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He could try Braintree or Colchester beekeepers (BBKA). I don't know much about Braintree but Colchester regularly send out information about sites available. There are also some fairly large bee farmers around Coggeshall who might be interested.

I would urge you to stay. There is much to learn here, especially from the archives. Almost every issue you encounter will have been experienced and commented on by others. As with every publication there is useful advice interspaced with a fair amount of drivel. My advice to you would be to...

Not as amusing as being referenced as a "usual suspect" when I have posted less than 20 times over a twelve year period. Or perhaps you were referring to Enrico, who has always struck me as one of the more sensible and respected members of the forum. Furthermore at no time have I suggested that...

I admit I had to look up the definition of the word shill; not only does it not apply to me, but it is also mildly insulting. I won't ask for an apology since one would not be forthcoming anyway. I can only express my regret, but not surprise, that you have dragged the debate down to your usual...

I appreciate your curiosity. I started my beekeeping around 2010, although it was a long held intention for most of my life. Of course, my methodologies have changed over the years, mostly as a result of learning from my mistakes, but also with valuable inputs from here and other printed...

I think you are unintentionally misunderstanding my position. I have already stated that I am not in favour of open feeding, for the reasons I have already explained. I merely wish to challenge some of the established opinions on here, such that open feeding, in February as suggested in the...

By your logic then we should never place our hives too near to a major source of nectar as the bees, high on nectar, will immediately swoop down and attack the nearest hive. it sounds just like Colchester on a Saturday night. Of course, I have seen incidents of robbing and I agree it is not at...

I fully accept what you say. I would add that the reason I so rarely post on here is that these debates so often are reduced to insults and vitriol. Maybe this is the time of night for reasoned arguments, and I am grateful that my questions have been met with well argued responses. Maybe the...

I entirely agree with you. The reason I would not open feed is because it is so damned inefficient, and a waste of money. The original article, as I understand it, did not advocate open feeding of honey, or in the immediate vicinity of existing hives. I just sometimes feel that the weight of...

I don't think anyone is advocating the open feeding of honey, however I am aware that many experienced members of this forum are in favour of using "old black comb" in bait hives, which must surely increase the risk of transmission of disease spores

I accept what you say, but would respectfully suggest that the presence/absence of disease in a contacting individual is the limiting factor, rather than the volume of contacts. For example, my whole family were down with Covid over New Year, but I am pretty sure we were not in contact with...

I am aware of the conventional wisdom that open feeding will encourage robbing and the spread of disease. I am also aware of the chasm (understatement!) between the regular posters on here and the prominent members of the BBKA. However, I would ask one question. Why does open feeding (of sugar...

I rarely comment here but I think I can recognise mockery when I see it

not that then

I have had chestnut honey several years ago. I fact I am still melting out one jar a year to go with the cheese at xmas. This honey is not dark enough or strong tasting enough to be sweet chestnut, although it could be a mixture. What about dandelion?

I extracted 7 supers from 4 hives today, my second extraction this year. 6 supers contained, as expected, light honey from borage. Cappings are removed easily with a hot air gun, easily spun out and filtered; a very pale, sweet honey slow to crystalize. The 7th super was different. At first it...

Maybe a happy ending. On todays inspection there was evidence of a laying queen being present. I did not see her this time but will recognise her when I do as she was much darker than my usual ginger Essex mongrels

But the rejected queen was from the same nuc. it never left the nuc, but was inside the previously used CoT,s. Thats why I presumed it was contaminated by the previous occupant.

I can usually find answers to my questions here, but this one is new to me. I had to do an A/S today, trapping the queen under a crown of thorns trap for a few minutes during the process. 20 minutes later, I was looking for a newly mated queen in a 6 frame nuc. She was spotted and trapped under...