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I have just collected a swarm from a garden not far from the hive it can out off. I got it housed in a box and has been flying for a few hours. I am about to collect it as its getting dark. One question will they have formed a homing instinct in the few hours after the swarm? It would be a...

Hi All, I just wanted some opinions on a hive I lost in January. I had to move all my hives to a new site just after the cold spell in January and noticed I had lost one. No brood apart from about 5 cells. Lots of stores, all free flowing honey. Only about 5 bees with heads in cells. When...

Hi All, After a wet July I had to feed a couple of my hives. However after the rain all three of my hive have gone completely mad….I have never seen them work so hard all season. I have finally sussed out the strip across their back is Himalayan balsam. One of the hives I was feeding has a...

Ok, I have newly emerged queen in coffee jar (Grizzly style) Swi Bine at the ready, I have sent the other half out to pickup some fondant. Can I just stick her in there with a cup of nurse bee and leave in the dark for a while or would I need to cage her etc? I ask this because I dont have a...

Hi All, Just wondering if anyone knows where to buy frame pins in bulk. I have been buying them in little bags of a 100 but I am getting feed up of losing them and never having enough. I have tried my local builders merchant but not much luck there!

As it is my first year and I know this forum gives good and varied advice I would like some opinions on the following. I bought an over wintered nuc in April with a red marked queen. The hive did well and I supered on 7 frames of brood. The hive then put up swarm cells and I did a split on...

This is a pic of my queenless hive, well it has a new virgin in it. The picture was taken a 9.45pm My question is, is this bearding likely to be due to space or temperature?

Wow….I can’t believe my luck. Ok so I have got a Queen right colony and a queen less colony. The QRC needs another super but I was using my spare super frame to cover the rapid feeder on the QLC. The QLC has got two sealed cells in it and I worked it out that the first cell should have...

The title says it all really. I have just had to do an AS split and was thinking about trying to remove a capped cell and putting it in an Apidea type mating nuc with a cup full of bees. The idea is a bit of an insurance policy really in case the other queen does not mate etc. My question...

My first Swarm Collection/Bee removal I have had my first call for swarm collection. It’s not a typical “they are hanging off my tree” type call. The person has gone to have a loft conversion and the builder had a surprise when he lifted the insulation! Now my gut feeling is it may not be...

Hi All, I decided to take a few picks when I was doing my inspection at the weeked. I must say I have found it very usefull becuase I always seem to totally forget what the state of the hive was when I finish. Last time I was in the hive I struggled to find the queen even though she is...

Hi All, Just a quickie I have had a undrawn super on for a week now and can see they have not drawn any of the foundation out. I have one of the slotted steel QX on and have a replacement wire type to go on when I next open up. I have read that you can leave the QX off to encourage them to go...

As the title says, I just got me first sting. A friend said that all his stings are from silly mistakes and I think mine fits into that category. Never open a hive without smoke! I simply popped the crown board off to add the QX and as soon and I laid the QX down a suicide bomber came flying...

Hi All, I know it's the age old question of when to add a super but there is a slight twist. I have had a 5 frame nuc for a few weeks now and all is going well. They have now drawn out some comb and have had some good brood expansion. They have 3 frame of foundation left and have sealed...

Hi All, I'm not sure if this has been posted before: Bee Wave Regards, MrTrueman