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I use one of these. Have a boiler tank part full of hot water (the big tea making ones for meetings so it keeps hot). Prop it in the water between scrapes and no problem with clogging. After a shake it dries quick and is clean ready to go again.

Massive queen outside hive. Same thing happened to me earlier in the year and it was a supercedure. Hive in question seems to be going great guns now (it did not look like a great outlook at the time) but it is sad when they don’t let her back in.

Plastic Quilts on all my hives. Godsend. I use the Plastic People in Leeds who will do any size with a feeder hole if required. I use the 4mm thickness.

I think I am experiencing virgin queen initial drone laying situation then. Their stores were good last week but I have given them some thin syrup this morning as a boost. I actually picked up the new queen when she got back from a mating flight. It is a long hive, so no supers and she landed...

Yes. Being wrestled out of front by the workers and chucked. Looking through clear top board they are being chased and grabbed.

One of my hives already chucking out the boys. Seems very early but there were a lot of drones in hive last week as I think new queen was late laying worker brood which now seems to be rectified. Is this normal at this time?

Thank you. Happy result with football. Off to drench some bees. X

Ah. Old brood frame there at mo but they are investigating. FA cup final calling so if not covered tomorrow will get some brood out. Thanks.

Thanks James. After arrival this week of a nail gun and compressor hubby may start his hard stare routine. Hoover on my list though. Don’t want to bother the swarm guys and girls. I have done ok even if they go.

In position. Watch this space! Update. I think they are going for it!

It’s a very stubby old tree i am afraid and the bees are in the middle of some old coppiced branches with no give. I managed to shake one half into box when they were lower down yesterday luckily but my attempted shaking and swinging from the branches this morning just got them flying like...

Managed to get about half a new swarm that emanated from my long hive in poly box yesterday and despite some girls fanning at entrance the other half won’t come down. I had made the misguided mistake as was a new queen last year would be ok so lax on last quick inspection. My bad. Lots of in and...

Waiting patiently for a too high up one to make up their minds. Hoping this lot are their scouts but been like this for two days now. Ho hum

Thanks so much. Comforting and helpful. What stage brood donation best at this stage do you think? Sealed or open or a bit of both. I have left them to it today so far. Just to complicate matters new QC is on an MD super that I left on over winter with stores and I was waiting for them to go...

Oh no. What do you recommend?

OK. Will leave them alone then. Will post outcome.

May have been my bad but they weren't letting her back in so would probably have perished overnight anyway. As I say there are differing opinions on supercedure I have found (isn't there always in bee keeping) and didn't want to risk that lovely queen cell. I am happy to take it on the chin if...

I have also read that they may evict old queen to avoid conflict. Always so many scenarios it makes my head spin.

Thanks both. Just pulled a couple of frames until I found it. old Queen was still trying to get back in so caged her and put her out of her misery as didn't want her to be successful and fight with new one. 😩. There was worker bias last week but not a massive amount but I thought maybe due to...

I know but brutal. She worked so hard last year too but obviously as you say they know best. Will give it a week do you think before checking again how things are going?