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Well, I don't want to speak too soon but I think the swarming may have stopped from this hive....phew. I think I'll unite a cast with the original swarm to strengthen it and give me some spare equipement to a/s the other colony. Thanks for the advice. Tony

Rab I think you're right (as usual). On looking at the second and third swarms they were slightly smaller than the first. What I've done is, first swarm rehived in a new hive (doing fine and guzzling food at a rapid rate). Second swarm hived in 14 x 12 nuc box (food on and doing fine). Third...

Hi RAB First swarm was 3 or 4 days ago. Put them in nuc box, they then absconded back to the swam tree. So I rehived in a full sized spare hive (14x12). She stayed as I added a couple of old frames from the original hive. Looked today and she started to lay eggs. Last night I noticed a second...

Had the same problem here! Three small swarms from one colony. Original queen saved and hived in new hive. Next day new swarm same size same place! 2 days later new swarm, same size and guess what, same place again. These are new swarms as I've retrieved each swarm and they're still in their...

Too many R's Rooftops !!! Tony

Hi RAB Be intrigued no more, they're not just for my Beehaus. I need to replace some of the old short frames that came with my nuc last june as they are the short (standard) ones. I'll leave one in for drone culling. I bought myself a 14x12 national in cedar with a couple of supers. I'll...

Thanks for the replies. At the moment they're sealed in plastic bags with every possible entry point duck taped. I take it the hair dryer bit is so the bees like it more and do better on it? You live and learn! Tony

Erm I seem to be a bit pre prepared then! Got a bit excited by having new hive! So how about comb that you intend to reuse? Do you need to store in a bug proof box/bag or just leave in spare supers? Tony

Hi All Some advice please. Just made up some (24) 14x12 frames of foundation and double that of super frames and foundation for my new hive (no. 2). How do you peeps store this and frames of comb to avoid pests etc.? Especially if you have loads like RAB..... Do I need to make sure it's...

Lots of eggs and worker brood here at the weekend, not seen any drone brood for two or three weeks now and the number of drones has decreased dramatically. Still getting four to six playcups though. I think I may have my work cut out next year to prevent swarming. Tony

Thanks for the replies, thought that 14x12s may be a problem. Seen the vis too (after a search!). Interesting how peeps think something new is bad! Any one any experience of using this year? Cheers Tony

So how do you heft a beehaus.....? With a forklift? Tony

Hi All New beek. I have one colony in a beehaus. Just read an article in BKQ on plastic foundation and frames. Has anyone used these and if so what are the pros and cons? Thanks in advance Tony

I had a similar problem earlier this year (this is my first year). The workers were filling every available space with pollen and nectar reducing the area for brood and this at a time when the queen reduced her laying activities (perhaps the two were linked?). On the advice of a more experienced...

I must have been lucky so far, I've only had a couple of stroppy moments with my bees (and everyone else in the area had similar treatment on the same day!) RAB your right Thymol does make them a little less tollerant! Last inspection was to put second Apioguard tray on and they weren't amused...

I've also noticed quite a few drones about and was thinking along the same lines as susbees. I'm in the middle of Apiguard treatment at the mo, so I took the liberty of culling the drone brood. Of about 30 drone larvae excavated more than 20 had varroa at least 2 on each. As an aside the Queen...

The nice (and difficult) thing about people is that they vary in their response to stimuli. Like RAB says one person may not be affected the next may die through anaphylactic shock. Your next reaction to a sting may be worse or may be not..... Antihistamines are not a waste of time, they will...

Not that experienced myself but my queen stopped laying for a while the workers filled the space with stores she had little space left to lay when she got round to it. More experience beek said to decap or score a frame of stores and put in the centre of the hive. They'll clear this - into the...

Nah - BIG Pharma - trust me I know....they bury their mistakes!

Those of you using a Beehaus and applying Apiguard.... I've taped the varroa board to the hive body to close off the open mesh floor, and I have the 4 place wasp guard in place. Does this give enough ventilation or should I open up by removing the wasp guard? By way of observation the bees...