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I was going to ask if professional beekeepers bother with it; I'll take that as my answer!

I guess I might just try it and see how it goes. I don't have much need for the E45 and I thought I'd repurpose it. Thanks Alanf

Vaseline is a well known lubricant for the frame runners. I have some out-of-date E45 cream; has anyone used this in this way? Does anyone use anything else to keep the frames running smoothly? Thanks

That's not a v helpful feature. How many posts do you have to make to be allowed to PM?

I have replied! Did you read my private message to you? HSIN I have still have plenty of bees to unload or they'll be united this autumn, including one on commercial frames (rest are on national).

That fully explains it to me so thanks for everyone's replies.

There wasn't an egg or larvae (for emergency cells) to generate a Q cell with.

Your description of your Q cell is in line with mine. I'm sure this Q cell wasn't there when I inspected for the first time after the artificial swarm. Is a worker egg that developed into a larvae that was subsequently ravished by varroa a possibility? Do bees develop empty Q cells when they...

All of my 5 frame nukes are still available. Sensible offers welcome. Please pm.

It was dark brown; semi-flaccid but still just about living; it was about 2 cm long within a 5 cm long queen cell; in lay-man terms, it had an unhealthy look to it. I've opened 100s: it was a world away from the pearly white plump larvae of a healthy Q cell.

I've just re-queened a hive that failed to produce a queen after an artificial swarm. Once they realised this, they produced a single large queen cell that you tell wasn't 100% normal and on removing it, it contained a weird grub with ubiquitious varroa attached. My question is where did this...

My home apiary has to go My home apiary has to go! I have a new born on the way! :o) I have 4 full colonies with 2011 queens in nationals, one on 14x12” and 3 newly laying queens in nukes. I'm available to offers. Please pm. Thanks

I have two nukes for sale headed by 2011 queens. There are both looking lovely. There's brood and/or eggs on at least 4 frames. They are on 5 hoffman frames: one is a national, the other 14 x 12” £150 ono. The bees are in Bristol. Please pm if interested.

I've just seen Bristol city Council spraying the himalayan balsam with round up with clouds of bees over the flowers as he sprays. I was told the council 'have to be seen to be doing something' when I showed the sprayer the exploding seeds that will survive the spraying and winter. Its just my...

I've been offered a super full of honey but with the effort of extraction and cleaning, I'm not sure it will be worth it. Can the super be stored away from the bees over winter and then returned to them for a couple of weeks prior to extraction for them to warm it? Is the risk of...

Has anyone any suggestions for home-made grilles used to extract propolis? How successful were they? Thanks

If you haven't any drawn comb, you can try alternating with foundation. Started strips do help.

Put the empty frame in between 2 frames that are already sealed.

Does anyone use the two queen system to take the bees through winter? Or has anyone tried it? So the hive would consist of 2 brood boxes divided by a Qx. Or maybe divided by a Qx and a crown board with feed holes open?

Your winking smile reveals a certain domesticated smugness! 'Honey bees that go feral frequently die out without human intervention.' Some colonies do, obviously. How about the ones that find a secure home and thrive? There are prob fewer of these around that aren't already occupied due to...