Acute Winter Kill

[user 819]

I think for most beeks though CBPV is heard of , one doesn't look for or relate to it until it strikes and claims some of our colonies.
Having last spring noticed it /saw the early effects of the virus for the first time it is far easier now to recognise it via the colony reaction on weekly inspections and also the later pattern if the early signs are missed, the mass dead pile of bees a little later on after the virus has truely taken hold may be too late to recover even if the colony numbers look strong. Colony strength at this stage can't be assessed by bee numbers but strength in sealed and unsealed brood, large numbers of sealed brood that have been tended well have a good chance of surviving and replacing the dying off bees if the colony is already placed on an emergency open floor.
It is this free fall of the dying out of the colony which is most critical to prevent the virus spreading.

 

[rdartington]

I Colony strength at this stage can't be assessed by bee numbers but strength in sealed and unsealed brood, large numbers of sealed brood that have been tended well have a good chance of surviving and replacing the dying off bees if the colony is already placed on an emergency open floor.
It is this free fall of the dying out of the colony which is most critical to prevent the virus spreading.

This is the first time in 57 years that I have met CBPV - ‘ times they are a-changing’.
I am caught out as my Dartingtonhives have fixed mesh floors - could be changed to loose floors just resting inside the hive body - until changed, I cannot acheive the free fall of dying bees.
Will have to update the booklet ‘Construction Information for Dartington Hives’ or get Northern Bee Books to drop in a loose ‘errata’ page!