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Most recent books which refer to recent research say that this is ineffective as varroa control - but it is a treat for the bees! If you do it, make your own icing sugar with a grinder rather than using the supermarket stuff as it has an anticaking agent in it! Louise

Yes I agree, the £60,000 given to Sussex for doctoral research is wasted. I went to a workshop there last week, very disappointing, they are trying to find out things we already know! Their flower bed for the data on pollinators was poor and the Professor in charge is not open to ideas and...

I tasted horse chestnut honey at the bee market and it was horrible and bitter, yuk! :eek:

Tell them that you are a keeper of bees and the honey if you get some is a bonus. First year is a difficult one, I got only six and half pounds last year which was my first - more hopeful this year but time will tell Louise

If you are handy on your computer you can make your own using clip art and then the relevant information. Boxes of labels can be bought from staples. I have printed off a lot this year (optimistic) but havn't yet harvested the honey. Louise

If you are kitted out well, with two layers over everywhere and two pairs of gloves they rarely get to sting you, so suggest you do that. Louise

And loving the flowers on the Phormium, which are ugly, but if the ladies like them thats okay.

Thanks have printed that off and will sort tomorrow. thanks to everyone for their comments too! Louise

No this was an AS from May and then it swarmed!!!! By test frame do you mean a frame with brood from elsewhere? I have now put a frame of brood from another hive and will watch and wait before decided whether or not to merge - I presume with fresh sealed brood they will raise a queen if they...

Nice offer but as your profile says 'location UK' I think you need to be a bit more specific! Mine are loving the campanula proscharkya at the moment and the cistus shrubs! Louise

Absolutely, anaphylactic shock kills in minutes! Louise

I have plenty of white clover on my lawns and never seen honey bees on it, only bumbles, so I was under the impression that they didn't forage on any. Surprised today to find them going mad on the flowers on the Phormium, very ugly flowers but nectar dripping down too, so can't be all bad. Louise

I suspected last week that one of my colonies was queenless although I was hoping that the queen hadn't laid yet! Today I inspected the hive because the bees were clustering outside last night and this morning which suggested that something was wrong!. There is drone brood and some are...

I was singing and dancing around the garden (not naked) because three of my hives now have good laying queens - after waiting for what seems like months but is probably four or five weeks after they swarmed several times due to neglect on my part (long story.....). Even my new swarm collected...

I am in my third year and learned for a year with the local group before getting bees, I still attend meetings, but am choosy about which ones and there is always someone there to help if I need it. I understand those who don't want tests and exams - I have had my fill of those and resisted...

On Friday I finally introduced my seven year old twin grandchildren to the bees, they individually helped me to inspect two hives. They were true professionals and were sensible and calm and only interested in what we were doing. I was so proud of them both. I am told that they will look...

Great pictures, thanks for sharing

Looks a good sized swarm, hope they stay! Louise

Nice one! laughed and know what you mean, I am in my second year of keeping bees but third year of learning about it.Initially made a note of everything I spent, but have given that up this year, it is too, too depressing - I would be happy if I just broke even say in five years time! :nopity...

My swarm (from my hive) from Wednesday had taken down the syrup and so I topped them up. I am hoping that they are doing what they are supposed to do and that is start to draw out the frames and get settled so they don't hop it! #Louise:willy_nilly: