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It's the first time I've ever seen a wasp trying to access a hive yesterday in late November and today a bumble bee queen I presume flying along the side of our house.

First swarm of the season collected today. Just off shortly to close the nuc box up and bring home once all the scouts have returned. Its a cold evening so all should be inside and warm by now.

All my nine Paynes poly nucs and national hives have suffered terribly this year with water filling the channel where the metal frame runners are. I did think that the seal between the brood box and the super full of stores was leaking but water was even collecting in the super above and this...

Just come home from Manchester on the M61 towards Preston. Just passing a row of trees at the side of the motorway I drove through a swarm of bees at 70mph that were flying across the carriageway. Had to use the screen wash to clear the windscreen. Must have killed hundreds. Hopefully I missed...

I know that we tend to bang on this time of year to treat our bees for varroa and put mouse guards over the hive entrances but my biggest problem has been leopard slugs. They can squeeze through mouse guards without a problem. I've opened my hives for their first inspection in spring only to...

I know a lot of people bang on about Open Mesh Floors are the best thing for bees but I thought I'd share this photo to prove that some colonies of bees hate the idea of an OMF. This colony was in and eight frame poly nucleus hive on four full frames of bees and BIAS going into winter and this...

Checked my hives today to see which ones had come through winter and was surprised to see drones coming and going from the landing board. Swarm season may start a little earlier this year than last possibly?

How is everyone doing for collecting swarms this season? Our registered swarm catchers for our association are baffled at only having one call for a honey bee swarm and only one or two calls for bumblebees. I've only had a couple of calls myself for honey bee swarms and about five calls for...

Has everyone received their BBKA membership card and insurance details for 2018/19 Not had a magazine for two months either. Paid up at our associaton beginning of the year.

Has anyone encountered hives full of slugs at their first inspections? Some of the three colonies have live bees inside but are not viable as colonies. The greenish three inch long slugs have crawled all over some of the combs.

I have ten colonies that have overwintered OK. Three full size hives and seven nucleus hives. All poly hives and all have their OMF closed. I don't take of all the honey but leave them what I consider enough for the winter which has been fine for the last few years. As insurance I put about 1lb...

Could someone explain the reason why some beekeepers now nadir a full super under the brood box over winter. Is it " Fasionable " or just another complication to baffle and bemuse worried new beeks. If warm air rises within the hive surely the full super above will keep warm and the honey will...

Just been called out to a swarm that settled in the roof of a house. It was found in a hedge this morning and flew off this afternoon to its new location across the road. 21st August!!! a prime swarm. Will be difficult to remove but I don't think it will survive the winter where it is. I may be...

Just been up to my apiary to tidy up and do my inspections only to find one large swarm of bees leave my apiary and fly off into the distance. No chance of following them accross the wooded valley.

Over the years I've tried numerous materials for my smoker and most of them have worked fine but some cause a lot of tar build up. This last few weeks I have used pieces of old cotton Tee Shirts and old cotton terry towels in my smoker with excellent results. They have smoldered and smoked for...

My bees began bringing in light green pollen yesterday which I presume is from the lime trees as the temperature here in Lancashire reached 18 degrees or there abouts. 20 degrees today and more lime pollen coming in. Does this also indicate that the bees will also be bringing in nectar from the...

Just received an email today from the BBKA warning of the high rates of hives infested with varroa mites and treatments approved and recommended. What should drop through the letterbox today is my new July issue of the BBKA magazine. Second page a full page ad for a varroa recommended/approved...

Morrisons have 2kg bags of sugar on offer at the moment at 88p a bag. I've had to resort to feeding captured swarms and my nucleus colonies as they all have been near starvation. Pollen is now much more available this last week but nectar has been poor as it's been so dry. I've checked all the...