todays news

**Bridget** · 24-07-2015, 10:03 PM

Thanks Grizzly. I'm lucky that Fraser has been happy to step up to head beekeeper rather than loose the bees. And Drumgerry is going to help with the re queening. Hopefully I can get the desensitisation and be back next year. Meanwhile my horrible bees have been good as gold for Fraser and we have just taken off a super of honey. No I don't think this like Colonsay. I've never before been allergic to anything, but always had a localised reaction to bee, cleg, mosquito and other insect bites or stings.

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**The Drone Ranger** · 24-07-2015, 11:16 PM

"'I'd been waiting for the queens to 'settle in' but have been lured into a false sense of security by a slight improvement in temper in the last couple of days"

When will they invent a beesuit that stops them getting through Gavin thats what I wan't to know

**Kate Atchley** · 25-07-2015, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by gavin

I was also doing some early evening beekeeping tonight, and trying to mark and clip queens. Three escaped my grasp. One disappeared down behind the hive into the depths of two pallets, another made a bid for freedom *after* I'd clipped a wing and I saw a quick spiral but didn't know if it had made it into the hive or not. One leapt and fell on the top bars and I just left it.

I'd been waiting for the queens to 'settle in' but have been lured into a false sense of security by a slight improvement in temper in the last couple of days. Nah, month old queens are too early, at least with this feisty ex-Moidart stock.

Do pop over to Moidart Gavin, to see how it's done!

Marked and clipped a few queens yesterday and thankfully none escaped though did they wriggle. One's a "runner" and I had a job catching her but laying brilliantly. Posting first queens on Monday ... do I mark the envelope?

Oh, and failed mating from mini-nucs without brood: how long to leave the bees queenless or is it best to unite? They'll be ageing.

**prakel** · 25-07-2015, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by Kate Atchley

failed mating from mini-nucs without brood: how long to leave the bees queenless or is it best to unite? They'll be ageing.

I unite and then re-divide as required. Reckon a fresh start is a far better use of resources than trying to fix a failure.

**Kate Atchley** · 25-07-2015, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by prakel

I unite and then re-divide as required. Reckon a fresh start is a far better use of resources than trying to fix a failure.

Thanks Prakel ... curious how much is written about setting up mating nucs and how little detail is offered about managing them. I found the occasional helpful sentence in Oliver Field's Field Notes on Queen Rearing and Larry Connor's Queen Rearing Essentials. Any other books recommended for this?

Seems ripe for an article for The Scottish Beekeeper or BeeCraft ... maybe I'll write it to be corrected by avid experts!

**prakel** · 25-07-2015, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Kate Atchley

Seems ripe for an article for he Scottish Beekeeper or BeeCraft ... maybe I'll write it to be corrected by avid experts!

Oh yes, always easier to correct someone who's made the effort to put the groundwork in than to take the plunge by outlining their own methods

.

**prakel** · 25-07-2015, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Kate Atchley

curious how much is written about setting up mating nucs and how little detail is offered about managing them. I found the occasional helpful sentence in Oliver Field's Field Notes on Queen Rearing and Larry Connor's Queen Rearing Essentials. Any other books recommended for this?

The much underatted "Practical Queen Production in the North" by Carl Jurica has some unassuming comment on this stuff. Well worth a read.

**Kate Atchley** · 25-07-2015, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by prakel

The much underatted "Practical Queen Production in the North" by Carl Jurica has some unassuming comment on this stuff. Well worth a read.

Thanks for the suggestions. Can't find a copy ... maybe has one they'd like to sell?

**prakel** · 25-07-2015, 04:33 PM

A friend of Dr Jurica's sells them for him on ebay.com.

edit: off topic background info:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc..._JSfLBoXQEL5sA

but it does contain this great quote:

“When I play here, I drink honey all day,” he said. “When I played semi-pro football, I’d drink two pounds of honey before every game. I was a running back and I never got tired. The alpha glucose goes right into my blood stream. I don’t use those other kinds of drinks.”