| Author |
Message |
 Topic: Removing plastic foundation |
Barbara
Replies: 2
Views: 82
|
 Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 11:55 am Subject: Removing plastic foundation |
Hi and welcome.
Well done for successfully chopping and cropping. I know it can be a daunting task and with plastic foundation that must have been trickier.
I would not try to remove those combs ... |
| Topic: Dead queen after going from frames to TBH |
Barbara
Replies: 3
Views: 132
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:08 am Subject: Dead queen after going from frames to TBH |
Hi and welcome
A few things occur to me from your post.....
If it was getting dark when you did your inspection of that hive, the bees will behave differently. They become irritated and fly out ... |
| Topic: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 10
Views: 450
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 7:38 am Subject: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
| That is great news. Pleased to hear that bees half way across the world show similar behaviour/timescales to mine when left to their own devices. Thanks for letting us know. |
| Topic: moving a newly caught swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 8
Views: 256
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:20 pm Subject: moving a newly caught swarm |
| Sounds good as regards wood starter strips rather than foundation. It is best to rub them with bees wax still. You can use a thin wooden strip like a popsicle stick or paint stirrer or a triangular pr ... |
| Topic: moving a newly caught swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 8
Views: 256
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 5:05 pm Subject: moving a newly caught swarm |
| Sounds a bit like a Dartington hive. I would recommend that you use starter strips in the frames rather than full sheets of foundation. The bees can then build comb with a cell size that suits them ra ... |
| Topic: moving a newly caught swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 8
Views: 256
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 12:54 pm Subject: moving a newly caught swarm |
| As an afterthought, I would also recommend you bait your main hive to attract the swarm as well. The distance is not prohibitive and having a choice of 2 gives you better odds.... 3 or 4 better still. ... |
| Topic: moving a newly caught swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 8
Views: 256
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 12:47 pm Subject: moving a newly caught swarm |
Hi and welcome
Firstly, just want to make you aware that your terminology is slightly adrift which can cause confusion, particularly when talking about a feral colony. A bait hive is what you are m ... |
| Topic: Prime swarm not left yet? Is Taranov split posible |
Barbara
Replies: 4
Views: 199
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 4:32 pm Subject: Prime swarm not left yet? Is Taranov split posible |
None of the links are working for me..... @catchercradle .... Dave can you see them?
Hi Liz
I have been having a rethink and if you are specifically wanting to populate your other hive then it m ... |
| Topic: Advice needed - feeding an artificial swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 3
Views: 205
|
Forum: Local Groups and Mentors, UK and Ireland Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 12:21 am Subject: Advice needed - feeding an artificial swarm |
Hi
If you think about it logically, the bees in a swarm only have whatever honey/nectar they have in their honey stomach to start a new colony. I would say that a natural swarm is probably not goin ... |
| Topic: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 10
Views: 450
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 12:11 am Subject: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
| Keeping records of exactly what you see during each inspection can be really helpful. Things like number of combs with brood on and if it is mostly capped or open. Which bars queen cells are seen on a ... |
| Topic: Inspection question |
Barbara
Replies: 3
Views: 245
|
Forum: Ask a Bee Inspector Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 8:12 am Subject: Inspection question |
I would agree with Dave. Opening the colony too often disrupts and stresses them to some extent and stressed colonies are believed to be more susceptible to EFB.
I also agree that Bee Inspectors c ... |
| Topic: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 10
Views: 450
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 6:38 pm Subject: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
| Mating takes place outside the hive so it does not matter if there are drones in the hive with a virgin queen or not, although usually she will attract them and they are welcome from any colony and wi ... |
| Topic: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 10
Views: 450
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:24 pm Subject: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
| Yes pollen going in is usually an indication that brood rearing is about to or has begun. Personally I would not disturb them again to look for a queen but I have plenty of other colonies so if they a ... |
| Topic: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
Barbara
Replies: 10
Views: 450
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:45 am Subject: No eggs 3 weeks after swarm |
| In my experience it can go 4 weeks or longer even. I used to get anxious about it but I try not to any more. The longer the brood break the better as regards the varroa population being knocked right ... |
| Topic: What do we mean by 'treatment-free'? |
Barbara
Replies: 25
Views: 26032
|
Forum: Treatment-Free Beekeeping Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 2:40 pm Subject: What do we mean by 'treatment-free'? |
Hi Peter
It's a very complex question rather than a simplistic one.
I have a colony that is now 20 years old and has not been treated for 9 years. Something has changed between varroa arriving h ... |
| Topic: Colony growth and capped honey stores |
Barbara
Replies: 4
Views: 469
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:11 am Subject: Colony growth and capped honey stores |
More than happy to help out Peter, whenever you need support.
Photos are really helpful as people can look at things and perceive and describe them very differently. Photos need to be hosted on an ... |
| Topic: Colony growth and capped honey stores |
Barbara
Replies: 4
Views: 469
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 6:13 pm Subject: Colony growth and capped honey stores |
Hi
The lack of stores is nothing to be concerned about at this stage. It may help to understand the needs of a new colony starting up from a swarm so that you can interpret what you see as normal.. ... |
| Topic: honeycomb foundation |
Barbara
Replies: 1
Views: 273
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 11:36 am Subject: honeycomb foundation |
Hi and welcome.... I see this is your first post!
Due to it's conductive properties I would say not, but even if it were, I'm curious to know why you would even consider it. The cost implications o ... |
| Topic: Queen Excluder |
Barbara
Replies: 7
Views: 632
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:56 pm Subject: Queen Excluder |
| John, I also appreciate your support for my take on this subject. It can be helpful to an OP to assess an overall view of things and if they only get two opposing responses (OK maybe not opposing as s ... |
| Topic: Queen Excluder |
Barbara
Replies: 7
Views: 632
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:39 pm Subject: Queen Excluder |
| I can see your point Colin and you are right that I failed to answer the question and the OP has not responded, which suggests that my response was not helpful to them and it does concern me that I ma ... |
| Topic: under ground bees |
Barbara
Replies: 2
Views: 370
|
Forum: Ask a Bee Inspector Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 5:02 pm Subject: under ground bees |
Hi and welcome to the forum.
I'm not a bee inspector and sadly it is a while since one visited the forum to answer queries but it sounds like it may be a nest or two of bumble bees. They usually li ... |
| Topic: Very Feminine looking trap-out on huge tree |
Barbara
Replies: 5
Views: 389
|
Forum: TV, Video, Blogs and Other Media Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:32 am Subject: Very Feminine looking trap-out on huge tree |
| I just found it so upsetting with the trap outs I have done that failed, aside from the huge amount of time invested, seeing bees dying as a result of your best efforts really hurts. I felt like they ... |
| Topic: Very Feminine looking trap-out on huge tree |
Barbara
Replies: 5
Views: 389
|
Forum: TV, Video, Blogs and Other Media Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:12 am Subject: Very Feminine looking trap-out on huge tree |
And there was me thinking it was going to be a bonny pink bait box with flowers painted on it..... 
I love your comment about playing "whack a mole".... it really describes those si ... |
| Topic: Small Pieces of Wax in Honey After Processing |
Barbara
Replies: 2
Views: 269
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 12:46 pm Subject: Small Pieces of Wax in Honey After Processing |
Hi
Firstly the wax is edible so there is no real problem if there are bits of wax in it. Secondly, the wax particles will float to the surface over time and form a film on the top which can be scoo ... |
| Topic: HELP!!!! |
Barbara
Replies: 1
Views: 419
|
Forum: URGENT Help needed now! Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:22 pm Subject: HELP!!!! |
Hi Nigel.
Sorry to hear you have acquired a hive in that state. Unfortunately there is no easy fix. The options are catch the swarms as they emerge if you are able or place bait hives strategically ... |
| Topic: Queen Excluder |
Barbara
Replies: 7
Views: 632
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 1:34 pm Subject: Queen Excluder |
Hi
Queen excluders come with risks, especially in the hands of an inexperienced beekeeper. They can cause several problems, some can even prove fatal for the hive if left on through winter for exam ... |
| Topic: Honey for Winter |
Barbara
Replies: 1
Views: 291
|
Forum: Horizontal top bar hives Posted: Wed May 30, 2018 1:15 pm Subject: Honey for Winter |
Hi
Obviously we are a long way off winter preparation yet so I'm not sure if you are asking so that you know if you can harvest some honey now or if you are just planning ahead for late summer/autu ... |
| Topic: Info wanted on wild hollow tree bee nest |
Barbara
Replies: 2
Views: 367
|
Forum: Bright ideas, experiments and projects Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 3:05 pm Subject: Info wanted on wild hollow tree bee nest |
ps there is no such thing as ideal dimensions of a bee hive
Agreed. Each swarm will have different needs depending on genetics, size of swarm, prime or cast and probably the cavity size of the pare ... |
| Topic: Maggots in my topbar |
Barbara
Replies: 2
Views: 423
|
Forum: URGENT Help needed now! Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 2:50 pm Subject: Maggots in my topbar |
Hi
I'm sorry you lost your colony. It is difficult to comment on the cause without seeing it for myself and since your climate will be radically different from ours here in the UK their seasonal st ... |
| Topic: transfer |
Barbara
Replies: 6
Views: 1492
|
Forum: Beginners start here Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 6:58 pm Subject: transfer |
| You are shying away from the chop and crop when in reality it is far easier for both you and the bees. The frames are very stable, which means it is far easier to shake the bees off them into the new ... |
| |
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