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  1. SWEET

    Loading queen introduction cages

    CO2 - quick/simple (y)
  2. SWEET

    Reverse A/S - anyone used this

    I've done this with a nuc sat on top of the hive (instead of extra brood boxes) - also works or can fail like every method.
  3. SWEET

    Building comb?

    Ha - Mark M says hello (F-Man).
  4. SWEET

    Instrumental Insemination training - looking for reference

    I've been waiting 6 months to check on these II queens, super happy with the results :cool:
  5. SWEET

    Building comb?

    Now if it looked like that (some of mine a few weeks back) I'd be happy (maybe) and adding space.
  6. SWEET

    Building comb?

    A trivial bit of drone comb, but in a few weeks/month (depending on xyz) the entire space will become a mess - but you'll have added space by then :) All good.
  7. SWEET

    OSR in bloom

    Morning and thanks for the reply; if this was case they would not be filling those super frames so quickly. The colony had around 8+ capped brood so i've added a Demaree board before they decide to swarm and to use as a resource for young bees (for mating nucs/timed with drone rearing for other...
  8. SWEET

    OSR in bloom

    Around 9 empty frames - I generally don't use these little frames in supers either (just had a few to hand but phasing them out this year).
  9. SWEET

    OSR in bloom

    My local Mud | Wind | Rain | Cold proof bees ho ho ;)
  10. SWEET

    OSR in bloom

    Pleasure.
  11. SWEET

    OSR in bloom

    Bees on the OSR today - (10-12 and windy/showers)
  12. SWEET

    OSR in bloom

    I've loads of hives all over OSR currently, 12-15 over the past days - no issues (hammering it today).
  13. SWEET

    1st inspection - lots of bees; no brood/eggs; can't see Queen

    OP - The responses are right, if you are asking for advice on here you should not be digging into hives just yet. But if you have the resources and experience you can sort out these issues - Dropped in start March, now have open brood. (bit more to it than just dropping in a purchased/imported...
  14. SWEET

    Queen Ancestry

    You seem to have driven off down another lane, I think I get your gist. Yeah all good if you have the space/island etc; middle of the UK here so forget breeding stations with controlled drones (sadly). Saying that.. 80-90% open-mated seem OK around this area but my II queens have blown them away...
  15. SWEET

    Queen Ancestry

    Oh yes, there are vastly more complex factors at play they will give all sorts of mixed results. You mention sex alleles and inbreeding, one of the areas i'm looking into is how to mix (homogenized) drone sperm from various lines. Searching for a decent centrifuge and methods around that...
  16. SWEET

    Queen Ancestry

    Ok, another way to look at it. They get 50% of the Queen's data and 100% of the drone's, so super-sisters share 75% of their DNA. 50% from the queens egg is roughly 25% identical (Mendelian Genetics) the other 25% a random mix, combined with 100% from the drone sperm. Workers and queens get all...
  17. SWEET

    Queen Ancestry

    Yes, each drone receives a random mix of 16 from the queen's 32 which are then combined with the drone's sperm set of 16 (giving 32 for virgins/workers etc). All the drones she creates will differ, but only between themselves (not outside of the queens data set of 32).
  18. SWEET

    Honey price 2024

    Local bee farmer is now selling cheaper than ever (after costs have risen 40%(ish) over the past few years). I'm selling mine B2B at more than their retail price. A race to the bottom is not the way to run a business, but assume it works for them. With some effort, decent marketing and customer...
  19. SWEET

    Time to change our tune?

    Some of the farmers I know suffer from terrible hay fever, they eat the honey (my hives on their land) and the symptoms are far less. There is plenty of grass/tree pollen in honey, buy a decent scope and take a look. Zeiss (and phase contrast) x40 -
  20. SWEET

    Forecast for the season

    I'll work around the bees and not worry about it (y)
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