Creosote and bees

[Moggs]

Hi Kaz - Happy Birthday for tomorrow (but not long to wait now ). So sorry to read of your recent experience with the madman with the paintbrush.

Suggestion - as soon as you find out what it is (hopefully with the tin for reference), contact the manufacturer (if you are able to locate them) and phone them, asking for the COSHH datasheet. That will carry toxicity data and may say something like 'harmful to fish/ harmful to ......) - the words to be wary of are (as you would expect) 'insecticide' or 'harmful to insects'. This will depend a lot on how old the stuff is but a determined phone call might reveal some valuable info.

If I were you, I wouldn't run any risk with any stuff that isn't proven safe as you just won't know what the long term effects are (in addition to the stink). There is a danger of course that your honey harvest may be ruined for a long time to come (and may even carry carcinogens - sorry to be the bringer of such gloom). Good luck (oh, and don't shoot the messenger)!

Maybe it's time to lay down some ground rules with the 'association'? Though I suppose that this well-meaning person thought he was doing some good. The mind boggles....

 

[Moggs]

Oh, and may I be the first to wish you a very Happy Birthday!

 

[broandy]

Happy Birthday Kaz have a drink on me lol

 

[Teemore]

Happy birthday too!! Hope the bees are OK as well.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Happy Birthday Kaz - think we've all enjoyed the recounts of your introduction to bees, good and bad

 

[Grub]

Have a fab day
Sorry to read what has gone on, but hey at least you have a fan base not bad ..... if they have a poll on here you would come out tops
Deffo queen of the forum just dont chuck us drones out


Grub

 

[kazmcc]

Awwww, thanks everyone, you have all been so kind......quick update. They are fine ( phew ). We got there today and they were all climbing over each other going in and out of the entrance. now I know what you all mean by fizzing bees. I pointed this out to our mentor and he just told me to get on with it lol. So, nervously I lifted the roof and cb off. We had a good look about, it hadn't seeped through. Funnily enough, even with all the fizzing, they were well behaved....I expected another bombing. I flicked out the strips, checked their stores, and put them back together. After a bit of conferring, it was decided they could stay in that hive as we will be putting them in a new one come spring anyway. Mentor said they hadn't absconded and there were no dead, so we have been very lucky.

I still don't know what he used as he didn't reply to any emails and didn't show up today. So, now it's my job to feed and keep feeding until i am told to stop lol. They have just over 3/4 of a super full of capped honey and the brood box is jam packed too. I feel so much better, although I still can't look at the hive.

More bee news! I killed my first bee today, half on purpose. I squished it between the super and the brood box, but it was still alive. I had to finish it off.....i usually let the others do that as I am squeamish lol. I just thought I'd better learn to get over it....I will be a bee keeper one day


Oh, and Grub.....you are not all going to squish me in a couple of years are you? I am a bit concerned now