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The Rowans in Kerry were laden with berries.

After a wonderful week in Ireland, it was nice to visit the bees and see them all flying, busily bringing in Ivy pollen and nectar. My landowner has done the invert run and is now keeping a low profile, he refuses to split the bill so I'll get him back when I buy the next load of frames and...

Same applies to most things, no reward for loyalty.

How did they compare in size? Unless the queenless colony was markedly smaller, I wouldn't consider any sort of unite. It's not unusual for a queen to be compromised due to a sudden influx of bees, it can happen with direct unites and it can happen with shake outs. A friend of mine lost an...

What is the dimension of the enrance? The Instantvap tube is 6mm and silicone sleeves are available that slide on, these are for use with poly boxes and work well to protect the material. Obviously, it will depend on the entrance height if you use Abelo poly floors but if you make your own...

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Sounds like you had a very interesting and rewarding year regardless of the poor weather. Our own experience with queen rearing is much the same, apideas and grafting is more labour intensive and not really necessary for the average beekeeper raising queens to improve their own stock. I think we...

Nice looking little truck.

Oh, I really can and I do ;) Supers come off early September, every year.

I have in the past done mite drop comparisons between bought in queens and our own local colonies, I still do random comparison counts. Without fail, colonies headed by bought in queens produce higher numbers, though those numbers are nowhere near as high as some figures quoted and vaping has...

I would just run with it now Bernard but consider starting the treatment earlier next year. People say you can't do beekeeping by the calendar but some aspects you certainly can, you can decide when you are going to remove the supers and start your treatments. I would start Apiguard treatment in...

Looks very like Gorse.

Feed them and treat the varroa problem, I wouldn't unite and risk compromising a healthy colony. Edit: Just seen your reply, Apiguard will be less effective now temps have dropped.

....With a twenty pound note and your snitch.

You can treat against varroa and kill mites all you like, it doesn't undo the damage they have already done. The other colony is strong and healthy, they certainly don't need the burden of sick bees.

Precisely that, the damage has already been done. You need healthy bees to raise healthy bees.

Landowner messaged me to ask if I'd like to help save a tree dwelling colony on his friend's farm that were left exposed after an Ash had been felled due to die back. While cutting the trunk into logs, the tree surgeon had cut the nest in half. Bill was rightly annoyed that the bees had been...

I noticed your mention of beginning of September, it's only just gone into October so one brood cycle, max. I take it you checked and the introduced queens are still there? Poorly mated queen IMO and a disappointing response from the supplier.

Two tab cages have a gap for interaction and a gap for release.

Not to my knowledge, sounds more like poorly mated queens.