Bees going crazy today

[Lee Smeaton]

It may be that its just a nice warm day here in Lincolnshire but my colony has been going berserk all day.

There are a fair few drones coming backwards and forwards- I thought they should have been kicked out by now.

The Bees are definitely foraging and not just flying around the hive, loads are bringing back pollen, many have the hanging backside that i think is associated with bringing back water.

I wonder if they have found somewhere nearby to rob?

 

[oliver90owner]

Could you discern between collecting water and foraging nectar? Those collecting pollen are most certainly not robbing!

And why should drones all be kicked out by now? Not even yet October!

 

[Lee Smeaton]

may well be nectar - I was thinking water as someone had given me a pack of candipolline gold and i have given it to the bees to try, and for some reason I had it in my head that they might need some extra water to help polish it off (they seem to love it by the way)

I mentioned the drones as I thought I had read in "at the hive entrance" that the drones are no longer needed when autumn approaches - again i may have completely misunderstood what i was reading

 

[oliver90owner]

Perfect mating weather here today.

I suppose autumn is approaching. Might have been here already what wiv the wevver this last week!

Calenderwise, I suppose it should be autumn from the equinox. Better tell the bees that? Don't think they will particularly care what we try to tell them!

RAB

 

[abm]

as the weather is fantastic today, I took the top of my nuc box to take a peek at the cast' I have.





then noticed this GIANT in my wasp pot, so I had to let her go....

 

[user 6228]

warm + ivy has just switched on here = madness

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Likewise here. All good build-up for next year, G*d willing...

 

[Lee Smeaton]

seeing as i dont have a super on and am just trying to build the colony for winter can i apply my varroa treatment now even with the bees still frantically foraging.

Also, is there anyone near me (Gedney Lincolnshire) that can comment on any localised tolerance to any of the commercial varroa treatments as I havent decided which to use yet

 

[einsteinagogo]

same here, very busy today, for the first five hours, on the ivy, but also gathering water from a drinking bowl for the cats!

 

[oliver90owner]

any localised tolerance to any of the commercial varroa treatments

Bees or varroa?

Varroa are intolerant of all treatments properly applied. The bees can be too, at times.

Do you mean development of resistance to the treatments?

Organic acids and thymol are not known to cause resistance.

The rest will either induce resistance if used too regularly or simply build up as residual pesticide loading in the hive wax.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Also, is there anyone near me (Gedney Lincolnshire) that can comment on any localised tolerance to any of the commercial varroa treatments as I havent decided which to use yet

It's a good question: good luck getting a useful answer. Try googling "pyrethroid-resistant varroa map". Most people assume they have resistant varroa, or, as oliver90owner says, do not want residues so are stuck with thymol, formic and/or oxalic.

 

[oliver90owner]

TTLTB,

You have the gist of it but that is not quite what I said.

 

[Lee Smeaton]

well, there is reported resistance 6 miles away so I guess thats answered that one,

Any spare honey i get next season is going to become Mead, all for my own consumption (hopefully)

 

[oliver90owner]

Any spare honey i get next season is going to become Mead

Now, ghat is a real 'cop out'!

What do you call spare? Spare to the bees could be 5 supers; spare after other myriads of other uses, might be a lot less!

 

[itma]

well, there is reported resistance 6 miles away so I guess thats answered that one,

Any spare honey i get next season is going to become Mead, all for my own consumption (hopefully)

Lee, there are good reasons for NOT using those treatments to which mites have developed resistance - whether or not yours are currently resistant.
Those treatments might have been 'standard' or even the only choice, 15 years ago - but things have moved on. Even this year. And we have another new treatment option undergoing certification testing - might even be on sale next year.

Do download and read the NBU/FERA/DEFRA guide "managing varroa" from beebase. There is a lot of basic info there which should put some of the conclusions you read here into their context.

You are leaving treatment a bit late in the season.
This has two important consequences
-- the reason for autumn treatment is to get the healthiest possible "winter bees" which have to live as long as possible to get the colony off to a good start next season. You aren't going to have reduced your varroa much by the time they are emerging.
-- most treatments work better when its warmer rather than cooler - not least because the bees are more active and mobile in the hive.


I don't understand what relevance you might think Mead would have to this.


You need to get on with treating the bees ASAP.

 

[richardbees]

seeing as i dont have a super on and am just trying to build the colony for winter can i apply my varroa treatment now even with the bees still frantically foraging.

Lee,

Yes

richard

 

[Lee Smeaton]

I don't understand what relevance you might think Mead would have to this.

You need to get on with treating the bees ASAP.

only that I will drink practically anything - regardless of whats in it or what it tastes like.

what I am saying is - I wont be selling any honey so whatever goes in it will only be going in me

 

[Lee Smeaton]

I will be treating in the next couple of days. It should still be warm enough, Its a poly hive sat in the entrance of an outbuilding (old bullock shed, roofed and walled on three sides), fully sheltered from wind / rain / draughts and gets the sun on the entrance all day (when we get any)

 

[pargyle]

I will be treating in the next couple of days. It should still be warm enough, Its a poly hive sat in the entrance of an outbuilding (old bullock shed, roofed and walled on three sides), fully sheltered from wind / rain / draughts and gets the sun on the entrance all day (when we get any)

The bigger question which all the 'treat whether they need it or not' brigade seem to have omitted is 'Have you checked how much of a varroa infestation you have.'

Whilst not wishing to suggest that you should not treat ... it would be wise to check, first, whether you have a significant level of varroa in your hive.

Have you seen a drop on your varroa tray ?
Have you done a sugar or alcohol roll ?
Have you uncapped any drone cells (recently or earlier in the summer) ?

There are a number of people on here reporting very low varroa drops during and as a result of treatment and some of us are not treating ....and some are curtailing treatment early.

If you have signs of varroa then you need to treat ASAP and thymol appears the best option .... or possibly MAQS ?

But .... do they need it ?

 

[Roola]

Our ivy is STILL not out here in N London. Very frustrating. Pollen going in today was an orangey yellow colour.