Sometimes you have to accept that the bees think they know best

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Taking out the nadirs and changing floors at the home apiary this afternoon. to be honest, all the floors were spotless, but this one colony, together with still being nailed down with stores (and more coming in) had decided they weren't that fussed with the OMF mullarkey.
This is sure to get the propolis fanatics a but moist around the gusset area

 

[Boston Bees]

Solid floors - maybe it's just what they want.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

well, just that particular colony

 

[magor]

under entrance?

and is it

ya strongest colony?

most aggresive?

also where do you sit the omf whats under it?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

under floor entrance
nowhere near the strongest colony
certainly not aggressive - quite the opposite
the hives are on 18" high open stands.
the same colony has been there for years, in the same spot and it's the first time they've done this.

 

[Nige.Coll]

I had that on a colony.
The mesh in the floor was different from yours it was the expanded metal type, turned out the smaller wasp vespa vulgaris had been squeezing through the floor. Found bits of dead wasp waxed into the mesh.
Totally different situation to yours as the mesh is different but funny what they do with the homes we provide them.

 

[elainemary]

A clean Spring floor is one of the traits I now look for in any colony to queen rear from, last Spring I only had to change the floor on one of mine. Not only saves time but it’s a sign of good hygienic behaviour. Just got hold of an entomology pin device to properly test it this season.

 

[Boston Bees]

A clean Spring floor is one of the traits I now look for in any colony to queen rear from

You select for a clean bedroom floor? Are you sure you aren't confusing bees with teenagers?

 

[elainemary]

You select for a clean bedroom floor? Are you sure you aren't confusing bees with teenagers?

Haha! It’s something I picked up on a recent webinar, can’t recall whether it was Steve Martin or Darren from Bishops bees. But someone with high credibility. They were talking about selection of bees and hygienic behaviour (as opposed to VSH). They said a clean spring floor was a good sign but you needed to take it further and do a proper pin test
Now where’s the hoover!?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Totally different situation to yours as the mesh is different

I have seen it with the expanded mesh as well when |PeteD and I were helping out ChrisB at Saltway honey, pete has a photo of an expanded metal poly OMF completely blocked up with propolis

 

[Boston Bees]

Haha! It’s something I picked up on a recent webinar, can’t recall whether it was Steve Martin or Darren from Bishops bees. But someone with high credibility. They were talking about selection of bees and hygienic behaviour (as opposed to VSH). They said a clean spring floor was a good sign but you needed to take it further and do a proper pin test
Now where’s the hoover!?

Just don't look under the the bed in case the bees are hiding their "Hottest drones of 2022" magazines

 

[Amari]

A clean Spring floor is one of the traits I now look for in any colony to queen rear from, last Spring I only had to change the floor on one of mine. Not only saves time but it’s a sign of good hygienic behaviour. Just got hold of an entomology pin device to properly test it this season.

What's that, please?

 

[Erichalfbee]

A clean Spring floor is one of the traits I now look for in any colony to queen rear from, last Spring I only had to change the floor on one of mine. Not only saves time but it’s a sign of good hygienic behaviour. Just got hold of an entomology pin device to properly test it this season.

Do you have solid floors?

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Taking out the nadirs and changing floors at the home apiary this afternoon. to be honest, all the floors were spotless,

Changing a floor is quick and easy, though I don't think I'd do it if the bees were keeping it clean. Some beekeepers change the brood box too. I can't see the point if the colony is thriving and the box ain't broken. And even if the colony is a bit small, I don't think a new box would solve anything.

 

[North End Bees]

It’s something I picked up on a recent webinar, can’t recall whether it was Steve Martin or Darren from Bishops bees.

It was also mentioned last week on Bed's queen rearing zoom. I noticed your name come up a few times in the Q&A after so that might be the one you're thinking of.

That was with Sean Stephenson. He said his main criteria for choosing queens to breed from were

• Clean floor in Spring
• The colony I enjoyed most last year
• Reasonable honey harvest

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Changing a floor is quick and easy, though I don't think I'd do it if the bees were keeping it clean

It's an easier way of doing things that's all - new floor to one side of the hive, brood box taken off the nadir and moved across. the nadir is taken away and the floor it sat on gets a quick brush down and is put next to the next hive for the same treatment.
agree - the annual changing of the brood box and all the other scraping and scrubbing was even in the 1940's attributed to the non thinking beekeeping automatons

 

[elainemary]

It was also mentioned last week on Bed's queen rearing zoom. I noticed your name come up a few times in the Q&A after so that might be the one you're thinking of.

That was with Sean Stephenson. He said his main criteria for choosing queens to breed from were

• Clean floor in Spring
• The colony I enjoyed most last year
• Reasonable honey harvest

Yes well remembered. Sorry I hogged the questions!! He’s a nice guy v clear thinking, good presentation.

 

[elainemary]

It's an easier way of doing things that's all - new floor to one side of the hive, brood box taken off the nadir and moved across. the nadir is taken away and the floor it sat on gets a quick brush down and is put next to the next hive for the same treatment.
agree - the annual changing of the brood box and all the other scraping and scrubbing was even in the 1940's attributed to the non thinking beekeeping automatons

I do agree with you, I was taught that way - change your floor every spring and while you’re at it change the brood box too! I don’t do that anymore, just try to think like a bee and use common sense. Challenge and try for yourself. Rules are there to be tested and broken if necessary.

 

[elainemary]

Do you have solid floors?

No but I now ‘convert’ wooden WBCs by pushing in a special drawer underneath the OMF or a metal tray with correx on. Polyhives are left with OMF otherwise get a lots of water on correx below.
Leave them in fir WBCs Oct- March / April depending on the weather. Let’s me read the bees from below rather than fiddling!
Here’s some from this morning.
What do you think is happening on the one with all the legs, wings and heads!? Only been in for a few days - regularly wipe clean

 

[Erichalfbee]

No but I now ‘convert’ wooden WBCs by pushing in a special drawer underneath the OMF or a metal tray with correx on. Polyhives are left with OMF otherwise get a lots of water on correx below.
Leave them in fir WBCs Oct- March / April depending on the weather. Let’s me read the bees from below rather than fiddling!
Here’s some from this morning.
What do you think is happening on the one with all the legs, wings and heads!? Only been in for a few days - regularly wipe clean

I just wondered how you decided a floor was clean if it was mesh?