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Following advice picked up from here, last year I overwintered my two colonies with Solid Floor 14x12 brood box Solid crown board (and no matchsticks!) I made a 5 sided celotex bonnet covered with a waterproof plastic skin which I placed over the hive, it came down close to the bottom of the...

I've moved across to 14x12 this year. Although the bees are gradually filling the supers with stores they are preferring to fill in cells with available stores in the brood chamber first. I've put some dummy boards in and am removing frames not in use for brood they are having me over by part...

VAT registration I think it has already been said but I am happy to confirm that VAT registration is only available for businesses, to be in business you must be able to demonstrate that you are trading with the intention of making a profit. If you have a loss making hobby then VAT...

First inspection of season 3rd April Second inspection 17th April I inspected one of my colonies on 3rd April. There were fewer bees than in the adjacent hive but all seemed well. There was some BIAS - 2 circles of about 5 inch diameter on two frames. There was plenty of empty drawn foundation...

Thanks Thanks, that's the clearest explanation I've seen (and I've been trawling the web for the last few days). Appreciate you taking the time to post and give a clear rational summary.

Thanks for your comment Thank you for your reply. I did think about mite behaviour and I was fine on that until I read the guide issued by Varrox. If there is a mite fall of more than 1000 varroa mites caused by the treatment, or if it is uncertain whether there was brood in the colonies, a...

I have invested in a OA vaporiser and impressed with how quick and easy it is to use. I have downloaded the instructions from Varrox which suggest 1 treatment of 1mg is sufficient for a hive with a single brood box. However I have also read a number of accounts (anecdotal not scientific) from...

Thanks Thanks Will get the netting out

I have a 5-sided celotex bonnet covering most of my hive. It comes down almost to the floor on all sides I usually put wire netting over the hives at this time of year as protection against green woodpeckers. They are pretty active around here and make a big mess of a cedar brood box Have others...

Recently a BKA close to me did a session for members of vaporising oxalic acid. The demonstrator took a 2 foot piece of 15mm copper pipe which had a 90 degree bend in it. Open at one end with a stop valve at the other. He put a measured amount of OA into the pipe and then sealed the closed...

Basic suspension only I fear we are getting bogged down in technical speak. My trailer has a torsion axle so I guess there is some basic control of the axle articulation and so yes, it does have suspension of sorts. However there is no additional movement control and no independent rebound...

I have always moved hives in the back of my car, set the box so the frames hang north/south and driving slowly the car suspension gives a fairly gentle ride. I have recently bought a car trailer and am intending to use that to transport the hives next spring - to take them onto the osr or into...

I'd buy one I'd buy one

Thanks Thanks for your comments and the links to the earlier threads Celotex tea cosy it is then! (It'll be warmer in the hive than in my front room at this rate) Cheers Jack

Does anyone double wall their hives for the winter I have insulation above the crown boards but I was thinking about building a wooden cover for the hives. It would have solid wood front, sides, back and roof with a slot cut close to the hive entrance for the bees to leave and re-enter It would...

Thanks for your comments I dismissed laying worker as it was one neatly laid egg in the bottom of the cell but perhaps that is what they do at crossover. I hadn't realised that eggs could remain (unhatched and unviable) for more than three days The Q left behind after swarming, yup I follow...

During the last week of June one of my colonies swarmed. As there was no eggs/brood 4 weeks later I moved a frame with BIAS including 1 day old eggs, in from another colony 14 days later and I have the following No brood/eggs anywhere in the colony. No sign of laying worker, i.e. no cells with...

Thanks Tremyfro Are you saying that there is a vertical qe as well as a larger horizontal one? That's really interesting. Any thoughts as to why there is less honey produced? I appreciate your comments

Thanks Pargyle I have seen pictures of yours and I do like the way you have built it 1. and 2. shouldn't be a problem and for 3. if the roof is wholly removable then it would mean that you could inspect from behind the hive. I'm not sure why 4. should be the case. Not disputing that it is just...

I quite like the concept of a long deep hive, being able to give the colony more space by moving a dummy board sideways thereby creating a larger area horizontally rather than by adding supers and increasing vertically. However I am unsure how they work. Do you separate out the broood area and...