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Did your visit perhaps coincide with the sun breaking out, after a period of rain?

Buying from BE is a very hit and miss experience. You roll the dice every time in terms of the product being what it says it is, or being the right size/shape. It's just their business model.

Why didn't you take the crownboard off before dumping them into the top of the hive?

Yes, you want as equal a division of assets (stores, brood, pollen, nurse bees, foragers) as possible between the two boxes

Never a good idea, IMHO.

National boxes take 11 frames, plus a little bit of spare space

Checked on Thornes and Paynes this morning and both their kits come with 11 brood frames. National Bee Supplies does 12. Haven't looked at others to check, but 11 brood frames is certainly what would be viewed as standard in a "National Hive Kit" Bee Equipment is right at the budget end of the...

Yes, well, I think I can guess which supplier this was sold by. It's not normal or acceptable, given that beginners buy these kits.

If someone sold a "complete hive kit" with only 10 frames in, that would be bad. Have they? But apart from that, frames come in packs of 10 because it's a round number I guess. And while national hives fit 11 frames, nucs fit 5 or 6, so there's no right number for a pack really.

Though if they are all in the hive, it's a bit better? Or would the number of varroa on foraging bees be minimal anyway?

I personally wouldn't in the first week - they are just getting settled in and you might persuade them this new home isn't good. You just need to do it before the first cells are capped. Even if you have given them drawn comb, that won't take place until day 9. If you have given them foundation...

Oh I am sure they are, but perhaps only looking further afield (indeed, given that both I and my neighbour have a chimney, I hope so!)

Yep

Just been contacted by someone who apparently ordered a bumblebee nest, with accompanying box, this spring. Imported of course. We all know she shouldn't have done this (foreign bumblebee disease, etc etc), and I have told her so, but her immediate question is, what is coming out of the hive...

Anyone else think that brood looks a bit droney?

Kept an eye on the swarm sitting at the top of a tree in my garden. It's going into its third night tonight, despite plenty of good weather to find a new home in. Some swarms are just so fussy. Yes, there are bait hives out. No, the swarm is showing no interest at all in them. No, I can't get...

The size of the box isn't the problem. A swarm will draw comb in an open sided barn, or even in the open air up a tree, if that's where it decides to stay permanently, and it's healthy. There's something else going on here. They aren't refusing to draw comb because it's a bit draughty.

Just found someone on a local FB group who is taking it for free, to do exactly that

No, it's completely bizarre. A swarm should have an overwhelming urge to build comb. The only thing I can think is that there isn't a queen in there, and they know there isn't any point. Even then I would expect them to still draw comb out.

Just opened a bucket of honey from last year to find it had gone foamy on top ..... whoops