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I suppose extracting in a typical shed is a no no from the EHO

Thanks for posting the link. Useful information. Where it says that 2 sinks are required, in my kitchen we have a double sink (2 bowls next to each other) but with a shared tap. Would this pass as ok to an EHO ?

Thanks for the info. I shall look up the online level 2 hygiene course. I'm a bit wary of getting the local council involved as I don't want them to label me as a commercial enterprise. I won't be selling much, but would like to be certified for safe five star hygiene standards.

Is it necessary to have food hygiene certification if you sell honey via a local shop? Just wondering what would happen if there were to be any comeback from customers, or if the shop itself had a visit from the standards people? Is it possible they might trace back to the suppliers and swoop on...

Found swarm cells last week in one of my colonies, didn't have spare equipment for an AS, so I destroyed all QCs. Returned today, 6 days later, with necessary equipment and found no new QCs. Queen laying nicely, although low on stores. So no AS necessary. Have I got away with it, or will they...

I have a couple of colonies headed by new Carnica queens, laying well, plenty of space, but producing Queen cells in mid July. I know Carnicas are more prone to this, but wondering how others with Carnicas manage this continuous QC production (with associated swarm management methods) without...

I have 2 small sized swarms that were captured only 5 yards apart. I have placed them in separate nucs, but wondering if they are likely to be two parts of the same swarm? They appeared on the same day (Yesterday) in the Poor weather.

I have placed a swarm in a spare hive a few metres from its probable source. Is this a bad idea?

Thanks for the info. Did the drones get stuck in the excluder and block it? Also I'm wondering If the QCs get ripped down by the bees?

Does anybody have any experience of using a queen excluder at the hive entrance in order to prevent swarming? I presume it is not a good method as nobody seems to use it. Does it lead to a build up of young Virgin queens causing a menace to the old queen?

What would be the probable outcome of temporarily placing a queen excluder over the hive entrance for the duration of the main swarm season, or just for a week or two whilst on hols ????? I expect not good otherwise this simple method would be standard

Thanks everybody. I have managed to get another (old unwanted) queen from another local beek. This should see me through until I can buy a new mated queen (on order but not available until end of the month).

I do have a couple of strong colonies. How about taking the queen from one of these strong colonies and introducing it to my under strength queenless Nuc. Then let the strong colony produce its own new queen?

How much time do you think I have to put a new queen in before the colony is in trouble?

Thanks for the advice and pics. I Don't think this little colony is up to the job. I will try to buy a new queen (bit early for a mated queen) maybe a virgin or maybe just a cell?

I have a Queenless nuc. It has 2 frames of supplies (pollen and capped honey), 1 frame of capped brood and another frame of larvae with some eggs. I am hoping that they produce their own queen from the eggs. What chance of success do you think I have, and what can I do to improve my chances?

Currently I only have a couple of colonies and only want a couple more, but keen to have good tempered buckfast queens. I have enough spare kit for four dbl broods and a couple of spare poly nucs too

I have a plan to increase my number of colonies early in the season. They are on double brood nationals. I plan to take one of the brood boxes to a new apiary site many miles away, leave a queen with stores in the original position, and add a new mated queen to the box in the new position. I...

Yep, it does seem that lots more roles are now filled with volunteer labour. The National Trust is using them as guides, gardeners, wardens (fair enough) and now even thinking of using them in the kitchens & waiting on tables. Now unpaid volunteer SBI s ? NBU on the cheap.

This is confusing. The link from the NBU website for SBI vacancies takes you to the Fera web site..... ? Not fully split yet I suppose. And no SBI vacancies.