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Sad sight. Ravaged by varroa, would be my own first thought (based on the pics, incl. the faeces, the mite drop on the large colony, and the fact that I think I can see at least a couple of mites on the bodies of bees - screenshots attached; though I am ready to stand corrected on what I think I...

If the bees are relatively fresh (and you can get access to a compound microscope), you could do worse than crush some up (or freeze them to do this at a later date), in order to look for signs of Nosema infestation. I did this the last time I had a serious/inexplicable dead out situation, and...

Hi Michael (and from me, humble to be conversing with a Beekeeping legend) ... but I feel that post is wasted on here. In the UK, most Beekeepers are weird. I'm sure that I am the only Beekeeper in the UK, who follows football/soccer. (Picture the incredulity when, during the World Cup, you...

What Garry R says. That's to say what you're prepared to pay, and what they're prepared to accept, assuming they are prepared to sell at all. Twice recently, myself and my wider family have been in a position whereby we've tried to secure small parcels of 'dead' garden land to the rear (albeit...

Interesting. I rarely have honey hanging around in jars for long enough for it to granulate - let alone frost. However, I have been holding back a couple of jars of horse chestnut honey from last year's spring crop, to enter into a show this year, in the set category. Imagine my horror...

Thanks for sharing. There obviously have been other and more professional exposés (e.g. Netflix's Rotten Honey), but thanks to Peter and others for that video. It's probably the first thing I've seen which unequivocally debunks the myth that any UK supermarket honey which is a "blend of EU and...

I disagree with some of that comment, Dani. I am usually militant about not feeding at any other point than autumn. In fact, I'm paranoid about getting syrup in my supers... So much so that when I did do a small amount of stimulative feeding to two colonies away from my production hives this...

Except for the fact that, by introducing your 'foreign' VQs you'll effectively be helping to dilute the characteristics of the local drone pool, given that the male progeny of those VQs will comprise solely imported genetic material. Double edged sword, I guess. Over the years, I have had many...

Hi all, With most of my bees I have been 'on it' this year, with Formic Pro (and formic acid delivered via a Nassenheider Professional) being administered late August - having moved to formic as my autumn 'treatment of choice' from thymol (either Apiguard or Apilife VAR). No worries there...

As I am wont to do on a Friday, I went out at lunch an dropped-in on my out-apiary today, ostensibly to check-in on two colonies - a nuc and a full 14x12. In the car, I had my suit and my 'bee-box', but had not registered either a lack of gloves or wellies. Hmmmm. Whenever I just 'pop-in' I...

Hi all, 'asking for a friend' (or rather more accurately, on behalf of my BKA)... ... Are there any solid recommendations for off-the-shelf portable bee-vacs ? Thanks. Obviously, I'm not expecting to be able to walk into Currys and pick one up, but, even in our niche world, there don't seem to...

I agree with sipa. There is no law against unsolicited emails. Life's too short; if you don't like it, unsubscribe, and don't buy from the outfit. Whilst it might feel irregular, it's not like these email addresses have been sold on the darkweb for nefarious motives, or anything. We all...

If I were you, I would bin-off that idea; at this time of year I think the focus should have already switched to ensuring any colonies are going into autumn in optimum condition (colony strength, bee health, stores). Splitting your only queenright colony (which, given it has only been brooding...

Top man. Thanks again Eric. It looks like the Lega is completely identical (and there's me thinking my design is unique 🤣). I'm on it.

Hi Eric - I really am being super-dense. The more I think about it, the only good way of extracting larger frames is going to be tangentially. My assumption on the availability of screens was also flawed (based on the fact they're not available from the seller of my unit, and on the 'wavy'...

Hi all. The basic question is whether anyone here extracts brood frames in any kind of domestic extractor - and, if so, whether tangentially, or, if radially, with what sort of sized extractor...... and also, with what levels of success/issues, thanks. I ask only as I have made a bit of a mess...

Apis Mellifera Iberensis foraging on prickly pear cactus.

Positively oozing out in this case:

Portuguese reversivel hives (used widely in the south) are run - as I understand it - on a Warre-like system, but in boxes (not dissimilar to nationals in size) with moveable frames. That is to say they generally use a single size of box, no excluder, and under-super. ... So it's clearly viable...

Went to the apiary this evening, to strim, and took the opportunity to check the state of the supers. Well... I'm glad I did, as it's clear I urgently need to give them yet more space. I have the boxes, but not enough drawn frames to fill them all. As such, and as I have no shallow foundation in...