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Thanks Finman :)

I think you might be right. Hopefully time and experience will dispel most of that. Hey it worked with the chickens! Pigs are still mean though, little buggers.

Thanks guys, I do have the new hive next to my hive and I also have a bait box at the end of the acre as an attempt to catch them if they swarm. That's good advice about where to situate the brood box. I would never have thought of that. We're planning on doing the split on Friday, I'll...

I'm a brand new beekeeper and I'll be brutally honest and say I really underestimated them. Not the level of work involved, we have a smallholding so it's not an issue in that regard. I'd handled bees before at my association, but that was in March. It's a very different proposition going...

Is that unusual or is this just a seasonal issue? Should I take action? (apart from breaking down the cells) What would you do? My mentor has advised splitting the hive. He thinks it could be that they are overcrowded. Queen is present and laying well. Lots of eggs and sealed brood. I...

Hi Ade, I'm a rookie too. I have one hive since March and am looking at expanding to two by the end of the summer if all goes well. So far so good. Best piece of advice I can give you is join the association and find a good mentor. I have a great support and he sees things I'd never see. I...

Oh good, it wasn't just me then ;) This is a 30 year old dream realised for me. Grandad kept 5 hives when I was little and I always wanted to keep bees too. Million reasons not to year after year, now is as good a time as any. Old Grandad would be both proud to see his granddaughter carrying...

Hi Tom, I'm a newbee too. I was merrily attending courses, going to BKA meetings and attending hive openings, when suddenly the opportunity to purchase a full colony came up. It's been somewhat terrifying to take possession of a full colony and see them boil up out of the hive on first...

I've had my bees 2 weeks and I've been stung 5 times. Each time due to inexperience. The one on the eyelid hurt the most. I'm like Pavlov's dog! I've now learned: Half a bee suit isn't good enough Always tuck your bottoms into wellies Do not hoe the onion bed (on the other side of the...

Mr. T, I have a full hive with two supers on top. When we opened the hive on Sunday there were 6 queen cells in there. My mentor destroyed all of those, spread the brood and added a second super. The weather here in SW Ireland hasn't been as good as yours, but saying that we've had total...

Hello all, newbie here too. Got my first hive 10 days ago. Looked in the hive yesterday in the presence of my beekeeper mentor. I'll found it quite intimidating and would definitely advise any first timers to find a good mentor. He's going to check the hive with me again in 10 days time...