Personal Hygiene

[Tim.S]

I have read the NBU blurb and gleaned information from the many books I have read, thing is what is a sensible level of hygiene for a hobby bee keeper such as myself? I don't want to be a slob, on the other hand I don't want OCD either!

At the moment I clean my hive tool, gloves etc after each session of bee keeping, do I really need to do this between each hive as some do? I have 6 hives all next to each other on one site.

I really want to try and improve my practises for next year as I realise I have become a bit complacent over time! So what do you do?

 

[susbees]

Sounds spot on Tim. And wash the beesuit when it needs washing (not when it stands up on its own or every time with six colonies). Obviously if sticky with honey/syrup or you've been stung on it then washing makes sense before it's worn again.

One of the best things you can do is think about ways not to squash bees between boxes etc. That is quite a big way of spreading nasties.

If you were to be in a high risk area for EFB then between each hive would be more sensible as would regular disease inspections rather than twice a season.

 

[Amari]

I confess to being lazy. I do not clean my hive tool or gloves between hives or between visits. After extracting I do not religiously return each super to its source. In my bee cabinet on site I store boxes, frames, QExs, crown boards etc etc and use them indiscriminately. If a colony needs strengthening I might donate brood or stores from a stronger hive. I might amalgamate two colonies. I think I have a gut feeling that ultra-precautions won't make any difference. As Freud said: "Obsessive cleanliness conceals a secret desire for dirt and disorder"

 

[pargyle]

At our bee disease day the RBI team did a whole bit on apiary hygiene ... including cleaning smokers, bee brushes/feathers, tools, boots, anything in fact that came into contact with the hive. Basically had at least two sets of kit and everything got dropped into a lidded bucket full of washing soda solution and rinsed before being re-used.

I understand that this is an ideal regime but I would settle for washing and cleaning between apiaries and certainly fastidiously after visiting anywhere at all suspect or handling a swarm or someone else's bees. Bee suit between apiaries or when its been stung or gets a bit grubby (which in my case seems to be every time I wear it !!).

 

[drstitson]

if you search on here you'll find a thread about making a tubular "holster" for holding hives tools in washing soda solution.

 

[Tom Bick]

One of the best things I did was to have a bucket of washing soda at each apiary. Also get some of the wire pan scrub things they are great.

 

[PaulCarroll]

I agree with Tom. I use a bucket to clean hive tool, and gloves and to clear up spills and dribbles, which I make. I find that keeping things as clean as I can helps me work better, there is nothing worse than equipment that sticks to you or treading mess from area to area - especially if it happens to be SWMBO kitchen floor!!

 

[HM Honey]

Must admit, I have a seperate hive tool and gloves for each of my hives. I only have four hives so not expensive to have four hive tools and four sets of gloves. I never cross use them and wash them every week.

I have been told this is a tad over the top......

 

[Amari]

Must admit, I have a seperate hive tool and gloves for each of my hives. I only have four hives so not expensive to have four hive tools and four sets of gloves. I never cross use them and wash them every week.

I have been told this is a tad over the top......

So do you never swap kit between hives (see my post above?)

 

[HM Honey]

So do you never swap kit between hives (see my post above?)

Only in the spring. At which point it is throughly cleaned/dissinfected beforehand.

As i said, I have four full hives and each hive its own supers, roof, crownboard, QE, Feeder etc. They are all numbered 1-4 so no need to swap kit between hives.

The only thing i have that ever gets "cross Used" is my 2 spare brood boxes that I use when doing my spring clean, but even then, the spare boxes are thoroughly cleaned after each use.

My suit is probably the only other thing that gets cross used.

I know its over kill, but its just my habit..

 

[Amari]

Only in the spring. At which point it is throughly cleaned/dissinfected beforehand.

As i said, I have four full hives and each hive its own supers, roof, crownboard, QE, Feeder etc. They are all numbered 1-4 so no need to swap kit between hives.

The only thing i have that ever gets "cross Used" is my 2 spare brood boxes that I use when doing my spring clean, but even then, the spare boxes are thoroughly cleaned after each use.

My suit is probably the only other thing that gets cross used.

I know its over kill, but its just my habit..

Would be even safer to have a separate beekeeper for each hive

 

[Swarm]

???
What about test frames?
What about a frame of emerging brood to bolster a weak colony?
What about the bees in hive (a) that should be in hive (B)?

 

[HM Honey]

???
What about test frames?
What about a frame of emerging brood to bolster a weak colony?
What about the bees in hive (a) that should be in hive (B)?

Never had to use a test frame fortunately. Also never had to bolster a weaker colony. Not saying I wouldnt, just never had to.

Listen, I'm under no illusion that what I do will stop the spread of disease 100%. Its just my way.... I try, wherever possible, to use the same hive tool, gloves and hive parts for the same hive... Just my OCD kicking in....

 

[fiftyjon]

???

What about the bees in hive (a) that should be in hive (B)?

How do you stop the bees drifting or going into the wrong hives? Because they invariably will.

 

[HM Honey]

How do you stop the bees drifting or going into the wrong hives? Because they invariably will.

I don't....obviously...in the same way that I wouldn't refuse to move a test frame over if I needed to.

YOU wouldn't be able to guarantee no diseased bees enter your hives from someone else's hive... Does that mean its a good idea to put a freshly caught swarm in a hive right next to your established colony? Of course it doesn't.

My habits are Bourne more from OCD than a belief that it will totally protect my colonies.

 

[REDWOOD]

I do all that and disposable overalls over my bee suit, 2 pairs of gloves, face mask in case I cough over them, all hives are 3 miles apart in case of drifters and signs on all hives saying no drones welcome
Come on people get a grip use your common sense

 

[Moggs]

I do all that and disposable overalls over my bee suit, 2 pairs of gloves, face mask in case I cough over them, all hives are 3 miles apart in case of drifters and signs on all hives saying no drones welcome
Come on people get a grip use your common sense

love it.

6 apiaries about the same number of hive tools. 3 smokers. 3 bee suits. Interchanged regularly, tools held in WS, disinfected regularly BUT if any FB notifications or beekeeper visits, extra care and cleanliness. No need for paranoia - just good habits and vigilance.

 

[Little John]

Ever seen a bee drinking from an open septic tank, or from a stagnant water source ?

Makes sterilising your hive tool look a bit daft.

LJ

 

[itma]

There is a sensible middle course to be steered.

And if you happen to be near, for example an EFB hotspot, then your opinions as to where the line should be drawn could justifiably be different to more general opinions.

I draw a line between the things I myself am managing and those that someone else is responsible for.
Visits to other people's apiaries should be followed by 'decontamination'! Wash suit, clean boots, dispose gloves. And it would be polite to return the favour by arriving as clean as possible.
Smokers and hive tools needn't and shouldn't move between apiaries.

According to the NBU, disease spread between apiaries is largely due to beekeepers, rather than the natural activities of the bees.


You will be into all your hives on every inspection, won't you?
And BEFORE shifting test frames and emerging brood from hive to hive, (which you'd only do once in a blue moon), you would be sure to do a proper brood disease check wouldn't you?
The quantity of pathogens shifted by a brood frame, or even a mucky hive tool, is much more than the quantity of pathogens shifted by the odd bee drifting - and of course your apiary is laid out to minimise that, isn't it?
So, one should recognise the significance of the risks and behave appropriately.
No general need for OCD hygiene practices within most apiaries, but a bit of prudence, please. Mind you, if I ever come to visit, I'll be cleaning my suit and dumping those gloves afterwards ... however many times you wash your hive tool!

 

[itma]

Ever seen a bee drinking from an open septic tank, or from a stagnant water source ?

Makes sterilising your hive tool look a bit daft.

LJ

Those don't tend to be reservoirs of bee diseases ... which is what hygienic husbandry is generally about.