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You could try coating the frame edges with Vaseline.

"Should have used Acetic Acid fumigation for Nosema sanitising." Yes. I got a litre of glacial acetic later used on some other frames.

I tried cleaning a bunch of drawn frames from a hive infected with Nosema, using a diluted bleach bath. Propolis didn't move and the bleach destroyed the wax (14"x12") as well. Won't do that again.

Meths is about 90% ethanol and about 10% methanol with additives to make it taste nasty. Methanol is very poisonous nasty hangover and permanent damage possible. OK solvent and easier to get and much cheaper than ethanol.

Hi, I think I've made a bit of a mess here. Basically, I lost 2 hives completely during late spring. The bee inspector came recently on his routine visit and reckoned that Nosema c, rather than apis was was primarily responsible. The remaining hive had survived, just, and was starting to...

I agree totally with Enrico et al. 1st time honey (yipee!!) - 22lbs from one super using wide spacers (8 frames). The comb was very uneven, and my old heat gun melted the cappings no problem. Heartily recommended. Uncapping knife redundant.

I've been doing this recently with brood frames ( I also put the QE under the lower crown board). They started storing nectar/honey in these frames. I've removed them for now. Is there any way of preventing this when I try again? There are partially storage frames in the lower BB. They don't...

Don't forget to give the empty frames back to the bees (same hive they came from - in case of disease transmission apparently) before storing the dry drawn frames.

i just use old blankets and towels - they can be fitted into all the corners and keep out the draughts including fitting into variable dead spaces. Did well last winter.

I have been sorting out spare frames stored in the garage and there are a number which have cells filled with stored pollen, otherwise empty with no honey or syrup visible and no evidence of mould. I was thinking of feeding these back to the bees before putting them away for winter. They came...

I've got a well made brood pattern (all sealed) on 3 super frames. I forgot to put the QE on. No more since I put a wire excluder in. I'm just leaving them to emerge. Try a different excluder. Are there eggs/young larvae in the main BB?

Not everyone has a polyhive setup. A nuc in a brood box with a dummy board good top insulation and the dead space blocked with old towels or similar worked well for me the last 2 winters. The central or offset crown board holes would be accessible for fondant, if necessary.

The bee inspector came about 3 weeks ago - he said leave the QE asaide for a while - since then they are filling the super, with loads of bees up there - stores only. however, the other hive is not responding yet.

I've got a number of part filled frames from last year and this spring in a brood box in the garage. I'd forgotten about them but the bees have sniffed them out and are virtually hammering on the door to get at the honey. The thing is, fermentation apart (smell and taste OK), I understood that...

I was in the same boat last year - and this year, what with the bad weather, a Q from a queen cell that hatched in mid June has only started to lay last week. If you do try it make sure you can boost the numbers with frames of brood from other hives. the timeline will dictate dwindling...

Boots in the aroma therapy section, may have to be a biggish store. Also tea-tree etc. Not too expensive and lasts for ages.

"We're doomed I tell ye doomed" is a mesage type seen often on blogs. It gets the point across. The basic premise is that there are undoubtedly serious problems in US commercial set-ups that have been exacerbated by commercial pressures. A trickle down effect can't be ignored. We've seen...

Saw this. It may be of interest, although not necessarily new. http://www.rickackerman.com/2011/04/bee-die-off-threatens-global-food-calamity/

To O90O. That wasn't a question. As far as I can see the drips were ignored and the hive was closed off. I've moved it and hosed down the drippy stuff. It is a full size WBC but, as I say, dummy board with empty space filled. I suppose I could make a nuc box.

To O90. That wasn't a question. As far as I can see the drips were ignored and the hive was closed off. I've moved it and hosed down the drippy stuff. It is a full size WBC but, as I say, dummy board with empty space filled. I suppose I could make a nuc box.