Search results

Suggest you do a Google for: "Grant Thompson" & "The King of Random" - this guy does a series of Youtube videos on innovative projects. A couple of them are concerned with slicing styrofoam with a hot-wire. He goes into some detail regarding construction, power supplies etc. But - I'd have...

There are several videos on Youtube which explain how to convert a washing machine motor for general use. They can be sourced 'from the dump' for free or the cost of a pint. Such motors are high r.p.m. universal motors, so would need to be geared down and/or fitted with a speed controller...

Sure, when comparing like with like - that makes complete sense - but - fondant is similar to syrup in that it has no taste (other than 'sweet') or smell. When there's nectar to be had - do bees scoff the syrup, even though it will have a very much higher calorific value ? Not on your life ...

Just use the same generator that you would use for your multi-dose VOA kit. I have one that fits easily into the car boot - not an issue. But then again, some of us have even run power points around the apiary acreage ... /smug LJ

My experience suggests otherwise. They all know where the fondant is - because I put a dab of honey on it when it's first placed on the Crown Board - and I've checked several afterwards to find that the honey's gone. Fondant may well have a higher energy value that honey (can the bees work...

I don't know if my experience is typical, but I place a small jar (ramekin or similar) over a hole in the Crown Board on all my hives, to act as a 'fuel gauge'. In practice, as long as the girls have honey stores, they won't touch it - so - if I see the fondant is being consumed, then I know...

I think the reading of the forecasts needs looking at carefully - yes - the high temperatures of the day look like being in double figures, but (here, anyway) that's only for a few hours each afternoon. There are a couple of days when double figures are forecast from midday to midnight - but...

I don't see the problem here. If it was really cold and the bees were tightly clustered - sure, then fondant placement could be a problem. But right now, and my guess for the rest of this 'winter', there won't be any tight clustering going on, and so there's virtually no risk of isolation...

A gorgeous day - not excessively warm, but very pleasant indeed in the sun. All hives put on a good display for an hour or two. My crazy nuc was out showing-off all day (of course) - all the other nucs were far more circumspect. Forecast for the next two weeks is for warm weather (in February...

Exactly - that's what I mean by having a plan ready. But - said plan always needs to be flexible, just in case something doesn't pan out as expected - 'cause it often doesn't ! :) LJ

And - from a Russian site: The text (by courtesy of Google Translate) reads: Rime of warming is melting, but the water back to the nest are no longer covered. By tilting the hive drops roll down the film forward and Vodicka flowing out. LJ

I hope you realise that a post about ventilation is a case of "light the blue touch-paper and retire immediately ... !" :hairpull: But bees need moisture. It's condensation in the wrong place dripping onto the cluster which can kill them - but that isn't the same thing as 'moisture'...

STC-1000's are extremely good value for money - I've just ordered another one @ £6 delivered (eventually ...). If you really want a bargain - checkout the W1209. I've just taken receipt of 3 at £1.49 each. For your £1.49 you get a microprocessor, support circuitry, relay (10A @ 220V), 3-digit...

I would say to any beginners - get your plans (always provisional !) for the coming season drawn up now, and ensure that you have the equipment needed for it, ready and waiting. Because - the season is short - and, because beekeeping supply houses have 'runs' on certain products, like frames...

Same here. These are my lunatic bees - in a (wooden, sorry Derek) 5-frame nuc who fly when no other colony is flying. Photo taken at around midday when the temp was 5-6 deg C. Some colonies were just putting one or two scouts out - most, none at all - but not these crazies. It was the same...

Then don't lift it ! That's the beauty of BIG frame sizes - you never need to lift a box full of frames. Or - for those who actually like lifting boxes, try an 8-over-8 configuration - either in custom boxes or in dummied-down standard deeps. You know, it's not compulsory to copy what others...

I think £70 for an in-season nuc is fair, and around £120 for over-wintered. Some of the prices I see being asked are crazy. LJ

Excellent - what a good idea ! Up until now I've been using a tin can with a serrated edge to cut holes in sheets of expanded polystyrene - but it's a slow method, and more importantly, it's bl##dy messy with countless crumbs of the stuff wafting about afterwards. Such a cutter might be just...

Yes - pretty-much. The size of 'THE bee-space' is one of those perennial disputes. But bees vary in size, therefore the bee-space has a range of values. Smaller bees = smaller bee-spaces (obviously). I run Top-Bee-space, and aim for 8mm at the top of the box, and 1mm at the bottom (so that...

That's my experience too. Borage is like a bee-magnet - only down-side is that it falls over if there's no support - so protected site and/or dense sowing is recommended. LJ