questionable teaching or not?

[The Poot]

I don't think it's an isolated problem ...some beginners courses really don't provide the peripheral beekeeping information that you find on here - indeed, a lot of the things which we find common knowledge on here are not even included in many bee books... I've had so many conversations with new beekeepers who, whilst they know about brood cycles, varroa, disease, artificial swarms and making increase, do not understand either the reasons behind some things or the mechanics of what you do have been glossed over.

Credit to those people who run courses, end them with practical teaching and explain the reasons behind what is being done.

Thinking back to the course I attended, there was no mention of aggressive bees and how to deal with them. It’s clear from posts on the forum that bee aggression is not uncommon and the need for somewhere to move an aggressive colony is a fairly high priority. I came unstuck last year and it’s taken a while to get over the experience. I doubt I would have started off with garden bees (and rose tinted glasses) if I’d been properly advised.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Haha but atleast the swarm had a better chance of survival with less housing estates all over the place I'd guess !

Housing estates are better. Fewer holes in trees than holes under eaves.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I store my supers wet ... Never had wax moth in stored supers. Untreated brood frames - definite risk and I use Dipel to resolve that ...

Hi Philip, I have 76 supers, I stored 50 dry and treated with Dipel 20 dry and untreated and 6 wet and untreated. The only one that had waxmoth this year was a wet one. Probably means nothing but I found it interesting.

 

[Robinredcar]

Housing estates are better. Fewer holes in trees than holes under eaves.

Not round hear, sh#t heads go knocking swarmed bees about hanging from fences and branch's . There is a colony living in a chimney near to my apiary though, I naturally get the blame when ever they swarm .

 

[Swarm]

Hi Philip, I have 76 supers, I stored 50 dry and treated with Dipel 20 dry and untreated and 6 wet and untreated. The only one that had waxmoth this year was a wet one. Probably means nothing but I found it interesting.

Not worth the risk of not treating, seen and heard of too many wet stored supers ruined by moth

 

[pargyle]

Dipel was a preventative treatment for wax month in the UK. Not currently licensed here (as detailed in last line of product page) . Potentially can be purchased in EU from various vendors if they ship to UK.

https://www.vita-europe.com/beehealth/products/b401_b402/

That's Certan B401 ... Dipel is still available in the UK as it is an authorised treatment for some greenhouse pests. The debate has been had on here before as to whether it comes under the VMD regs as you are not treating the bees - you are treating the frames and comb when they are not in the hive ... to prevent an infestation of wax moth. So ... sulphur and ascetic acid have been used for this purpose (and to cleanse supers ready for storage) and they are not covered by the VMD ... so .. pays yer money and takes yer choices - will anyone know and does anyone care ?

 

[pargyle]

Hi Philip, I have 76 supers, I stored 50 dry and treated with Dipel 20 dry and untreated and 6 wet and untreated. The only one that had waxmoth this year was a wet one. Probably means nothing but I found it interesting.

I must admit ... I'm not in your league when it comes to supers but, even though they may have occasionally had brood in them, I've never had a wax moth infestation in any of them ...stored wet or dry, treated or untreated .... brood frames ....different story altogether. The Dipel treated ones - occasionally see signs of a grub but they are small and mummified, no cocoons or tracks ... untreated - nearly always get a problem.

I agree, tells you nothing really - if you are in an area where there are wax moths - particularly the greater wax moth - then you need to do something to protect them ...I know they serve a purpose for wild bees ... but disgusting and damaging for the beekeeper.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Only one way to reduce the likelihood of waxmoth infestation (without spraying Dipel) is to store wet. I even had a stack of brood frames from last year's Demarrees stored wet last winter (and we hardly had any good frosts) and they were all good this spring, in fact some of them had been stored from the year before.

What do you mean when you talk of storing BROOD frames wet? That they have some nectar in them?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What do you mean when you talk of storing BROOD frames wet? That they have some nectar in them?

If you run a Demarree as Demarree intended, the top brood box ends up being just another deep honey super. After extracting I sort out the frames as either beyond further use or reusable. The reusable ones get stored wet for next year's Demarrees.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

That's Certan B401 ... Dipel is still available in the UK as it is an authorised treatment for some greenhouse pests. The debate has been had on here before as to whether it comes under the VMD regs as you are not treating the bees - you are treating the frames and comb when they are not in the hive ... to prevent an infestation of wax moth. So ... sulphur and ascetic acid have been used for this purpose (and to cleanse supers ready for storage) and they are not covered by the VMD ... so .. pays yer money and takes yer choices - will anyone know and does anyone care ?

Spot on. You do what you do. No need to have a conversation about it.

 

[Micklemus81]

Well it wouldn’t be a surprise if she did swarm crammed in a full bb

I'd love to be able to put that smiley on some of my posts....... It must be fun for you with your great sense of humour..... It's really what life's about.... what would life bee without a s........... or a......... ?

 

[Micklemus81]

Langstroth is said to have based his on the dimensions of a case of champagne.

If you want to drink champagne, you must think champagne ! (Hugh Falkus 1962
sea trout fishing - a guide to success) what an extraordinary accomplished man)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you want to drink champagne, you must think champagne ! (Hugh Falkus 1962
sea trout fishing - a guide to success) what an extraordinary accomplished man)

I prefer his blunt message to trespassers on his riverbank signs.
Or his comment to Arthur Oglesby on a misidentified record 'seatrout' published on the T&S

 

[Micklemus81]

Langstroth is said to have based his on the dimensions of a case of champagne.

If you want to drink champagne, you've got to think champagne.
( Hugh Falkus - 1962 Sea Trout Fishing - a guide to success ) what a profoundly astute all rounder.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you can say that again

 

[holmbee]

If you want to drink champagne, you must think champagne ! (Hugh Falkus 1962
sea trout fishing - a guide to success) what an extraordinary accomplished man)

I have enjoyed reading Falkus on both salmon and sea trout fishing from the time I caught my first Torridge salmon over twenty years ago. Years of experience distilled into his books.