A horror story! I lost three colonies at the farm and one at Sandwell under the same circumstances. They seemed okay until I suddenly realised there was no flying at the end of September, when all the other colonies were still active. Too late to do anything about it.
I’m like this with DIY - I need a new screwdriver for every screw.SimonTBK must wonder what I do with mine. I think I bought about six last year and have still been found 'wanting!' What happens is that I put one down.....wander off ...get distracted....then it's LOST.
A change of cycle bags and rucksacks late last year revealed four hive-tools....then I 'found' some more! I now have at least one in every bag I carry and two at every Apiary. As for gloves.....don't talk to me about gloves!
, I can at least find it easily.
Some beeks I've seen have a magnetic in their pocket and pop their hive tool onto it outside the suit, brilliant idea!!I carry a belt to hold tools and try to replace tool in belt after a hive.
I still occasionally put it on the roof of a hive.
But normally I teach myself to lay it down on a visible position so even when dementia strikes
It is the unthinking placing a tool down without being conscious of doing it that causes problems. So far so good over a decade of growing more incompetent and forgetful.
Yes that works, something I have always done .
That's a game I haven't played for a few years!
I could show you a place near Caerwent if you want to see False Widows, BIG ones, they'll even take Bumble bees.
O my goodness really, first time I've seen one!!!!
We used to have a ‘pet’ one in the kitchen and I used to feed it wasps. She was around for a couple of years.
Looks like a Bumble that your bees killed, they usually end up looking black and hairless.
It looks like a female Hairy Footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes)
