Search results

Has anyone found a cheap, ingenious, and painless way of removing old wax from frames? I have around 80 frames but can't face the painful task of doing them 1 by 1 by hand. Does a wallpaper steamer produces hot enough steam to melt them? Thanks

I thought I would get in early with this one, just in case I get some surplus to sell. I feel I have reached the 'at the gate' cap price for my area at £6 for 12oz although my stockists don't seem to struggle to sell it at £7 50-£8 to visitors and locals. Last year I froze prices at the gate...

I think I have reached my limits with gasvap, especially the inability to control temperature. Any battery powered alternative and slightly cheaper than varrox? Has anyone tried the OXALIKA Pro made in Italy?

Well, we already knew it was simply a rip-off but Patrick (Bee Equipment) has laid into them publicly (newsletter) for trying to fix the price of it!

I had to call out the inspector after inspecting a nuc made a few weeks ago from a split and one of my 2023 queens. Bees were vaped a couple of weeks ago. Pictures are not the best quality but the frame pictured had a fair bit of pierced cappings, dead larvae some of it gone black or brown...

Not only the Jetstream has led to a really poor summer crop but it also seems to have impacted on UK breeders' ability to rear throughout August. I have spoken to a couple of breeders who have called it quits for this season with just enough mated queens for their own use.

I opened a demaree hive yesterday and came across several balling in the top box, including one queen. Left them to it and when I opened the bottom box after removing 3 supers, the resident marked queen was also being balled. Closed the lot and left them to it. I can't recall leaving a Qc in...

Hi all, I have 3 colonies down with CBPV in the same apiary. 2 seem to have gone through the worst of it and the other one starting to get bad. Other than the usual good hygiene anything else I need to do? Also, what would be the consensus with supers and frames which will be removed at the end...

This is the first time I have used apideas and like in my homemade mating nucs, I have used starter strips of roughly an inch. Today I was checking for emergence of queens but could not get the cell holders off as they had started building comb around the queencells and it was perpendicular to...

First round, bit of a shaky hand, tired eyes and too new of a frame but we got there! Magnifying glasses are the next purchase!

Sorry all, I have done a quick search for the above title to avoid a repeat but didn't have any luck. I am looking to buy a pair of magnifying glasses for grafting. I don't wear any prescription glasses at any time but could do with making my life easier. Any cheapish recommendations please?

I managed to finish inspecting the home apiary which had 10 hives + 2 nucs going into winter. 2 of the hives had laying workers and another one had failed queens with both mother and daughter present. They both met the same post!! remaining 7 are queen right with the strongest having only 4...

For the last few seasons I have been supplying outlets and have had to 'do things by the book' with extraction and processing. As I am unable to set up a honey room at home due to the lack of space (including garden which has been taken over by storage sheds, I have been renting on an hourly...

Hi all, does anyone know what is the going rate with bee equipment suppliers for rendered wax please? I guess it's horses for courses but I have a few kilos and wondering whether I would be better off swapping it for foundation at the Welsh Show next weekend or make candles or other beeswax...

Just in case it has been under the radar for some. It's on now, few bits and bobs available. Went to buy foundation by the 100's (best price around for March delivery) and left with a basket full of other stuff 😭 This compulsive bee buying must stop!! Thanks

Good morning all, just wondering if anyone has any experience with these 100W honey warming blankets? I am struggling for space and looking for another option to the warming cabinet. Thanks

Hi all, early spring sorting of BB and I have come across a few full frames of pollen which didn't make it to the freezer. Pollen is not moody and frames look as good as fresh. Will they be using it or should I just recycle the frames? Thanks

For the last few seasons I have struggled with the quality of my queens mostly due to lack of resources, working alone, really poor local gene pool and a few beeks in the vicinity adding to the problem with poor stock management. I have always used F1s from reputable beeks mostly MBC and the...

Hi all, I jarred my last bucket few weeks back and honey had recrystallised in the jars. I have melted it again but end up with this which I can't really sell to my stockists. Any ideas why this happened and what I could do to avoid in the future please?

After removing the last feeder last October I was really glad to see the back of my bees and the season as it was non stop. Early January and I can't wait to get started again 🤣. We often do 'a lessons' learned' after a season and I believe in the past also done one of these. I will get it...