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There is no guarantee with a sealed QC, especially if frames are shaken. It's common to find a worker sealed back into cells, post emergence (not your situation of course). You won't necessarily know the age of a sealed one, whereas an unsealed cell can be examined to see a fat grub swimming in...

Bees don't need to practice swarming. When they're good to go they find that they are well up to the task. Perhaps your queen isn't a good flyer. Is she clipped? Your bee digestive problems can be investigated - sample of 30 flyers to a microscopist can easily diagnose Nosema., as you probably...

Unlikely for the bees to leave and give up residence completely IMO. You may have seriously peed them off and dislodged a few but even this split would be unlikely. If they're there and they have to go, I would leave this to the experts. Pesties will respond, in my experience, especially when...

Well, the mention of beepoo certainly brings the possibility of nosema to mind. Flying bees tend to deposit streaks rather than spots. Photo's may help. A liquid consistency would be more to worry about. What are they feeding on - what's in the hive and what are they bringing in? Not got any...

JBG - bp all over the hives is a measure of something other than the issue of a swarm. I've had that déjà vu before...

I can't quite see what's going on here. Bees will swarm; not if, but when. As long as they have the instinct to swarm, some division of the colony is almost inevitable. Nature's way. A beekeeper's intervention through established techniques of bee husbandry is timed to work with nature to...

Why lift them off in one? Lift them off individually, stack to one side, cover, inspect, reverse process. There are many factors that cause bees to become especially defensive. Stealing their newly- processed OSR treasure is one. Variable weather and temperatures, hasty or clumsy manipulations...

Why work down through the supers if you want to look at the brood? Take supers off and put to one side, still with CB and they will continue with their work while you get to the important parts. Think about it! When you reach the brood the whole colony will be wired on alarm pheromone. I've...

Indeed. Something of a tangent to the OP's concern over honey, just to clarify the original request. I've had that déjà vu before...

Yes. I have had my pa ins polys munched (ooerr). I've had that déjà vu before...

And to what do we owe that pearl of wisdom? You are surely not referring to honey? I've had that déjà vu before...

Good plan. Let's be mindful though, that there is no choice here. It's a legal requirement that if you suspect foul brood, you *must* notify an Inspector or send a sample of bees, in addition to your self imposed standstill order! Good for all of us to get these things diagnosed and sorted...

Fond memories of narrow boat holidays. Took all of two days to adapt to the pace and resist the urge to get to 'B' as quickly as possible. "Where are you going for your holidays?" "Stourbridge". I've had that déjà vu before...

Warped foundation? I've had that déjà vu before...

And at the other end... Opened a ripe-to-pop QC today to release a queen. Couldn't find my queen cage so while we played hunt-the-matchbox, held queen captive with fingertip. Queen continued to bite away at the new barrier to freedom. Quite a tickle from those powerful mandibles! I've had...

Ahem... what I should have posted, of course, was "or another knowledgeable beekeeper..."not worthy

RodB I think you are being overly concerned. Your ideal bees will soon become akin to the rest of the local stock, unless you can guarantee selective breeding (you can't). Probably little chance of disease worth worrying about, even with a swarm, unless EFB (or worse) in your area. Most other...

I don't even consider it when handling them. Never known a queen to show the slightest bit of interest. Queen stings are for stinging queens! I've had that déjà vu before...

I would suggest a 3 mile move for both sets of equipment, if you can contain the bees. I've had that déjà vu before...

'Sub' supers are prone to a dash or two of pollen, as the brood nest expands upwards and outwards. I've had that déjà vu before...