BULLDOUG 199 Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 I supered mine today aswell they had already built back all the comb from crown board to tops of frames that i cleaned off last time and filled it with honey. This being only my second season, ive been really nervous but no there great. Trapperman, do you slide floors under your hives in the winter? Ive got veroa floors and i put slides in over the winter to keep them warm but on reflection i was wondering if they would have been better without?? ATB D No i leave the slide in floor out except when we had that really cold spell i put it in but upside down so there was a slight gap to allow a flow of air across the bottem and out the front. I had 2" of polystyrene and a fleese blanket on top as insulation, with no top ventilation. I did leave the floor in for a while after winter varroa treatment, for which i decided to use a vapourizer and not trickle the oxalic acid. Thanks buddy, i used Apiguard myself last year for veroa treatment but left the sliding floor in. I agree there better out because damp condition can be deadly to them, much worse than the cold (well so ive been reading). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted April 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Yes mate i used apiguard in the late summer aswell, and then oxalic acid during winter (mid jan) to knock them off when there is very little or no brood cells for them to hide in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted April 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Just done my second inspection of the season and they were bursting at the seems, brood now on 9 frames and a fair amount of honey in the super. I decided it was a good time to go to double brood, so i put the new brood box full of foundation under the old brood so they can build down into it as they need more room. Brood in all stages, and so many bees i`m buggered if i could see the queen, getting a bit worried about being able to find her when i come to do a split later on. . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BULLDOUG 199 Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Just done my second inspection of the season and they were bursting at the seems, brood now on 9 frames and a fair amount of honey in the super. I decided it was a good time to go to double brood, so i put the new brood box full of foundation under the old brood so they can build down into it as they need more room. Brood in all stages, and so many bees i`m buggered if i could see the queen, getting a bit worried about being able to find her when i come to do a split later on. . Im thinking of going for two broods per hive myself up until about May. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Keswick 119 Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 I am on commercials and i am thinking about going double brood too Its definatley a bee season, lets hope whats good for bees is good for wasps too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BULLDOUG 199 Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 OUCH!!! Straight in the eyebrow, both eyes gone up like balloons, piriton for me and a wee reminder that i am not God . Have to say of the many stings ive had none of them compared to this one, felt like i had my head in a vice. (reminder to myself, MUST ware vail) All forgiven, after all there working so hard. All the best lads D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Keswick 119 Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 (reminder to myself, MUST ware vail) Dont try and be brave, all too easy to forget last years fatalities and just crack on, but every year someone gets nailed. Remember the fella last year that popped the lid, the whole lot poured straight onto to his chest in stinging mode, he collapsed on the spot and died. I always think WASP before going near mine! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BULLDOUG 199 Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 :laugh: Good call i say. It was my own damn fault i was working in my fruit cage after an inspection, i ignored several warnings Derrr!! Funny thing is ive been thinking of that guy who died last year myself, so easy done if you get complaicent. I can hand on my heart say that every sting ive had so far (and theres been a few) all could have been avoided. But glad to say im slowly learning a valuable lesson. ATB D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Anyone going to the beekeepers show at stoneleigh on saturday. I`m going along for the first time hoping to pick up some bargins if theres any left. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BULLDOUG 199 Posted April 25, 2011 Report Share Posted April 25, 2011 Well so far im having a blinding season with the Bee's, really grafting they are. Ive placed hive swarm traps (thornes) on four of my hives and have four back up hives at the ready. Really interested in this method as it seems a lot more natural for the hive IMO. Hows you all getting on so far folks?? Yours in sport D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted April 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I had my first little beekeeping hicup you could say . I came back from the beekeeping show and went through the bees (it had been about 10 days since my last inspection) i thought they had plenty of room because at the last inspection i added a second brood box and a second super, but no i found about 10-12 queen cells some of which were sealed i couldnt find the queen so i decided to split them and made up 2 nucs with queen cells. Checked them on friday and found old queen in one of the nucs ,anyway the old hive had 3 nice fat new queen cells so i divided the 2 broods with a queen cell in each. So i have gone from one very strong colony to 4 smaller ones, but its still early and i wanted to expand this year anyway still time for them to build up and get some honey in the summer flow, i hope. You live and learn, but i do need to be more alert next year if they build up this quick again so i can catch the queen and A S them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iamduvern 62 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I put up my first bait hive up yesterday and already have had a bit of interest Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Keswick 119 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Mine are going full chat at the moment, had to do a artificial swarm on one very strong colony yesterday, 4 or 5 open q cells, so i swarmed them and reduced the cells on the old box to two. Ive got a spare stand and box with a bunch of supers stood in the garden, today i had 100 + bees in and out all day, not my bees! These are far too calm and bright looking to be mine Perhaps scouts looking...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted April 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I`ve got my 3 topbar hives as bait hives and theres been bees in and out of them for weeks but no sign of swarms yet . Knowing my luck i`ll probly get wasps in them . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BULLDOUG 199 Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 Note to oneself.......These hive traps are "SHIIIIITE".......(FIREWOOD) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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