October Brood

[Jonnyl]

ApiLife Var is a fumigant biscuit (not a gas) based on thymol, eucalyptus and camphor and attacks varroa broadly. For that reason, varroa are unable to develop a workaround and so develop resistance. OA works similarly.

Varroa is able to survive chemical attack that disables only one piece of it's jigsaw, such as Amitraz (the Apivar chemical) and fluvalinate (Apistan) and the like.

Leaving strips in over winter is not a hanging offence, but I suggested an alternative next winter in case resistance builds during this one.

Perhaps it should be a hanging offence.

 

[Jonnyl]

I use a J tool and just hook it into the hole and yank it.

I like to tease it as, with my gypsy curse, im scared of hurting the Q. Unlikely but....

 

[Matthew Roberts]

but it is well documented that leaving them in for longer than the recommended time leads to the mites developing resistance quicker

I am new to bee keeping, having got a nuc in May this year. I have treated with Apiguard but have found that the bees haven't taken most of the granules. Should I now remove the tray (I tipped what was left of the first try in to the second one)?
Also I have been feeding Ambrosia syrup (I had some left from the spring) but local bee keepers tell me I need to stop this as it's too late for the bees to store it. I don't think I have enough stores for winter yet. What do others think? I am near York.

 

[ericbeaumont]

treated with Apiguard

Are you following the instructions regarding length of treatment?

it's too late for the bees to store

Ambrosia is an invert syrup with 73% nutrient value, so assuming 27% moisture, bees will not have much work to do to reduce that to 18 or so.

In these mild temps. (even in York) bees will still take down invert, though may not cap it. I've left it in feeders over winter and on mild days bees will take it.

An alternative is to replace syrup with fondant. Use a super as an eke; are your roofs sealed & crown boards insulated?

Your local advice to stop feeding syrup may refer to ordinary 2:1 home- made with sugar, which has way too much water for bees to process at this time of year.

 

[Swarm]

I like to tease it as, with my gypsy curse, im scared of hurting the Q. Unlikely but....

Makes sense to be careful about removing the strips for precisely that reason.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Perhaps it should be a hanging offence.

Life gets in the way of perfection: one winter I was in a dressing gown for 3 months after an op.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have treated with Apiguard but have found that the bees haven't taken most of the granules. Should I now remove the tray (I tipped what was left of the first try in to the second one)?

no, you're fine - because of the way Apiguard works mites can't develop a resistance

Also I have been feeding Ambrosia syrup (I had some left from the spring) but local bee keepers tell me I need to stop this as it's too late for the bees to store it.

Again, no, it's fine
But at least you have pinpointed a few local 'experts' to ignore in future. Murray MacGregor is still piling in the syrup (bog standard 2:1 sugar) up in Scotland and invert is safe until much later, being part inverted and with a lower water content, even if the bees don't manage to process and cap it, it won't ferment.

 

[hemo]

Often thought about doing that, certainly easier but we're continually encouraged to vary treatment. Suppose the odd year wouldn't do any harm though. Better than leaving strips in anyway.

The varying of treatments is to prevent resistance with the use of the harsher man made compounds /chemicals used, apivar/armitraz ,bayvoral ,apistan and a few other products . The softer natural organic type treatments used like oxalic, formic and thymol have no resistance, though some are better and easier to use.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Your local advice to stop feeding syrup may refer to ordinary 2:1 home- made with sugar, which has way too much water for bees to process at this time of year.

Shhh don't tell the bees they can't use late source nectar.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Your local advice to stop feeding syrup may refer to ordinary 2:1 home- made with sugar, which has way too much water for bees to process at this time of year.

you try telling Murray Macgregor's bees that, he's nstill piling in 2:1 sugar syrup up in Scotland - it's not even November yet, of course they can handle 2:1 sugar and water

 

[Erichalfbee]

of course they can handle 2:1 sugar and water

A big colony generates a lot of heat. Keeps the syrup warm and accessible

 

[hemo]

As long as it remains mild one can feed , November not far away so if mild they will take it if on offer and have storage for it.

 

[ericbeaumont]

piling in 2:1 sugar syrup up in Scotland

A big colony generates a lot of heat. Keeps the syrup warm and accessible

How big is your colony, Matthew? As a beginner you may not be able to assess, but give us an idea: how many boxes, and are they rammed with bees?

 

[Matthew Roberts]

How big is your colony, Matthew? As a beginner you may not be able to assess, but give us an idea: how many boxes, and are they rammed with bees?

You're right, I don't really know. They were in a single national deep but I have added a shallow super to give them more room for their winter stores (no QE obviously). The deep brood box seems pretty full apart for the end frames perhaps. There's not as many bees in the super.

 

[ericbeaumont]

seems pretty full apart for the end frames perhaps

Eight or nine frames of bees and not as many in the super sounds like they're stretched out and would be better off in one box, in which case nest humidity & temperature would be higher, bees' work would be reduced, and what work they did would be done more efficiently.

Do not worry that one National BB will not maintain a colony during winter: it will. Trick is to get the colony packed in.

A big colony generates a lot of heat. Keeps the syrup warm and accessible

You have a medium colony, but if you were to remove the super and continue to feed, the compact workforce would work better at getting and storing it.

Is the crownboard closed & insulated?

 

[Matthew Roberts]

Eight or nine frames of bees and not as many in the super sounds like they're stretched out and would be better off in one box, in which case nest humidity & temperature would be higher, bees' work would be reduced, and what work they did would be done more efficiently.

Do not worry that one National BB will not maintain a colony during winter: it will. Trick is to get the colony packed in.


You have a medium colony, but if you were to remove the super and continue to feed, the compact workforce would work better at getting and storing it.

Is the crownboard closed & insulated?

Thanks for the advice.

The crown board is the one I got in the spring and has 2 plastic escapes in it. I have no insulation in place yet.

 

[ericbeaumont]

crown board is the one I got in the spring and has 2 plastic escapes in it

Porter escapes are an ancient and outdated method to clear bees from supers when taking honey; trust me, when the time comes, shaking bees off 11 frames is quick and straightforward.

Porters are a useless design because bees propolise them and any drones upstairs get stuck in them and die. In other words, chuck (oops: recycle) the Porters. Suppliers sell them because they can, and because they can't be bothered to modernise a hive that evolved more than 80 years ago.

Your CB is thin wood but you can make it more efficient by adding a sheet of insulation board on top - Kingspan and the like - at least 25 and better at 50mm thick. Cut the board to fit the CB and tape the cut edges with strong duck tape or similar. Tape over the Porter hole on the underside to prevent bees tunneling into the board, which when fitted must have direct contact with the top face of the CB.

The board will do two jobs: first, it will prevent a chimney effect of heat & humidity leaking through the Porters and into the roof. Second, because the temp. above and below the CB is now equalised, condensation will not form on the underside of the CB and drip on the nest, which would be bad news for bees.

Retention of heat and humidity will avoid the need for bees to work to counteract losses from leakage, which in turn will reduce consumption of stores and the ageing of bees through work. For their job in hand, top insulation will enable bees to take and store syrup or fondant more effectively.

 

[Matthew Roberts]

So I don't need any ventilation in the roof?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So I don't need any ventilation in the roof?

no, as long as you cover the holes in the crown board and insulate

 

[hemo]

So I don't need any ventilation in the roof?

Think logically and treat the hive as you do your house , nice/plenty of insulation and draught free at the top and bottom ventilation as we do via window or wall vents. In the bees case an omf or simply the entrance is enough for ventilation.