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I was taught to always work with the hive tool in my hand whilst beekeeping. I still do and never put it down during manipulations. Amazing how you quickly get used to it and always have it there. I am sure that it speeds up manipulations.

Compak

That is the conclusion that I came too. Finding queens becomes easier the more that you do it. I am also not too bother if I dont find a queen as long as I see eggs. I practised a lot clipping drones first and they are surprisingly easy to handle once I had relaxed.

I agree about the frame spacing. Looks like you have wide plastic ends on instead of narrow ones. When they get going you will in all likelihood have a lot of brace comb.

They get another bee to do it for them. There was video shown at our BKA which showed a bee with propolis on its legs bothering another bee to take it off.

I got this from a local BKA today and it is about 800m from my hives. As I dont have an out apiary prepared and instantly ready to move onto I dont see that there is a lot I can do. Wait and watch for dead bees and then take a sample of them to send off seems to be my only option. Hopefully...

They are only open on Saturday mornings 0900 to 1230. Likewise I have no connection and am not even a member of HRBKA.

Hi Huggy Bear, I buy and collect all of my beekeeping equipment from Claro Bees in Harrogate. They are the retail bit of Harrogate and Ripon BKA. Their prices are good and you can always get advice from them too.

I squish bees regularly and usually through my own hamfistedness if that is a word. I am trying to be gentle and encourage them out of the way but it is not always possible. Followers always get squished but I have three new 2011 queens now and the following seems to have stopped. Fingers...

The 3/8 pins are for putting runners on in brood boxes or supers.

Our local beekeeping supllies place Claro Bees in Harrogate recommend a hot air gun to uncap the frames. Not tried it myself but I fully intend to come harvest time.

I dont think that bees like the smell of sweat. My bees go straight for my son if he comes anywhere near the hives after his run. They dont like soap dodgers.

Mouse guards are not required until October. It sounds like normal behaviour to me.

A lot depends on flight path. 100 meters sounds plenty. I agree with the previous poster have then pointing away from areas of your garden and other gardens where people are. If this is not possible point the hive at a high obstruction such as a fence or hedge so that the bees fly up first...

I made a mistake yesterday in my early days on a brood and a half hive. I went to lift off the super that on top of the brood box. The bees had built lots of brace comb between the two boxes. As I lifted the super off some frames from the brood box stuck to the super then dropped back into...

A bee crawled up my trousers and very nearly got to my right testicle before it stung me. Huge panic and then huge pain. As you can imagine I now wear wellies.

I have used many types of glove over the last year and have settled back on latex. I really think that the bees dont recognise it as something that they can sting. Unless I actually mishandle bad enough to squish a bee they dont sting me.

I have to say that I continue to be surprised about people wanting to preserve the countryside in some state that existed in the past. It is changing all the time and to do anything other than accept it is futile. You have actually come on a beekeepers forum and suggested eradicating a plant...

Why? The bees love it. From what I have seen it needs no help dispersing and is spectacularly successful all on its own!!

Hi Robin, I also live in West Yorkshire and got a nuc about this time last year. It built up nicely and overwintered well so it would be OK if you can get one. On that subject there is a beekeeper in Scarborough selling off 18 hives of bees complete with hive at £100 each. I will PM you with...