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Thanks H, added frame with eggs yesterday.

One of my colonies swarmed on Wednesday 19th August. It was the split with the old Q from 7 July. My fault, I presumed supersedure with 3 Q cells, not thinking they would want to swarm again. I got the swarm back from my cherry tree, hived it with 2 drawn frames and foundation and been feeding...

Yesterday I watched a worker pulling a dead drone along a top bar of the frame to the end. Here it pushed the drone over the side, where there is a clear drop. Sure enough a couple of minutes later out came the bee with the drone (I still have a restricted central entrance). Here another bee...

Good memories of helping Brother Adam when I was at Buckfast in 1969 for some trainee monking. Helping with the bees was one of my varied tasks when the Abbey had a working farm, pottery, stained glass and of course the Bucky wine. The early "bee" mornings had a compensation - fresh warm bread...

I did an AS ( Snelgrove 11/modified) on 13 May. I waited 7 days, went back to find the clipped Q and she had gone. I left the biggest Q cell. In the split I pulled a big Q on 30 May. Checked the other box and Q cell was empty. There then followed 3 weeks of cold, wet & windy weather and I now...

Laying worker - update Thanks to all for the advice and another learning point for this novice beekeeper. The colony is still together with empty frames removed and 7 cm Xtratherm insulation filling the void. I put a clearer board between the brood and half box to get all bees into the brood...

The virgin Q in one of my colonies has not made it through mating. Not surprising given the awful weather recently. I gave her 3 weeks before a full inspection and there were no signs of a laying Q. I gave her another week because it has been so cold and checked yesterday to find what I think is...

Earlier this year I followed a link from a BkF thread to a pamphlet about understanding bee behaviour from outside the hive. I now cannot find the saved link. Can anyone help with a new link or author and title?

I'm with you E. Last year I watched my first hive swarm at 14.59 on 26 August, a hot, sunny day. I was due to inspect that day having done so 7 days earlier. I had not suited up and stood 3 ft from the entrance as they poured out around me into a cloud over the hive. I followed them 30 yards to...

I have 2 colonies and checked one hive on Monday after 7 days only to find what I thought were 4 supersedure cells with unsealed "swimming" larvae on one frame in half brood. Closed up and decided to do a full inspection next day but this was an awful day of hail, cold wind and rain. Opened up...

Thanks for your help. Not as concerned now and will leave the bees to cope with my mess. I'll see how I get on with brood and half and decide "what next" at the end of the season.

This is my first spring with bees and my 2 colonies, in National hives, wintered well and are strong. I left a super of honey on each for the winter and decided I will work on brood and half in national hives. I now realise I have made the mistake of leaving the 10 castellation spacing in the...

Here in Glossop it's very much the same. My plum is only just budding green and damson very slow to show spring life. Loads of pollen and I notice a couple of willow out yesterday. Where in HP are you? Plan to check mine later today if the forecasted sun appears.

So, do I kill them off and clean up? Or, leave them to naturally die off, with the risk they become stronger and live and infect my other colonies?

I have spent the winter reading on swarm management and have prepared plenty of spare kit. I know what I want to do in my garden situation. Dealing with the swarm last year gave me insight into what to expect and the consequences. However, I am fully aware of my novice status and I can't...

So, could I treat with thy/syrup, then when it is warmer shake the bees into poly nuc with foundation , continue to feed and hope for the best. Will the natural wastage and life cycle rid the colony of infection?

I checked on 6 October and there were brood and stores.

Thanks for confirming what I already suspected. I will leave them to it with no supplementary feeding. I'll open up when the time is right and inspect. Then if they do not survive I'll trash the comb and disinfect the whole hive. If they do survive - then I have another problem.