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Have done a few 3-frame splits into BS Honey bee 6 frames poly nucs, with the dividers installed. In a couple of instances, despite adding a doubled side deep of eggs, with plenty of nurse bees, stores and capped brood, only the smallest of queen cells have been produced, and in each case, only...

When you get bees, resist naming them. It takes too long, and most of them only live for 40 days, so you shouldn't build emotional attachments.

No one told my bees, they can't forage on nearby flowrs.who forage each day on alcanet flowers, leaning against the hive.

I've actually had success with queens so far this year. It's the stores that are being slowly consumed. Tomorrow's inspections will be interesting. Over the past few days, we've had intermittent bits of sunshine. The one colony in my back garden has been busy this week. I hope it's a good...

I started a very good 6-month beginners course in January of 2023. My intention was to have 1 or 2 colonies in the back garden. Caught my first swarm that June. I now have 14 colonies across 2 apiaries. Hopefully you'll get the bug and read and watch as much as you can. There's a huge...

Just completed my 1st anniversary as a beekeeper. It's almost mid-June and my outdoor thermometer reads 11C. It's also wet and windy. I have 14 colonies, and was hoping for a reasonable honey crop this year. But, none of my colonies have enough stores for me to consider harvesting. I'm having...

I keep all my inspection notes in an excel workbook, in Google drive. I take notes on my mobile as I go, in WhatsApp, messaging myself. I write up the notes in the evening. This allows me to take photos and send to myself if needed.

We may be psychic twins, Eric. I also went to art college , studied fine art. After college went self-employed (e-commerce consultant), which allowed me to continue my artwork and freelance. Paid off my mortgage 3 years ago, but with young children had to upgrade to a house, now I'm back to a...

Well done, Jamez. Like many others, I hate my job and would love a way out. But I've bills to pay. I've passed opportunities to invest in friend's companies that became very successful and sniffed at bitcoin in its early days. So, best of luck. And try not to blast all your £squillions in the...

Queens lay 3 types of eggs: Worker, Drone and Queen. Laying of the queen egg is triggered by the size of the queen cell. Yet, most queen rearing techniques use worker eggs. I remember several beekeepers telling me swarm and suoerceedure cells produce the best queens. Now, we know why. "More...

Noticed there's been a bit of a dearth/significant slowdown in nectar stores in my colonies over the past 2 weeks. I assume that's down to the rain and wind. Wondered what temperatures required for nectar production. My out apiary is in a 2-acre field of bramble/blackberries, which has just...

I have friends on timber kit, who use the Abelo poly ashforth feeder. It really comes into it's own, over winter. Adds thermal value, while providing a convenient fondant feeding space. Also provides emergency extra space for early spring expansion, In case you didn't get to inspect in time.

Such a small number. Personally I wouldn't worry about it. Considering there are many thousands in the colony and natural attrition is possibly around 3% per day. Think of the colony as a single animal, a superorganism.

Stumbled across this YouTube video of a fella looking at a cheapo US Langstroth hive and a new fangled 3d-printed "Hex hive". I don't have a 3D printer and have no desire to make a rickety plastic hive. What was interesting was the arrangement of consistent-size small frames within the hex hive...

Hi. Who is Helen? Thanks.

2 types of hawthorn, horse chestnut, mountain ash, and something else.

Thanks Have a couple of drawn frames in the box. 👍

Foragers are reliably accumulating on the nuc in the old bait box location.

As suggested, the fainting may have been a psychological reaction. In which case raised legs should help revive. You can put your ear close to the person's mouth to listen for any wheezing. I get anaphylactic shock from ingesting tree nuts. Fainting is not a symptom until my blood pressure...

Next challenge will be getting them out of that bait box into a National.