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There is no definitive answer to your question really. Obviously bees swarm as part of the natural process, primarily to create new colonies and promulgate the species. Swarming season is generally recognised as being from late April until End June after which time to establish an over-wintering...

You need to watch them closely and if this continues then you have only a few choices- 1) Kill the Queen and re-Queen hoping for a more sedate Q whose influence will calm the colony. 2) Move the hive to an out apiary away from people and animals until the outcome of 1 above is apparent. 3)...

Have never had such a disastrous winter having lost 2 out of 4 colonies, with another Q- and weak. I have now United the colonies and will rebuild from here, but looking like a poor season for me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My advice is that you join a local beekeeping association, where you will get advice and also make links with swarm collection which could provide your first colony with the support required to get the best out of your new hobby. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I usually vaporise my colonies using oxalic acid about 3 times at this time of year and find it very effective. I have this year been persuaded to use API- Bioxal but having done one round of treatment note the warning on the pack that it should only be administered once? I am concerned this...

I am in the South East also. My plan is to remove all supers next weekend and begin winter preparation from that point. I would focus on taking your colony into winter as a strong unit to enable them to survive and produce a healthy colony in the spring. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good idea if the service is available and able to be offered people can choose to take advantage of the opportunity or decline. It might also if structured properly encourage greater participation at local associations and breath fresh blood into the bee world!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had a woman ring me with a similar problem yesterday asking if I could remove the swarm that had settled in her chimney. This is specialist work requiring scaffolding and possibly the removal of brickwork. In my opinion trying to lure bees from chimneys using smoke or other lures is doomed to...

Of course I mean washing soda! My mental aberration apologies to all!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would replace all the foundation, but before using the brood box, I would use a blow torch to kill any pathogens and also wash all other parts using caustic soda. If you only had the one colony how are you going to re-queen and populate your new hive? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I live in Kent and last week was abnormal in terms of weather and of course saw bees fetching pollen in bucket loads across all my colonies. The temptation was of course to have a peek but common sense got the better of me after all it is still winter!! I satisfied that seeing pollen going into...

If you are member of a beekeeping club one of the other members may have an overwintered nuc you could buy. You would know your bees came from a reliable source and get some help setting up your hive. I that is not an option then I agree that bees from 20 miles away is no impediment to happy and...

A rough guide I work on is 3 frames with the back up of feeding fondant at some point from about Xmas on. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Decided to clean up all the frames from this years supers and treat with Certan. Having sprayed the frames I placed them on the patio to quickly dry. Patio well over 100 yards from hives, which are at this time of year in a shaded and cooler part of the garden. I then took my dogs for a 40...

I see the logic. Thank you for the clarification. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought I read that to move hives it was best to use a solid floor and a travel screen. But I may have dreamt that!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Never moved a hive but always wondered “what if”. Surely if you have OMF once you seal the entrance bees will just look to escape via the floor? Or have I missed something in the thread?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree. I vape from under the OMF and try to do so during the day. You don’t need all your bees in the hive for OA Treatment to be effective. I also wonder why you feel you need to treat with such a low varroa count, though precautionary treatment is no bad thing. I also wonder why you are...

Did you put the super above the crown board for cleaning after extracting? I always do and find the bees clean up the wet supers and take it for stores. If you put the super below the crown board then the bees consider it as part of the hive and of course continue to store expecting to have...

It is a time consuming process, especially if you are using a knife so as to retain the wax for future use. It is also very messy with lots of sticky honey that attracts other bees and particularly wasps. I think there is little you can do to speed things up if you don’t want to use a heat gun...