BBKA Forum

My nucs seem to be doing better than the full hives at the moment too.
I've been wondering about those unwrapping sliders- might be tempted now they've been road tested
There's worse places than Bridlington - pre pandemic stayed nearby at Sewerby. There's a big stately home there which was well worth a look around too.

I have not tried the uncapping slider. I generally use a heat gun so I don't have too much wax to play with afterwards.

As for field beans, I have had them reasonably close by in the past and haven't seen bees on them and have not seen any appreciable honey coming in when they are flowering.

My basic checks and cutting out all but 1 q cell in my best colony to use elsewhere due to inadvertently killing my best queen by putting her in a knock of Nicot gage in the hope of requeening a couple of colonies

I use a heat gun too and don't find too much wax left!

Might remember this?

https://www.bbkaforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=11539#p11539

That was 50 weeks ago.




Today EXACTLY the same thing happened


They originally arrived around 90 mins earlier at the other bait hive ,deciding they didn't like it after all.
Record breaking comb construction rate though.

I had to check last years post to compare!
How odd, and golden ones again too??!!
Absolutely stunning spot but just not perfect enough for these bees!!

When I clear the bait hives at the end of the year I often find piles of dead bees,so this usurping thing is quite common it seems.
Makes me fear for the nuc with the bought queen ....

Oh where did you buy your queen from and what make/model is she Alfred?!
Next year I may seriously consider a bought one maybe one from Wales to see if they perform any better than my 'local yokels' and hopefully they will be less swarmy! What month is the best time to introduce a new 'top notch one'?!
I remember Nigel mentioning F somethings last year??!!

I've only bought from BS honeybees because it's closer collect or post
Their dispatch arrangements are rock solid.
Nigel was on about F1,F2 etc.
It's the generation thing- mother daughter granddaughter and so on.Each successive generation mates with feral stock and the behaviour can suffer.
The honey producers fork out big money for Island Mated queens which are near pure pedigree and the performance is the payback.
The cheaper ones are first generation mated locally so they're acceptable while they last.
That said all the rest of mine are incestuous ferals, but occasionally I get some very reasonable colonies.
Occasionally.
I need a good clear out though.
This current bought one is a Bucky and is plodding a bit but that's down to the limited amount of Bias she was given in the nuc .
It has been said you should Requeen with the breed you currently have but looking at my lot is like looking at a UN conference so good luck with that.

Ahh interesting Alfred, now I know what F1, F2 etc., means!
I bought a queen in the post a couple of years ago from 'Beckys Bees' and she was great for a few months and then was superseded by another local 'hillbilly' one!
I heard you shouldn't mix the races of bees but, as you say most of them are mongrels anyway!
My bees have changed from very busy to just okay and the weak one busier like they can't make their mind up!
Lets hope I have some honey next month else I'll be buying many F's in future!!