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Ahh, also. While a bigger bee might collect more in one foraging trip, that does not necessarily mean it will collect more in a days foraging. Similarly, although another topic, an italian colony in the UK may have more bees in it than an AMM colony, but collect less nectar. I've wondered...

Hi Bcrazy I believe there has be aerodynamic work done to prove that as a honey bee gets larger it's flight efficiency decreases, although I don't keep a list of references of everything I have read constantly updated and to hand, sorry. Part of the debate that pushed the enlargement of...

PH is correct. However, there is an interesting argument behind regression and the reasons why foundations are the size they are today. If you measure natural comb (no foundation) the sell sizes do get smaller to the middle and there are a number of reasons people claim this is the case. As...

Oh I just can?t let you go on that. Yes, inspectors are sometimes ordinary beekeepers (without beekeeping qualifications even) BUT they spend most of their summers visiting several beekeepers a day, inspecting thousands of hives a year. They are trained, and while I cannot say everyone in the...

Here, here All I DON'T want, is for UK beginners to listen to advice that they can treat once and forget about it. As for being draged into a slanging match, no thank you, I'll withdraw and let everyone read the thread for themselves and take from it what they wish.

True, of course. But it will only be 100% effective if there was no brood when you treated, that may be the case where you are, but it is not always the case here in the UK, depending on what strain of bee you keep. By your own figures in the last three examples there is a 96% to 98% drop in...

The inspector said last night, that he had treated with Apiguard in August and oxalic in early January, but he is still getting a daily drop count of enough mites to make him treat in the end of Feb early March with half a measure of Apiguard. He said you'd be surprised the knock down you will...

I envy your climatic situation. Here in the UK though, I'd not want UK beekeepers thinking a once yearly Varroa treatment is the way to go; we do need to monitor mite levels and treat when required. Peter Cambridge UK

At our IPM talk last night the bee inspector said no treatment is 100% effective in a normal hive. You will do better using a knock down treatment on a swarm or shook swarm though. Apiguard can be as bad as 50% if done at the wrong temperature. The CSL has produced mite build up graphs which...

:laughing-smiley-014 OH, me ribs!

Hi Finman I'm sure you know the idea behind only treating mites when they reach a certain level is to keep the related stress to the bees to a minimum. Ok sure, the mites themselves are a stress on the bees, but if you except that you will never completely eradicate the mite (that?s to say even...

Read point 15, it's almost enough to put you off being a vegetarian !!

Interestingly, despite my being told in the past that it is carcinogenic, you do seem to be right in that it is not, my mistake. However I still think the HSC should know that those reps were encouraging people to drink it. Peter Cambridge UK

Check this out then contact the manufacturer to find out the concentration you swallowed.... http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/o6047.htm

Ok, so Thornes are sending me the COSHH sheet for the oxalic crystals I bought last year (none was included with my trickle applications either), but I've also googled Oxalic acid crystals and found a COSHH sheet online that says "FATAL IF SWALLOWED" I suggest that whoever witnessed these...

I understand oxalic acid is HIGHLY carsenogenic, if they were sipping it I'd not want to be related to them and have to live through the consequences later on. I think I'l ring Thornes and ask for their COSHH data sheet. Peter Cambridge UK

Hi That sounds like an interesting setup, any chance of a few pics? I visited Galtee Bees a couple of years ago and Miche?l Mac Giolla Coda showed me round their breeding shed in his garden; it was a very interesting day. He had room, in what might have been a 10 x 8 standard garden shed...

Oh, thanks Finman. That looks much wetter than mine. I've bought in Nektapol from Thorne's this year, which is also thinner than mine was but maybe not quite as thin as that. Peter Cambridge UK

I've just bought a nice little facsimile copy of Daniel Wildman?s 1780 "Complete Guide for the Management of Bees" from a nice lady on Ebay (UK). She has had the book photographed and republished; and is selling it very reasonably with a buy it now price. I think she still has a few copies...

Oh goodie, a race !!!! let see.... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dHQk84_OsrA ....too industrial, no?