Unfortunately most scroats here in the UK are just interested in the bees and the frames get dumped.
2 hr’s from work today, unexpectedly so bought some masonry paint; fern green and my son helped me paint the Nuc and the Langstroth - discovered I have no bottom board or runners.
I’ve been experimenting with using large paperclips for branding… you have to do one letter at a time as its difficult to get it flat with more. This is about the right size for frames but i’ll use a higher gauge wire for boxes. As i’m only looking at one hive and my brand is only 3 digits… this seems sufficient.
When I get my flows I will have 2 hives a nuc and 50 odd frames, As a retirement plan over the years I will probably gather more.
I only envisaged one hive but I can see it is not that simple LOL - it sorta takes over. So I may as well do it right.
Bit like Maltesers I can’t seem to stop at one
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Those Poly hives are great!
Winter just started for me here and heres one of my rescue bee colonies keeping warm in their poly hive:
And a quick video checking the top feeder: Poly Nuc Top Feeder
I love how tough, light and the thermal properties of these hives. I’m not concerned about the slight gap (1mm) between the top bar and the plastic channel as @Rodderick mentioned as the bees will just propolis it anyway…
Cheers,
The Bunyip Beekeeper
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I only ventured Poly for the Nuc as was not sure of it’s integrity and longevity, how readily it would damage and I feel quite confident it is a good cheap alternative. If I need to expand quickly I may invest in a poly brood box - Anyone mix Poly and Wood in their hives??
I just finished watching them - they are no longer on the BBC site so had to surf for online copies - very good and down to earth - I cannot believe she had hives for 10 years with so little knowledge?
I’m not sure about clipping the Queens wings though - I have heard that the hive may turn her out as being defective?
I have my son coming to a meeting with me tonight - he volunteered to help paint the kit yesterday and will do some more for me today.
We did a quick paint on the obvious bits and he is going to do the bits we missed - Also I notice my screened bottom board was not amongst my kit - so had to chase after that - next I will get him to help me build the frames - If I get him branding and what not when the bees come he will be hooked I’m sure.
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Yes.
I have poly broods and first super which helps if as a beginner you have no drawn supers then further supers are cedar
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need a second strap, where is the entrance for the full hive? and your nuc lid is upside down 
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Actually I literally threw it all together - That is my Lad James (Ed) - he finished painting the stand for me.
Yeh the Nuc lid is on USD but there is no Screened Bottom Board!! Still waiting - I have put a slatted rack on the bottom presently so they would have to enter from underneath. Good job I was not waiting to put bees in.
I have set them as lures with fresh wax and lemon grass - Ideally the Nuc should go up in a tree they said last night but I’ve been making quick dashes home for an hour each day.
Built some frames but think I’m doing it wrong??
The wired wax frames I thought had wire loops on the bottom - these seem just to be cut wire and not staying in the frames well
Can you see how they are splitting?
The unwired wax is no better - do I need to melt these in place as they are bending as well??
Last night at the group I got to do the inspection (actually a couple) while the chap did the talk - he said I was good with the bees - got a couple of good tips as well. James came with me and I think I have him interested - would be good to have help sometimes - can’t see Hubby doing any.
The plain wax sheets I got from Modern are quite good quality, The wired stuff is from Mann Lake and I don’t want to upset the apple cart until my screened bottom board arrives then I will kick proverbial butt.
Also the Modern stuff is a better size - this looks really small cell size?
Got my branding iron from Thornes today - and my son really made me blush - what he thinks branding irons can be used for??? Said my husband would not be impressed but he was thinking what my girl friends would say - out of the mouths babes (OK he’s 22 But still??)
Is a blow torch the best way to go to heat it? - I’ll need to borrow one unless anyone with a food quality one has used one with success?
I have heated my iron on stove tops, electric and gas.
didn’t work on the stove top I have halogen.
No gas cooker …