Refrigerating bees to get them to cluster and brood break in South California

[user 6228]

Has this been discussed? In Southern California (next to the mexican border) , they are artificially forcing the bees to crash into winter cluster without feeding , which causes them to cannibalise their eggs and youngest larvae. They are doing it 3 times a year in July , August and October. watch the video. This is being promoted by Project Apis

 

[Ian123]

They’ve been refrigerating bees in Canada for years. What’s the issue with not feeding there’s obviously stores available or they are dead.

 

[Anduril]

Interesting, for the warmer climates of California only one would be needed and OAV to finish. But 3 times a year to create brood breaks will reduce the varroa build up. Could be useful for the treatment free.

 

[Erichalfbee]

How can refrigerating the bees three times a year be TF?

 

[Anduril]

How can refrigerating the bees three times a year be TF?

All to do with brood breaks. 18 days of refrigeration.

 

[Erichalfbee]

All to do with brood breaks. 18 days of refrigeration.

I suppose it depends on the definition of TF
TF.......... keeping bees that require no intervention from humans to survive and reproduce.

 

[Anduril]

I suppose it depends on the definition of TF
TF.......... keeping bees that require no intervention from humans to survive and reproduce.

No chemicals are used, just inducing a short winter break to shut down brood rearing.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No chemicals are used, just inducing a short winter break to shut down brood rearing.

Yes I know. It comes down to the definition of TF beekeeping.

 

[Anduril]

This might be a new one for them!

 

[Wilco]

Thing is though, three enforced brood breaks a year won't really suit colonies in the UK climate, it'll keep colonies smaller- it's also as unnatural as any other treatment in my view.

 

[B_north]

They’ve been refrigerating bees in Canada for years. What’s the issue with not feeding there’s obviously stores available or they are dead.

It's called our winter LOL.

But yes it has been around for a while. There are some that use refrigeration to avoid the winter cold. The big guys do it but most smaller ones just pile snow on top to insulate, after they have wrapped the hives of course.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Why not just cage the queen for a while to get a brood break?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Richard Noel has been doing that quite successfully I think. It’s on his YouTube channel

 

[Skinfaxi]

I caged my queens. Just a bit of getting used to and it works fine.

 

[sipa]

If you need a brood break..... just cage the queen.
I believe this forms part of IPM for many in Italy.

 

[Ian123]

On the scale that these guys do it the work to cage and the cage itself is likely to be far more expensive than wheeling a wagon into a warehouse I’d guess

 

[jarmo henttu]

Interesting, for the warmer climates of California only one would be needed and OAV to finish. But 3 times a year to create brood breaks will reduce the varroa build up. Could be useful for the treatment free.

A clean hive gets soon new mites from environment.

If you kill brood, in June, that hive will not forage much honey then.

 

[jarmo henttu]

They’ve been refrigerating bees in Canada for years. What’s the issue with not feeding there’s obviously stores available or they are dead.

In Canada they have so cold winters that hives are broodless. In California weather can be 25C in December. Almond starts blooming in February.

 

[Anduril]

A clean hive gets soon new mites from environment.

If you kill brood, in June, that hive will not forage much honey then.

Refridgerated July, August and September for 18 days each month.

 

[jarmo henttu]

In the UK you get an broodless hive in every summer when the colony swarms. The the new queen starts to lay when all old brood have emerged.

No need to kill any brood.