. I have got a spray bottle in my bee bag, will have to use it more. Is there a physical difference between early stages of a QC, and a play cup? I know the presence of play cups doesn't mean anything...

By efficient, I guess I mean achieving all your aims, of space/QCs/stores/brood with minimum fuss, not trying to race through in 4 minutes a hive! I've been inspecting my bees either Fri/Sat/Sun, so it gives me a bit of flexibility when other things get in the way. This means i'm going in every...

How much coffee/honey did you go for? Will be extracting some spring honey next week, so might give it a go too.

On the topic of drinks Dani @Erichalfbee was it you that tried the coffee infused honey? How did it turn out?

Now this is a brilliant idea! Will be borrowing that one...

I received some really good advice on exactly this in the thread here: 2-in-1-mating-nuc

This was the inside of my bait hive before the swarm arrived. Posted a video of the outside in the other thread. I actually thought they’d moved in with all the activity, so had a quick peek in, but shut it up quick when I realised they were still deciding. Can see a few doing the little...

Yes, little bit of lemongrass oil at the entrance and on a bit of tissue inside, frame of old brood comb, and 4 frames with just starter strips. Guessing main difference is volume, ~35l for the national brood box on the right, and ~50l for the rose/shallow box on the left.

You called - they’re in! Funnily enough had a call from someone very close by about bees in their chimney. They lit the fire and got them to move on, so would hazard a guess it’s the same ones. Just annoyed my bait hive was second choice to a chimney 😂 It’s the one on the left below. They did...

Is it worth opening too entrances in an abelo poly hive? Would usually put it in the unnecessary fiddling category… especially after watching them propolise up the crown board vent they clearly don’t appreciate a draft above them. Only reason I ask is it’s a big colony, over a national deep...

Lots of scouts at one of my bait hives which is sat on a stand in one of my out apiaries. Interestingly they chose this (rose and national super) size over a poly nat brood box that’s next to it on the stand. Fingers crossed.

First swarm call of the year for me. Quite early, around 1030. The weather was bad here yesterday so wonder if they were delayed. Funnily enough, just over the road from where I collected two swarms last year. 10 points if you can spot the queen below!

Thank you all for the practical advice and knowledge that's been dispensed, really appreciated. Just going into my second full year, so trying to be a bit more ahead of the game, and think what I need to do at each inspection and have a bit of a longer term plan (and associated kit!), compared...

Another nuc box question if I may... I have the BS honeybees 6 frame poly nuc, which has the divider board, so can work as two separate colonies on 3 frames. I would like to try and raise some queens from my one of my good colonies, which has produced swarm cells. My thinking so far, for each...

Will bees fan through an OMF? Or do they just see it as dead space, beneath the comb?

Really sorry to hear that :( Thanks for the sharing the pictures. What was it that first made you realise something wasn't right, smell, discoluration, etc?

Thank you for all advice. Checked them again today, and same story, just play cups no eggs, so will keep on with the regular 7 day inspections and trying to keep ahead of them. Managed to get round and mark all my queens today as well, which I was chuffed with, so hopefully will be swarm control...

Thank you both, much appreciated. :giggle: