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Have just discovered there is a Blog feature - I don't know if this is active, but there is a button to the right of Q'REPLY that allows you to post a thread to your blog. It seems access to your blog can be restricted so no others can comment, in essence becoming a personal record or reference...

I sometimes email myself the thread URL with a description, or you could simply copy the URL into a text file or Word doc, or create a database if you have the tools/software.

Thank you for the advice so far No need, I freely admit that the bees have been subject to a certain amount of abuse, not through any malice, but lack of experience and a desire to be as hasty as possible when manipulating them so they were not open for too long. I would like two colonies...

Firstly I should say that I now recognise that the decision making that led to the situation I'm in was flawed but I have now learnt my lesson for the next time. This is my first Spring with bees, so it's all new to me. 3 weeks ago last weekend I culled some drone brood, but made a little bit...

Thanks for both the replies - MM I need some time to digest your idea, I didn't immediately follow all the steps. I can't do a perfect right left move, but can relocate Q- to the front and left a little, am sure this will be good enough. Might be doing an AS tomorrow depending on what I find...

My hive is pretty full at the moment (need to AS them) and when I open them there are a lot of bees in the void next to the dummy board, but no brace comb whatsoever - I think you'll be OK.

I'm not that experienced, but the advice I got on the course was to use 11 frames and a dummy board/spacer which makes inspections easier as the dummy board can be taken out and somewhat placed anywhere without worrying about the content of a frame. I always check mine for the queen but wouldn't...

Wouldn't this happen though anyway regardless of where the Q- hive was located, as long as it was within the 3 feet/3 mile rule as they wouldn't re-orientate themselves, or would they, I think that is the question being asked here? I am very interested in this question since I will only have...

One way to deal with the nosema :laughing-smiley-004

Well, I don't know why I worried. Hive had shown signs of life throughout winter and today they were perhaps the busiest I'd seen them since getting the nuc with plenty of pollen coming in. Wanted to change the floor and clean some mould off the crown board so had a good peek whilst I was at...

I have the same thing, also unsure why. I have insulation in the roof and the mould is on the side that the hive leans to slightly, so perhaps some moisture has pooled there. My other thought is that although the uncappings don't support it, the bees have been entering and exiting to one side...

To add my own thoughts. I too thought I wouldn't ever want one as I would lose the feel of a book, but having done some research and tried one out I decided I would like it, and I do. I have the 3G + WiFi version which means that it will sync wherever it can find a signal, and 3G usage is free...

Latest Beecraft covers OA treatment and the article's author recommends adding a needle tip to the syringe for better control. This will be my first winter with bees, I can't decide whether to treat them or not, assuming they're stil alive, I'm not hopeful, but I might do the treatment to give...

I used Titebond III for mine, mainly because I had a big pot of it and also it has a level of waterproofness. If I were to build another one I would certainly go with screws over nails like RAB, I ended up with a workbench full of various clamped pieces which meant I could do little else.

For gloves I use these - http://www.bees-online.co.uk/view.asp?ID=843 They give me a lot of confidence with the long elasticated arms, and they are thick enough to prevent stings, but still give some sensitivity. The only issue I do find is that when propolised a bit they do stick to frame ends...

Don't know if this applies to a WBC but double check the position of the sides with the runners when attaching to the other two sides to ensure you match the bee space that you're using, or will be using. I thought I remembered the instructions when putting my BB together and got it wrong, so...

Thanks Richard (and Hivemaker) I had come to the same conclusion, leave them be for now. The overwhelming thought I have from reading lots on here is that the bees generally know best. Richard, was your dodgy nuc comment directed at mine? The nuc was from Thorne, and very very full when I got...

Sorry, missed this second post. It's worker brood. I didn't spot any drones, but then I didn't look too closely. There were at least two or three drone cells though, which I was surprised about at this time of year, but not overly concerned.

Thanks Chris. There was a period during Apiguard treatment when the queen wasn't laying and the brood nest diminished in size and they were moving stores from the extremities to frames either side of the central two frames. Concerned about this I move a part empty frame from the edge next to the...

Hi Richard, yes from a very full nuc at the end of July. Numbers increased steadily but were diminished when I inspected on Saturday, not one frame fully covered in bees. As well as patchy brood on the frames themselves there is some brood in some of the wild comb they built under the standard...