overfeeding??!!

[AdamD]

If you are proposing to remove frames of (sealed) sugar syrup and then give more syrup, that's not necessary. By all means leave a couple of frames of sealed syrup which the bees can use as feed if they need it, the remainder can be stored for the coming winter. You may wish to mark the frames of sugar stores with a drawing pin or a cross with a marker pen or similar, so you don't extract it later in the season.
I too, don't worry about black comb, as Patrick says, it's fine unless it has lots of drone brood or holes.
For a shook swarm, yes if you can find the queen before-hand, that's fine but not necessary. Ensure that you have a secure board for the bees to walk up that's touching the hive. It will be a bit scary the first time you shake bees out but they naturally walk upwards and will soon get the hang of returning to the hive. It's rare that you'll see an unmarked queen in such an event but you might be lucky. Once she is in, then the bees will surely follow.

When you get drones in the hive, you can practice picking them up in readiness for doing the same for a queen. You will need no gloves or thin nitrile ones and grasp (gently) where the wings are. If you need to mark a queen, you can always use a marking cage - there are a few types available.

[JoJo36]

Ha ha I suppose they do sometimes make things look complicated and now Stewart seems to spend a lot of time advertising certain hives which is fair enough I suppose as they sponsor him I assume?!

I've watched loads of vids and find some of them quite entertaining including Barnyard Bees:)

Anyway, hopefully you are right re simple things looking complicated and that lots of practice and experience give you more confidence eventually!

Weather definitely chilly today and not warmer until next week which gives me time to muddle over things!!

[JoJo36]

Hi Adam

Just seen your message and thanks for what seems good advice.

I was only planning on feeding syrup as I don't have lots of drawn comb/empty supers so I thought take off sealed sugar syrup, put on a super with foundation and feed just until comb drawn out?!

I didn't think you needed a board placed up to the entrance with a shook swarm as I though you shook them right over the new brood box?!

[Patrick]

Hi JoJo

Some shake / brush bees directly into the new box, others onto a sheet spread over a sloping board. Six of one and half a dozen of the other. Arguably, if you have found the queen and placed her in the new box, just add bees. If you haven’t, shake everyone onto a large sheet with less risk of losing the queen by inadvertantly falling in the grass or stepping on her. Everyone troops uphill, jobs a good ‘un. It’s also quite a spectacle.

What I might do running many colonies is not what I might do when I had just the one. It’s a hazard of watching commercial beekeeper videos. They are often (understandably) dismissive of things which a single hive owner cannot or would not want to.

Beekeeping is full of tiny variations on a theme often presented as entirely different operations. Usually none are “wrong” just think carefully before picking and mixing different parts of methods. Think stir fry and a Sunday roast. Both great meals but nobody needs noodles with roast potatoes and sprouts !

[Alfred]

Dave Cushman alas is no longer with us. He used to run the most unbiased site on the planet. Now Roger has taken over running it, it's full of his opinions rather than factual material.

And don't mention the 'm' word
It's become an ' F' word

[Chrisbarlow]

Dave Cushman alas is no longer with us. He used to run the most unbiased site on the planet. Now Roger has taken over running it, it's full of his opinions rather than factual material.

And don't mention the 'm' word
It's become an ' F' word

What is the M word ... So i dont mention it

[Patrick]

Does it rhyme with “thatch sticks” by any chance?

[MickBBKA]

Calm down Calm down..... I heard a rumour Nigel uses lolly pop sticks, but it could just be a rumour I never saw any when I last visited him

[NigelP]

Not a rumour. I use tongue depressors aka the zoom meeting that didn't feature propolis!!