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Further to RAB's post: http://tinyurl.com/b8pust8 Provides useful advice, courtesy of the Bee Unit at DEFRA.

Reading :) especially at procedures for spring inspections (hive hygiene and disease recognition being important), swarm control and all that assists the development of a healthy colony. Any beekeeping meetings? There's not much to be done in the apiary just yet apart from checking for feed...

No need for a stethoscope. A straight (and clean) stick/ rod/ screwdriver pressed to the ear at one end and hive at the other will do the job. Hints: locate the listening stick on to the tragus of the ear to avoid an uncomfortable experience, and keep the sharp end at the hive!!

Little to be gained from opening at this time of year. If they are weak, then chilling them could be the coupe de grâce. There are other non-intrusive methods of checking as described. These problems are more likely to show in the winter months, when bees are in torpor and when their...

Congrats - you have two bees! :)

What's with this weather! 12 deg forecast now. Apiary visit today revealed hives still on pallets, not yet floating due to overflowing large pond. Wind rain and flooding likely. Depressing or what? Summer please, a proper one....

Not advisable. OA treatment should be undertaken as a carefully considered option as a result of suspicion (or, better, evidence) of an unacceptable varroa load. Timing is important for the treatment to be effective. Yes, you may kill more mites, but at the risk of damage to queen and bees! Can...

Variation on a theme: my Kingspan top-of-hive insulation has a food container sized hole in the middle, above the feed hole in the CB. When empty, a quick change is easy. It's a bit of a fiddle to cut though.

The condition and size of the colony is significant. Healthy bees in sufficient number, adequately fed, will keep warm, given optimum conditions. Poor health, few bees, no feeding and your dwindling colony will become an ex-colony. On the subject of insulation and such-like, I would have opted...

Hi there and welcome. Sad loss of your bees. A couple of comments(?) Swarming doesn't deplete a colony fully - bees are clever enough to leave enough bees with a developing queen - their means of reproduction. Robbing would perhaps leave some evidence (battle worn bee corpses being an example)...

Welcome and a reminder to our new beekeepers of Monsieur Abeille's excellent intro to beekeeping sticky: http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14770

Material is very similar across all applications as the key concepts are the same, e.g. cleanliness, maintenance of work area, temperature control and storage, legislation, etc. Once candidates have grasped these principles, the development of one's own HACCP (hazard awareness and critical...

No need to harp on about it Rab. BeeBreeder was only trumpeting his success.

Not much more than the food hygiene course as it would appear to be a full day, unless you are there for the weekend, which will bring an opportunity to wander around the trade show, get a bargain or three and talk bees. If your only objective is the course and qualification, there are other...

More likely perhaps that they didn't need fondant anyway? Don't worry - you can always remove some stores (replace with 'drawn' comb) at the crucial moment. Be careful not to remove precious pollen or be prepared to supplement. It's a balancing act for sure and better to let them run with...

If they have stores then there's little to worry over and no need for disruption (such is the value of hefting)! If they don't have stores you will add insult to injury in giving them the fuel to heat an open barn! However, if you have top insulation and can get some fondant in with a shallow...

Putting an uninsulated super on top of a deep box of brood is certainly not advisable now that winter is upon us, food or no food.

Haven't had the need to look. No doubt a google search will be revealing.

I routinely use iPhone in the field. Nitrile gloves are no problem. Propolis cleans without too much trouble. If you google the words 'tight' and 'bee' in a particular combination you will see that it has been done before, very effectively. Other products are available :)

Most kind :)