Search results

Division boards keep it nice and simple but everybody has their preferred ways. Saves me having to go to the gym lifting high stacks! What I love about this method is how it seems counter-intuitive to what the traditional bee mantra says about leaving a queen with swarm cells(!) but when you...

Drex - are you using a Snelgrove Board? Those foragers can be bled down with changing entrances - worth doing in two or three days

I've got a hive just like that. Calm queen disappeared last year from. Demaree and the resulting replacement queen has bred some followers - not greeters - and fine to inspect. Just won't leave you alone when leaving. A right pain. Going to be re-queened soon.

Swarming is an integral part of beekeeping. How you manage is what makes the difference. Read up on why they swarm and it will allow you to better understand their motivations

We've now got loads of kites since they spread from the Chilterns. Notice plenty of buzzards as well. It's a good sign - shows there is plenty of food about and the lower food chain is function well. As for pheasants, not sure if they take or not chicks, but they have as much right as we do in...

Got nowt to do with how many hives you own; loads to do with turning what started a real positive thread in to negativities all the time. Gets all very tiring

No where have I read him blaming climate. Mr P keep up the good work and don't listen to the crazy guy from Finłand. I like seeing your videos.

Snowing here in Buckinghamshire! Don't think there will be any activity going on in apiary today

How strong is the colony?

Are you sure that queen cell wasn't there on your first inspection. Probably nothing in side it left over from last year and resealed empty by the bees.

Those bees in France found the M&M factory and brought back coloured sugar! Don't know to be honest

I use whatever is lying about, bees are expensive enough! I use breeze blocks as base with hive stood on old fence posts; plus a couple on milk crates instead of blocks. Don't look as neat as stands but it's only me that looks at them

Yes, same here, slowest build up since 2012. Hoping once Blackthorn goes over will warm up.

That association may have equipment you can hire or if not there are some basic honey spinners available on the web. Beekeeping isn't cheap! As for nuc at home, it's possible but you would need to keep a close on eye on it because in a strong honey flow they can soon get overcrowded and you...

Will your old mentor pay for bees to be disposed of in your neighbours chimney or roofs when they swarm - no - and his advice is irresponsible. You have to have a swarm control option if beekeeping in an urban environment. I think you need to read up about swarm behaviour - then you will see...

It's all about numbers - there is always enough that come through and raise a nest

First question I would ask is why you're worried about leaving them? If it's for fear of swarming the next sort of questions are: do I really know how strong they? What is the forage situation currently around me? For example I know that I need to have some decent nectar sources out before there...

From the brief look I have had in hives probably at the same place at 2012 - certainly appears less frame of brood (despite bee numbers being fair) at this stage compared to 2014 and 2013. Problem with 2012 was it kept cold till May then didn't stop raining all summer - don't want that repeat!

Constant battle with keeping things non sticky - propolis is a real bind.