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Thanks for your replies...The mystery is that the hives were pretty active last week but there is now minimal trace of wasps about, no debris on the OM floors, no residual brood and no evidence of robbing ragged cells or dead bees. I also don't think a single Hornet would have upset the...

I 've recently finished moving my 2 remaining colonies about 50 feet to a new nearby apiary site ( 3 feet at a time) over a few months. The new tenants looked fine two weeks ago, good activity, looking healthy and good numbers. I have fed them autumn sugar syrup twice in the intervening...

Moving my Apiary LATEST SITUATION

Hi ,This might be a possible solution but if I am moving 3 feet at a time and with two hives I really don't have much time as I normally don't get to the site more than a couple of times a week! I think your idea of an empty hive to pick up stragglers has some merit.The twigs thing might also...

I am in an absolute quandary and cant see a solution!!! ...I have to move my long established apiary which is situated surrounded by a bramble thicket on the edge of a golf course (my club).The golf club have always been ultra "eco" helpful and are now preparing an alternative apiary site about...

I have purchased and am about to fit a number of these escapes to my National supers.They are 10 inches in diameter and have a 3 1/2" circular "assembly" area in the middle. I have always used porter escapes in previous years with mixed results and am told these "8 way jobbies" work better and...

This year started badly in that all 4 of my over-wintered 14 x 12 National colonies swarmed at the very beginning of April before I had got out of the starting blocks. Thanks to advice from the forum I retrieved the situation and got back to 5 Q + colonies (including one returning swarm!). By...

open or closed qcs? Thanks guys for all of your very helpful responses.....I haven't counted but there are probably an average of half a dozen qcs in each hive. Should I prioritise open cells (as with an artifical swarm)to leave unculled and does the position on the frame / size of cell have...

After 8 years beekeeping I thought I had a passable grasp of the subject, but it’s a bit like golf….when you think you are coping; it turns round and kicks you in the rear end! I began 2014 with 4 over-wintered colonies in 14 x 12’s all descended from my original Buckfast nuc purchased in 2006...

Bubble bursting? I don't think the so called bubble has burst yet as recent publicity has given it a bit of a gee-up.However, I do believe the over-pricing of equipment and supplies for the hobby beekeeper will have a detrimental effect once the eco-effect has started to wane. I personally...

desensitisation Hi dpearce4 Playing the devil's advocate, I wonder whether his having to fund a private nurse for vaccinations would just not be efficacious (cost-wise) use of this particular Consultants private practice time and thus his reticence...... I am very lucky that I have lifetime...

desensisation Hi dpearce4, I have watched this thread with interest since you started.. I also suffer from bad reactions to bee stings and two years ago went privately to see a Senior Consultant in Immunology and Allergy . Over 3 consultations he did loads of tests, confirmed that I had a very...

solution extra Forgot to say that equipment wise I have spare roofs ,floors and crown boards

Solution? My underlying issues are that I don't have the room to have more than 6 /8 colonies long term,don't want to build and store more brood boxes and find 6 colonies physically enough to handle. Also, I am not convinced there would be enough forage around. I have therefore decided to make...

Hi Beeks (2nd Attempt) I am currently overwintering 6 colonies , all on 14x12s and have another couple of spare empty hives plus a couple of 6 frame nucs in that format. Planning ahead for next year, 6 colonies is really an optimum size for me to manage physically and I would prefer not to A/S...

"Kstar 11" style wax melter* Quote VEG "Do you have any pics and can you explain how it works" Look up this *equipment on Th2*nes website or in their catalogue p57 for a visual idea. Catering taps are available from fleabay for a few quid, thermostatically controlled,sealed element tea urns...

wax melter I fitted a second "catering tap" half way up a thermostatically controlled stainless steel tea urn and hey presto! I have the equivalent of the top-range Kochstar melter 2........Th++nes £300+ including postage. Total cost was about £60 and works a treat.I wouldn't recommend...

Mine took their time last year but after a couple of weeks took it down ok.

Hi RAB, I have just looked at my missive and I have appear to have quoted your post in full ? ....However, more importantly, I very much value your and the other experienced posters views and was purely trying to ascertain/ clarify the Haynes Bee manual's authors woolly statement that the...