in what circumstances should a colony of bees be culled?

[Teemore]

I have been following another active thread on this subject and have refrained from commenting as I do not want to appear to be criticizing the decisions taken which have prompted "debate".

I do find the subject matter interesting and felt that new threads might stop fingers being pointed at individuals. Culling a colony of bees is a decision not to be taken lightly.

Culling drone comb for varroa control or in an attempt to influence Queen matings isn't within the remit of this discussion.

I will start another thread on "Dealing with bad tempered bees"

So, in what circumstances should a colony of honeybees be culled?

My personal view is that a colony of honeybees should only be culled in limited circumstances. 1. Where there is disease - AFB or EFB. 2. Where the colony has taken up residence in a building, cannot be readily cut out and is causing a nuisance and concern to the owners/tenants.

I started working with honeybees in May 2010. The first time I had to cull a colony of bees was in April 2011: they had AFB. That moment will stay with me forever. I got a swarm in a bait hive in 2011 and put them in quarantine. Three weeks later they had drawn out two full brood boxes of comb and there was around 14 frames of brood. Something didn't seem right and I carried out the matchstick test on a cell with a slightly greasy looking capping. AFB..... I found about three cells like that in the two boxes. I took a sample of comb and AFB was lab confirmed. I culled those bees too and again, the memory will stay with me.
The bee inspector was impressed that I had spotted signs of AFB as when he went through the combs with me (post cull), he was only able to find one other cell with greasy cappings and which roped on testing.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My personal view is that a colony of honeybees should only be culled in limited circumstances. 1. Where there is disease - AFB or EFB. 2. Where the colony has taken up residence in a building, cannot be readily cut out and is causing a nuisance and concern to the owners/tenants.

Or if they don't match the curtains

 

[Itchy]

"My personal view is that a colony of honeybees should only be culled in limited circumstances. 1. Where there is disease - AFB or EFB. 2. Where the colony has taken up residence in a building, cannot be readily cut out and is causing a nuisance and concern to the owners/tenants."

I"m sitting here trying to make that very decision. Very aggressive colony in a building, kids everywhere. My big problem is that if I use an insecticide, there is little chance of proofing the area against robbing.

Any constructive suggestions? ( not wishing to hijack thread)

 

[masterBK]

If you wish to kill a colony without seriously contaminating the combs for future use then I suggest spraying combs of bees with detergent water.

 

[Apple]

If you wish to kill a colony without seriously contaminating the combs for future use then I suggest spraying combs of bees with detergent water.

Easier just to shake them out, remove the hive, the queen will die, and the remaining bees will find new homes, and learn some manners.

If disease is the reason for the cull, tip a pint of petrol in, leave for a while, then burn the lot!

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

( not wishing to hijack thread)

Think you just have

 

[hedgerow pete]

you like pretty well everyone else , i am more than happy to kill a hive off,

agressice,
robbing
disease'
swarmy nature
swarmed into a chimney/building/outhouse and any where else i cant be bothered to get too
when they are owned by a lazy abesent bee keeper
when they are anoying me, or any one else.

and thats for starters

as for what with, either fly spray or petrol are the two favorites

 

[MartinL]

How would we define " nuisance and concern to the owners/tenants"??

Surely if the colony was in a reduntant chimney/flue it would be mostly benign, (and easily smoked out) therefore no need to destroy.

 

[MartinL]

tip a pint of petrol in, leave for a while, then burn the lot! James

For those of you who have not discovered the volatility of petrol,



PETROL MIXED @ 7% IN AIR IS MORE EXPLOSIVE THAN T.N.T.

It will get to 7% very easily when you "leave for a while," then EXPLODE on the application of a small flame!

 

[alldigging]

For those of you who have not discovered the volatility of petrol,



PETROL MIXED @ 7% IN AIR IS MORE EXPLOSIVE THAN T.N.T.

It will get to 7% very easily when you "leave for a while," then EXPLODE on the application of a small flame!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNmGihwFtdQ

Indeed! Not the video I was sent to watch the other day, but similar effect!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

For those of you who have not discovered the volatility of petrol,



PETROL MIXED @ 7% IN AIR IS MORE EXPLOSIVE THAN T.N.T.

It will get to 7% very easily when you "leave for a while," then EXPLODE on the application of a small flame!

Used to be entertaining when I was young to pour a bit down a rat hole the throw a lighted rag about ten minutes later. Petrols expensive nowadays

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you like pretty well everyone else , i am more than happy to kill a hive off,

agressice,
robbing
disease'
swarmy nature
swarmed into a chimney/building/outhouse and any where else i cant be bothered to get too
when they are owned by a lazy abesent bee keeper
when they are anoying me, or any one else.

and thats for starters

as for what with, either fly spray or petrol are the two favorites

Hope that was tongue in cheek Pete otherwise you can join the ranks of:

Throwaway disposable

lazy bee keeper

 

[Hachi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNmGihwFtdQ

Indeed! Not the video I was sent to watch the other day, but similar effect!

it was funny tho