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Transferred bait hive swarm (3 frames ) to a nuc. Spotted the Q. Thinking of re-queening with a Q from my apiary (known characteristics).

A nuc box may be too small for some swarms. A standard brood box with a reduced entrance would be preferred.

Getting to the end of a long sequence of sorting out a strong nasty hive. Checked two nucs made from eggless and larvaeless frames from original hive and a frame each of eggs from quieter hives. Each nuc had purposeful bees, polished cells, no eggs but saw one queen. Looks like the method...

This week finished off a perspex crown board. Used the timber from one of those cheap shoe racks and fixed with double-sided sticky tape. Hope it works OK.

As said before. Put on strong hive during a flow. I used 10 frames in a National super. I alternated the frames. One frame full sheet of foundation. The next with just half a sheet of foundation with bottom cut on a zig-zag. Seemed to prevent oddly aliened comb and brace comb.

Swarm season coming up and my collector's entry hasn't been updated. A couple of weeks ago I found some more info about the Scottish Asian Hornet find but it seemed well hidden.

Changed the OMFs for clean ones. I am undecided about replacing the mouseguards. Some colonies seem quite strong. I will have to watch out for starvation if we get a spell of non-flying weather ..... the other alternative could be early swarms.

With BBS Nationals I found that the bees built hard dirty comb (ladders ?) down from the bottom bars of the frames. These ladders were a nuisance when combining and other manipulations. I reduced the internal depth to about 10mm and found things better. With an OMF floor, the bees did not draw...

Info ... Info... Need more info. Well done to whoever spotted it. Location ? Type of store ? Part of a chain ? Gardening section ? Hope there is a DNA analysis shortly.

Thanks to the members who have posted pics of unusual insects. Last week, I caught something in one of my hornet traps that had me reaching for the NBU Asian Hornet fact sheet. It wasn't an AH but I couldn't identify it. It was smaller than a wasp, wings were longer than the body, the abdomen...

I was advised to have the excluder such that the slots are at 90* to the top bars. The idea is that there is less propolis between the two.

I am often asked by new "Asian" customers " No added sugar ?" Does anyone remember the product that appeared on shelves a few years ago ? It was a clear jar with a block of comb in it and topped up with a coloured liquid (glucose/fructose ?).

Winter Aconite The apiary aconites are flowering at the base of shrubs and brambles. I suspect my problem of foliage eating is ...pigeons.

As Pargyle, I take Loratidine for hayfever. I like to suggest to a Newbee or someone who swells up from stings, that they take an antihistamine a little while before going to the bees,

National Solid Floor Modification I used bought in National Solid Floors. I found that the bees built dark, thick, unused comb hanging down from the bottom bars of the frames (ladders ?). This was a nuisance if I had to combine hives. I reduced this problem by reducing the internal depth of...

Made some RN type hornet traps. Am I paranoid ??

Spread some clumps in the apiary. Snowdrops/Grape Hyacinth/Sedum. I wish I knew what was cropping the foliage off the Winter Aconite. If I knew it might be doubtful if I would do anything about it. Some of the bees were quartering just above ground foliage level. Not sure why.

Nit picking .... With that shape of roof edge, would rainwater soak the ends of the straw and rot ? Side straws might have better run off if vertical.

For years, I used 11 Hoffman frames + a dummy board in my National brood boxes. I got fed up of scraping the wax and propolis off the shoulders. I have recently changed to using 11 space metal spacers in the brood box. A slightly different working technique. I can use my old Hoffman frames with...

I can stand being thought of as grumpy. I am still looking for a reply to the post from Briarfield.