BBKA Forum

Well pointed out Mick. My use of English was lacking. What I meant by my generalisation was that “swarms are only as good or bad as the bees kept local to you”. I was not defining “local” bees as a separate type in this case.

Regardless of their origin, if people around you keep bees which are problematic the act of swarming is unlikely to much change a previously grumpy queen when she restarts laying. As to casts...

As you say, even if they don’t swarm, the drone influence is unlikely to be helpful either. Which is why it is incumbent on us to requeen or cull our worst and not just try to avoid them.

I have been very lucky and only once collected a real shocker of a swarm. It also had a huge yellow queen, since you mention it Alfred. Too hot for me, I am afraid..

Now now gentlemen you know we are now unable to discriminate against a races colour!
Tut, tut.....
Colour is actually a bad indicator of racial heritage in bees, unless they have been bred true with controlled mating's. Nearly all UK mating's are random and mongrels don't breed true either which complicates matters even further.
In the past I've had colonies with different coloured worker bees, reflecting the mixed drones the queen had probably mated with and the effect their sperm had on their offsprings colour.
And with multiple drone lines involved it only takes one to pass on (or activate) an aggressive gene and the whole hive is tainted by the behaviour of this minority.

Made supers and frames and some boards to go on top and bottom of the stacks of supers.
Groundhog day I'll be doing the same tomorrow unless I make brood boxes and frames for variety.

I know the groundhog feeling.
Around 500 unmade brood/super frames arrived from Thornes last week.
I can only change between supers or brood frames
I hope you have somewhere warm to work.
I've had to set up a temporary bench in a spare room as my garage/workshop is too large to economically heat as it's still bloody cold up here. Not got above 4C for the last three weeks.

No it's bloody cold and the wax it brittle. Bright side it hurts less when you hammer your finger.
Still got about half a pallet of boxes to make and quite a few frames. Supposed to be a beekeeper not a bloody joiner. Hive stands after that and it's February on monday.

The irony
Last time I waxed frames it was so hot I had to clear a shelf in the fridge and take them one by one
It was like installing pastry.

Checked the four nucs for fondant and all is well from looking through the clear crown boards..the same can not be said from the inspection boards... on a good note the four of them all had a patch of brood capping's on the trays so Queens alive and present ? ..there was also something else present on two of the trays among the brood capping's that looked like tiny red crabs so the Gas Vap was deployed yet again..

Sorry to rub it in (he lied..) but went to walk the dog at lunchtime and after endless freezing wet dreary days, was 13 degrees at midday! Where the heck did that come from??

Bees all flying, snowdrop pollen being gathered, could have done an inspection it was so warm. Sadly forecast to return to dismal tomorrow, but even saw some sunshine briefly..

It was so mild yesterday my orange gloves and yellow spirit level got buzzed by two Honey bees in a village i was working at..

Patrick wrote: ↑

28 Jan 2021, 16:58

Bees all flying, snowdrop pollen being gathered,

Ahh the tropical Sarth....
Snowdrops about a month away from flowering where I am. Daffs just sticking their heads above the new water meadow that is currently my garden. We had nearly an inch of rain today, just after the snow had melted. DOH!