Search results

Q, What did the beekeeper say to her colony when they were just about to swarm? A. Beeeehive you lot!

Thanks xwb will send out a call to arms! Louise

Did you download Phil Chandlers (Naked Beekeeper!) plans, I did, they look straight forward for someone with the tools and a bit of know how but I decided that at my age, life is too short for that much stress. Please let me know how you get on and how the bees get on when they are insitu! Louise

I have been thinking of getting one of these since I saw Carol Klein on BBC take delivery of one. I shall still continue with my two national hives in the normal way but would like to try this new method. I have been doing some research on the more natural method of beekeeping and printed off...

I had wondered why my honey bees don't bother with the forsythia. I believe that it is only bumble bees that cut the base of flowers, as far as I can gather, honey bees don't do this. Re: Daffodils - I noticed a few on some of the white daffs with the splayed out trumpet - I din't know the...

I had to download a plug in for this and it crashed so I couldn't see anything, shame would have been interested. Louise

One of my hives has brood on two frames (mostly in the middle) but healthy with scattered holes - the other one has three frames with brood - overall I am pleased - but I may be fooling myself as I am a novice! Set to get up to 18C today, bees very busy at 9am! Louise

Yes some bumbles cut holes at the base of the flower but honey bees don't. The length of the proboscis of the garden bumble is 12.30mm - so they can acccess quite a few flowers that most honey bees can't. Mine are bringing in dandelion pollen and other which I can't identify, just yellow but...

I use warm way for the winter and cold way for the summer (I changed them around in October)! Sorry to mess up the poll! Louise

The natural beekeeping group are doing something similar with camping and stuff! Louise

The Isle of Wight is expensive to get to - we did the festival in 2008 - meg bucks for the ferry! Louise

Yes Chris (now I am blonde too, albeit with a PhD so please speak loudly and clearly) Varroa is actually a parasite and all good parasites do not kill the host (in theory!) Louise

Never mind the weather, the potters are in the semi final! Louise

Give the hive a sharp thump! you will soon know if they are all there and okay as you will get quite a buzz.........zzzzzzzz. if you don't then it could be bad news! Louise PS I am a novice so you may want to ignore this!

Go into JUnk mail options and block the domain and the sender, then you won't get them! Louise

Tell him I will send him a photo of the seagull crap on my windows and on my lovely newly painted house - then he can see which he would prefer!

Proboscis is the right word, what type of bumble is she? Just for your children's interest - did you know that most bumbles have tongues longer than the honey bee and the common garden bumble has the longest at 12.30mm whereas honey bees have between 6 and 9mm. This partly accounts for the...

Do some serious research for a hive, the prices vary a lot, steer clear of the big beekeeping suppliers. If you send me a personal message I can recommend a VERY good supplier who I recently bought from and was blown away by the quality and price (I don't get commission either) ha! Louise

I removed the entrance restriction (not one of those horrible metal mouse guards either) and also the wire netting woodpecker protection and the wood that lifts the back of the hive slightly to drain the wet off in the winter! Am I being optimistic that we won't have a wet spring! Also fed...