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Bulging hive that I missed 2 queen cells swarmed. Bees came back, lost clipped queen. The colony will still have "swarm fever". So I create a second box about 3 feet away and transfer all brood, some food into the box at new site and shake bees in. One queen cell. At old site, I now have one...

20 hives here in SW London. Noticing a lot of drones flying at the moment from a number of colonies, not just one or two corner cases. Anyone else seeing the same thing?

Ive warmed some honey at about 39 deg C to recrystalise it but left it heated for about 2.5 days. After cooling it seems now far too runny, even watery at the top of the bucket contents. Any explanation and suggestions?

Hi...I took a decent autumn crop off 2 weeks ago before vaping and feeding the colonies. I had to go away and left the boxes ready for spinning - Came back and I have a large collection of sherbet and toffee in the frames! Whoops....Another lesson learned - Ivy's honey sweet shop! I was going...

This is a new one. Single brood box, no super as was result of a split in late July, queen emergence and mating early August. Pre-treatment, pre-feed inspection: Absolutely bursting with bees, boiling over on crown board removal. Checked all frames and 9 out of 11 are flat with brood, most...

After a bumper crop and great summer sales, I still have large stocks of honey in both jars and buckets. Some of it is crystallising now. What would recommend as a commercial solutions ie not home made, as I am time limited. I have seen a cabinet from Thornes at around £300 and also an element...

Just a quick log for my method of fixing colonies which had developed laying-workers. I have successfully nursed back two colonies from frames of drone brood to healthy laying queens with lovely brood patterns. Note: There is nothing novel here except the "menu" and "recipe". Many have used...

I'm taking several supers off of very big (for me) hives (2B,3S) and have run out of supers to replace the ones I am stacking ready for extracting. I usually let the bees clean up wet supers by separating them by an eke with a small crown hole entrance. I am concerned that without adequate room...

I've been harvesting a bumper crop...Noticing something I hadn't before. The pattern of an "almost finished" super. See the attached picture...Are the bees uncapping a finished super for food? Do they take from the centre in an arch fashion? Or indeed do they finish capping in this pattern? I...

Hi...anyone have a source for buying a small quantity of Beta-Ocimene please?

Got an average sized national with no super yet that had a NUC A/S...this being the original site and left witha QC. Found two queens in there. Left a week to see if one would prevail and they are still both in there. However it looks like there are two supercedure cells. Anyone seen this...

I missed the chance to requeen a queenless colony. Have got laying workers. Have read on various options and have decided to just shake out. I picked up a small swarm yesterday. Could I put the swarm NUC at the place of the old queenless hive to bolster it? Or will this incite a "special...

Sunday I had quite a few capped cells in a hive but completely sure Ive got all the bees. Weather has been fine. Couldn't find the clipped marked queen so assumed thwarted swarm attempt, return of bees, loss of clipped queen. I decided however to cut my losses and split the hive into two...

I'm in West London, current temperature is 14 deg C. I was about to add a second BB to 3 x singles that have brood in 7+ frames....All with (predominantly) drawn comb....I was going to add BB above the others and limit temperature risks to brood given its still not warm. Like the rest of the...

Hi all May I say best wishes to fellow beekeepers, beginners and old hands alike for the new working season and a wonderful spring. We've certainly got off to a cracker weather wise. My first inspection has seen 13 of my 14 all looking pretty good after winter. However! One of the most...

Hi all I'm 8 years in as a beek. I've been asked by a couple of my friends in the past few months about them starting the hobby. Only thing is I didn't learn from a book. I did refer to a few, as well as Youtube and websites. Mainly Ive learned from this very forum! Does anyone recommend a...

I am due to move 8 hives of various weights (5 healthy colonised nationals, 3 poly NUCs) from one site to another, distance 2 miles, travel time, 15 mins-ish. Given it will be chilly, are there special instructions in relation to the bees' clustering? They'll be disturbed with the physical...

Did a solid inspection today before going away camping for the weekend... My only brood and a half (outlier) had a couple of charged QCs....i had no kit for AS of any kind so left one QC and caged HM in one of those yellow transport jobs... It feels OK to leave her until Tuesday when i can get...

I piled 3 columns of brood boxes, 4 high boxes on each and sealed them. Left in the garage with 500ml of 80% acetic acid on top of each, in turn, in reasonably wide ceramic bowls. The garage is not heated so I put two electric filament heaters on full time but with this cold weather im not...

Bees are quickly back filling empty brood combs with honey. If I put these down below with the queen during the "roll" will they take the honey upstairs and will they be more likely to target the 'mid floor' supers if the top brood is now again fitted with new brood frames post-roll? I dont...