This forum

[Erichalfbee]

The folk here are among the best in the world.
Having reported significant colony losses I have been bolstered by lots of kind PMs and a really kind offer from a fellow forumite to make me up a nuc. An offer that brought a tear to my eye.
Thank you so much.

Vandals kicking hives about yet such kindness here. It's a strange world .

 

[kazmcc]

I'm sorry to hear of your losses.

You are a forum favourite, and it is lovely when people rally around. Some very kind and thoughtful people on this forum

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Agreed.

And two of them are ahead of me in this thread.*

Dusty

*It went rapidly downhill after that.

 

[kazmcc]

Aww shucks

 

[Finman]

Vandals kicking hives about yet such kindness here. .

Yeah. Others kick hives and others beekeepers.
.

 

[Cussword]

Really sorry to hear that you've had problem Erica.
I agree with kazmcc

 

[beeno]

That's so kind. You are a treasure too.

 

[REDWOOD]

If you want a swarm I will pick one up for you but you can't have it until I look at the sealed brood. Thats if you don't mind some Swansea mongrels.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm ok redwood but what a kind thought. I've got bait boxes out already. Perhaps I'll catch a polar bear or two

 

[Erichalfbee]

Really sorry to hear that you've had problem Erica.
I agree with kazmcc

Gee thanks

 

[Tomo]

Sorry to hear of your losses, some people..........I hope they got stung!

If you were closer to me you would be welcome to a split or two.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks Tomo
Not nicked though
Varroa and maybe one queen failure

 

[Nige.Coll]

Been a bad winter for losses,
Talking to someone who lost 15 nucs to dlq.
I lost 5 since september but no drama.
My mate has lost 8 since some fields were sprayed behind his hives.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Been a bad winter for losses,
Talking to someone who lost 15 nucs to dlq.
I lost 5 since september but no drama.
My mate has lost 8 since some fields were sprayed behind his hives.

Conversely I didn't lose any, although one has come out very weak. It was a late swarm and not a big colony going in to the winter. Still 3 frames of capped stores inside when I opened up.
Maybe one factor in the apiary favour is all hives spent the winter months in kingspan cosies?

 

[taurus]

Conversely I didn't lose any, although one has come out very weak. It was a late swarm and not a big colony going in to the winter. Still 3 frames of capped stores inside when I opened up.
Maybe one factor in the apiary favour is all hives spent the winter months in kingspan cosies?

Any chance of a photo of your cosies please - I've been thinking along those lines but I'm not sure what you do about keeping the entrance area clear.

 

[Nige.Coll]

I don't think cosie hives will improve queen mating chances when it's raining

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

[BeeJayBee]

Any chance of a photo of ....cosies please

Try DerekM's album. He's the one who started it all!
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=289

 

[Millet]

Any chance of a photo of your cosies please - I've been thinking along those lines but I'm not sure what you do about keeping the entrance area clear.

Here is one i made if its any help, ignore the stand as that hive is empty i used it as a template for measurements, the last picture is obviously on the active hive and you can see the entrance is pretty clear.

 

[taurus]

Ta!

 

[bjosephd]

(wrong post)