Queen rearing in pesticide free apairys.

[Curly green finger's]

Hi me and my eldest have apairy sites in two different locations.
Me Clee Hill 450metres( no pesticides)
The lad! On an estate that spray orchards, beans, cereal crops etc..
In four years ive had no losses.
In four years his losses have been about 40%

Both me and him have the same bee genes.
All stock has come from me ( Clee Hill apiary)

His loses have been down to late superceded queen's and in early spring queen's not laying very well and colony build up has been poor in some colonys.( no signs of nosemia)
His bees are spread over the estate so there not just in one location and the loses aren't just at one location.


I've come to the conclusion it has to be the pesticides effecting the colonys..
Would you say this a good assumption.
And should we be having samples taken for tests, if so can anyone point me in the right direction.

 

[Ian123]

Hi me and my eldest have apairy sites in two different locations.
Me Clee Hill 450metres( no pesticides)
The lad! On an estate that spray orchards, beans, cereal crops etc..
In four years ive had no losses.
In four years his losses have been about 40%

Both me and him have the same bee genes.
All stock has come from me ( Clee Hill apiary)

His loses have been down to late superceded queen's and in early spring queen's not laying very well and colony build up has been poor in some colonys.( no signs of nosemia)
His bees are spread over the estate so there not just in one location and the loses aren't just at one location.


I've come to the conclusion it has to be the pesticides effecting the colonys..
Would you say this a good assumption.
And should we be having samples taken for tests, if so can anyone point me in the right direction.

I have to say over the years I’ve had no issues as far as I am aware with pesticides. I’ve had bees on farms surrounded by rape, orchards that spray when the bees are out and about and on and next to golf courses, I did see something saying they are the most sprayed bits of the country! I recently started helping a lady that lives next to a course who’s bees died in winter on a regular basis. I suggested a few other changes varroa treatments for starters and she’s now also gaining experience and confidence with me. Part the deal was I also get a site in the properties woods. So this winter 25 hives on site, winter losses 1 DLQ. Maybe your just better than your brother

 

[Murox]

Hi me and my eldest have apairy sites in two different locations.
Me Clee Hill 450metres( no pesticides)
The lad! On an estate that spray orchards, beans, cereal crops etc..
In four years ive had no losses.
In four years his losses have been about 40%

Both me and him have the same bee genes.
All stock has come from me ( Clee Hill apiary)

His loses have been down to late superceded queen's and in early spring queen's not laying very well and colony build up has been poor in some colonys.( no signs of nosemia)
His bees are spread over the estate so there not just in one location and the loses aren't just at one location.
I've come to the conclusion it has to be the pesticides effecting the colonys..
Would you say this a good assumption.
And should we be having samples taken for tests, if so can anyone point me in the right direction.

I would hesitate to make that assumption, there are so many variables. As Ian123 suggests “maybe your just better”, or more timely, gentler, cause less stress, have your hives sited more favourably, more patient in your management, even just luckier although we tend to make our own luck – who knows ?

 

[Curly green finger's]

I would hesitate to make that assumption, there are so many variables. As Ian123 suggests “maybe your just better”, or more timely, gentler, cause less stress, have your hives sited more favourably, more patient in your management, even just luckier although we tend to make our own luck – who knows ?

Very possible, I'm going down to spend the afternoon with him if I get chance after I've extracted this blossom honey and sorted this brood/half what an abomination they are!

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Murox]

Very possible, I'm going down to spend the afternoon with him if I get chance after I've extracted this blossom honey and sorted this brood/half what an abomination they are!

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

Two box system have their advantages, its just much simpler when the frames are the same size. Just re-reading your post and I wondered - how does he/do you prepare colonies for the wintertime? Is there a difference and what late/early pollen sources are available to you both?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Two box system have their advantages, its just much simpler when the frames are the same size. Just re-reading your post and I wondered - how does he/do you prepare colonies for the wintertime? Is there a difference and what late/early pollen sources are available to you both?

The estate is right next to Ludlow golf course and there's quite a bit of gorse there, also the river teme runs through it and there's lots of balsam, also ivy is everywhere even up the big mature trees in the arboretum.
So the forage is there for pollen in the autumn..
Because of the lock down I've not been able to go down to look at the dead outs.
Untill now.
My lad preps them much the same as me winter weights, treatments etc.
So Im very interested to see what's been happening.
He is only 21 and is very busy farming for him self and others I think he has taken his eyes of the ball for the last two seasons.

I was talking to one of his bosses yesterday and forget about the pesticides this is whats been happening.. So in turn its perhaps my fault?

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Murox]

The estate is right next to Ludlow golf course and there's quite a bit of gorse there, also the river teme runs through it and there's lots of balsam, also ivy is everywhere even up the big mature trees in the arboretum.
So the forage is there for pollen in the autumn..
Because of the lock down I've not been able to go down to look at the dead outs.
Untill now.
My lad preps them much the same as me winter weights, treatments etc.
So Im very interested to see what's been happening.
He is only 21 and is very busy farming for him self and others I think he has taken his eyes of the ball for the last two seasons.

I was talking to one of his bosses yesterday and forget about the pesticides this is whats been happening.. So in turn its perhaps my fault? Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

Of course its not.
If the deadouts are still relatively undisturbed take some pics , there may be some clues - of course it might be obvious when you actually see them. What is it called when you perform a 'post mortem' on a hive ?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Of course its not.

If the deadouts are still relatively undisturbed take some pics , there may be some clues - of course it might be obvious when you actually see them. What is it called when you perform a 'post mortem' on a hive ?

A post mortem on a hive.. Answer a sorry state of affairs sorry its been busy I've not been able to go down today I've had to do two a/s.
I've one to do tomorrow on one of my black girl colonys they had a beard covering the whole hive the Queen was on the top of the roof slim as you like, I wasn't quick enough to catch her so in the morning I'll be doing that. I've just extracted 6 supers of honey 132lbs of lovely, stinky old mans socks honey it's very thick, it smells like dandelions mainly. The harwthorne flow!! and yes I'm getting one has started trees we're covered in bee's about 12ish today.

Tomorrow I'm extracting the garden and common hives 5 to do.
Then down to the estate.
How's your day been?

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Murox]

A post mortem on a hive.. Answer a sorry state of affairs sorry its been busy I've not been able to go down today I've had to do two a/s.
I've one to do tomorrow on one of my black girl colonys they had a beard covering the whole hive the Queen was on the top of the roof slim as you like, I wasn't quick enough to catch her so in the morning I'll be doing that. I've just extracted 6 supers of honey 132lbs of lovely, stinky old mans socks honey it's very thick, it smells like dandelions mainly. The harwthorne flow!! and yes I'm getting one has started trees we're covered in bee's about 12ish today.

Tomorrow I'm extracting the garden and common hives 5 to do.
Then down to the estate.
How's your day been?

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

Too dam cold hear today, sunny mostly but bitter wind - I hibernate on days like that - risked a blast on the beach with the dogs then retreated to copious cups of coffee.

 

[Podilia]

I've come to the conclusion it has to be the pesticides effecting the colonys..
Would you say this a good assumption.
And should we be having samples taken for tests, if so can anyone point me in the right direction.

Hello Curli green finger's. I think it could be possible because I see the pesticide problem here every summer and so do almost all beekeepers for the last few years, especially when EU banned bee harmful pesticides. I think all unsold stuff could end up here.
To be sure you should inspect the ground around the hives. Usually some bees die in a field, others - inside their hives. Farmers can apply low quality chemicals, or forget about recomendations, restrictions etc.
When my colonies lost 50% of bees in the early summer 2018, they still managed to rear new generation for winter. In fact my bees are healthy except three summer months.
If you want to examine the pesticide impact, collect dead bees near the hives, take the samples of plants in the fields and the samples of soil. The samples must be delivered to the laboratory as quickly as possible.