temperature for brood rearing

[Levitt53]

Hi, I'm away for three week until the week before Christmas but want to vape one of my hives with OA at some point after this. I know I could do it three time with 5 days gap but I'd rather see if I can identify a sealed blood-less period if possible. My question is there a temperature at which you generally can assume that the queen will not lay? The hive in question is a poly hive. My son will monitor the average daily temperature while I'm away.

 

[masterBK]

Its not just about temperature as queen lays inJanuary & february which are often colder than other months. More likely to do with shortening day lengths so usually no brood mid december but in a mild winter and possibly in well insulated hive like a Poly they may still have some brood but it will most likely to be only small patches on one frame (or two at most) so take it away from them (and feed the birds with it) and then treat. Loss of brood at this time of year is no great shakes and it will also take away the mites on the brood.

 

[user 6228]

Its not just about temperature as queen lays inJanuary & february which are often colder than other months. More likely to do with shortening day lengths so usually no brood mid december but in a mild winter and possibly in well insulated hive like a Poly they may still have some brood but it will most likely to be only small patches on one frame (or two at most) so take it away from them (and feed the birds with it) and then treat. Loss of brood at this time of year is no great shakes and it will also take away the mites on the brood.

pick the rainy dark days before solstice

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'd rather see if I can identify a sealed blood-less period if possible.

AS mBK says.....open it up

 

[Millet]

AS mBK says.....open it up

 

[Amari]

AS mBK says.....open it up

If he opens it up he might as well trickle OA. Personally I wouldn't open a hive in mid-winter and have to examine several combs for brood, especially if using a double BB. Why not just vape at New Year? OK, there may be a bit of brood that the treatment misses but surely a degree of pragmatism is part of the art of beekeeping?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Have you no confidence that your autumn treatment was effective?
According to LASI who rip their hives open weekly regardless of date or weather, over a ten year (I think) period the first couple of weeks in December was the most likely broodless period.

 

[Levitt53]

I would have thought that opening up the hive is the last thing to do this time of year. I’ll perhaps try it just before Christmas if it’s more to do with light than cold. I’m only treating my hives when they need it. Only one needed treating in the autumn and that one now is fine and not the one I’m planning to vape. I’ve never vaped before so i’ll see how it goes.

 

[Erichalfbee]

How else are you going to make sure there is no brood. I’m not a brood scraper outer. I’m confident that my autumn treatment is good to go but if it wasn’t I would vape three or four times and not open up. BUT the question was asked. How do you tell?

 

[Millet]

How else are you going to make sure there is no brood. I’m not a brood scraper outer. I’m confident that my autumn treatment is good to go but if it wasn’t I would vape three or four times and not open up. BUT the question was asked. How do you tell?

From what i have learned up to now is you can not tell if there is brood or not unless you open up which i would not do, however i do know my bees still have new bees emerging by the wax cappings on the inspection tray, i suppose if you leave the inspection tray in for winter for the correct amount of time you may see a brood break with the lack of wax capping over a period of time at the front of the hive (warm way) , but i gather that is not guaranteed either.
I will just take my chances and gas them after Christmas anyway.

 

[Erichalfbee]

From what i have learned up to now is you can not tell if there is brood or not unless you open up which i would not do, however i do know my bees still have new bees emerging by the wax cappings on the inspection tray, i suppose if you leave the inspection tray in for winter for the correct amount of time you may see a brood break with the lack of wax capping over a period of time at the front of the hive (warm way) , but i gather that is not guaranteed either.
I will just take my chances and gas them after Christmas anyway.

I think I’m gassing before Christmas

 

[Millet]

I think I’m gassing before Christmas

I am 50/50 on whether to do one of mine before Xmas also, the hive in question is my favorite one with my fist ever mated Queen at this spot who are the most gentle of bees, they started of with not a single drop at the back end of September while the other two where dropping loads, after treatment (gassing) the other two have stopped dropping (well one or two) but my favorite hive is still dropping a lot, that is why i am having trouble with mould on the crown board as i only get chance to check the tray every seven days at the moment, if they stopped dropping them i would have left the trays out a while back.

 

[Beefriendly]

They aren't going to stop dropping mites unless you have recently treated, so you could remove the tray and allow some air flow.
It's difficult to overdose with OA treatments so at least one more vape will do no harm and possibly a lot of good.
Worth thinking about checking mite levels again in spring, before OSR flow, and vape again if required.