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Thanks, so they essentially sit loose? With well drawn frames, does the comb not just end up as a mush against the mesh?

We usually clean and peel then freeze - take out of the freezer, grate off as much as required then return to freezer. Perhaps not quite as fresh but still tastes pretty good.

I bought an old extractor from a beekeeper who was giving up. It's a Lee (of Uxbridge) for whom I can find very little information and assume they no longer exist. The cage looks like this I am assuming it's a 3 frame tangential type, and will take super and deep frames. However I am...

Just don't plant any of it, except in a pot, you'll never see the end of it - or is that why you have so much :)

I am not that experienced, but if I was faced with the same problem I think I would probably try to push the comb through the brood box into a suitable container placed underneath. In other words separate the brood box from the floor and place over said container. This way the comb is less...

Just lost a small swarm today (managed to catch it) due to honey bound brood nest - exactly the same situation as you, they are ignoring the super (all foundation unfortunately). I had moved some frames with laying space from the other hive but obviously not enough. I had hoped to inspect during...

I would also consider the stores position, they will still be foraging even when Q- or with a virgin queen. I left mine completely alone for nearly 3 weeks, without a super (stupidly) and when I checked for egg laying found the brood area completely honey bound. I have since put a super on, and...

Remember that someone should inspect both hives around 6 days after the AS to remove any new unwanted QCs to avoid casts.

No, it is more important IMO to check the parent. Checking the AS part is just for peace of mind that QCs were not missed. 4-5 days seems common - sufficient time for remaining eggs/larvae to progress beyond the point that they are suitable source material for emergency QCs. It seems common...

or thumb... :rolleyes:

My non expert read of that is 1. Likely they had swarmed by 2nd May as QCs were capped and no eggs 2. Removing one of the two sealed QCs prompted them to make more, but a distinct lack of available material of suitable age meant only one? 3. First sealed queen cell hatched and cast swarmed...

Ed, I did similar to you, but at step 3 I split the colonies after a few hours (as advised on another thread). I'm not convinced that there was an even split, but today (7 days later) I have moved the parent colony to the other side of the AS. However she is due early next week and I worry that...

Drex, I did exactly the same, except with single 14x12 brood, however as per advice in another thread, I split them a few hours later. There was a good distribution of bees between new brood box with foundation, parent colony and the super. I just hope that the queen is the new brood box...

DrS, thanks for the earlier reply. If using the 'queen not found' method would you transfer a) a frame of brood and/or b) stores. Or better to feed them instead? If the weather holds tomorrow morning I intend inspecting them and will A/S them if there is a need to, which I suspect there will be...

DrStitson - does it not over stress the bees, risk damaging the queen and possibly allow the brood to chill? I have brushed off all bees before and they weren't too happy about it. Can this be considered a reasonable proposition for an AS, or a very last resort?

Thanks for all the reassuring replies, they did the same thing today, but not so many bees. Although my 2nd Spring, I've never had this sized colony before. Quick inspection today in a sunny spell, all still there it seems, however several eggs in play cups. I know I need to AS them, but just...

Sun's come out again, so popped out for a quick look. There are workers still coming and going - do all the flying bees leave with a swarm, or might this be a good sign that they haven't left?

14x12 BB One super - 3-4 frames partly filled April 2011 emergency queen I inspected on Sunday in a brief period of reasonable weather, so made it quite quick. Little activity so guessed that most workers were at home. Bees covering all 11 frames. 7-8 frames with brood. One frame in the centre...

Jimmy, if you weren't already aware BBWear do custom sizes (for no extra charge) but admittedly are twice the price of PH's. Like you I am tall, but relatively skinny, so I have a Large with 2 extra inches each in torso and legs.

When I transferred my nuc from travelling box to hive I put all the wild comb (full of honey) into a miller feeder above the brood box. The bees cleared it in days. So if you want them to take the extra stores then that might be worth trying.