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I am suprised that colonies don't have more of a mixed behaviour bearing in mind that the sperm that the queen posesses can have come from a number of different drones. On that note how much of a part do the queens genes determine the make up of the eggs she lays.

Must admit the mouse gards on both mine are now off and reduced entrance blocks in place,as I have also noticed bees struggling to get into the hive and several that have just collapsed on the ground and not managed to get into the hive with their load. That said I am keeping a sharp eye on the...

How about new forest poney dung dried of course.

no smoke for me either, just moved very slowly as one lot are a little highly strung.

Rest in Peace Mr Cushman I hope that you have found a warm sunny spot some where jsut over the visible horizon and are tending to your beautiful, pest free non swarmy bees. Thank you for all your work

is there any sort of path the other side of the fence at the bottom of your garden? if not I would be inclined to agree with somerford.

Thats a real shame some fugly farmers daughter spoilt things, probably wasn't even bees that were bothering her more like dung flies! Farmers land if secure seems to be a good place to start looking for hive locations, they seem to understand that the bees will benefit them to. Have also founf...

Thanks for that Toby.

Every time I was stung was wearing full suit welly boots (not tucked in ) so they couldn't get in the boot, and thick sting proof gloves. The sting unless you are wearing serious layers of clothing is going to get through at some point the odds are against you on that one. Shoulders in a fold of...

On one visit last year I was stung twice once on the shoulder and once in my forearm, no problems with the shoulder but my entire lower arm swelled up and i began to get a dull aching feeling in my fingers, I think it was the swelling pressing on a nerve. So all in all i guess it depends on...

point taken, when do you tend to start the spring feed then?

Could be wrong here but I like steve J thought that hive temp was fairly important as to whether you fed them syrup or candy. Surely if the weather is too cool then they are not going to be able to evaporate off the excess water to enable them to store the food without it going mouldy which in...

guess it depends when they died?

I would have though that the less frames you had to check each visit the better. Last year I found drawn out queen cells, lots of them, I dutifully followed the book and AS them. The only thing that happened was that I then had 2 colonies making queen cells I literally had to go up every week...

if you read bees at the bottom of the garden I think he states about the use of equal parts paraffin, creosote and waste engine oil and that he has never noticed any sudden increase in losses. I imagine that if that won't kill the bees you could probably get away with most things, ohh and he...

I just went up on an average day and very quickly lifted the lid and popped the fondant on. I decided against smoke as i din't want them to consume their stores even quicker. But agree possibly not a great idea in the dark.

my lot seem to be grabbing hazel pollen and gorse apparently the new forest stuff is now flowering.

If the formula changed early 2010 I think I should be okay as my hive was painted up in march that year with the stuff and bees seem to be fine.

ermm did I miss the thread on cuprinol clear changing its contents, if so whats wrong with it now and when did they change the formula as i've just bought a gurt tin of the stuff.

oo where abouts , i'm a kings worthy man myself. Also would like to grab one of your nucs please can you send details. I have one very productive hive but they are b****y aggressive it would be nice not to get savaged each visit.