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On the basis that I have two hives with virgin queens (hopefully now mated) that are one week and 2 weeks old. When should I do a full inspection of them again? I looked at them last weekend to check what had happened to my capped queen cells (now hatched) and to check that no more were...

Did an AS 8 days ago, moving a virgin queen and a frame of brood to a new BB with a super of stores. Left a 3 capped QCs in the old BB with existing bees and got rid of rest of QCs. Went to check today to see what had happened to QCs and if anymore had been started. They haven't made...

Hi folks, Need a bit of guidance on ASs and cast swarms (or detering of). Situation is: Didn't manage to look at colony for a couple of weeks due to weather and family illness. Looked last Monday and sealed swarm cells present. Tried again on Tuesday to find queen (she is marked and...

Hi folks, Dilemma here on current topic of swarms. With the weather and lots of family illnesses - hadn't been able to get back to my hive as quickly as I would have liked. Opened it up on Monday at last and found 6 or so queen cells and paniced. I know I shouldn't have but tore most of them...

Can you be too early? Was about to put mouseguard on today and turn entrance block upside down so reduced entrance is at top of block and they don't block it when trying to remove corpses. Don't seem to be clearing any out yet. Looked at weather forecast and it is meant to be 20 degrees...

As it says in the title. When should I put on mouseguards? Someone told me when the first frosts come. We do get mice in our garden, so I am confident I need them :rolleyes: when does everyone put them on? Does the wierd weather make a difference i.e. forecast heatwave!

Just thinking incase one comes up in the sales! I will hopefully have 2 colonies next year so not many. Need to get an extractor that isn't too dear but needs to take Manleys. Does anyone recommend the T**s cheap plastic universal ones? I am presuming I can cope with a manual rather than...

Okay I know I feed now and keep feeding until they no longer take anymore - just interested in how long that will take. I have been feeding with an Ashforth feeder for just over a week now and they are taking 2:1 syrup with great enthusiasm, already given them about 40lbs worth that they have...

Okay have risked my irritable apiguarding bees today (actually they were pretty well behaved). Have taken out the QE and crownboard that I had between the super and bb, as my mentor with experience with commercials in this area has recommended overwintering with brood and half. Took out a...

Want to put an Ashforth on my hive in next few days. First time I have used one so want to be sure I don't mess up! My hive is put on a sloping paving slab so that it tilts downwards towards the entrance - should I put the Ashforth on in any particular way because of this, I am sure I have...

Just thinking through ideas whilst it rains :banghead: If I take the super with capped and uncapped (might all be capped when I look today bee-smillie ) honey off whilst I apiguard - how should I store it - I will put it back on to feed them after the apiguard so 4-6 weeks time? Black bin...

Going to do an inspection at the weekend but want to feed back my one super of sugar stores/honey to the bees before winter and apiguard. If there is still lots of capped brood in my bb, can I still move the super above the crown board and do I bruise the cappings? Worried about doing this...

Silly question - if I try to move my stores from my super down into the brood box by putting the crownboard between bb and super - do I need another crownboard on top of the super as well?

Okay I have finally managed to do a full inspection - don't know about elsewhere but the weather here is scorching today and my bees are flying all over the place, lots of pollen coming in :hurray: Bear with me as a newbie I have written it all down frame by frame, an expert eye will probably...

Title says it all! I have a solid floor, does this hamper varroa treatment, I see a lot of discussion of checking inserts whilst treating which I presume isn't possible with a solid floor. Should I buy an open floor now or is it best to change in spring? Thanks

Newbie with a nuc that is now a few months old. Okay so at present I have one super on that I have been occasionally giving them sugar syrup for to help them draw out the foundation - they weren't drawing out the comb before that. I need to inspect tomorrow, but just over a week ago they had...

Hi Had my bees for a few months now so am very much a newbie. I had them from a 4 frame nuc and they have built up well, drawn out comb in the brood frames and filled with brood/ stores. Gave them a super and had to encourage them with feeding to draw out the comb there, which at the last...

Just wanted to check something..... bear with me as a newby ? Picking up my bees very early tomorrow morning - they are on a 4 frame nuc in a commercial brood box - not sure if they are bigger than the 4 frames as the beekeeper concerned put them into my hive a few weeks ago so they might have...

Waiting on a commercial hive which is hopefully going to come this week and have just been told that I can still get my 4 frame nuc (had told seller I was going to put off getting them until next year due to other commitments...... decided to bite the bullet as I seemed to be spending hours...

Went out today to look at one of three hives that I didn't have time to inspect yesterday with the others. Normally good natured bees were quite feisty, whereas I have had a few of them around my head before many more were buzzing at me and butting at my veil today. All I can think of was it...