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Due to the imminent move to New Zealand and their incredibly strict biosecurity rules I've been getting rid of all my bee gear (colonies sticking with my bee partner before you ask). The Swienty Breeze has been an absolute boon. Not one sting through it in 3 seasons of use, no rips or tears at...

Personally I don't even think about an inspection without my suit on, smoker lit (even if the bugger goes out after 5 mins), and gloves on (nitrile or marigolds). Then you look at YouTube and American and Canadian beekeepers seem to habitually inspect with at most a veil. I'm not just talking...

So about 10 miles from my apiary I have discovered a nest of wasps. not worried about my bees as a result of the distance, but I am concerned for my family since it's in my garden compost heap and they're getting quite defensive to anyone who gets within 5 metres. So the plan tomorrow is to...

So got a shiny new extractor set from Maisie’s and have grabbed 4 beautiful frames from my only hive that seems interested in capping off honey. Plus one bee who managed to sneak into the plastic box with the frames despite my best efforts. So to clean the extraction equipment before use is...

Forgive me fathers (and mothers)) for I have sinned. So year two and due to weather preventing timely inspections we missed the swarming signs, so our one hive is now 3 hives and 2 nucs. We seemed to be finding a cluster on a tree every 30 minutes for a while. Decent inspection now they've...

Just noticed the sale due to be on Sunday is live now

So after successfully (so far) overwintering our fist hive we are looking for increase this year. We'll have a nuc set up as a swarm trap (which is how we got our colony last year), but want to split off our existing colony too. The book is have talk about either waiting until it is ready to...

Bad news first. Thanks to COVID my beginner course with my local BKA, delayed from last year, is now pushed back to next year, so I will have to continue using common sense, lots of reading and advice. Good news, I cracked the top of our overwintered hive Monday as it was fairly warm (12C). I...

Me and my better half are considering moving a short distance from Gloucestershire to New Zealand in the next year, COVID and visas permitting. Any NZ beeks on here who I could tap for info on the hobby down there? Only just finished my first season here so I'm not set in my ways (and don't...

We currently just have one hive, only just into a full sized box, but looking to next season we'd like to have at least two hives next year. So when in the year would we need to make up a nuc with a view to overwintering it (it's a poly nuc)? How late can it be and still have a good chance to...

So my nuc bait hive caught a small swarm two weeks ago. After 3 days I closed it up at night and moved it to it's permanent location (more than tree miles away), and opened it up in the morning. All good Four days later I took a peek and they were drawing some beautiful combs on the starter...

Just popped up a nuc as a bait hive on the garage roof a couple of days ago, and very happy to see a few bees checking it out. Makes me feel a bit better about my hands on training with the local BKA being cancelled for the year. But yesterday I noticed flying..rather erratically, across the...

As I'm beginning my first year as a beekeeper would it be useful to the forum to have a short section not as a discussion but as a newcomer stating whet they are getting up to every week so those browsing looking to join can get a real story. There is a HUGE amount of experience on here with...

Well, my evening classes are coming to an end and so I get my hands on a hive at the local training apiary next month. So I need to kit myself out. Minimum I've been told to get is: Hive Tool - I have a J Tool on order Bee Brush Smoker Bee Suit - Deciding between a Sherriff or an OzArmor I'm...

Hi all, been on here for ages, but only begun the process of getting my first, bees, sitting in on the local BKA classes with a view to a hands on course starting april where you look after a nuc they provide and then move to your own hive at the end of the season. Actually sharing the cost...

Only about 4 minutes, but if you want to hear it http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04y9y6p Or search for today's Farming Today on catch up. Basically about the risk to native bees from imports carrying disease.

A cut out from a house in LA on the BBC News website... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/science_and_environment/10256051.stm

Quick question. Is there any easy way of getting propolis off clothes? I've got a large patch on a pair opf jeans and I'd like to get them approximating clean. Thanks, Pete