Monthly Archives: May 2012

Bees on the Move

Posted on May 31, 2012 by ingrid

The TBH is back home with the transfered colony from the national. They had their 5 day ‘holiday’ 5 miles away and we picked them up at sunset, having screwed the followers in place to help prevent the bars slipping … Continue reading →

Posted in Horizontal Top Bar Hives, Moving Hives, Natural Beekeeping | 3 Comments

Which colony should I keep?

Posted on May 31, 2012 by FollowMeChaps

I am giving a swarm to friends from another area as a part thank-you for something they did for me. I have the option of 2 swarms I could pass on, each of which will have been on 2 Warré … Continue reading →

Posted in Moving Hives, Natural Beekeeping, Swarms, Warre Hives | 5 Comments

National under wraps

Posted on May 27, 2012 by ingrid

National under wraps

All dressed up and ready to go – bees on the move the other night

Continue reading →

Posted in Moving Hives | Leave a comment

first catch your bees – plan B

Posted on May 27, 2012 by walthambees

having had my first swarm disappear in a reswarm I was (foolishly) beginning to think I might have got the hang of this. A far more unnerving challenge was about to present itself – a colony in a chimney which … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Colony Cut Outs | 7 Comments

TBH design: feedback and ideas please?

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Paul

TBH’s have evolved a lot since I got my first one 2 years ago. I am getting a custom one made and I am trying to have as many features as I can think of incorporated to make it better … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Hive Floors, Bee Hives | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Transport issues

Posted on May 26, 2012 by ingrid

I have been given a swarm from the neighbours – the bees decided to go and live in an old redundant National next to their stables where they just aren’t wanted. We duly took the national 5 miles away and … Continue reading →

Posted in Moving Hives | 7 Comments

Excessive queen cups

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Paul

Opened a TBH today, checking for signs of swarming like queen cells. There were 10 bars of brood, getting on for 18 bars of bees in all – a big colony. Found about 30 small queen cups (about the length … Continue reading →

Posted in Swarms | Tagged , | 1 Comment

what happens next?

Posted on May 22, 2012 by walthambees

22.5 – 3 days after the great exodus from the hive I now find there are a few bees coming in and out and assume that these are some stragglers who got left behind.  Queenless and purposeless – what will happen … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural Beekeeping | 2 Comments

Warre Hive Feeders

Posted on May 21, 2012 by enhancingthefuture

Just trying to get a little more prepared for when some bees finally decide to make home here.  Do you have any details for what sort of feeder I should use for a Warre hive?  Are they commercially available or … Continue reading →

Posted in Feeders, Warre Hives | 5 Comments

mesh floors

Posted on May 21, 2012 by tramcaro

I have mesh floors in both my top bar hives which are now covered with wood chippings from sawn trees off Salisbury Plain. There is rotting wood, bits of twig and some leaf which I have spread thinly on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Hive Floors | 1 Comment