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Hi all My bees are bursting in the brood box, 9 frames full. It is a national hive and have brood box only at the moment. I removed the supers about 3 weeks ago. I am going to add a second brood box with foundation to give them room. Do I add it above or below the current box? Also, should...

I thought it would be easier to find the queen if I kept her down stairs. Also reduce time when looking for those dreaded queen cells. What is the advantage of letting the queen have a free reign of both boxes? Cliff

Didnt find the queens but saw plenty of eggs! :) I have queen downstairs, Q excluder followed by another brood box on top. Top box is quite heavy with stores, (this was the box that was q.less for a long time and bees filled it up with stores). I had a bad year with bees swarming this year...

Lots of shredded newspaper looking like tissue dust! (Could be because its the Daily Mail)?

Last Saturday I united 2 hives with a couple of nucs. Is it safe yet to go into the hives and move the frames around and remove one of the brood chambers? Books say leave for a week so I assume everything has settled down now. I do not want to disturb them too soon. Cliff

I have some old frames. The condition of some seem ok but has pollen at the bottom of cells. Other frames have gone mouldy. Can I use them in another hive and let the bees clean them up? If not would they be suitable to put in a bait hive? Third option is to strip them down and re...

If you removed a sting, that would be a bee sting. Wasps do not leave a sting in your skin.

The queen was marked with a hardly noticeable blue . I didn't see a queen in the last inspection but it was very quick as the weather was quite poor, (also I forgot my glasses)! Tomorrow I will do a more thorough search. I accept that if there is no queen it was a risk I took. I'm hoping to...

I think its all drone brood. I just wanted a second opinion. I went through the hive today and couldn't find the queen. I will have a more thorough look tomorrow. Cliff

I bought in a queen last month for a queenless hive. She was introduced carefully by holding her in the queen cage for 3 days in the hive and then allowing the bees to get to the fondant to release her. Comments appreciated please.

In a national hive, one of my super is full of bees about 9 frames of bees. If I clear them, will this make the brood box overcrowded? Cliff

70% on a frame and not in the hive. I appreciate your comments and I will post a photo soon as possable.

Your are right, I think i have a drone laying queen with a laying worker. I promise a photo when i go through the hive! Company is willing to replace the queen. Cliff

Had a reply from the supplier, they will send a queen next Tuesday! Looking good! Cliff

I am moving my apiary out of a dull woodland to a more open site closer to town and away from grassland farmland. Nuc to be placed on new site. In winter when bees are clustered, I hope to move all hives to new site Cliff

I am picking up the nuc on Thursday. I am moving my apiary a mile away from the site now. The current site is in woodland and is dark and gloomy. The new site is in the open and closer to town and villages.

Thinking of this. I am getting a couple of nucs later in the week. Probably will unite queenless hive to nuc. The only problem is the nuc will be placed a mile away from the queenless hive. cliff

no, brood foundation.

Ok Bees starved. Today I spent half the day mixing 2 to one sugar mix and fed all hives. I often wondered if the bees are in a suitable position. Looking around, its all farmers fields growing grass. I am planning to move the bees this winter. Cliff

Ill email them now!