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Removed 2nd dose of Apiguard a few days premature as it has put all queens off lay in all the colonies. The varroa drop has been very light. Some blocks of soon to emerge sealed brood. No eggs or larvae. Queens seen in half the hives. Apiguard is common factor in all of them. Might do a vape...

After a few years of using Nationals I got a couple of Warrè and Kenyan TBH.. using those and experimenting with Warre methods taught me a lot more about bees than if I had stuck with frames. After a few years I converted the KTBH to take National frames and sold the Warres.

As JBM. Formic pro and queens sometimes do not mix well. If really anxious, I introduce the new queen to a made up nuc and then unite.

Waste of money for the small protein content. Buy 12.5 Kg blocks of bakers fondant. Either direct from suppliers ( carriage costs) or as I do get your local Baker to order in for you. My bees take it down no bother

Before laying out any money, I suggest you join you local bee association and sign up for their new years beginners course and actually get to handle some bees. Bees are livestock, just like your goats etc, and take some knowledge to look after well. This is a fascinating hobby and I hope you...

Still not yet used to the flows here in Devon. 3 weeks ago, 2 colonies low on stores, 1 such that I gave it fondant. Today, there has obviously been some nectar coming in, but fondant gone. I am away for 2 weeks, so the 2 colonies that were low got some fondant. All got second dose of Apiguard...

Brilliant. If you had taken more in July, you might simply have ended up having to feed. I only took minimal and am having to feed 2 of my colonies. You survived your first year. The second year is usually more hectic and potentially stressful. I agree about boring meetings but am involved...

Have always found Thornes very helpful when I have contacted them about problems, the need for which is rare. This is what I I would have done before posting publicly

As you probably know, OA does not kill mites under cappings, hence the 4 vapes during summer, in order to cover a full life cycle. In winter with minimal brood we get away with1. I do mine mid to late Nov, as research I have seen ( one of the National honey show speakers) shows that is most...

So why not put them on top in first place, saving the bees some work.? They can always go under the BB in early spring and removed then when empty

Put first round of Apiguard on all my hives. Colonies in one apiary had plenty of stores, at the other they were horrendously light, so got some fondant. I hope the ivy crops well.

Sulphuric acid pH is 1-3 depending on concentration. I would not leave honey in contact with reactive metals for any length of time as pargyle suggests above. OK if cleaned up well after use I expect

when I moved House 300 miles, I sold off colonies I could not take with me to members of local assoc, at rock bottom prices. A couple who came were very interested. On talking, they knew little about bees, and I said I would not sell to them. They pleaded and pleaded but went away empty...

Thanks Garry. I had not thought that the rollers would turn against each other but they worked fine anyway

The Norfolk honey company and black mountain honey are 2 good reliable you tube videos producers

Stop worrying. I have lived with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy for 20 years and so far avoided ICD. Discussed with cardiologist at last review and decided to put off that decision until next year. My brother also diagnosed with it about 10 years ago ( genetic link) and had ICD from the start. Had...

Never had a problem with it . Saves lifting double BB

Just tried out my new uncapper. Saved an awful lot of time over my uncapping knife. Over all very pleased with it. It did not work well with the O rings it came fitted with. I changed them for the smaller ones Garry supplied and it worked well. It was difficult to put a twist in these when...

Not enough bees?

As already asked, are there enough bees in there to tend the brood etc? I would also put in a test frame. Just because I can't find a queen, doesn't mean there isn't one