Hi, I have just joined the forum. This is my 1st real season keeping bees. Until now I have helped out my father and his father before him. unfortunately my dad is no longer well enough to get out of the house, so me and my son have taken over the running of the hives. We had 4 at the end of last season but 2 died early this year, the winter was too long and too cold.

Of the two survivors one is exceptionally strong. Both are set up as 1 (National) brood chamber with the 1st super opened up as a brood, so we have two hives each with 1.5 brood chambers and a super for honey each. The strong hive (No 1) swarmed on the 1st of June, a nice big swarm