Search results

Matchsticks, anyone? [dives for cover]

Interested to read these comments as inspected today and also have a hive with a queen, lots of polished cells, no queen cells - but no eggs and no unsealed brood. Haven't had a queen stop laying this early in the season before.... Hoping it's down to the cooler weather and lack of forage...

Well, in the end I moved a colony over without asking or telling the neighbours. It was a split that was fast outgrowing its nuc and needed to be rehoused in a full sized hive asap. I would have mentioned it to the neighbours in advance... but they happened to be away at the time. So decision...

Just moved to a house with largish garden and tucked away space at the back that looks very suitable for an apiary... Tall fences and only one set of adjoining neighbours close by. In a similar situation, would you: Ask them if ok to move the bees in? Inform them they are coming? Or say...

Ah, but what where would be the fun in that for the likes of you and Arfermo?? Thanks all. The great thing about this forum is the way you can float out a question and quickly get a variety of mostly useful replies, and often learn something in the process (hadn't come across the clear...

Which way should they go? Opinions please: 1. Should the tail run down the front of the jar with main label covering the end? 2. Should the tail go down the back (with or without a 'granulation' label covering the end)? 3. Should it go down the side of the jar, at 90 degrees to the main label...

Recently extracted about 20 unwired super frames with a radial extractor- only one broke up. Similar failure rate to wired frames... (though I was taking it slower)

Bumping this as about to extract and remembered that I've got several foundationless frames in the mix (combination of accident and design- was short on foundation and thought I'd give starter strips a try). I'll probably want to try cut comb with 1 or 2 of them, but will there be a problem with...

Like the title says. I've heard of it being done the other way round, but given the big flow right now and shortage of hive parts from the main suppliers, would it work this way round?

Things seem to have slowed up here in south London (couple of wet days last week may have made a difference though)

Lots of bright red pollen today- any ideas what from? Challenging to find red marked queen amongst it all...

Interesting question. Undelrying geology must partly determine soil composition and so type of plant cover- eg limestone or chalk close to surface would alkalinise soil- but so many other factors (soil depth, drainage patterns, rainfall, land use etc) not sure you could ever relate directly to...

Success for a hobby beekeeper: honey at the end of the summer live bees at the end of the winter (also enjoyment, minimal stings) And a few years down the line- just maybe- breaking even financially...?

Hi Santapan, You may not be aware that there's very little commercial beekeeping in the UK. Most of the people on this forum are hobby beekeepers. That said, there are a few commercial folk around, and believe 1 or 2 frequent this site from time to time- so you just might get lucky- but I...

Should have taken a photo, but forgot- so will do my best to describe... Found my hive unexpectedly queenless a couple of days ago, with several capped QCs already present. REduced down to the two biggest looking, with intention of moving one into a nuc today, leaving just one for the hive to...

Thanks for this. Though I wonder if the opium producers might have an ulterior motive for 'switching' to beekeeping (pollination services and a bit of honey on the side...)

Thanks for the comments. What's the rationale for inspecting bottom box first? If you're trying to find the queen I'm thinking inspect top box first, if no sign of her than assume she's fled downstairs and you can place on the ground nearby without worrying she'll get squashed etc. Then go...

Any tips from old hands? Main differences/challenges I'm finding are more bees, more scope to squash bees, more boxes lying around on the ground, harder to find queen. So any advice greatly appreciated. (And yes, I realise changing hive type might be the longer term fix, but that doesn't help...

not worthynot worthynot worthynot worthynot worthy

Related question- what happens to uncapped and under-ripe OSR honey after the flow ends? Presumably less likely to granulate if water content still high and the bees will top up with non-OSR nectar?