No, I was referring to the bees' apparent need to change the queen, as if the treatment had reduced the ability to perceive the mandibular pheromone and prompted a replacement. It is unlikely that there was a critical amount of varroa as the donor hives had been treated a month earlier.
Depends on bees' ability to perceive the chemical; as they use chemicals regularly themselves, it is conceivable.
Provided Amari's varroa had not developed resistance to Amitraz.
It would be interesting to see what varroa are in the worker cells that were patchy @Amari
On 12 Sept "red Q seen". On 20 Oct I recorded "Light mite fall". This would mean scanty mites on the board. I didn't record cappings.
There's a challenge: no tweezers in the household. Used fine nail scissors to extract pupae = well formed near-adult bees (see pics below: 1. typical comb. 2. extracted pupae (sorry no macro on my iPhone 6)
Interesting thought! Unfortunately I have tipped all the dead bees on to the garden. Among the piles of bees there were several dead wasps
First photo shows about 10 perforated caps, though not particularly ragged, I agree. Also shows one emerging bee with it's tongue sticking out, a sure sign of varroa.
Yes.
Yes, and if the supersedure had failed the colony would be disorganised and vulnerable to attack.
Thanks. Interesting link describing placing super of stores below BB and creating temporary second hive entrance. Beekeeping manoeuvres get more and more complex!
Quite a quick job; I've used it in early spring before a flow starts, when they clear it quickly because the need is greatest.
Not had that. As the original entrance is closed, bees must use the upper, next to the BB, and that can be as small as you like.
I was meaning bees from other colonies robbing the relatively unprotected stores you want to be moved
Roger Patterson states;
Oh, no, I don't do it that way, because although bees will clear out the stores pdq, foraging bees bringing pollen will continue to use the bottom entrance and dump pollen asap in the bottom box, like I do when coming indoors with muddy boots.
Intense robbing down here is usually in a dearth (which is now- except in the forests), so later in the season. I've never seen anything like it is at the moment for instance, and expect it to be bad right through until May. I don't see it so much in spring unless it is a really bad year.
Bees tend not to like entrances being moved vertically but with the brood and a good number of bees right near the small access hole to the lowest box, I think robbing shouldn't be an issue. I can try it and report back. I did reverse Demarrees this season, and it's fascinating to see the bees find the new entrances. It doesn't take too long from what I've seen.
'.......especially with a sloping board just beneath the new entrance.'
