Hive debris

[Jonnyl]

Hello everyone. Hefted the hive today, after feeding 2.5kg of fondant some weeks, mmm 4, ago it feels a little lighter but i dont think its too light. Looking under the hive i saw a lot of wax cappings. In Scotland, like most places, it hasn't been cold yet and shes obviously still laying. I wanted to wait till the end of the month to vape them but im considering replacing the fondant and think why not vape them now? I wouldnt get as many varroa but it may never get any colder. So, plan. Take the old fondant wrapper out and gas and then replace with more fondant or vape them three times in the next 15 days and then fondant?

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[enrico]

They look like store cappings rather than brood cappings but......
E

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

The debris gives the impression of a huge cluster - or they haven't clustered at all.
If she's been continuously laying you won't get all the varroa by vaping, but vaping through the brood cycle would be a good idea.

 

[Millet]

Is it definitely wax.. i had something similar earlier on in the year...the bees had found a weak spot in the kingspan dummy board i had in there and decided to start chewing it up..

 

[Beefriendly]

or vape them three times in the next 15 days and then fondant?

I'd suggest vape and monitor the drop afterwards.
Most of mine dropped very few but a couple dropped 1000's. These two are now on their third vape.

 

[Jonnyl]

They look like store cappings rather than brood cappings but......
E

Enrico. I'm not at all sure, could well be as that never entered my head. Fits though as i looked through the perspex a fortnight ago and the fondant was running out so maybe they're back on thr stores as the fondants ran out. Cheers

 

[Jonnyl]

The debris gives the impression of a huge cluster - or they haven't clustered at all.
If she's been continuously laying you won't get all the varroa by vaping, but vaping through the brood cycle would be a good idea.

TPIS. I don't think they have clustered. Not cold herr just damp and the last time i looked there were bees running around on the top frames. Thanks

 

[Jonnyl]

Is it definitely wax.. i had something similar earlier on in the year...the bees had found a weak spot in the kingspan dummy board i had in there and decided to start chewing it up..

Definitely wax Millet. The insulation is above the perspex. Cheers

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Stores cappings - looks like they didn't really need the fondant yet.

 

[Jonnyl]

I hope i haven't did them any harm by feeding the fondant too early then?

 

[SDM]

Oxalic treatments are only going to get less effective, not more from here on in(with the days now getting longer) .
I wouldn't hold off.
As for colder it looks like there'll be a major stratospheric warming over the arctic approaching new year, with a reversal of zonal winds on a par with last years " Beast from the east " . 2nd week of january could be the start of a major cold spell.

 

[Hivemaker.]

As for colder it looks like there'll be a major stratospheric warming over the arctic approaching new year, with a reversal of zonal winds on a par with last years " Beast from the east " . 2nd week of january could be the start of a major cold spell.

Lets hope so, cold winter weather is beneficial, did a lot of good last winter.

 

[SDM]

Lets hope so, cold winter weather is beneficial, did a lot of good last winter.

It gets a response from nature for sure, yet the worst hit areas seem to have suffered serious colony losses on the back of it( or are you counting the culling of weak colonies as a positive too ?)

 

[Hivemaker.]

( or are you counting the culling of weak colonies as a positive too ?)

As MP has aptly put it..."winter is the great leveler" of bees and beekeepers I reckon.

 

[SDM]

As MP has aptly put it..."winter is the great leveler" of bees and beekeepers I reckon.

Must be my bees taking up the slack in the beekeeping.

 

[Eyeman]

As MP has aptly put it..."winter is the great leveler" of bees and beekeepers I reckon.

He does say wooden hives are all that's needed in the Frozen North!

 

[Hivemaker.]

He does say wooden hives are all that's needed in the Frozen North!

Exactly.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Lets hope so, cold winter weather is beneficial, did a lot of good last winter.

 

[Jonnyl]

I did my first ever vapr today and it went very well. But they don't like it do they. They were going bananas off the perspex cover and the roar!!! Still, medicine is rarely nice. 2nd treatment on thursday.

 

[SDM]

I did my first ever vapr today and it went very well. But they don't like it do they. They were going bananas off the perspex cover and the roar!!! Still, medicine is rarely nice. 2nd treatment on thursday.

It varies, some dont react at all.