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  1. SteveHLD

    Type of bee that best survives hornet predation

    My gut feeling is that prolific colonies will fare better with Asian Hornet predation than non-prolific bees, does anyone know any better??
  2. SteveHLD

    Preventing swarm absconding - headed by a virgin Queen

    Here is my story. Both the Queens in my colonies had clipped wings and both colonies attempted to swarm at much the same time. Prior to this my landlord gave me 9 hours notice that he was going to do major works next to my hives and inevitably the bees felt very threatened and the builders very...
  3. SteveHLD

    Apilife Var placement

    Thank you. I have followed your advice
  4. SteveHLD

    Apilife Var placement

    I have four hives/Nucs which have only 2 to 6 frames of brood (for reasons I will not explain here). I anticipate joining them together to make 2 hives later in the year. Two have a second box on top to help them make stores and one has it's brood in the top box. Should I reduce them all to one...
  5. SteveHLD

    What to do after swarming

    The swarm was bigger than I thought so I decided not to add a frame of brood. 4 seams of bees with the queen on the hive wall still, with a lot of admirers. I only had plastic or a couple of frames with starter strips so I used the latter. In 6 days they have drawn out more than 2/3 of a frame...
  6. SteveHLD

    Bees that accept plastic frames

    They sell frames for brood and supers but unfortunately not Mediums.
  7. SteveHLD

    What to do after swarming

    Thank you for your valuable advice. Please could you describe when and how I could consider "reuniting" the swarm with the mother colony. I think on this occasion I could have saved quite a bit of my bee work force by closing the entrance. I did not think I would be able to collect the swarm...
  8. SteveHLD

    What to do after swarming

    A couple of my colonies have swarmed recently. I have two questions: Firstly I have been taught that after a colony has swarmed you should leave the mother colony alone for a month and then look in to find the new queen / eggs. But what if they become queenless early on - the QC fails to hatch...
  9. SteveHLD

    Bees that accept plastic frames

    Unfortunately Mann Lake has closed it's outlet in the UK and shipping rates from US are prohibitive. I have plastic frames from Pierco and Swienty and they look identical. Has anyone any idea where I might some black cell-rite for medium boxes?
  10. SteveHLD

    Bees that accept plastic frames

    I have coated the frames with melted foundation wax at about 90 degrees Centigrade using a rollerwith the aim of getting it on in such a thin layer that you can not really see it unless you look closely. Is that about right? I am interested that some bee colonies draw comb better than others. So...
  11. SteveHLD

    Bees that accept plastic frames

    I'm in my second year keeping bees. I am aware that the use of plastic frames tends to cause heated discussion so no condescending or damning remarks please. I think plastic frames are beautiful from the point of view of inspecting the colony. For you who have never used them the eggs and larva...
  12. SteveHLD

    clumsiness making bees aggressive

    I examined the hive today and they were well behaved really. They did not come at me, did not sting and did not make that high pitched pinging sound of being miffed. The real problem is that very zealous defender bees buzz people a long way from the hive and this is only a problem because of...
  13. SteveHLD

    clumsiness making bees aggressive

    I have things arranged so that the bee flight path is directly over my allotment. I have just stomped around and dug on my neighbours plots and had no reaction from the bees. Do bees fail to react to things that are out of sight? I think I will wimp out of doing an inspection this week and get...
  14. SteveHLD

    clumsiness making bees aggressive

    Oops I posted twice, I thought my quick reply had not worked. I use a J shaped tool. I do not routinely scrape the wax of the top of the frame as I thought the bees would just replace it. My burning question is how to manage my current situation.
  15. SteveHLD

    clumsiness making bees aggressive

    I have done a practical course (same bee breed as mine) and attend my local Group practical sessions (for beginners) when I can - National hives. I do not seem to have a problem there, but then the frames do not get stuck between boxes. The MB equivalent to the crown board is a sheet of clear...
  16. SteveHLD

    clumsiness making bees aggressive

    I have been on a practical course, wooden National frames and I seemed to have no difficulty lifting them (but the frames did not stick together like mine - same race of bees). I attend my local group practical beginners sessions when I can. I do remove one frame and put it in a large plastic...
  17. SteveHLD

    clumsiness making bees aggressive

    This is my first year beekeeping. I have a MB Langstroth hive with medium plastic frames and use Marigold gloves and a fair amount of smoke. I find it very difficult to lift the heavier frames, it seems that my pincer grip is not strong enough. I have tried gripping the frame by the upper and...
  18. SteveHLD

    MB hive - winter management

    I had a nightmare last night: I put the varroa tray in and then placed the hive under the Christmas tree. The cluster was as wide as a dinner plate and gave out so much heat that the hive and tree ignited! I put the fire out but my hive was gone :( Perhaps I should not think too much the MB hive...
  19. SteveHLD

    MB hive - winter management

    I only got my Nucs this year so yes I am a newbe which is why I am posting in the beginners section. I'm not sure how you got any impression that I 've written about swarming. I am very grateful for the replies I've received.
  20. SteveHLD

    MB hive - winter management

    Thank you for your replies. I removed the box a couple of weeks so I am left with some incompletely filled frames of 50:50 nectar & honey which will go mouldy in due course. I think removing the box must have been the right thing to do because it was almost a total void on top of the brood...
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