Get a grip woman!

Suffolk_lass

The Queen bee (usually one per colony in a hive - sometimes more in the wild) lives in the brood box - so named because the frames are looked after by the younger nurse bees with the eggs becoming larvae, then pupae before emerging as new bees. We normally stop her-maj going into the shallower frames of the super box which is where the workers are encouraged to make honey (then most beekeepers take most of the honey, without it being mixed with bits of bee-babies and what-not or fear of accidentally taking the queen out when you collect the harvest).

The idea of putting the super under the brood box instead of over in winter is that the colony which develops into a protective cluster around the queen to keep her warm, clean and nourished through winter could go up into a super to get food or away from cold through the mesh floor and the excluder mesh is big enough for workers but too small for the queen. So if the queen excluder (QE) is kept in she could be abandoned or the colony could starve because they won't leave her. We prefer to take the supers out once they have got light but sometimes this does not work. On one of our hives there were just too any bees (they need enough space to keep warm), and on the aggressive hive, we gave up as they were not happy and DH was being attacked. We keep bees in the larger sized frames with wider sides called commercial - most people these days use national hives and if they do, the queen may need more room than there is in a standard brood box so they go brood (box) with a super on top, then a QE, with supers for harvesting above that. The idea with the commercial brood box is that there is enough space in there for a colony

I said usually there is one queen in a colony. There can be more but in a maintained hive it is not normal and if they meet, one may kill the other, as you suggest. Occasionally there can be more than one if the hive is superseding (organising a replacement themselves) or in response to having no queen (beekeepers are their biggest danger and squishing her has been known!) - emergency cells, or if they are determined to swarm in casts, as swarm cells hatch.

Everything should have slowed right down by now, with the queen not really laying again until mid January but we have seen pollen going in to one hive this week, suggesting she is still laying and they are still feeding brood. @LadyGnome is more experienced than us. I checked this out when I went to bee club last week and the experienced chap who runs the group said they had one who laid all winter. We will keep giving them fondant over winter so they have top-up food as needed.

Suffolk_lass

I have a former colleague's funeral today which I am not looking forward to. We worked closely on several projects on the mainland and although I doubt many of our colleagues from that time will be unable to attend, I expect to see a fair few former colleagues I have no real interest in seeing again (as well as, hopefully, some that I do). We plan on going round to have a cup of tea and a catch up with one of DH's longest standing friends after showing our faces at the wake, but that is to discuss holiday and travel plans.

Karmacat

Sounds like one of those days you decide to go through because it's right, but still not pleasant.  Take care of you.

Suffolk_lass

Less awful than I was anticipating and I hope to see one or two of these people again. I was able to relay an anecdote to my colleague's older brother about something he had done that I had heard all about a few years ago (relayed with great affection by my colleague) and he seemed really touched that his brother was so proud of his achievements - he had been unable to read the piece he had prepared to read during the ceremony as overcome by the moment (and 200 hundred people in a chapel that holds 60) and I hope the chat restored some of the celebratory elements about my colleague's life to his day. We actually had lots in common, and chatted happily for some time.

trix-a-belle

that sounds like a lovely celebration of former colleague & was worthwhile attending, unfortunately those kind of events are always going to bring a mix of people you want to see and don't.
I went to one 18 months after I left the company under difficult circumstances and went self employed/retraining, it was awkward & strange but I felt happy that i'd been and paid my respects

Suffolk_lass

Sold some loss-making shares on behalf of DS in his S&S ISA that I look after for him and bought a small amount of Vanguard Retirement 2050 fund shares. I wonder if he realises he will need to work for that long?

Suffolk_lass

Shares proceeds are in his account but the purchase is pending. Hopefully the dip in prices on Friday with the news about the new Omicron variant will work in his favour. 

Just off to nudge DH to log in to the HSBC as I believe his RS has matured...

Karmacat

I hope it all works out in his/your favour, especially considering it's a complete coincidence!  

Suffolk_lass

Thanks KC, it seems to be so far, so good. Up over half a percent on the first day no less! It is a retirement target 2050 account so I realise that is not what is normal but it is nice to see all nice green cells in his portfolio, and after being in there for five years it was a good time to review and update.

I had one of those days where I just could not remember what it was I needed to do yesterday. Turned out I forgot I was meeting someone to gift some items from our village to theirs. Felt terrible. Rescheduled for Thursday afternoon now and everything is in my car so I will struggle to forget!

Today is just a dog-walk so I should manage that!

ruby_eskimo

Suffolk_lass said:

Sold some loss-making shares on behalf of DS in his S&S ISA that I look after for him and bought a small amount of Vanguard Retirement 2050 fund shares. I wonder if he realises he will need to work for that long?

I'm supposed to work till 2055 but there is absolutely no way I will be able to work till then (when I'll be 68).  I've started putting things in place to try and help me bridge the gap between 60 (ideal retirement age) and when the state pension kicks in (if we still have it then).  But there are so many people the same age as me and younger who don't realise / haven't thought about the future too much.  Every time I've recruited someone and they've told me they want to opt out of the very good pension scheme we have, I've sat them down and gone through the facts and put them in touch with some pension advisors.  99% of them have then said they'll opt in because they didn't understand that sacrificing a small amount of take home pay now would mean that they might have a comfortable retirement in the future.  Good for you for helping DS get his future sorted.