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Hi again. After starting a controversy with a query about a 2 queen system, and getting some excellent advice and opinions I'd like to have another go. I need to move a hive in my garden apiary about 20 feet to start the new season. It's in an inconvenient position because of various short...

Thanks for your replies. I realised it wasn't mainstream practice and now I can see the pitfalls. I have at least one colony that will need requeening next year. Space at the bottom of my garden is limited and I thought of artificially swarming and using the two queen system to a)save...

I've been reading a booklet by Ron Brown entitled 'A simple two queen system'. It was written in about 1980. I am thinking of using it on one of my hives next year and wondered if anyone has used his system and whether there were any drawbacks.

Well done Congratulations Queens59, I got a lovely retro certificate when I passed last year (and a slightly smug feeling that after two years of making mistakes I had finally learned something). My sub to the Cleveland Beekeepers costs £25 which includes BBKA membership, insurance and a...

Is shutting them in an option if he's not using the digger for too long? It may save him a few stings.

Evodia-bee tree The Bee Tree- Evodia was subject of a thread earlier in the year- or was it last year. I tried to grow it from seed but failed. Today I took delivery of 2 one year old trees from a Welsh nursery on ebay. Very pleased with them and they have more if anyone's interested.

Apivar My autumn treatment with apiguard wasn't very effective, probably the weather wasn't warm enough. One hive had a varroa drop of 16 a day last week when I checked. After reading this thread I bought some apivar from an online bee vet. I am pleased I didn't delay longer until December and...

On a slightly different note, keep an eye on the rotating entrance cover. I've found that if the screw works slightly loose then the weight of the solid plastic section moves it to the bottom and closes the entrance. Could be a problem if you can't inspect frequently. I remove the cover unless I...

Hi beeboybee, I have some of these nucs with the 14x12 eke. The feeder is only filled to the level of the cut out which the bees use for access. You don't fill it to the top of the eke. I don't glue the eke to the main body as I can then use it as a 14x12 or ordinary national. Hope this helps.

:iagree:

I have clipped this year because it gives me more confidence to keep bees in an urban setting. I have been caught out by swarms for the past two years. Last year because of inexperience I couldn't find the queen to AS and they ended in a tree and garden next door. This year the weather caught me...

Found and clipped two queens. I was careful this time to hold her over the frame which was laid on top of the brood box. Last time I did it I lost the queen who dropped into the supers (placed beside the hive during the inspection) and I didn't find her (above the QE) for three weeks by which...

I use a service called Rain Today which has a good weather radar and if you pay for the premium version gives a projected rain radar for the next three hours. Invaluable this year for hive inspections and country walks. I find the met forecasts not specific enough, even though they claim to...

Well, well, well. On 20th June I released a mated queen from a butler cage to Q- Hive1. She was already marked but I clipped her to prevent swarming into my urban environment. As I was doing the clipping she made off and I couldn't tell if she'd dropped into the hive or onto the ground. I...

Watched the front of the hive I put a cast in on 5th June. I had been concerned that the queen hadn't been mated because of the weather (no pollen being taken in). When...... she landed on the front of the hive and ran straight in with something white protruding from her abdomen. I presume she...

In my experience the bumble most likely to inhabit nest boxes is the Tree Bumble Bee, Bombus hypnorum. It is known for being more aggressive than most species when defending its nest. They can be moved safely by taping over the hole in the evening, and don't seem to mind how far they are moved...

Thanks chaps. I will take your advice.

I will shortly be getting a five frame nuc on National brood frames which I want to move straight away into a 14x12 broodbox. Should I start by adding a 14x12 frame at the centre or the ends of the nuc frames?

I found this situation during an inspection with the regional be inspector. drstiton and toby3652 give me some hope in waiting. midlandbeek gives something more to consider. When the original hive tried to swarm on 28th March I moved the old queen into a nuc. The original hive then cast on 11th...

The cast was hived into a 14x12 with new worker foundation. I was hoping for the best but it seems a marked frame of eggs is the way forward. Thanks everyone.:beatdeadhorse5: