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Thanks for the inputs. The motivator really is honey production. I have massive demand for honey. I have always supplied two shops and the demand through those shops has steadily increased over the last few years. One shop is now selling 60 jars a week for me. the last order I dropped in was...

I have been hovering around the 10-12 hive mark (mostly double brood or double and a half) for a while but have recently changed job so have a little more time on my hands. I am thinking of investing in some equipment and heading towards the 25 hive mark. Can anyone think of anything in...

They may be in the top of the chimney, I removed a colony from a chimney once and it was no bother. They were all in the chimney pot. I lifted the chimney pot cover and the combs were hanging off it. you never know until you take a look.

I don't think so, My bees are in Rostrevor and I haven't seen any at all nearby, what is coming into the hives doesn't seem to be osr either.

Yes, they are, there is a greenhouse nearby that cannot be watered without a bee suit. To approach within 50m of the apiary without a bee suit is a definite sting. but they bring in absolutely loads of honey!

I have been having trouble on and off with aggression over the last few years and was just going to share one thought on it and if anyone has any thoughts I would like to hear them. Agression is nearly always blamed on the queen, but I have a few hives that were fine last year but are extremely...

My advice, split in four, try and gauge the temperament of the four daughters as early as possible and then take a zero tolerance to bab behavior. squash any nasty queens and unite.

Temperatures were consistently cool and dry, Outdoor temperatures were 14-18 Deg C during the day. 5-7 deg by night. Didn't see any bearding in the front of the hive or notice grass dieback as I have seen pictures of on the internet. I still don't understand how colonies that were varroah free...

Didn't do a count but there were loads, so many that two or three were touching on the inspection board in many places.

Very heavy flow on here at the moment, Hawthorn I think, I have three very strong double brood hives currently filling the fourth super, first two vrey heavy and half capped but not passing shake test, next tow with varying amounts of nectar in all frames.

My honey sells well in a local tourist shop next in the village nearby, but recently a number of tourists have asked if I offer tours of the apiary, After initially thinking that it wasn't a great idea I am now thinking maybe it might be something to explore further. Get a few bee suits, maybe...

Just as an update, I ended up using Maqs strips, single strip in single brood box hives and two strips in double brood hives, The problem seems to have been well knocked on the head. No sign of DWV in any of my colonies, no sign of varroah clinging to bees after an initial major mite drop, the...

I think that you are right there!

You missed out the Ni Parties,

My advice would be invest in a good electric 12 frame extractor. it will do you a lift time and extracting honey will be so much more enjoyable. they are expensive initially but worth it in the long run. when there is a flow on and you are under pressure to get supers extracted and back on the...

Varroah moving on frame

I Have to say that maybe the mild winter has something to do with it and possibly them still brooding through January. Also the Varroah walking around the brood frames is something to behold, gas anyone else seen this? they are amazingly fast and mobile. they were moving around almost as fast as...

Excuse the ignorance nut what does that involve? is that vapourisation?

I got a full inspection of all hives done at the weekend and although they are all looking strong at the moment full of brood at all stages and starting to fill supers there is a very high varroah load. I treated with Oxcalic in January by trickling but this year it doesn't seem to have really...

Yes most definately, 99% of the plant and animal species here evolved somewhere else of have not evolved sufficiently since arriving here to become a distinct species. So wolves, beavers, brown bears, wild boar, Lynx cats scottish wild cats are all native. Sessile and pedunculate Oak trees while...