New Information board needed?

[Vanterrier]

The new board would read something along the lines of...

"Here we have a colony of Varroa Mite living as nature intended (had nature actually imported Varroa into the UK in the first place) they are happily feeding on those nasty stingy bee things that those horrid beekeepers let fly all over. In this way the Varroa Mites will be able to set up new homes in a place near you. So just leave them be and see what happens"

K

 

[Garry R]

INFORMATION BOARD (UPDATE)

"This eco hive was set up by well meaning nature lovers about two years ago. We were hoping that a wild, healthy swarm would move in but unforunately this did not happen. However, a kind beekeeper donated an unwanted late cast headed by a virgin queen , Due to poor weather in mid August the virgin queen did not mate properly and over the winter the colony struggled to survive as nature failed to provide a late flow of ivy honey to build up adequate winter stores. Robbing by wasps was a problem in early September. Spring build up was a struggle and Varroa levels probably rose but the "native" colony was never checked as the "eco-rules" had to be followed. Slow build up culminating in a severe outbreak of Varroa-aggravated CBPV outbreak killed off the bees. Wax moth saw to the final destruction of the limited comb while the human interest was then focused on whether another late swarm would populate the hive. It did not happen and now we wait for a summer swarm And so the eco-cycle continues."

 

[Gilberdyke John]

View attachment 41012View attachment 41013
The new board would read something along the lines of...

"Here we have a colony of Varroa Mite living as nature intended (had nature actually imported Varroa into the UK in the first place) they are happily feeding on those nasty stingy bee things that those horrid beekeepers let fly all over. In this way the Varroa Mites will be able to set up new homes in a place near you. So just leave them be and see what happens"

K

Plus instead of using a natural tree cavity with thick walls for warmth in winter and cool in summer we've created an art student concept of what we think natural bees will survive in. Don't worry though we've made our mind up the honeybee is endangered and we know best

 

[Garry R]

I never realised that beekeeping was so easy - must give it a try!

https://www.justbeeecohives.com/copy-2-of-managing-a-layens-hive

 

[Vanterrier]

Looks like I can charge £95 for my new information board too
K

 

[Paulypaul]

I never realised that beekeeping was so easy - must give it a try!

https://www.justbeeecohives.com/copy-2-of-managing-a-layens-hive

Just read that. My goodness!
I can almost feel the rage of our regional bee inspector who is currently trying to locate the origin of a local EFB outbreak.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Just read that. My goodness!
I can almost feel the rage of our regional bee inspector who is currently trying to locate the origin of a local EFB outbreak.

It makes me mad that they advocate letting the bees swarm when people are being quoted thousands of pounds to remove colonies from chimneys and roofs.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It makes me mad that they advocate letting the bees swarm when people are being quoted thousands of pounds to remove colonies from chimneys and roofs.

And with hundreds/thousands? of new beekeepers popping up every year it only take a small proportion treading the same path to be a complete nuisance

 

[Newbeeneil]

And with hundreds/thousands? of new beekeepers popping up every year it only take a small proportion treading the same path to be a complete nuisance

I had 2 brand news hives suddenly appear in the paddock of a local mansion recently. I got a phone call last weekend that went something like this.
“Hello, I’m a new bee beekeeper from …….. Road who is learning on the job and wondered if you had seen a swarm that I think came from my hive?”
When i replied in the negative and asked what happened she said she split her hive because it had started to set up swarm cells but it had still swarmed and she didn’t know why as she had removed all the cells in the Q+ and all but one in the Q- side.
When I suggested that the bees had managed to hide at least one extra cell she became most defensive saying she was positive that she had removed them all. I was tempted to say that she couldn’t be positive about anything when dealing with bees but I think the subtlety would have been lost.
I suggested she check the hives again to ensure that there was only one cell in each half or she would loose another lot of bees.
I texted her yesterday to ask if her problem was sorted and she replied by saying when she rechecked everything was as it should be and the swarm was probably not hers anyway.
When I asked “so the queen was still there? “ I got no reply.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I used to mentor but find it too stressful now....getting old
My neighbour has kept bees for forty years. She doesn't need mentoring but sometimes I feel she should.
She has had a queen off me already to replace a failing one
I made her another one for a swarm she had which appeared to have no queen after a test frame.
We went to put it in yesterday and lo and behold there was new brood and a couple of glorious queen cells on that newly laid frame which her husband duly removed before I could stop him. Her diagnosis was a laying worker which she could fix by removing the laid up frame and putting the new queen in....which then resolutely remained in my pocket and was returned to the colony I removed her from. A lucky escape for her

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I used to mentor but find it too stressful now....getting old
My neighbour has kept bees for forty years. She doesn't need mentoring but sometimes I feel she should.
She has had a queen off me already to replace a failing one
I made her another one for a swarm she had which appeared to have no queen after a test frame.
We went to put it in yesterday and lo and behold there was new brood and a couple of glorious queen cells on that newly laid frame which her husband duly removed before I could stop him. Her diagnosis was a laying worker which she could fix by removing the laid up frame and putting the new queen in....which then resolutely remained in my pocket and was returned to the colony I removed her from. A lucky escape for her

Regulars in the forum will probably recall my oft stated remarks about EXPERIENCED beekeepers is a phrase only rarely describing COMPETENT beekeepers.

 

[Sutty]

"I've been doing it like this for 39 years!" is no guarantee it's right!
I think the real secret is critical thinking at every stage whilst understanding as much as possible about bee biology.