Hello from Cwmafan

[Peelman]

Hello folks.
I will be hoping to start keeping bees again this year after a very long break where I was unable to keep them.
When I kept bees last Varroa was just landing on our shores. So I have never actually had to deal with it. This is what I really need to get my head around over the next couple of months.
Oh and if anyone within a 50 mile radius is down sizing then I would be very interested in negotiating with them on a colony of the little madams.
Cheers!

 

[VEG]

Not far from me

 

[Peelman]

Not far at all.
hello!

 

[VEG]

there are a couple of lads keep bees in Bryn but they are not on here

 

[Peelman]

Ok...
I'm going to keep to two hives for the time being. I had around 10 when I kept them last but I just want to keep it simple now.

 

[VEG]

funnily thats what i said

 

[Peelman]

Lol ....
Yes they do creep up on you....

 

[pargyle]

Welcome.. not quite a new beekeeper but lots of changes from when you last had bees !

Lots of fellow beeks down in West Wales who will help out I'm sure.

 

[oliver90owner]

Nah, not lots!

Varroa, OMFs, top insulation (poly sheet, not a couple of carpet tiles), matchsticks and gaping holes in crownboards have (largely) disappeared (thankfully), poly hives, nosema treatment, wax moth frame protection, winter feed, honey labelling, EFB treatment, to list a few.

Bees are about the same, only more imports of queens - some of which don't seem to be too well adapted for British conditions.

Apart from that, the internet is here for the purpose of spreading/perpetuating all those old myths about beekeeping being difficult.

Welcome to the madhouse.

RAB

 

[pargyle]

Nah, not lots!

Varroa, OMFs, top insulation (poly sheet, not a couple of carpet tiles), matchsticks and gaping holes in crownboards have (largely) disappeared (thankfully), poly hives, nosema treatment, wax moth frame protection, winter feed, honey labelling, EFB treatment, to list a few.

RAB

Usual master of understatement ,,,, if that's not put him off nothing will !!

 

[Peelman]

Nah, not lots!

Varroa, OMFs, top insulation (poly sheet, not a couple of carpet tiles), matchsticks and gaping holes in crownboards have (largely) disappeared (thankfully), poly hives, nosema treatment, wax moth frame protection, winter feed, honey labelling, EFB treatment, to list a few.

Bees are about the same, only more imports of queens - some of which don't seem to be too well adapted for British conditions.

Apart from that, the internet is here for the purpose of spreading/perpetuating all those old myths about beekeeping being difficult.

Welcome to the madhouse.

RAB

Lol
Well I think I remember about most of that. When I had to give it up the Uk was bracing itself for Varroa. Bee craft and the like were full of it for about 3 years previous with all kinds of whacky and wonderful remedies for it including mesh floors (I guess that one is still with us?) nosema, EFB and AFB were with us even then.
Poly hives yeah that's a new one.. I only ever saw poly nucs.

One of the biggest changes is the internet. Lots of info at your fingertips.

Thanks for the warm welcome aboard I'm sure I'll be picking your brains for years to come!

 

[Peelman]

How long does it take to get a wanted add up on the For sale section of this forum???

 

[Hivemaker.]

How long does it take to get a wanted add up on the For sale section of this forum???

Some posts are automatically set to moderate in those sections, i have just checked your posts, and one was there under moderated, now approved. Just send myself or Admin a pm if you have any problems in future.

 

[Peelman]

Thank you very muchly.

 

[REDWOOD]

Lots of advice given here on varroa treatments or not, check out beebase website for lots of info on the subject, any particular breed of queen you desire?

 

[bontbee]

QUOTE=oliver90owner;392243]Nah, not lots!

EFB treatment, to list a few.

RAB[/QUOTE]

Why do people persist in treating EFB? Why keep a sub clinical level of EFB in your apiary. Best way is treat as for AFB and destroy, IMO.

oops, sorry, Peelman, I wish you nothing by healthy, busy bees that fill your supers with honey and your empty boxes with - well, bees!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Why do people persist in treating EFB? Why keep a sub clinical level of EFB in your apiary. Best way is treat as for AFB and destroy, IMO.

There seems to be some belief that it is in sub clinical levels in all colonies, so we would need to destroy every honey bee colony in the country, or even the world.

EFB is not taken as being too serious in most countries, in fact there was talk of removing it from the list of notifiable diseases in this country three or so years ago.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=126659&postcount=11

 

[bontbee]

Ahh, but I thought that now we have turned another turn of the wheel and destruction is being considered as the best way of dealing with EFB. The recommended treatments have not been as effective as promised, it seems.


I am very fortunate and have never seen EFB (or AFB) outside a classroom, but at the first sign, I would, with a heavy heart, destroy any colony of mine that showed symptoms of EFB.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Ahh, but I thought that now we have turned another turn of the wheel and destruction is being considered as the best way of dealing with EFB.

Thought about... that's as far as it got, and things just remain the same.
Still better than destroying every colony in the country though.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27135

 

[rolande]

Why do people persist in treating EFB? Why keep a sub clinical level of EFB in your apiary. Best way is treat as for AFB and destroy, IMO.

Best practice, based on:

I am very fortunate and have never seen EFB (or AFB) outside a classroom...