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Well I've just witnessed this for the first time. Long story but I collected a swarm, that then tried to swarm, I split them, they swarmed anyway, this was the split. I had a little look today because of the 'no food' worries (needn't have worried) but there were 14-15 swarm cells. I decided...

Ok thanks all. I think that has answered my thoughts nicely. I've been reusing jars that had original shop bought honey in them for a while and use them for give away honey for friends and family. 'Fill your own jar' is an interesting concept but not sure it would work as I find once I've...

I'm in my first year of selling honey. I bought new jars to sell my honey in, but in the spirit of recycling can I recycle these if people give them back to me. I will obviously ask if they have put anything else in there in the mean time. I'm just selling to friends, and friends of friends...

Thanks Jenkinsbrynmair. Yes the previous post confused me. I added the super as it was hot and there were so many bees, I wasn't surprised they didn't do anything with it. I've just looked at them again and they are a sorry bunch. No queen or eggs and just one seam of very lethargic bees...

Hi, I've been beekeeping for four years now but I have to say I haven't had to deal with swarm cells very often. I've only ever really done pro-active splits not re-active ones. I collected a very large swarm on 30th April and put them into a full size hive the next day full of foundation...

You need to make sure both of the screws are as tight as possible before you put any honey in it, so tight that you couldn't open it to get the honey out without loosening the screws.

Ok thanks all. Yes my standard reply was 'I don't think it's ever been researched but please let me know if you think it helps'. It will be interesting to see what feedback I get.

I'm selling honey for the first time this year. I keep being asked about hayfever and how local the honey needs to be. I don't suffer from hayfever and don't know if it has ever been proved to help. Does anyone know or have any experience of it relieving symptoms? If so how local would it...

I started having only done a theoretical course. It's not ideal but that's life. Just take your time and don't get stressed (I sing a bit if I think I'm getting hot and stressed - it controls your breathing). Read loads and make up your own mind how you are going to do things. It'll be a...

I live on the edge of a big village. There is oil seed rape fairly near me every years. I've taken 5 or 6 batches of honey over the last few years at different times and it's always been roughly the same colour and consistency. I've never seen it crystalise in the bucket although I have seen...

I'm just thinking about getting my first lot of labels. I looked at Avery but it didn't seem to be cost effective with the cost of buying them and my printer ink and then the design issues which you mention. Someone recommended this site previously so I think I'm going to try them. I'm...

I'm in exactly the same position. I was going to take some off this weekend but decided the all the bees staying at home would need the space, and be harder to get out of the super if they weren't going out of the hive. Ironically there is always OSR near me but the honey always looks exactly...

Thanks all. I hadn't realised there needs to be no gap for honey shows. I haven't gone down that route yet. Yes you're right it is 454g - just being a bit lazy with my typing. I have two supers to extract on Monday - very excited!

Ok, why no gap. is that just so it is definitely the 450g? I will leave it in the buckets for a few days so any bubbles should rise if that is the reason.

Hi, I'm selling honey for the first time this year. This might be a silly question but I have bought 1lb jars. Do I just fill them up or do I need to weight them empty, add 450g and fill them to that weight. Seems a bit hit and miss with being able to stop the honey flow at the right time.

I've got one colony nicely contained in one brood box but with 3 supers. Also two colonies wall to wall with brood so now with two brood boxes but just the 2 supers. It just depends. You have to just decide based on what is in front of you.

I bought some seconds from Maisemore this winter and am really pleased with them. I find the better made ones are very hard to snap the bottom bar bit out of then you have to get a Stanley knife to them. The cheaper ones tend to snap off very easily.

Ok thanks for your of your suggestions. I'll ponder and see what I think will work for me.

In the past I've only had one hive to take honey from so it's been rather simple. However this year I have three going great guns and there is OSR around. I have one rhombus clearer board with the bits to make one more but I'm just wondering what you do when you have honey to take off a few...

I missed two yesterday.