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I don’t want to run more than 3 hives. I went away for 10 days at the beginning of June having done 3 artificial swarms as all three hives had Q cells. Felt quite smug! I have been back less than a week in time to catch 2 swarms and a cast and I know I missed at least one. I now have 7...

Is it possible to do an artificial swarm without finding the Q first? She is still in there somewhere! There are lots of new eggs, there are also lots of charged but as yet uncapped Q cells. I have been through the very large brood and half twice in two days and can't find her. I am sure she...

I have acquired two pollen patties as freebies when I bought MAQ strips from a certain company keen to establish themselves this side of the pond. There were no instructions about when or how to use them. I guess they go directly onto the top of the brood frames. But when and why would my...

I have been given a huge old wasp nest by a neighbour who says if I hang it up near my hives it will deter wasps from the area! Anyone heard of this? Does it work? This is my fourth season beekeeping and the first that I have had any real problem with wasps. I have done all the usual...

Anyone have any idea why my nice quiet bees seem to really object to me turning over my compost heaps? I’ve just been chased off for the second time this year. In June I thought it was just because they were thinking about swarming and a bit agitated anyway, but all is quiet now in my hives...

I've just done a Bailey Comb change which seems to have gone well, I have been feeding the bees to encourage them to build wax in this horrible cold weather and they are building up really strongly. As fast as the brood in the old box has emerged the cells have been filled with stores. So I now...

Hi, I am a confused second yr beekeeper with 3 national hives. Had a good year and took 86lbs of honey early August. Took the supers off and started treating for varroa, checked 10 days later and realised the stores were very low. Took the treatment off to feed and have just inspected before...

I asked this question a couple of weeks ago and now have my swarm's answer - 16 days. They finally took off yesterday afternoon having endured rain and gales as well as some decent days when I was sure they would depart. They even had a couple of apples slowly expanding out of the side of the swarm!

I have a swarm 30ft up an inaccessable tree. It looks like they are heading for their third night out. They obviously haven't seen the forecast for the next couple of days - it's terrible! There is a lovely warm dry bait hive within sight of the tree. Any tips or are they doomed??

Should I put a new super of undrawn foundation on top of an almost full super (no OSR in this area so don't think I need to extract it) or below it? Would the bees be encouraged to draw it out more quickly if it is immediately above the brood box? Or is there a good reason to put new supers on...