What did you do in the 'workshop' today

[Hachi]

Mixed up my pollen patties ready for use next weekend, if you lift the plasters mixer out of the mix whilst its still whizzin' it makes SWMBO's kitchen look like a swarm has passed thro on a cleansing flight

Time of death in approx 5 mins lol

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mixed up my pollen patties ready for use next weekend, if you lift the plasters mixer out of the mix whilst its still whizzin' it makes SWMBO's kitchen look like a swarm has passed thro on a cleansing flight

We need a thread on these kitchen mishaps

 

[Moobee]

OH moaning about amount of spare wood lying around so knocked up a few bird boxes.

 

[Erichalfbee]

OH moaning about amount of spare wood lying around so knocked up a few bird boxes.
View attachment 24388

Lovely. Don’t forget to put metal plates round those holes

 

[Hachi]

Does the box on the right ever get used?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Does the box on the right ever get used?

I have several dotted round the garden and have found that if I mount one higher up under cover somewhere I get Wren's using it. Lower down surrounded by a hanging basket or chicken wire Robins will use them and they are protected from thieving Jays, Magpies and Squirrels

 

[Nige.Coll]

Know anyone down this wway Nigel? I hate uncapping more than you'll ever know

I don't I'm afraid, know of two in the midlands and Derbyshire that's all.

I don't like any aspect of honey extraction. It's all a pita.

 

[CaptainCymru]

Finally finished painting these and assembling the frames !

 

[Moobee]

Lovely. Don’t forget to put metal plates round those holes

No need luckily. No squirrels or woodpeckers by the sea!

 

[Moobee]

Does the box on the right ever get used?

Yep. Had one just like it that fell apart and was regularly used by robins.

 

[simonforeman]

Holiday all week so hive painting to do in the greenhouse

The twin nucs made out of 3rds brood boxes, cheap floors and other off cuts coming together well and looking good

 

[Hachi]

I have several dotted round the garden and have found that if I mount one higher up under cover somewhere I get Wren's using it. Lower down surrounded by a hanging basket or chicken wire Robins will use them and they are protected from thieving Jays, Magpies and Squirrels

I have both in my garden anyone guide me to plans and or tips on sighting please?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have both in my garden anyone guide me to plans and or tips on sighting please?

Open-fronted boxes for robins and wrens need to be low down, below 2m, well hidden in vegetation
The RSPB site is as good as any for general advice.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-w...or-small-birds/making-and-placing-a-bird-box/

 

[frankenstine]

well i put some flood lights outside, changed glowplugs on the car and looked at the nucs i made.

i had a load of osb for makeing shelves and storage boxes so i got over keen one evening a while back and made 12 nucs. thinking they would be good for bait hives, ill try them as such but i read a bait hive is meant to have a larger volume........ so just had a work out what i need to build some super type boxes that take brood frames to up the volume, just deciding if i should call it a bad job and make a singe box thats right for the job

 

[madasafish]

Mixed up my pollen patties ready for use next weekend, if you lift the plasters mixer out of the mix whilst its still whizzin' it makes SWMBO's kitchen look like a swarm has passed thro on a cleansing flight

Time of death in approx 5 mins lol

Picture please

 

[Hachi]

Picture please

Of my demise??

 

[Swn58]

Talking to Bee Equipment today. What fun! At least they answered, unlike last year, when they mis-sent orders and left me hanging!
My inquiry today was for them to confirm that they were NOT including a queen excluder with their Paradise hives. They are not. Their £135.97 hive (I bought at £100 last year) came with no crown board anyway, NOW has no QE either! That is another £6. They come with a hive-strap now though.....wow, big deal!
I said that I'd thrown my hat into the Paradise ring.....I may be snatching it back and buying Abello hives instead. They are now on-par with Paradise on price?
I aim to buy twenty poly hives and twenty-five nucs this season. Even the BS nucs I want are looking problematical though. GRRRRR!

 

[CaptainCymru]

Talking to Bee Equipment today. What fun! At least they answered, unlike last year, when they mis-sent orders and left me hanging!
My inquiry today was for them to confirm that they were NOT including a queen excluder with their Paradise hives. They are not. Their £135.97 hive (I bought at £100 last year) came with no crown board anyway, NOW has no QE either! That is another £6. They come with a hive-strap now though.....wow, big deal!
I said that I'd thrown my hat into the Paradise ring.....I may be snatching it back and buying Abello hives instead. They are now on-par with Paradise on price?
I aim to buy twenty poly hives and twenty-five nucs this season. Even the BS nucs I want are looking problematical though. GRRRRR!

You tried modern beekeeping?

 

[ericbeaumont]

I'd thrown my hat into the Paradise ring.....I may be snatching it back and buying Abello hives instead. They are now on-par with Paradise on price

This is the dilemma: Paradise are incompatible with any other National design while beekeeping at scale demands standardised kit.

The Abelo 11-frame is compatible with wood National and gets my vote; the plastic bonded box rims are a bonus of real value.

Both Modern Beekeeping and Abelo supply a painted and assembled one brood + two super hive for £145; you could try for a discount for bulk, but if a hive system is to last you 25 years then price ought not be the overriding factor when choosing which road to take.

 

[Murox]

Talking to Bee Equipment today. What fun! At least they answered, unlike last year, when they mis-sent orders and left me hanging!
My inquiry today was for them to confirm that they were NOT including a queen excluder with their Paradise hives. They are not. Their £135.97 hive (I bought at £100 last year) came with no crown board anyway, NOW has no QE either! That is another £6. They come with a hive-strap now though.....wow, big deal!
I said that I'd thrown my hat into the Paradise ring.....I may be snatching it back and buying Abello hives instead. They are now on-par with Paradise on price?
I aim to buy twenty poly hives and twenty-five nucs this season. Even the BS nucs I want are looking problematical though. GRRRRR!

I am also looking very hard at Paradise currently - with reports about other hives systems being prone to slide/move rather easily unless strapped up I favour something with a lip and a hard plastic edge - however until I have actually seen an example of the hive first hand I reserve judgement - maybe when this lockdown is relaxed/over I can venture out.