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Sprinkle iron filings in a magnetic field and then say that again ;)

I agree with a lot of this but rubbishing all comments and research on the subject isn't helpful. I think the problem is that any answer isn't applicable in all instances. Yes modern agriculture (to a large extent) is a big problem for insects. General pollution perhaps too although that's not...

So if there is any uncertainty by the scientists you are automatically correct then?

Can you explain - are you saying that animals don't compete in the wild for food?

I started with a hive kept in my garden by a friend who promptly moved to Wales. After 3 years seeing it swarm I decided it needed to be taken care of, I had no experience, no training . That summer I took 70lb, the next year nothing then 135, 219, 120. I started with 8oz jars but use 12oz now.

And never forget that humans can be a force for natural selection too. After all... Are humans unnatural? You can think of humans and managed honey bees as being symbiotic - mutually beneficial. Unfortunately it comes at a cost to other pollinators when honey bees use up the resources relied on...

Yes, but I leave it for overwinter stores.

I've always operated with a permanent stores super. Usually they don't need it in the summer or even winter the but it's there when they do and as it is basically a one-off filling of a super for the peace of mind of knowing that no bees will go hungry at any time of year. It's just a reservoir...

No, I've never had it analysed but when there is a field of it within 200 yards every year I have a very good sense of what it is 😒. It would be fun to know how much of everything else there is though. This year has been very unusual here. No OSR and lots of beans followed by bramble and then a...

:giggle: Well, I usually get mainly OilSeed Rape but this year there wasn't any within 1/2 a mile and instead they went for apple, cherry and plum as far as I can tell. It tastes totally different, cherry-like to my mind but it set even faster than OSR to a really fine, softset. Completely...

" on the 9th of August I extracted three supers" " And this is the first season alot of my spring honey has cystalized quickly " Am I missing something here? :unsure:

My spouse loved the ivy honey from 2016 but it was probably 90% 'Other'. The ivy gave it a nice tang though. Here there are huge trees full of flowering ivy and the flow has begun....

What's your definition of an association? Is it an officially constituted society?

Happy to have a chat sometime.

There are cotoneasters that bees adore. I have a couple planted by the apiary in my garden and there are a couple in the village which become covered with honey bees on a good day. The bigger the bush, the more they are drawn to it.

One buckfast colony overwintered giving about 70lb compared to 120 last year and a rather special 219 the year before (a different queen which only lasted a year). I put it down to the weather. The colony was about a week later bulding up than last year, no OSR so they focused on cherry, apple...