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I know I am now an old fart ( despite an organic diet ) but when I started in 1976 eveything worked perfectly. The 'accountants' have moved in and decided that a bit shaved off frames here and there will save money when thousands of items are produced. Sadly the bees don't see this as they want...

looked at a friend's hive early Dec as he was concerned. Brood box had sealed and unsealed stores, but no bees. Examined my ex's hive yesterday as there was no sign of flying bees, there was sealed stores on 9 combs and brood box weighed around 40lbs, but no bees. These colonies were some 20...

Agent for Thornes tells me that they realise they have shot themselves in the foot by using shredded cardboard for packaging since it is an excellent smoker fuel!

It seems that it is the comfort of the keeper that is the issue here. I have kept colonies at ground level but have also dealt with bees in hollow trees 30 feet above ground. If they are thriving then height of hive is that which is best for you, there are no rules.

The whole point of e-bay is that it is based on HONESTY and TRUST. Sellers who admit to using 'tricks' and those who think I should complain about e-bay fees, or say either 'bid or don't', ( I didn't ) should maybe look for another avenue for their online sales?

tried the ad on fleabay where he was advertising 'bulk wax' for sale. Asked question because ad was for ONE hex block @ £5.00. Reply was that this meant I should not bid on it!! Reported to e-bay as this in breach of selling rules.

If most AFB outbreaks are attributable to imported honey then this begs the question as to how many beekeepers are importing honey to feed their bees? The problem i s with us now, whatever the origin, and our aim should be to contain and hopefully eradicate or at least manage it, sadly I think...

Why all the worry about straw bales, extra insulating and all this kerfuffle? Remember that in the wild there is no-one to do this for them and yet we still have bees. On the vegetable front it is said that you cannot sow parsnips before February, yet some parsnips left from previous year that...

My bees have only been around fo a couple of months and have to deal with today's problems!

Can't remember who, but back in the 1980's there was a bee farmer who sold loads of ' drawn foundation '. This would be about about 30% of comb on a sheet of foundation. After much enquiry discovered that he achieved this by by putting boxes of waxed frames, brood and super, on a very full brood...

The purpose of the forum is surely to air new ideas, however wacky they may seem. replies from those with more experience can only be helpful in the learning experience. So, guys and gals, let's be positive in our replies, and pass on our knowledge and practical experience without passing...

Replies on this forum indicate that imported honey may be responsible for bringing AFB here. The market for home produced honey in Spain has collapsed due to large scale imports from China, which, on testing, contain all sorts of chemicals which real honey does not contain. So, yes honey...

When I first started some 40 odd years ago the bees were very dark and very much closer to AMM than we can hope for today. Honest answer to your question is that they are some sort of ' mongrels 'Some years ago Anthony Rawlings, in an attempt to maintain the ' purity ' of his selected stocks...

Beekeeping today is beset with problems which did not exist when I started in 1974. I would collect 3-4 swarms a week and often made a hasty exit when called on to collect a swarm which I had no room for. Disease was practically non-existant and an imported Queen was an exotic novelty. I had...

You sound like my kind of guy. Unfortunately ( but fortunately for me,) I am off to my place in Southern Spain for two months to to set up apiary there. Beekeeping season is much different there, and so are the bees. Best wishes, Eddie

Bought one of their beginner kits, mostly ok but the brood box rapidly warped and leaked bees giving access to wasps etc. The brood frames were nailed together irregularly and several fell apart when filled with stores. Emailed my concerns twice and received no reply, beware

Peak Hives, excellent

no, but at least I can spell. I'm sure you are a great guy who enjoys a good pint and a natter, if youare near Brum perhaps we could have a drink sometime.

point I was making was that 92% of bees had to be imported after this disaster.

problem with bee space is not with spacers or frame types( hoffman etc. ) but that economy frames with a straight top bar when used with a spacer means that there is some three sixteenth of an inch more than bee space so brace comb will be built.