Concern for someone elses hives.

[dpearce4]

I share my apiary with someone else.

Over the last month or so, not quite sure how long, I have noticed that the other hives in my apiary seem not to have been touched. The hives still have supers on, and Qx the enterances are still wide. I am sure that they have not had any varroa treatment and obviously due to the temp drop over the next couple of weeks there will be no piont now doing it.

I have tried in vain to contact the person through my association as they were on their begginners course earlier in the year, this has been to no avail. I have stupidly lost the persons phone number so cant contact direct.
she is also not on beebase so the Seasonal bee inspector was unable to contact her to inspect her hives while she did mine (they did do a visual inspection around the outside and watched the entrance for tell tail signs of issues tho).

Im most concerned by the hive with the Qx because if it gets cold and the queen gets seperated she will die and that hive will then be dead.

Could someone give me advice as to what they would do please.

 

[VEG]

If the bee inspector suspects any disease they can look at the hives with or without permission. If I was in your position I would do what was needed, and take any flak later explaining that you had tried to make contact.
The association must have had some contact details for them surely?

 

[dpearce4]

they have tried to contact the person and have had no reply so far.

 

[Lorenz]

I'd at least take the queen excluders out.

I would put on some fondant if they are short of stores and might starve over Winter. If I knew their view was that they accept the use of pesticides in the hive I would treat with Bayvarrol or Apistan as it it too late for thymol, but if I didn't know what they thought, I wouldn't treat.

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

Well people do get knocked over by buses, go into hospital and other crisises.

I would employ the Good Neighbour principle and do whatever was necessary for the winter close up. But I would also involve the Association as well to help out. It might be best to remove the surplus supers and store them in a freezer and they might be able to help with that. You should then leave a letter detailing what was done and who to contact under the lid of one/all of the hives so that the owner can get in contact.

But the main thing is to inform and involve a)local Association and b) Local Bee Inspector so that you are covered in case of any fall out later.

 

[Poly Hive]

As I understand it there are no RBI's on duty now until next year.

In the spirit of good neighbourliness as said then do what is needed. I would hope that some kind soul would do the same for me.

PH

 

[Lorenz]

As I understand it there are no RBI's on duty now until next year.

In the spirit of good neighbourliness as said then do what is needed. I would hope that some kind soul would do the same for me.

PH

I agree PH. It makes me feel like putting a note on the hives giving contact details of someone else in case anything happens to me!

 

[itma]

I'd begin by putting a note under each of the hive roofs asap - firstly asking the beek to just make contact with you.

The Association should have an address. If a visit (and potentially a chat with neighbours) isn't possible, then a recorded delivery letter should be sent - so that it can be returned by the Post Office (automatically) if there's no one dealing with the mail.
And a newsletter (plus meeting) request for anyone with up-to-date contact info, should do no harm at all.

I think you should *write* to the Association telling them what you intend to do (even if its just to see what the state of play might be), and asking to borrow some equipment (like a couple of mouse guards) necessary for your proposed course of action. Ask also that they keep your letter on file until the situation is resolved.
Keep a copy yourself, and a copy of the reply - which will hopefully include some sort of agreement that what you are proposing is both good neighbourly, and good for the welfare of those bees. If someone there does lend you a couple of mouse guards, all the better as physical evidence that others also think something ought to be done.

As to what should be done, I think a very brief stores, overt disease, and queenright inspection, plus fitting of mouseguards would be the initial minimum.
But you want a detailed report of what you've seen.
You might also be able to fit some varroa inspection boards (cardboard if you don't have any that will fit).
Oh, and update the messages under the hive roofs.

Based on that inspection, you could then liaise with the Association as to what you should do next - regarding supers, qx, feeding, etc.
And keep records of the advice given.

I'd be very hesitant indeed to apply any form of treatment *unless* it was unquestionably needed for the bees welfare. And it really still needs to be OK'd by someone else, whose judgement was not really open to question. And keep records, get the second opinion in writing!

Formally tell someone what you intend to do, before you do it.
And do as little as possible.
Rather than taking any honey crop, I'd suggest making it available to the bees - perhaps even nadiring a shallow box. That is 'lighter touch' intervention than feeding.


Would the apiary landowner perhaps have some contact details?

 

[Tdf]

cant really understand what all the fuss is about, just have a look in the hives and do whatevers necessary, since ye share the same apiary theyd be greatul not angry for getting the bees through winter

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

cant really understand what all the fuss is about, just have a look in the hives and do whatevers necessary, since ye share the same apiary theyd be greatul not angry for getting the bees through winter

You'd have thought so but there is none so strange as folk, especially close to London.

Repaired my garage roof recently, sorted out all the down pipes, etc and as part of the work repaired my neighbors roof and her downpipes.
Boy did she give the workmen hell! and then gave me a dose of the same and now will not speak to me in the street.
Best £100 quid I ever spent.

 

[beekim]

Id go with Itma sounds like very good advice.

 

[Tom Bick]

I had a similar situation shared an apiary with another beeowner and not beekeeper. I don’t know the situation of this beekeeper this thread is about and should be given the benefit of doubt but in my case the beeowner was in good health and transpired spent more time abroad and to my knowledge only inspected a couple of times in two years.

Just to help reassure you two years ago one hive a double brood was lighter than one of my single hives all winter and wasps entered at will but yet the bees survived and went on to be a big colony the following year. Another hive last year over wintered on a single BB and super with Qex between the two and this hive survived and threw out a couple of swarms this year. Neither hives had any Varroa treatments but when I intervened showed low to medium drop, I had predicted doom to anyone who would listen but the bees proved me wrong. This year we took over the hives and I run them for the community farm that has the site and if the owner turns up he can have his equipment back but I doubt this will happen.

 

[Into the lions den]

As I understand it there are no RBI's on duty now until next year.

RBI's full time and permanent.
SBI's laid off till next spring, as normal.

As for the good neighbour act, well yes we would all prefer it was that way...............BUT.................some you help can be very mean minded and if the colony is queenless or dead in spring you can find yourself getting the blame. If something goes missing then as the one who went intot heir hives you are first suspect. By all means do the job, but wisest to have a witness there when you do.

 

[REDWOOD]

It's amazing how so many new beekeepers give it up after the first year, is it because they like the idea of keeping bees but don't know what to expect, time and commitment, swarming, stings, money, beats me, do associations not tell the full truth about the down side of beekeeping just to enroll new members, just a thought so we can stop neglected hives

 

[dpearce4]

I have had a think about what i am going to do.

I have been in contact with my associations chair who has been trying to get in contact with the person. I am going to leave it for a futher few days and if we havent had a reply from the person i will arrange with the association apiary manager to be with me when i go in the hives.

We will assess the stores, remove the Qx, add any syrup if they need some if they dont i will move the supers under the brood boxes so the stores are below the brood. i will then close down the entrances and put on mouse guards if i can find some spares. I wont actually go through the brood boxes as i cannot see any point, when i was there today they were bringing in pollen which tells me there is brood rearing going on. Lastly i will strap them up just incase the weather gets worse than it already has been.

I wont do any varroa control as i think it is to late in the season. I may consider doing Oa in december/jan when i do mine if the person hasnt still been able to be contacted (again with the Apiary manager there) so everything is noted and above board.

I will leave messages under the roofs to contact me also after with what i have done and why.

Can anyone else think of anything i have missed?

 

[itma]

Sounds like a decent plan to me.

I'd not be confident enough to judge q+/- simply by the pollen. Its not an infallible guide! But the less you 'do', the better.

And if you are going to lift the brood boxes, that will give some idea as to how much stores they contain (but without pulling frames), which is one of the most important bits of info to pick up.

Good of you to bother.
Just as well to take care that it isn't open to misinterpretation, though.

 

[village girl]

:QUOTE=Poly Hive;281028]As I understand it there are no RBI's on duty now until next year.

In the spirit of good neighbourliness as said then do what is needed. I would hope that some kind soul would do the same for me.

PH[/QUOTE]

,

 

[VEG]

I dont think there is much more you can do to be honest.

 

[REDWOOD]

you could put a for sale sign on the hive just for the fun or even better now under new management

 

[DaveJNeal]

it's easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.

I'd go with the self inspection route and deal with any fallout that might occur after that. They're living organisms, no different from a pen of hens, etc

best of luck.

D