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Well spotted Briarfield. I was wondering too. Started 101 threads and 272 posts.... joined 2014

A standard mouse guard can make it difficult for bodies to be pulled out through the holes. I prefer to mount the guard higher so there is a bee space below the bottom edge. This also avoids the guard knocking pollen off returning bees.

Months ago, I tackled my local Farmfoods store about split sugar bags. No joy. The policy is to bin. .

Took advantage of the cold weather to put an extra coat of preservative on the hives. Didn't linger ... too cold.

I use a cheap hair dryer plus thermostat in my warming cabinet.

Replaced candy containers on two hives. Noticed perspex crown board with 4mm perspex rim was getting brace comb to top bars. I will have to make deeper rims in future. Only a few bees flying.

I prefer to have the frames "warm way" in my National. If I have a frame of brood which I would like to change ( old, drone cells, badly drawn ) , I place it next to the entrance. The brood is raised but usually the Q does not lay new eggs on this frame.

I made up a small batch of candy for bee feed. Must do better ..... Caught some earache about messy working.

Digit extraction I think it's time the NBU got its finger out. The heads up about winter food stores was useful. It's a pity they haven't drawn our attention to their January update on the Asian hornet. I feel like telling the inspector to " P*** Off " next time he wants a sample ( or set...

Yesterday ..... Sealed off a couple of dead-outs ....... Starvation. On other hives, the bees were taking candy from boxes over the feed hole.

Manley Mouse Guard I prefer the kind of guard mentioned in " Honey Farming ". It is a strip of perforated metal fixed across the entrance leaving a bee space below the bottom edge. The advantages are ..... ventilation, no pollen stripping, and the entrance doesn't get blocked with dead bees. A...

If the bottom bar seems too thick for the slot, I gently squeeze the end of the bar with a pair of pliers. I routinely stand the tops of the side bars in some water for a couple of minutes. It is supposed to help to stop the side bar top from splitting.

Thanks for the interesting thread. Perhaps the question "What have the Romans done for us ?" should be asked in respect of my county association ?

Goran ..... Some of the US keeps use straw bales as wind breaks. Would these help you or would it be more work and problems ? Nice pics.

Have i missed something ? I look at this thread fairly regularly and something has come up. I have checked Beebase and the BBKA website but haven't found anything new. A recent report of a Regional Bee Inspector (2016) says that in 2017 the NBU will be advising beekeepers to place hornet...

Could ownership of bees/hive be in dispute ? Brood boxes ... "cold way" Super ... "warm way" Strange. I wonder who roped the hive. Before you move the hive, prepare the new site. You may wish to place it quickly and retreat. The bees may not be happy after a trip on modern roads.

Drex .... Some of your hives have become unexpectedly light. It may be worthwhile making a note of these hives. Next season, you could re-queen them using eggs from one of your hives that has behaved as expected. You could be removing a poor wintering trait from your apiary.

Yesterday .... Checked my Manley style mouse guards ... All OK. Some bees flying and bringing in yellow pollen. Not sure what it is.

I'm puzzled. About an hour ago, I read an item on the BBC news website saying that Defra had announced that the Asian hornet event had been contained. The Mendip event was just 2 individual hornets. I tried looking on Beebase without success. A recent return to the BBC site has drawn a blank...

I use a comb to scratch and break the cappings. I run the honey from the extractor into tubs through a coarse filter made from an orange-type net. After storing or standing the tub is warmed for 24 hours. The wax comes to the top and can be skimmed off. The warm honey is filtered through a fine...