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If your queen was imported already mated, then presumably she was mated with drones of the same type. So the first generation (her workers and any queens produced from her eggs) should have the same traits. The next generation, when her offspring queen will mate with local drones, will begin to...

I find there are always a few bees left in the super after using a clearer board. Move the super away from the hive, 10 metres or more, transfer the frames one at a time to an empty super, brushing off any bees with a feather or bee brush - they will fly back to the hive. I would always put a...

After reading this lot, I really need to refine my extraction methods- I'm going to try the hot air gun method, and putting a tap into a honey bucket. At the moment I use an electric heated knife to uncap, which is quick and works well, but produces a lot of cappings. I do the uncapping over a...

To give it its full name, it is Great Hairy Willow Herb , or Epilobium hirsutum. My bees have been very busy on it this summer - it is still going when the Rosebay Willow Herb has finished

I have plenty of it near my hives, and though it's popular with hoverflies, I've never seen bumble bees or honey bees on it. Apparently, it was once dried and put into pillows to keep fleas away- hence the name. So you'd think it would be unpopular with all insects!

Was there a thread about fleabane? I can tell you about it if you wan't to know, or even if you don't!

I made my own using an old brood box, a double sheet of glass, some galvanised sheet steel, polystyrene and silver foil. Cost a few pounds instead of the hundreds buying one from suppliers It works when the sun is hot- over about 25 degrees C- we've had quite a few days like that this year.

I have noticed with my own bees and in the Association Apiary that there appears to be very little Varroa this year, either on the boards or on drone brood. This may be due to our methods of Varroa control (Apiguard in autumn, Oxalic acid in mid-winter), or could it also have something to do...

There is no doubt that HB is a problem for our native riverside plants. It crowds them out - in many places along local riversides there is nothing but HB, very pretty but low in biodiversity. It's also an excellent nectar source. Here in South Wales we have masses of it, and it keeps going...

Anything sweet and fruity will do. I don't think there's any need to have a restricted opening for the wasps to enter, in fact this may put the wasps off from entering. I use a large glass jar (such as a coffee jar) without a top, and I add a drop of washing-up liquid, which means that as soon...

I use a sandwich of corrugated cardboard and strips of sacking, rolled into a cylinder. Lit with a lighter and a sheet of newspaper to get it going. lasts better and is cooler than cardboard alone. The shredded cardboard from apiary suppliers often has a lot of tape stuck to it, which can't be...