Monthly Archives: July 2012

My First Swarm – Postscript

Posted on July 27, 2012 by enhancingthefuture

After the drama of my recent swarm, I was unable to get into my neighbours garden before they up and left for their new home. Over the last few days I have been observing the coming and goings of the … Continue reading →

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My First Swarm

Posted on July 24, 2012 by enhancingthefuture

was just sitting in the garden taking advantage of this beautiful weather and eating my lunch when the buzzing noise from around my hive increased exponentially.  Suddenly there were thousands of bees taking to the air and streaming across my … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural Beekeeping, Swarms, Warre Hives | 3 Comments

Of Swarms and Unicorns

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Gareth John

Robin Morris has posted a great story on the YABeeP blog about a call to retrieve a swarm from the SS Great Britain. Gareth, West Oxfordshire

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Rain, Food and Nectar

Posted on July 18, 2012 by enhancingthefuture

With all the wet weather I have been a little more than concerned that my bees are doing ok.  They seem to be running foraging flights between downpours (and even in some of the lighter showers) and are busy building … Continue reading →

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Hive observation

Posted on July 18, 2012 by jonbinspired

I thought some might find the following hive story interesting. This is about a 3 year old hive (no treatment) which suffered terrible varroasis last year, deformed wing virus (sick bees all over the ground), nosema at the start of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Hive Floors, Natural Beekeeping, Queens, Swarms, Warre Hives | 2 Comments

Repeat Swarming

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Gareth John

Hi, I am a new beekeeper using a Warre hive populated with local bees in a National nucleus conversion-to-warre box. Bees arrived end of May settled well and built comb in first Warre box very quickly. Then stopped, despite having … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural Beekeeping, Swarms | 8 Comments

Late Season Chop & Crop

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Gareth John

I have recently seen quite a few questions from beginners about chop and crops as a means of getting combs from national nucs into top bar hives (usually of the horizontal sort). I’ll start by saying that I have never … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural Beekeeping | 2 Comments

to split or not to split??

Posted on July 13, 2012 by erichalfbeethefirst

I have two hTBH. Both were very strong until start of bad weather in April. I nearly lost one hive, starvation, I think though it has recovered a little and is still active but not that many bees. The other … Continue reading →

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Background to, and effects of, Neonicotinoids

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Gareth John

For those who are unaware of it, there is a long and interesting article that discusses the background to, and effects of,  neonicotinoid insecticides (now there’s a mouthful) here, on Mark Avery’s blog.  For many years Mark was the conservation … Continue reading →

Posted in Pesticides | 2 Comments

Queen Bee Info

Posted on July 8, 2012 by enhancingthefuture

I have just had a look at my Warre hive and noticed in the end comb of the topbox that the bees are building a number of new queen cells.  I didn’t count them all as I was looking through … Continue reading →

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