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You don't have to totally leave them alone, I can easily get a cup of tea, walk to the bottom of the garden and stand amongst the hives and just watch the different behaviours, how many are flying, what they are bringing in, have a look at the floors, you learn just as much from just watching...

Nice and sunny yesterday, a little cold at 8 degrees, so watched them come and go, bringing in some pollen already, maybe 2 in 10 Bee's arriving had pollen. Lifted roofs and there's some small amounts of ambrosia left in the wrappings. I think that will do them now depending on the next 6 weeks...

I visited Dumfries House last year and it started absolutely lashing it down, we dived into a warm room off the garden and it was the gardeners rest room. The head gardener said it wasn’t open to the public, but because of the weather she let us stay for a while. She showed me her greenhouses...

I buy most of my seeds from Franchi Seeds, Just Seeds and Chiltern Seeds. Found them to be far fresher than using Thompson and Morgan / et al

The use of plastics in Beekeeping was one of the things what really surprised me when I started out, just as everyone is starting to reduce plastics, people were starting to use these polystyrene hives, when a perfectly good cedar hive can last and be repaired. I'm still to be convinced that you...

Always do mine around the shortest day.

I‘ve only had my hives for 3 years, and the Apivar strips are all I’ve used beside a oxacylic trickle on the shortest day in December. Never really have any varroa when I’ve done the checks. Might just be luck.

Everyone is different and has their opinions, but 14x12 suit me very well and I wouldn’t fancy any other type of hive.

I’m thinking I might leave it until the first weekend in September, which will potentially still give me time to put the apivar strips in. I’m more concerned about some settled weather to lift the onions, they’ve been ready for 2 weeks and need to come out, but also need to dry off a bit...

I make this and when warm add a tiny amount of white wine yeast and leave it for a couple of days, it doesn't make it alcoholic but gives it a slight sparkle, same as making homemade lemonade

It varies with me through the summer, I have 4 on most hives now, in a week or so I'll have a good look through and put frames that are pretty much capped over into one super and those that are being filled into another, the ones around some edges that a haven't been touched I'll probably put...

I don't know how beekeepers with loads of hives to inspect do it. I wouldn't say i'm a prolific sweater! I have 3 currently at the bottom of the garden, vest and shorts under a Oz Armour ventilated suit, and I'm wet through underneath when I've finished. Can't imagine the state of me having 10+...

On the grow your own front, I've got runner beans coming through in pots in the greenhouse and more sweetcorn. If I can get them in during the next week they will catch up. Pigeons ate all my sweetcorn plants and the slugs did the runner beans. Lettuce / onions / spring onions / courgettes and...

There was a program on TV they took snails from areas of 4 gardens and marked them with a coloured spot on their shells. They put them all together in a bucket and moved them to a central point and within 2 days they where all back where they started. I

Not sure if i'm missing something or if i'm over simplifying it, when i'm wanting to make up a Nuc, i simply take 2 or 3 frames from a hive that I'd like to replicate, 2 of the frames at least 80% sealed brood and the rest BIAS and stores, put them in a Nuc box with the bee's on and lid on and...

Wellies outside of trousers always for me, velcro them tight around the ankles. I'm having no bee's fall off a frame in-between my bee suit and wellies.

Its that split second of time, when you have a bee on your veil and your not 100% sure if their on the outside or inside, and your heart skips a beat and palms go a bit sweaty!!

Just Bee's practising. They are lovely Bee's nice colouring.

Reduced the Hives in my garden from 5 and a Nuc back down to the 2 I'm "allowed" No doubt with one thing and another I'll end up with 5 again this time next year. All strong and have x1 super on each. Not seen Queens but that really doesn't bother me, some years I don't see them at all. No sign...

Simon the Beekeeper, Bee Basic... What's going on? Thornes will be rubbing their hands together.