Search results

Appreciated. It is in the garden i intend on leaving one cell when i go in to the original again next week. Both were on the same frame and ive narked ir with 2 drawing pins. I'll be sure to scour the rest of the frames and destroy anything remotely looking like a cell. The nuc illcheck then too...

Forgot. I took the queen away and left the cells as i reckoned it simulated swarming more than if leaving the queen in the original. Just seemed intuitive. Thanks again

Thanks. I've read somewhere, dozens and dozens of books, that you should put grass in the entrance until it wilts etc probably to prevent field bees going back and keep the nuc populated. I think. Anyway, I'll open it now but as it's a nuc I'm wary of robbing from the original hive so thought a...

Evening all. Just performed my first split after spotting 2 charged, admittedly small, queen cells in the hive. Moved the queen to the nuc on her frame, no other cells, which had BIAS, another two frames of stores and 2 foundation. Shook 3 frames into it and closed them in 10 feet from the...

Thank you, I'll look into it. Cheers Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

And where/how would i go about sourcing a queen? If no idea how the system operates and it would be prudent to know in any case. Cheers. X Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Yes Murox, I've read about the 2nd brood box option however this would occupy the bees for a considerable time and put them off swarming? And only having one hive I'm very keen to increase in case i lose the first hive. I have added a couple of frames, one at a time, and fed them to make some...

Thanks for your reply Murox. I have 4 drawn frames which are full of stores. I was thinking 1 frame withcan open QC from the hive, one of brood and one of capped stores (scratched) to initiate them feeding and in doing so emptying the comb for use by the new queen. And, as you suggested...

I run 14x12 if that makes any difference.

I plan on using this method for increase, this will be my first full year, and have a nuc ready. It's a BS nuc and has a divider in the centre. I'm tempted to use it and make two mini nucs. Then when up and running transfer one queen and 3 frames to the hive i have waiting and dummy it down to...

I followed Polys advice last week about scratching full frames after i had taken away two frames of honey and added two of foundation either side of thebrood. Went in briefly yesterday as advised and sure enough they're drawing out the new stuff quite the thing. Everythings just peachy. Thanks PH.

Yes, i agree and i knew that. However i was thinking of opening the hive last month during the balmy period but listened to sound advice fron PH and others to hold off which i did. We are now passed the equinox and the weather was good, t-shirt stuff, bees busy, pollen piling in so i decided to...

The queen was near me, away from the entrance and ive never seen her that far removed before albeit ive only been keeping since July. I kept the fondant on as a belt and braces as i couldnt look in the hive to judge and id rather this predicament than dead bees. I've been hefting all winter to...

No i don't use FB. I didn't want to have to disturb them again so i took the action i thought best at the time. Yes, wooden, cedar. Its to rain tomorrow but as im off I'll wait for a break in the showers and nip out and scratch the comb as you suggest PH. Thanks for the advice.

Thats an idea. I admit i kinda panicked, well acted hastily. I did actually think of it but then thought where would they put it after i had scratched it? They're not eating what they have already. Ideally id have spare drawn comb but this is my first full season. I want them to eat the stores...

Well its 14 degrees outside and the bees were fanning from above the frames when the hive was open and at the entrance before i opened it so maybe in the centre of the hive its warm enough? However i take your point. 1 to 1? Its certainly warm enough for them to take it. Cheers

It's been very mild and bees flying everywhere bringing in pollen like the berlin airlift so i decided this sunny day to go for it. Frames 1(front)-11 inspected. Frames 1-3 full of honey. 4-6, nectar and pollen. 7, 8 and 9 brood but only a small amount in the centre. 10, the queen and 11 honey...

No, I don't think they do need it but I placed it on the hive in January when I couldn't see in and my hefting skills leave a considerable lot to be desired. Added to that I'm aware that it could/will get very cold again and they seemed to be very attached to it I thought best leave it in and...

No, they're Amm mongrels. Hardly wee buzzers. Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Murox, thanks for the reply. I only lifted the outer frames to check stores and they were heavy with honey and bees. Moreover pollen is piling in. I can't say how much brood there is as i didnt look (scared it's too early) but plentiful stores and around a kilo of fondant on the top bars which...