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In this exceptionally warm weather we are currently enjoying my honey is runnier than it would normally be. Will this affect the reading on a refractometer, my guess is that as the refractometer is calibrated at 20C and with it being nearer 30 at the moment the reading would indicate a higher...

Before anyone shouts at me I have thought about this and I don't know the answer. I have I hive that raised a new queen in May and all looked OK until about 3 weeks ago when I noticed a reduction in laying. Two weeks ago there seemed quite a lot of drone brood and last week it was worse and I...

I have a situation where a hive after an AS threw a cast swarm which I took and hived. This colony is doing fine and the Queen is laying well. However the second emerging queen in the original hive has obviously not mated as she is a drone layer. I would like to re-unite these two colonies, but...

Sorry to be a pedant, but as beekeepers we ought to be able to spell this word correctly. Its derivation is from the Latin super + sedere 'To sit above' It has never had a 'c' in it, and as long as I draw breath I will endeavour to ensure it never does. (And don't get me started on...

Took a swarm on Saturday, nice and easy, decent size and put them in a box with new foundation. Went to give them a feed today and saw a few flying in and out so looked OK. However when I opened the box I found them still in a cluster in one corner, no drawn comb. I fed them and dribbled some...

I may need to put a test frame in the hive in my garden if I see no eggs when I look on Weds. Suspect they may be queenless. Only trouble is I will have to get one from my out apiary which is about 15mins drive away. Temp is forecast 17/18 (for what it's worth). Will this work? any tips, snags etc?

For the past few weeks I have noticed a steady trail of ants going up the outside of my hives. There is a congregation of them in the roof, they don't appear to be going into the hive itself. In the roof I have blocks of insulation (B and Q Jablite). The ants seemed to be tunnelling in and...

Can anyone tell me what this is please. See attached file (I hope it works, first time I've tried this.) I found several on my varroa floor (but only 1 varroa). Is this a bee louse? Do I need to do anything about it? Thanks