Bees and petrol stations

[plain_hunt]

Does anyone have any views on keeping bees near a petrol station? One of our beginners lives upwind (prevailing wind usually) about 250 feet from a petrol station. Others have said they can smell the fuel from her garden, but I’m not that sensitive. Over the last three years she has lost all her colonies, roughly two a year. Sometimes they requeen themselves continuously, and other times they just didn’t build up and then died out. Last autumn she was given a reasonably large colony, it was fed and treated ready for winter, but on having a quick look the other day there were about 50 bees alive, a few more dead on the floor, no apparent queen, but there were eggs and larva but I’m willing to bet the patch of sealed brood will be dead, there’s not enough bees to keep it warm. This colony was put in a field the other side of the garage, Is 0.2 mile away, but still upwind of it. There’s no obvious signs of disease or starvation.
What I’m asking is, does anyone have any experience of keeping bees near petrol stations and have you had any problems?

 

[user 819]

My bees in the back garden are 270 - 300 feet (using G-maps distance recokner) as the crow fly's to the Tesco PFS, in between them is the main Brighton - Vic rail line, a stream and a tree lined toe path. No bee dead outs from the PFS.
The PFS lies to the west of my garden, can't say in the near 20 years we have lived there we have ever notice any petrol/diesel vapour.

 

[ShinySideUp]

If they live upwind nothing should be coming from the petrol station. Do you mean downwind of the station?

I would be more interested in the orientation of the apiary rather than it's locale as a friend of mine near here kept bees for several years but always lost most of his colonies. When he showed me where he kept them I could see that it was always going to be cold for the bees as the entrances were west-facing, under some trees and the sun rarely touched the hives; in winter, they would have no chance to warm up at all. My experience has shown that hives should face East and should get at least some sun on them whenever it is out, even on the coldest of days. The sun makes all of us feel better, I see no reason why the bees should be any different and I can't see that a nearby petrol station should be causing any problems. Petrol vapour is harmful to humans too so if there is any suspicion of airborne pollution one should be contacting Environmental Health.

 

[plain_hunt]

Thank you for your replies. She had some hives facing West, and some east and they always catch the sun, no overhanging trees and plenty of food around, and yes, I did mean upwind of the PFS. I know her bees were healthy, and they didn’t die of any obvious disease, but die they do. Ah well, one of life’s little mysteries. She is going to try again this year, but is getting disheartened, as I would be if it happened to me. I’ve watched her inspect her bees, she’s maybe not as gentle as I am, but she’s not rough either.

 

[B+.]

Thank you for your replies. She had some hives facing West, and some east and they always catch the sun, no overhanging trees and plenty of food around, and yes, I did mean upwind of the PFS. I know her bees were healthy, and they didn’t die of any obvious disease, but die they do. Ah well, one of life’s little mysteries. She is going to try again this year, but is getting disheartened, as I would be if it happened to me. I’ve watched her inspect her bees, she’s maybe not as gentle as I am, but she’s not rough either.

If the smell is as strong as you say it is, I would have thought it was a human health problem and should be reported to Environmental Health

 

[plain_hunt]

If the smell is as strong as you say it is, I would have thought it was a human health problem and should be reported to Environmental Health

I can’t smell it, but my husband can, but I don’t always rely on his sense of smell! The householder doesn’t say anything about it. But i will ask others and see if they can smell it, then get it checked out.

 

[Antipodes]

I can’t smell it, but my husband can, but I don’t always rely on his sense of smell! The householder doesn’t say anything about it. But i will ask others and see if they can smell it, then get it checked out.

The fumes are much more obvious when the tanker is refilling the tanks at the station, because the emissions are higher then. However you wouldn't be able to smell the fumes if you are 250 feet upwind at that time.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

To be honest, I sincerely doubt that the dead colonies have anything to do with being near a petrol station.

 

[plain_hunt]

To be honest, I sincerely doubt that the dead colonies have anything to do with being near a petrol station.

The problem I’m having is finding out why they die, every year, when there’s enough stores and the bees are healthy. I’ve taken to checking up on them periodically over the year to see what she’s doing with them. I don’t lose colonies over the winter (boasting now), well, I haven’t done for 8 years so I don’t know why she is. They’re treated for varroa, well fed, and then they die. We also had the SBI look at them over the summer and she’s not said anything bad about the colonies and how they are looked after, and she doesn’t hold back if there’s any problem!
We’ve got other people keep bees in the same open spaces, facing the same way and same wind direction and they don’t have any problems. I’m perplexed!

 

[Murox]

The problem I’m having is finding out why they die, every year, when there’s enough stores and the bees are healthy. I’ve taken to checking up on them periodically over the year to see what she’s doing with them. I don’t lose colonies over the winter (boasting now), well, I haven’t done for 8 years so I don’t know why she is. They’re treated for varroa, well fed, and then they die. We also had the SBI look at them over the summer and she’s not said anything bad about the colonies and how they are looked after, and she doesn’t hold back if there’s any problem!
We’ve got other people keep bees in the same open spaces, facing the same way and same wind direction and they don’t have any problems. I’m perplexed!

Are you also checking with a microscope for Nosema .C.?

 

[Boston Bees]

I would be more interested in the orientation of the apiary rather than it's locale as a friend of mine near here kept bees for several years but always lost most of his colonies. When he showed me where he kept them I could see that it was always going to be cold for the bees as the entrances were west-facing, under some trees and the sun rarely touched the hives; in winter, they would have no chance to warm up at all. M

For wooden hives this may be true though I have none so I don't know. For poly hives orientation or trees appear to make little difference. Mine face all 4 directions and some are right under trees. No difference in survival.

 

[Antipodes]

The problem I’m having is finding out why they die, every year, when there’s enough stores and the bees are healthy. I’ve taken to checking up on them periodically over the year to see what she’s doing with them. I don’t lose colonies over the winter (boasting now), well, I haven’t done for 8 years so I don’t know why she is. They’re treated for varroa, well fed, and then they die. We also had the SBI look at them over the summer and she’s not said anything bad about the colonies and how they are looked after, and she doesn’t hold back if there’s any problem!
We’ve got other people keep bees in the same open spaces, facing the same way and same wind direction and they don’t have any problems. I’m perplexed!

Probably the queen genetics are no good, that could be why they keep superseding. A good young queen from a reputable queen breeder should fix the problem.

 

[plain_hunt]

3

Are you also checking with a microscope for Nosema .C.?

yes, I do, and have done so every time they’ve died out, and they haven’t had it.

 

[Murox]

Hmm. Curiouser and curiouser (cried Alice - Lewis Carrol).

 

[plain_hunt]

Hmm. Curiouser and curiouser (cried Alice - Lewis Carrol).

That is my thoughts, which is why I came here for other views and ideas. I’m stymied.

 

[plain_hunt]

To be honest, I sincerely doubt that the dead colonies have anything to do with being near a petrol station.

I couldn’t think why it would, but it is the only thing that is very different to the rest of our group.

 

[Murox]

That is my thoughts, which is why I came here for other views and ideas. I’m stymied.

and you can absolutely rule out chronic bee paralysis virus etc ?

 

[E&MBees]

Has the beekeeper involved tried keeping bees in another location? What happens then?

 

[plain_hunt]

and you can absolutely rule out chronic bee paralysis virus etc ?

Well, I know the bees were ok during the summer, as I did ask for a look in each year, and they were healthy then, but over winter they died out. I didn’t have a good look at the dead bees, so can’t say. But I know they were properly treated for varroa, fed well, going into winter in as health6ma state as possible.

 

[Boston Bees]

But I know they were properly treated for varroa

How and when, if you don't mind us asking?