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:iagree:

It is the opinion of two very experienced old beekeepers in my club , one of who has been my mentor for the past 4 or 5 years. One used to feed in the spring and drive his bees to the rape/beans or if he was building them up to split to make increase. Otherwise not.

Let them build up at thier own pace, most are 2010 Q's, vigorous enough, hope they don't swarm in June and will happily be busy enough working on the huge July flow ?:rofl:

Sorry Polyhive."proper beekeeping"? Yes i'm in to proper beekeeping myself but I would rather not feed light syrup in the spring to avoid encouraging swarming in June just before the main flow in july.Thats all. Theres no OSR here or field beans either. I didn't mean to upset you. And Oliver90 I...

All this talk of feeding in the spring--- I've always been led to understand that if you feed in the spring then you encourage the numbers to build up TOO EARLY. Which is fine if they are going on to the OSR which is an early crop- so you need the numbers' or if you are going to rear new queens...

I always thought that rhym must have been written before sugar was available to feed your bees in the autumn. So a swarm in july wouldn't have time to even get enough stores to overwinter. Therefore it was a lost cause? I sell my honey for £4/lb garden gate, bulk or single jars.I think I'd be...

Go to your local scrap yard and ask for aluminium sheet? I get mine like that from scrap caravans it's easy to bend too and lightweight.

I once made mead from cappings , then added a frame that had been filled with pollen, it was one of the nicest drinks I've ever made. Apart from the flavour I think also that it would act as a yeast nutrient so no need to add marmite. In fact now that I've remembred I should go and do it again...

I've spotted a wild colony in someones roof that is going to be ripped up in November. Could it be possible to save it then or would it be too cold? I don't think he wants me to lift the roof sheets now or I would give it a go.

No need to boil the water, Just put in your water and sugar turn it on full and stirr it untill the sugar's dissolved. It dosent get to hot to put your finger in.

Make a frame with upright poles and put on a reciprocating roof(look it up, too complicated to explain, but very easy to do!) and top it off with turf. The bales can be cut to an angle with a chainsaw quite easily. I know someone who lives in one and it's beautiful.

Thanks poly your a star !!

Hello again, To update you all on my Q- hive -- well I united them with a small colony after checking again for a Q and now they are doing well with all of the best frames from the BB,s . Thanks for the advice everyone. Nikki.

Try a test frame? Hmmm If they make Qc's would there be time for them to raise a new Q?

Ok I'll have a good look for a Q again tommorow then if I can't see one I,ll unite them with another smaller colony. Thanks!

Sorry Moggs I shouldn't be cheeky. Do not old bees in the winter cluster encourage nosema Finman?

Mabe I'll post a question on what to do with them on the beekeeping forum. Oh! I just did!

One of my colonies is queenless and has been for at least 5 weeks. On the record it says that it was queenless and I put in a frame with eggs in ,for them to make a new Q, on the first of August. Obviously this didn't work. I was going to unite it with another colony the other day there , then...

I noticed when a colony has died of nosema then most of the dead bees have thier tongues sticking out. But whether bees would remove pupae with nosema I don't know. Any thoughts?