Going Bananas

[beeno]

Hi all,
I have tried to eradicate Ascospheara apis, chalkbrood, in one of my colonies. After moving them onto new foundation, which they have drawn beautifully, and introducing a new strain queen which has just started to lay and giving them some emerging brood, I was very disappointed to find more chalkbrood.
I am now going to try bananas, as someone said on the forum, they produce ethanol. I found one study which suggested that it works as a fungicide, so here's hoping. The gas is heavier than air so it should logically fumigate the hive. The hive has OMF on poly national, but should I open entrance fully as the banana will also give off carbon dioxide? How long should I leave the hive closed up? Now, off to buy a banana. Thanks all.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Who knows?
According to some folk on the Flow forum it works against varroa too. You might be lucky

 

[Michael Palmer]

Why don't you re-queen the colony with a hygienic stock?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It also imitates the attack pheremone - good luck with that.

Maybe try a few magic crystals suspended over the entrance?

 

[beeno]

Why don't you re-queen the colony with a hygienic stock?

Since I only have one colony with Chalkbrood my thoughts were that the others would be ok to breed from?

 

[beeno]

It also imitates the attack pheremone - good luck with that.

Maybe try a few magic crystals suspended over the entrance?

Yes, I read that too. We will see. I'll try anything once (within reason).

 

[madasafish]

I had a queen with lots of chalkbrood. I requeened the colony and moved the CB queen into a (homebuilt) 5 frame polynuc with 100mm thick roof.

No more chalkbrood..

Insulation works wonders..

 

[beeno]

No aggressiveness displayed towards the banana. Maybe they will just eat it as it is full of sugar. Opened up full entrance to assist ventilation. Will keep an eye on that.

 

[chrisb]

they only release the required compounds once they start decomposing ( brown )

 

[theeggman]

Please ensure that you brush all of the bees off before you eat it at the end of the experiment.


Ignoring the above, please keep us informed of the outcome.

 

[Colin reilly]

"Ethylene" gas !

 

[Millet]

"Ethylene" gas !

It also helps tomatoes turn red also.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well....I looked up gassing tomatoes...you learn something every day!

 

[Millet]

Well....I looked up gassing tomatoes...you learn something every day!

I do the same on here (learn something every day) but its mainly about bees from folk like your self , i read somewhere on the ethylene subject that a lot of the tomato farms use the gas in there big green houses for a better turn over, bee wise though will it turn the bees red..

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've just been reading a thread about killing bees as a winter prep and there's another one where some woman is asking for dead bees so that her daughter can illustrate her project about CCD at school. I suggested it was a good job she wasn't doing a project about World War II. I don't think she was very happy with my contribution

 

[Millet]

I've just been reading a thread about killing bees as a winter prep and there's another one where some woman is asking for dead bees so that her daughter can illustrate her project about CCD at school. I suggested it was a good job she wasn't doing a project about World War II. I don't think she was very happy with my contribution

 

[beebopper]

"Ethylene" gas !

Correct. Ethyne (systematic name) not ethanol; it causes the bananas to ripen - formula C2H2 triple bonded carbons.