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I have found that acrylic gap filler, which is available in cartridges at hardware stores, works very well at filling gaps, especially small ones. It is easy to squeeze filler into small gaps or holes, it adheres very well to many different types of surface (eg. wood, metal, polyurethane, etc)...

The article which was presented in post #1 of this discussion thread presents some fascinating observations, and I agree with Viridens (#3) in being interested to read the whole of that article. This response (#9) by Pargyle indicates clearly that he has selectively read the article, and that...

When I first started with this hobby, one of my greatest challenges was to keep my smoker lit. I watched various videos of how other beekeepers lit their smokers, so that they would remain alight for long periods of time. Some of these beekeepers, (or at least one of them!), suggested that it...

Yes, I know that the bees like to add their artistic touch to the insides of a hive box, and cover board, etc, but the benefits of a clear crown board seem obvious to me. Your comment suggests that you have had the opportunity to view the bees through your crown boards for a few years. I am...

I have just made (in the last few weeks) some crown boards with clear perspex/plexiglass/acrylic panels instead of plywood. I have been ever so pleased at the results, because it is so easy, and fascinating, to watch the bees without disturbing them. They can be observed, or fed (with a...

I would like to express a special thankyou to Beebe for initiating this thread, and providing the link to the bee behaviour videos on the website “journals.plos.org”. I find myself increasingly amazed at the complexity and wonder of bee behaviour. Thank you too, for finding this information, and...

I recently "went shopping" for gloves, and bought two kinds - knitted cotton gloves, and nitrile gloves. I have found that the cotton gloves have been very helpful in absorbing perspiration from my hands, and that the nitrile gloves have remained dry on the inside. I had found that with only...

Thank you to all who have offered helpful advice. With regard to the choice of syrup concentration, I had seen advice that 1:1 was suitable for autumn feeding. It is not that I specifically wanted to get them to build winter stores, but rather that I wanted to supplement them if they were not...

I have often found useful information on the Internet, but I seem to have come up with a “blank” this time. I have been wanting to find information on the length of a honey bees stinger – how deep can it penetrate? I would like to find out what thickness of clothing is actually required to...

It is now autumn in Australia, and I have taken the decision to feed my bees with 1:1 sugar syrup, from which the bees in several hives have been feeding eagerly. One hive has not taken the syrup so quickly, and after just a few days the residue of syrup in the hive-top feeder has some specks...

If you want to make a bowl from something so irregularly shaped, there are two different things that you could do to make the whole process safer. There are various epoxy resins which have excellent adhesive (and filling) properties. If you use this kind of material, you could establish this...

The many contributions to this discussion emphasize one thing for me, namely that many people do not have a clear understanding of electricity, or the technical words which are used to describe electrical circuits. Words like volts, amps, watts, amp-hours, milliamps. The most important thing to...

I realise that you and I live in different parts of the world, but also that we have different climates. Having said that, and having in mind the different ideas expressed about ventilation, I would like to share some information from what my bees have shown me. Firstly, please let me refer...

I have seen information about the use of formic acid as a treatment against varroa mites. Thankfully we do not have varroa here in Australia. I am interested to know what information forum members may have about the comparisons between oxalic acid, and formic acid, as treatments against varroa.

I took cuttings from a lavender shrub, because I would like to establish many of these shrubs for the bees. Because I do not consider that I have a particularly "green thumb", I thought that I would search for information on the method/s I should use. With regard to suitable plant-rooting...

If a fine paint brush is suitable, then would a trimmed fine feather be equally suitable? I think that the essence of your advice is that a "soft and gentle" tool is desirable.

I am not trying to invent something "new". I said in my original post that for those who are working within the restrictions of a tight budget, or for those who enjoy DIY, then this is a way to make a feeder for almost zero cost. Equivalent feeders which I have seen at beekeeper equipment...

Yes, syrup feeding can be done in the way that you suggest. However, observation cannot easily be done of how actively bees are feeding, when your type of feeder (with holes in the lid) is used. If a large plastic container is used to hold the syrup, it will probably be of non-transparent...

(I hope that this letter, about feeding syrup to bees, and about DIY projects, is appropriate for this discussion thread. I am using Langstroth style hives). This year many beekeepers in Australia have found the season has been worse than last year, when the bees did well in their...

3/16 inch = 0.1875 inch = 4.7625 mm. If you need to drill holes of this size, for bees to climb through, it would be beneficial (to the bees, at least) if the sharp edges of the holes were polished smooth. This can be achieved by buffing the sharp edges with a wire buff fitted to a bench...