Category Archives: Bee-keeping

Queen hornet update

Posted on May 23, 2024 by james

She’s still there 😀 Not looking like flying much today, possibly because it’s actually been quite chilly and breezy. She just seems to be curled up under the ridge waiting for a warm day. There’s an enormous spider eying her … Continue reading →

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Spring Harvest

Posted on May 23, 2024 by james

Today I dropped over to take supers off some of my hives that have been next to a field of oilseed rape. I’m a bit late with this and it may already have crystallised, but we’ll see. It’s a quite … Continue reading →

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Well, that’s hornet!

Posted on May 23, 2024 by james

I went to hunt for some kit in my bee shed today and as I turned around to close the door afterwards almost had my head taken off by a queen hornet leaving. I hung around for a while and … Continue reading →

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More bait hive action

Posted on May 23, 2024 by james

My concerns about one of my colonies potentially swarming were not helped today by far more action around my bait hive. I tried to follow the flight paths of the scouts though and they seem to be heading off the … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 10th June 2023: This is why you want a bait hive

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

Because if a swarm ends up somewhere like this, it gets expensive for someone. I really couldn’t deal with this. At least some of the tiles would have to come off for a start and a few of them were … Continue reading →

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An odd swarm call

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

I received a call about a swarm this afternoon, but it didn’t go quite the way I expected… The caller wanted to know if I had a box he could use to keep a swarm that had arrived in his … Continue reading →

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Oilseed rape flowers are disappearing

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

And right next to some of my hives, too. Hopefully there’s at least some Spring honey there to be had, though if they’ve eaten it all on the days they couldn’t fly I shouldn’t be entirely surprised. Anyhow, it means … Continue reading →

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It’s a bee day

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

This morning I inspected the hives in my home apiary. Mostly they’re looking good. I had to add a super to a couple of colonies and a second brood box to another, found a queen and marked her. One colony … Continue reading →

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Super frames finally finished

Posted on May 20, 2024 by james

I finally finished making up all my super frames and got them stacked up at the bee shed ready to go. It’s been a bit of a slog getting these done, but I really ought to try to get through … Continue reading →

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More super frames

Posted on May 16, 2024 by james

Yup, I’m still going… About eighty-five frames done now, mostly new, but also some old ones re-waxed. I’m getting towards the end of my store of wired foundation now. I think I have fifteen sheets left of all those that … Continue reading →

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