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Lebouche, may I suggest that you buddy up with an experienced beekeeper to help you nurture any swarm that graces your bait hive? By your own admission, your first experience has brought its pain. Beekeeping should not be like this. A fresh start with hindsight and forward planning may bring a...

Indeed. Well organised and marshalled. Plenty of stuff to ponder over, ranging from firewood through to beautifully crafted kit (was particularly impressed by a very attractive WBC stand that was knocked down at around fifty notes - not that I need any of Mr Broughton-Carr's equipment)...

Thank you <blush>

Have since had a chat with one of the contacts from the webby thing. He reports (not surprisingly) a limited offering of bees which will no doubt be in great demand, especially by wannabeeks. A good alternative to pulling weeds, whichever way I look at it.

Demaree MeDeary?

Did you introduce a hidden queen cell inadvertently?

WalterFH welcome. In case you are confused by now, the honeybee Apis Mellifera should be thought of as a 'superorganism' - each individual bee being a co-dependent on the other. A queen is of no use without attendant workers and drones, and the colony survives by synergy. Queen is fed and...

Thanks Veg - nothing ventured, nothing gained, as the saying goes. Close enough to warrant a visit. Watch this space...

Well Lebouche, I certainly admire your perseverance. It's a shame that this colony has suffered such a lingering demise. Do you intend to re-stock your hive?

I'm tempted to bimble along to the Gloucester Beeks' Bee auction. I recall reports from previous years but would anybody like to recount their experiences here? I seem to remember that there were few bargains to be had. Worth a trip?

If you have an abundance of natural forage (and it sounds as if you do) then encourage bees to get out and enjoy the spring sunshine. Better to get them going with and storing nectar than chobbling fondant! I would remove it if you can be certain of plentiful incoming supplies, unless there...

Hi SL. Welcome. You can count on some advice here... Loads of study material available - (and as the bees tell us, loads to learn)!

:iagree:DLQ's can be a b to sort out...

Rubber bands can often be pressed into service to relocate the comb so that the bees can reinforce it to the bar. Your issues with heavily gummed (wax or propolis?) Nationals may be as a consequence of incorrect 'bee space'. Are the hives built to the correct spec?

Was able to attend on Saturday only, although I suspect that my deliberations alone may be responsible for a dearth of Western Red Cedar for a while.:serenade: Was able to park the car closer to the trade hall, an enormous benefit, as my sole reason for the visit was to stock up on bits...

If it ain't broke! Modern beehives (apart from 'specials') have a design brief and technical specification drawn up from about 35 million years ago. Bees need a cavity that will efficiently befit their seasonal and colony dynamics - i.e. a space that will accommodate a productive force of...

Careful - he will be watching and will wreak revenge wiy a crack tae ye heeds!

Allotment digging. While there, put fondant on three allotment hives.... Stirred the bees enough for them to realise that there was a strange yellow ball of fire in the sky instead of perpetual grey. Two hours later - all digging abandoned to watch bees aplenty and a triple bee line to a nearby...

Generally, healthy, strong colonies will tough it out. There can be little doubt that this winter has added to the problems caused by an abysmally poor season last year. We are about to find out about the cumulative affects of poor forage caused by poor weather, potentially poorly mated queens...