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Have you joined your local association ? There are plenty of reputable local and national beekeepers selling colonies of bees, but do you have the knowledge to 'keep' them ? Your local association would be able to point out the best local suppliers

Probably depends how much excess they have, especially with a flow coming on

Sometimes scoring the cappings of the stores then adding QX and super/s will encourage the little darlings to move said stores upstairs, or they will consume their stores - thus freeing up laying space

Managed first inspections on about a third of our hives between 1 and 3pm today Several nucs need hiving this week, one hive on 6 brood already Hopefully get the rest done after work this week - can't hang around this spring

You will need to add to your request which type of hive/frames your father has or will have - so any potential seller can match them, which will save your father a deal of ballache :rolleyes:

This works well We overwinter with two 50mm layers of insulation inside an old super, the first with a central square cut out to take the takeaway container

Have used the old screwed on numbers sold by Thornes et al for several years, but it really knackers my ocd if I have to combine colonies Going down the numbered disc route next year too Got red ones for hives and blue for nucs

Checked through our production hives and all are queenright with suprisingly more stores than expected Has been a record year here for us - only our seventh but nearly double last years production Shouldn't need to buy any sugar this year, just fondant for emergency spring feeding

Those suits look the business, but somewhat OTT for beekeeping Good luck to those lads, I get the feeling they're up against it over there

I know an old retired and notoriously tight beek who unfortunately left his settling tank on a paste table in his garage overnight The next morning half the neighbourhoods bees were foraging the honey running down his gravel drive !

We hived 3 nucs last week - but they had 4 out of 5 frames of capped brood each and struggling for room Yours will be getting towards the middle of August before their first laid will emerge - my money would be on leaving them in their polynucs

I am not a newbee, and most certainly will never be an expert, but you are worrying and overthinking too much Let the bees get on with what they do - they will find forage if it's out there Take helpfull anti-robbing measures, extract what you can mid August then crack on with varroa treatment...

Yep, same as, emptied ours out today and brought it home for refilling - leftover jam and cheapo lager at 60p a can

Combined two Q- nucs onto average colonies, they should take better advantage of the late summer forage and ivy Marked and nuked the last of this years mini-nucs when we spotted capped worker brood this morning :winner1st: Have raised more good laying queens this year than the last 3 years...

Good plan thanks

She's buying 2 jars a week from me, I jokingly suggested selling her a bucket to save on jars and labels, but was flumoxed when she asked how much

A lady asked me at the weekend - I have no idea ? Obviously saving on jarring and labeling but whats the rate per pound in a bucket ?

Lady asked at the weekend if I re-used jars, so out comes the BBKA Elf'n'safety explanation as to why I don't "But if I bring you 10 of your jars and their lids, will you refill them and just charge me for the honey ?" Win win, saves her 50p a jar and me the hassle :winner1st: I suppose...

Agree with JBM. I've extended the shed roof on one side by 10-12 foot and built a pallet platform under it. Supers sit stacked all winter with a national sized piece of twinwall top and bottom and half a paving slab in case it gets windy - no mould no waxmoth

In my experience a 14x12 bb with 7-8 frames of stores is ample, there's usually at least 2-3 untouched come spring that we remove later on once the Q gets going and needs the space