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At this critical time of year, you may find the assistance of a more experienced beekeeper will be of great value, now and in the coming weeks. Lots to check now, stores, pollen, healthy queen, healthy brood, healthy bees, equipment change, etc. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks OM

Planning on a trip to Stoneleigh tomorrow. Could somebody please check out the website of that supplier over Wragby way as it's not playing with my computer at the mo. Alternatively, could anybody point me in the direction of a workable 'show' price listing of theirs (clearly, posting here not...

Keep them in garden until Basic attained. Wait until cold winter (assume next year as no timescale given). Move chilled bees carefully as of advice given when over wintering. However, you should have a contingency move planned, especially as a beginner, if your garden has neighbours, just in...

Undue disturbance of the cluster is a bad thing, if they are indeed tightly clustered. We are going through a relatively mild winter and your bees' particular level of activity should be taken into account. Mine have taken several opportunities to pop out for a 'look around' lately. I'm reminded...

If there are significant bees milling around the old location they may perish in the cold. I would evaluate numbers at each location and be prepared to place a collecting box at the one with the lesser number, then attempt a merge, perhaps involving a 3 mile move. Unlikely that the strays will...

Perhaps I should clarify, Dadant superior in longevity of burn for this beekeeper at least; all other things being reasonably similar! Size would indeed appear to matter...

After fiddling around with a few, I have to say that the Dadant that I bought at the Honey Show last year has proved its worth. Smoulders away nicely and can be relied upon to wheeze back into life after a good few minutes of resting. Not cheap but the best that I have used so far, without...

Re Bresser: It's all relative I thought it was a reasonable buy a good while ago - and I suppose that it is value for money. However, having played with some serious optics throughout the course of microscopy, its shortcomings are clear. Spend your forty quid by all means but bear in mind that...

:icon_204-2: love it. 6 apiaries about the same number of hive tools. 3 smokers. 3 bee suits. Interchanged regularly, tools held in WS, disinfected regularly BUT if any FB notifications or beekeeper visits, extra care and cleanliness. No need for paranoia - just good habits and vigilance.

My P's feeder compartments are stuffed with pea netting or similar. Syrupy ladder for them.

Late feeding with sugar syrup brings a risk that bees may not process/ store it in time before the big chill sets in and they lose motivation to get it all sorted. Take a risk on the temperatures or feed anyway. Better to give them the opportunity to take the stuff rather than have to resort...

Big tank. Pump.

Intrigued by the irony of it all....

Don't try any of this at home folks. Unless you have a good understanding of electrical principles. As my Dad advised me "electricity makes a very good servant but a very poor master". I see it now, unprotected mains powered supplies with dodgy connections to a poorly rated and totally...

Is she laying well? What is your Varroa load? There's still some time to assess her performance but, yes, a 14x12 is a very big space to fill. Have a nuc ready - be prepared to treat for Varroa but remember that thymol can inhibit performance. Assess stores as you go into the cooler months.

Maybe you don't get it... The LAW says that you can't do it. If you do you are committing an offence. Not a question of sadness - it's a question of compliance. And I firmly believe that every responsible beekeeper should do the utmost to comply with the laws that regulate their hobby/...

As you wish. Whatever the reasoning offered up here, use of out-of-date treatments is forbidden under the Regs and there's no grey area there.

Labels must be and remain legible. With a honey BB date of two years (and more) being perfectly acceptable, labels are likely to deteriorate before the honey! I gave up trying to faff around with a home-grown label solution. Mine are printed professionally 1000 at a time (1000 each, front...

Exactly! How many would complain bitterly and expect retribution if say, Tesco took such a casual regard to what ended up in their cornflakes (hmm I have just reminded myself of the horsemeat affair - but look at the fall-out from that)! OK - thymol may not be such a huge risk - but the law is...