Cbpv

[Haughton Honey]

Just a quick, friendly heads up to those of you with strong colonies that have been housebound for a few weeks due to the recent inclement weather.

Signs of CBPV are starting to rear their ugly head in some of our apiaries. I have spoken with other bee farmers (mainly across the North West and Midlands) and many are also reporting the same. Not critical levels but enough to remind you that it’s about and that we are all susceptible.

The NBU have a download available which gives graphic examples of the symptoms for anyone who might need it.

On a separate note.....I’ve just come back from an apiary where two 6ft heavy-duty hive stands had collapsed under the weight due to ‘mole action’ around the stand legs. Two colonies lost with frames (and syrup) everywhere and two that should make it

Take care with what’s going on under your hives as well as what’s coming down from above!

C’est la vie.

 

[enrico]

Thanks for the heads-up, weather not too bad down here. Always stand my stands on 2 m by .1 m pig mats bought from any farm suppliers. No moles coming through that! Either that or slabs.
E

 

[bingevader]

We had a few wandering aimlessly on the ground around the hive of one swarm we caught and housed.
The new batch of young workers that have since emerged seem to be fine though.

 

[Fritillary]

Yes, my strongest colony, plenty of stores and beautiful sheets of eggs, has just gone down with CBPV. The same as last time, a few years ago: the most prolific evidently the one most at risk. They had space enough... the weather is certainly not helping.

 

[Fritillary]

I may be speaking too soon of course - let's see what happens when the weather turns wet again for one thing! - but am delighted for the moment to see that my colony here with CBPV looks to be going strong again, with only the usual nos. of dead bees out front.