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Yes - 5 lots of grafts every 2 days. Nice sealed cells ready to put into nucs tomorrow. Bigger batch today in the hive now split so it is queenless (previously above QX). Now using 2x20 cell cups. Started when adult drones available. Carrying cells in a cool box with warm wet towel to...

I voted no - I can produce for my own replacement and for anyone else who asks. I try to ring the changes on lines for others especially if they want 2 or more. Most of us are very happy with selecting from our local bees - pre-varroa the background of feral bees was all-black. I have heard of...

Genetic studies are improving greatly. The most recent have esablished clearly that A.m.m continues strongly in some areas and is dominant in the bees in others in spite of importation of bees from southern Europe where climate and seasonal rhythm is very different. BIBBA is supporting a new...

This is a big problem with the purchase and import to an area of any queen or nuc from stock that has not been bred for resistance/tolerance at least as a work in progress. There are now groups looking for bees that have some characters that reduce varroa, such as grooming varroa off themselves...

Hi Mike a and Tonybloke I am a BIBBA member and breed from the best of our local bees using several criteria (see my web pages). I founded the Cornwall Bee Improvement Group in 2002 working on the principle that we can find gems of colonies amongst a larger number of beekeepers and by working...

Hi Mike I will be happy to let you have some. I prefer to keep working on mine as I have been doing this a long time - 10 years now with varroa tolerance (the dream - holy grail!). I will start as soon as I have drones hatching. James

I have sent 3 lots of samples to 3 different collectors over the years and had no results fed back. As you have been asked for samples for dna testing this implies mine were not good enough but I don't know as yet. I have asked for feedback and am still disappointed.

There is most likely 1 queen. The plan is good - if you are careful you could make more nucs. If you are buying in new queens, they will grow fast starting with 2 frames with brood, faster with 3 don't go down to 1. However you split, one will have the flying bees so the others will have what's...

If the ;local beekeepers generally use 1 BC this could be for good reason. Not all strains need more than 1. I prefer to concentrate them in one until they get to 8 frames of bees then rearrange them 4+4 and force them to expand outwards on to foundation. It depends on the season and your local...

It is very disconcerting to find a hive on its side or upended. Well done for getting it back. Bees are remarkably hardy and adaptavble. I have had them knocked over by vandals, rained on for a couple of weeks and they all survived. Just make sure the frames are spaced properly and hopefully all...

I should add that I believe it best to breed from the best of local bees. If yoiu want to join our programme (Cornwall Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Group) we can exchange breeding material, so if you take a graft or several and rear nucs where you are, you will maintain and add to your local...

Hello I am based near Helston and have some nucs for sale. Where is Chycarne - it sounds familiar. They will be all blacks, and from a programme to breed some varroa reduction characters into the bees. Contact me at [email protected]. See my web pages for what we are trying to do.

I gave up in my google searches for a site with pictures of ligustica, mellifera, carnica, cecropia etc etc.The main criterion I use is that melleferan bees have a wider segment on the abdomen than carfnican. Ligustican are generally yellow, though there are reports in the US that they can be...

It is a moot point as to which is better - to do something like freeze brood to kill a section and count those removed (easy for the scientist) - or observe what the bees actually do with cells in the real scenario. We are aiming for processes ordinary beekeepers can use.I wish I had the time...

You will be able to see hygienic behaviour in your bees by careful observation. At the hive entrance, removing larvae (efb and afb) mummies (chalkbrood), pupae (varroa?). Also damaged mites on the varroa tray - also chewed pupae bits. As I don't want to keep posting the url (it has already been...

If it is dysentery hopefully they will clean it up once they start flying well. I suppose you can wash the frames by spraying with water. I did that once. Have you looked at the faeces under a microscope to definitely rule out nosema? The wikipedia article suggests if you are prone to this, by...

if it is warm enough to fly close them up. Vibration often attracts bees. It depends on the noise - a regular thump like a mattock or a tractor ticking over will bring them - but if it is cool no problem.

I have a few overwintered nucs, late 2010 queens, ready early April . 2011 queen nucs ready late May on. The parent stock and the mating apiary are all black workers and drones respectively plus some signs of varroa tolerance - all my hives are in a breeding programme to develop the several...

Hello. I am still waiting for confirmation from Terry Clare about the wing measurements he has and will be doing the workshop here in March. However, I select dark queens with all dark bees then on top of that for the usual mellifera characters plus signs of varroa tolerance - mostly chewing out...

thanks. Keep looking. Join yoiur local association and ask if others have seen anything and what they are doing to improve the bees together. Enjoy your bees. Most of us fall in love with them.