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Your drones are leading a charmed life⏳⏳⏳

Agree. My two with brood breaks this year have dropped far less than those with no breaks.

Mine are progressively becoming darker as each year passes. All now from locals and swarms, as a local keeper has introduced some very dark queens from Cornwall over the last two seasons. So far all prove to be garden friendly. I have two queens from supercedure, so I hope the offspring next...

....and the ivy in the hedges isn’t in flower yet😡👹💩💩💩👹😡

Seemingly the only thing missing is its ability to replace red diesel! Interesting stuff and it’s ironic that our medical bods are discovering what the ancients already knew.

Hi Curly, Varroa counts after 24 hours - after fourth vape. H1 (no brood break) 120 H2 80 H3 (no brood break) 300 H4 14 Needless to say, vaping will continue on 1,2 and 3. Results were much worse than I expected🙁

Apparently honey is good for that🤪🤪🤪🤪

Wow, that must have had you worrying! Take it easy mate and don’t try and do too much until you’re properly recovered. Flu can cause permanent lung damage too - it did to my other half🙁

From what?

Thanks both, I’ll do some reading. (Jenks, I’m seriously impressed that the above study came “readily to mind”). Randy Oliver recommends it above marketed products it seems. Thanks both of you for your advice, help and attention on this forum.👍

In my (agreed fairly limited) experience, 40lbs is more than my colonies have ever used. My colonies have all been mongrels from original buckfast stocks. Apparently some strains (eg Italians) need a lot more than others.

In the video from NHC, Stewart repeatedly states its to stop mould and says there’s no evidence it prevents nosema. Do you know of any sources where this has been studied or is it beekeeping folk lore?

Thanks All, I’ve not used it and not had mould or nosema issues either. Also, like you, Curly I leave honey on the hives and only feed minimal amounts of syrup. Is there a suggestion that colonies only fed on fondant (and thus no thymol additive) suffer from nosema more than those getting the...

How necessary is adding thymol to syrup? How often have you found syrup going mouldy in your experience?

I made a tray to slide into the hive where the inspection tray fits - under the omf. The central part is metal a nd the varrox sits on that. I then seal the gaps with cloths which also hold the varrox in place. I can then attach the battery and retire to a safe distance. Disconnect after two and...

Hi Curly. The two colonies that have had no brood breaks have a fairly high load, the two with brood breaks, through supercedure or making a new queen, minimal. I’ll be counting the 24 hour drop tomorrow and see if further vapes are needed. This year I managed to do the four vapes at the right...

Fourth and I hope final vape between rain showers. Saw ghost bees coming home for the first time this year. Ivy still not out around here.

Good point Bobba. Abelo green poly might be the way forward...

Oh the administration! As swarms get hived, colonies are united, colonies abscond, bait hives are populated etc etc The BBKA would have a meltdown🤯

The teacher that had the best effect on me was Mr. Spalding, known as Spoof, a history teacher. An ex army major who contracted malaria in Borneo in the war. He really suffered every summer. He made his own tobacco and smoked a pipe walking up and down the corridor between lessons, complete with...