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Reports? Could anyone who attended outline the method/s taught? One thing I'd like to know; what precautions are taken against chilling the rest of the brood? A warm still day is great, but how to make the test if the weather is against you? Also; does anyone know if using crushed ice or...

I'd returned to beekeeping after a long absence last year (and having given away all my clobber), and while in the middle of a hectic house and workshop move and very skint I thought it'd be a good idea to put my name on the swarm collectors list. So I arrived back with a swarm in a plastic...

PS photos at http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=266

Hello Everyone, I finally managed to get the job done (Thornes had held me up waiting for new frames). Here's what I did: I built five 6-frame nucs with mesh bottoms and standard round access holes with swivelling entrance covers. I also made 5 acrylic sliding tops, and a 'suction box' that...

Ideal mesh size Hello James, Its very good to hear about people actually taking the initiative and raising mite-tolerant bees. I'm trying to do the same thing in Kent - though just starting out. Do you use a tray below hives to collect debris for inspection, and if so, can you tell me the...

I think the jury must be out on this one. I've read from what I think are good sources that grafting and 'semi-grafting' (my expression meaning just laying comb containg eggs/1 day larvae over the frames, or pinning same to the underside of a frame top bar) should be done with bees that have...

Thanks Tom. The neighbours have been complaining because the bees have been visiting their pool and cat bowl for water, and nosing about indoors a bit. They are normally out on Saturdays, but yes I'll check and advise accordingly. I don't know if they've been on rape - I've seen a few on...

Its a good plan Kev (even though it entails lifting the box each time I want to inspect the new brood box - I could wangle levers and wedges) but... I have neighbours complaining about bees in their garden and I have promised to move them asap. And at the moment they are near buildings with...

Why do you say this? The colony seems very good - its thrived without treatment since I collected it as a swarm last June, and I think that qualifies it as a good class candidate for propagating from. Roger

Thanks for helping Kev. Yes, the main idea is to get this queen where I can work with her easily. She's performed extremely well since I picked her up as a swarm last June, filling about 2 1/2 cu ft with comb and honey with no feeding or treatment. I reckon those are genes worth having. But...

Hi, I wonder if anyone here can help. I have a strong colony in a wooden box, frameless and with long combs probably well attached to the sides (the box is about 14" square by abou 3 feet high). I'm planning to unscrew the back and break up the colony, hoping to be able to make up a number of...

Thanks to everybody for advice and links. I can see this is going to be a learning experience! Looking up 'cloak board' I found what seems to be a useful illustration of the principles of grafting to starter cups (this might be US terminology) at...