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I’ve learnt a lot from overwintering wooden 5 frame nucs. Most were upto winter weight by end September then by October some are light, even some of the doubles. So fondant goes on over the CB, surrounded by insulation & an insulated roof. The heat from the colony causes the fondant to seep onto...

I’ve dug out some pics from a talk I used to give. Some things I found helpful re 3 frame nucs: 1. As someone said cut up brood boxes- they used to be cheap as seconds in winter sales, or buy used at auctions. 2. I’ve used 18mm ply as sides, treated with diluted PVA then masonry paint. Still...

The reason apideas work is they are the right size & environment for the number of bees. Are you planning on adding the same number of bees into your 2 frame nuc? Are your frames not going to have bees/brood/stores?

Bark Fly (Peripsocus sp..) not a known invader of supers or garages. Fly & nymph. Thanks for all the input.

These guys have long antennae so don’t look like cluster flies. Also cluster flies lay eggs in soil, these look like there eggs are on the outside of supers. Will try and catch one to get a closeup

30+ years of overwintering supers I haven’t come across this before. Presume they are going for the remains of honey in frames but fortunately can’t see any inside supers.

Anyone come across this before? Stored supers in unheated garage. Frames in supers unaffected. Hundreds of small flies on outside of supers with what appears patches of eggs. Considerable amount of black debris around base of supers ? Casings from eggs. When disturbed they run & not seen any...

Thanks reason I asked was a nail into the grain end would be less secure. So would it be better to put the nail into the shorter piece’s grain end as it may have less stress on it?

Is one of these butt joints inherently stronger than the other? The short side goes inside or outside the long side. I’m constructing roofs for my nucs.

Not at one BKA according to the apiary report. “Weather permitting a colony inspection will be carried out in early November and supplementary feeding will be given if required but suspect that this has been a good year for ivy.”

Several years ago after I’d given a few lectures to the local BKA I had a word with the powers that be at BBKA head office offering my services. Reply was ‘we only like to recommend speakers who are Master beekeepers or hold the Diploma’. Times may have changed So best of luck!

Been reading around the subject of CBPV. Seems that these black shiny bees could represent low grade CBPV that the colony may be able to ‘keep in check’. In the past they were referred to as ‘black robbers’ before Bailey identified the cause.

Yes they are looking healthy with BIAS. The only other thought is they have been out on a robbing spree to get black & shiny. I do occasionally see small black shiny bees in an otherwise healthy colony. But the ones by the entrance were definitely much larger with distended looking abdomens.

Took a look inside the nuc. She’s this year’s island mated queen. No dead bees inside or out. Several of the suspects running over the frames.

It’s a nuc & I’ll take a look inside. No dead bees outside.

Found this example of K wing where the hindwing is dislocated from forewing (right side) . Often seen folk mistakenly refer to K wing when both wings are simply held out like the wings on the other bees.

Some black shiny hairless bees with swollen abdomen. Looks like CBPV unfortunately. Initially thought they had been out robbing as a similar one is flying in.

Queen started laying approx 10 days ago- approx 5 weeks after emergence. Just starting to see extensions to cells indicating drone layer. Interesting it’s taken this long for her to start laying unfertilised eggs.

Hi thanks for your reply. Last inspection 10 days ago I was pretty sure they were Q+, even drawing foundation. Today found her walking over a frames of stores near the end frame so not that hopeful. Although size suggests mated as does her walk. If no joy will be able to unite them to some...

This queen emerged 30 days ago & is still not laying. I’ve just fed and checked for room & will give her 1 more week. The longest I’ve had to wait for a queen to start laying is 3-4 weeks from emergence.