Anyone tried a BeeGym

[BeeFarmer]

Hi,

During last weekend association meeting somebody produced a BeeGym which is a product that apparently helps with varroa mite drop. Does anyone have any experience of using one?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Smoke and mirrors IMHO. another product from the snake oil salesman's chest of sovereign cures designed to gull and take money off the naiive


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27623

 

[pargyle]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27623

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=392840#post392840

I'm not sure about it ... the video is very interesting and the inventor is convinced that it is a help to varroa control. I've got one on it's way to me ....

I will report back when it's in place and 'working'.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Have you got a good stock of little sweat bands and leg warmers?

 

[domino]

I know someone who has one and to be fair to the guy who is producing it, he's asking people to use them to send him data points so he can assess the impact.

He seems pretty sincere and isn't making any grand claims.

 

[lebouche]

If he isnt making any claims then perhaps he should provide them for free and if people want to keep them after a year, then they can pay as there is some risk perhaps of issues.
One of my worries would be loss of pollen, can't see any mention of that on the site.

 

[BeeFarmer]

One of my worries would be loss of pollen, can't see any mention of that on the site.

It's a fair piont. Personally I'm not going to be bothering with one this year but I'd be interested to see what results other people have and will ask around the association to see who is trying them out.

 

[domino]

If he isnt making any claims then perhaps he should provide them for free and if people want to keep them after a year, then they can pay as there is some risk perhaps of issues.
One of my worries would be loss of pollen, can't see any mention of that on the site.

It's not on the entrance so I can't think they'd lose that much pollen on it.

Given he's paying to have them made giving them away for free is probably a little impractical.

 

[BeeFarmer]

It's not on the entrance so I can't think they'd lose that much pollen on it.

I was just on my way back to repost as I was thinking that since it sits inside the hive you'd have thought that most of the pollen would have been passed on and therefore the drop very little.

I guess time will tell how well they work. I wonder how many folk will try one with a solid floor? lol

 

[itma]

...Personally I'm not going to be bothering with one this year but I'd be interested to see what results other people have and will ask around the association to see who is trying them out.

For the beginner, there are better treatments to investigate.
Familiarise yourself with the NBU/FER/DEFRA booklet "Managing Varroa" and the proven effective methods of control before bothering even to research novel, unproven and wacky ideas.

Managing Varroa can be downloaded for free (like many other useful {official} guides) from the Beebase site (where you should register your apiary!)

/// ADDED - Link to Beebase downloads page => https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=167

 

[domino]

That is an excellent document this graph I've found very useful as a guide:

 

[pargyle]

For the beginner, there are better treatments to investigate.

Can't deny that ... I'm treatment free at present and as of the end of last season had no measurable varroa infestation. I have an open mesh floor in my hive and have a sticky board (sitting over 50mm below the OMF) permanently in place ... and I check virtually every day for varroa.

The Bee Gym sits on the mesh floor below the frames and I have a top entrance for my bees .. so, my hive is an ideal candidate to try it out, the bees will have to go down onto the floor to use it. It's non invasive, non chemical and if it produces a drop of one varroa then that's one more than I thought was in there.

I can fit it very easily as the mesh floor and surrounding frame is hive clipped to the bottom of the hive so I can just drop it down, put the Bee Gym in, fasten the OMF back up, distribute the sweat bands and leg warmers and let them get on with it.

As I said ... IF it produces a result then in some way I shall be happy, if it doesn't then I will be back to my regime of sugar rolling, alchohol washes and drone cell uncapping as soon as it is warm enough to start seriously measuring for varroa.

I would agree with ITMA that, if you are a beginner and relying on this as your sole method of IPM, then you would be well advised to start a proper regime of testing for mites ... not just relying on drop through the OMF. Taking steps to treat if it is deemed necessary.

I will be adding a 'mite count' column to my daily recordings and in some respects hope it results in a column of zeros ! In other respects a (small) mite drop may not be too much of a worry.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

For the beginner, there are better treatments to investigate.
Familiarise yourself with the NBU/FER/DEFRA booklet "Managing Varroa" and the proven effective methods of control before bothering even to research novel, unproven and wacky ideas.

Managing Varroa can be downloaded for free (like many other useful {official} guides) from the Beebase site (where you should register your apiary!)

/// ADDED - Link to Beebase downloads page => https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=167

But in that case, you won't be interested in purchasing one of my new extra fine bee grooming combs will you?

 

[Tom Bick]

Hi,

During last weekend association meeting somebody produced a BeeGym which is a product that apparently helps with varroa mite drop. Does anyone have any experience of using one?

I have one in the glove box of the van and given to me at the national honey show. Thought I may give it a go on my hive at the association.

 

[Davelin]

Have you got a good stock of little sweat bands and leg warmers?

Wasn't it a tennis player well known for wearing a sweat band who once said "you cannot be serious man......"!!

 

[jd101k2000]

Ever since hair straighteners were installed in the mens changing rooms at the local gym, I am beginning to believe that JBM's special bee grooming comb might be a reality, rather than one of his scams. By the way, I have just painted my poly hive with some magnificent stripy paint! Anyone else want some?

 

[Black Comb]

I don't understand some of the negative comments here. From people who have never tried it.
The guy should be congratulated for "thinking outside the box" and trying a solution that does not involve tipping chemicals into the hive.
What is wrong with a little commercial nous? Even the REVEREND Langstroth patented his idea.

 

[Beeka]

"I don't understand some of the negative comments here"

A.P.I.A.R.Y

Aged Pedants In Arguments Regularly? Yes!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

"I don't understand some of the negative comments here"

Try reading them s l o w l y then

 

[ichbinpaul]

Smoke and mirrors IMHO. another product from the snake oil salesman's chest of sovereign cures designed to gull and take money off the naiive

I cannot help thinking JBM that at the turn of the century you would have been one to campaign against, the introduction of the Motor vehicles as being smelly dangerous gimmicks!