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Of course, but they are pretty much as light as they'll get this time of year, alternatively, as soon as the brood is on the new floor, switch the two so floor and BB back in proper position (you could use manipulation cloths or a spare crown on the super while doing this if it really is that...

Rebuild the hive right next to it, immediately move back in to original position. the intention is restacking not moving, the second floor is simply to let you re-stack pronto and limit exposure/heat loss. Bonus bogof - You may as well take the benefit of a clean floor, which should be...

That's true for those temps, so modify to run in stages - it isn't an invasive operation this way. If you really need to you could simply use your spare floor and switch over with the QE between, close up, then inspect the super for evidence later / sort out feed as you see fit. It is the frame...

I'd go with enrico but with a slight variant. If you have a spare floor that'll make this easier. Spare floor, place brood to new floor. QE on top Super from bottom to top Inspect frames of super for signs of Queen, if you find her put her back to brood. If you find signs of laying but no queen...

What drives you? I am at £4 / lb I doubt I could get more for my location and the amount of doorstep trade I can attract. Is it better to sell it all (just) or end up with some old stuff hanging around? This year have sold about 80, gifted about 25, remainder about 15 (so far). Would I have sold...

you all seem to be wrong, seems obvious to me sat here in Yorkshire, free ones of course.

Ditto what the guys are saying except I would put some fondant on as soon as I had finished feeding / it was too cold for them to take and process syrup. Reason for this three fold: a) centralises the colony and with fondant above them reduces chances of isolation from stores and starvation (esp...

Cant see they would take it down any quicker, they should be able to 'process' it a bit quicker once it is in the comb though.

Just a build on the dishwasher. You get 3 for 1, which from a HACCP view point supports: 1. cleans them (CP) 2. the drying cycle is normally hot enough and long enough to give you a microbiological sterilisation (70'C/2mins or 75'C/23 secs or 80'C for 6 secs) etc (CP) 3. Because you wash...

Have you thought about leaving your product range as is but increasing your interest to attract people? Someone on here put a set of photo's up for a 'virtual hive' easy to stick them to some frames so people can do a 'virtual inspection' Simplify that to a 'spot the queen competition'. Have...

Would agree with Davelin. Fondant cheaper than a new colony, but it's presence does protect as more than just a food source IMO. I autumn treat and feed as normal but then always throw on a 2Kg fondant block in an upturned plastic container on each (mid/late Oct), in an edge insulated feeding...

Currently not far from you at the mo Chris (Le Langdon), strikes me sunflowers are to mid/west France what OSR is to the UK, only varies from OSR in that we get the odd down pour with the OSR and you get the odd giant hail stone storm! Never seen so many cars damaged so severely by one storm.

Cheap tea towels, Sew a turn over at each end and use old frame top bars, heavy and the right width. I agree about using two in unison. Painfully slow though and only worth it is you have really troublesome bees.

Had to limit options at some point. Wld suggest electric Knife goes under < Other (post a description) > Tx R

Just browsed through the thread and since not mentioned previously ..... Stings be-get stings! I clear down using almond oil on a soaking pad when harvesting supers, drives the bees down nicely. If you have angry bees a spray of almond oil on each glove / gauntlet seems to over-power any...

Not the best, but pleasing (40lb per hive x3 so far with the supers back on) - given that 3 months ago my bees were all very proudly receiving their 25m breast stroke awards and water-logged crops were getting ploughed back in around me, it could have been much worse. At that time, to have held...

This is probably my third season de-capping using a hot air gun. I find it quick, clean and highly effective (provided you remember you have a 'gun' hand and a 'frame' hand!) We've debated methods on the forum in the past, but to help those who have not tried out multiple methods; what...

Due to floods and early crop losses in my part of Yorkshire, most OSR round here ended up as Spring sown. It is still comfortably in bloom here. Intended to wait for the blooms to fade but lost my nerve and harvested yesterday. Glad I did - some corners were just starting to crystalize. Never...

Plan for the worst, hope for the best. A placid colony can turn faster than you can say 'ouch that bl00dy hurts!' or worse 'when did I become allergic to bee stings?' Full suit, wellies and gloves for me.

21 pages and still going, who said beeks had time on their hands during the winter months, what tosh!