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OK. The 'varroa calculator" was an early effort, is a bit inconsisstent and AFAIK hasn't been updated recently. The easiest thing to understand in Managing Varroa is the graph 'Fig 54' on the page with the number 34 in the bottom corner. Its where the "10 a day" threshold comes from...

The behaviour described ("hawking") is typical of the Asian, which is why I said "very likely indeed". Rather than getting and posting his own photo for you to pass judgement upon, much quicker and simpler that he just looks up photos online himself, and compares that/those to what he is seeing.

30 litres would be a minute freezer. Its the size of my Lidl tea urn and would not take 20 frames of any type. A national brood box is about 40 litres ... 130 would be much more plausible ... And while it was likely hot, even steaming, 12 hours later, boiling is not credible.

Kaz, the OP is in the Haute Garonne, in France. It is very likely indeed that he has an Asian Hornet problem, and that there is local expertise for him to call upon via his local 'council' offices.

"Hawking" at a beehive entrance is a characteristic behaviour of the Asian Hornet. They aren't things you can realistically deal with yourself. Get local pest control help (via the commune offices or mairie?) and swiftly, as they will, left to themselves, wipe out a bee colony. What needs...

Like the idea of freezer as a big insulated tub... but ... why would you want to "hold temperature" for hours? Its only a couple of minutes dunking that's needed, isn't it? I have to admit that I'd be a bit worried about the risk (and consequences) of the thing bursting with the sheer weight...

not worthy Which are types of sawfly! (I couldn't remember the specific name... )

Sawfly?

Well ... with the 'additional' brood box now established, all that would be needed would be a floor module to put under it. Probably about the same cost (size, complexity, amount of plastic) as the top feeder ... /// Just don't drop the current "base layer" -- its a nice skep for dropping a...

I was too terse! When I see bees on the Ivy, that is my signal that from then on it should all go to the bees rather than my harvest. I don't have Heather in the area. If there is Balsam, I don't think the bees have ever found it (no 'ghost bees' spotted). As regards how long the Ivy keeps...

Bees on the Ivy marks the end of the season for me, around the end of August.

Paynes and (newly) Maisemore both offer 6-frame poly 14x12 nucs. I've had a few of the Paynes boxes for a few years. They are fine, but like everything, not quite perfect. I close off the integral internal feeder and pretend its not there. There is now an (extra cost) top-feeder available...

I'm starting from the assumption that one would have decidedly less than 22 frames with brood. In dealing with the (relatively unlikely after 3 weeks) case that you have brood on more than 11 frames, I'm suggesting that the 11 with the most brood go in the top box. I'm also advising not to...

Are you running "brood and a half"? (Its better thansingle brood for overwintering ... but then I like 14x12, which is like brood and a half but with single deeper frames.) Simplest way to get to brood and a half would be to put the brood box with foundation on the hive floor and rearrange your...

You need to protect drawn combs from damage by wax moth, and of course physical damage. Naturally, you also need to protect against damp, solar heat, etc - so storing, closed up, in a cool shed or garage is very common. Freezing for 48 hours in a domestic freezer should kill any moths already...

Their Facebook page indicates that the website has been down since last December. Someone back in May was asking how to get a schedule ... https://www.facebook.com/nationalhoneyshow The placeholder page does have an email address for the Gen Sec. If you don't get a swift response, the...

Before EACH use, shake well and then press the nib straight down onto a (sacrificial) hard surface. This will release a drop of the paint. Then you can 'paint' the liquid (no pressure required) onto Q. And very very very importantly - give it time to dry before releasing Q. If you release her...

£19.50 in the UK (Bee Equipped) versus €22.50 in Belgium ... Hardly a "ridiculous" difference (all the more so once delivery & foreign exchange charges are factored in), IMHO. Check out the price in Switzerland, where the things are made! http://bienen-meier.ch/db/detail.php?artNr=1611

I have no idea what scale you are operating on. But things like Planning Permission and Business Rates would figure highly for most people. Being purpose-built, and having been used exclusively for honey, it would mess up Capital Gains Tax when you come to sell the house. And of course you'd...

Did you get a pack or two of the £2.99 nail & staple assortment? It can be months before Lidl bargains round again (if they ever do - where's the "Jam Maker"?)