Hi Amanda,
Interesting post. Thank you. What prompts you to do an inspection from their behaviour ?
Do you use your own wax for starter strips and how often do you change the comb ?
What IPM methods do you use, if any ?
Do you feed sugar syrup and is your apiary isolated/remote ?
Mike
Hi Mike,
At the beginning of the year, as soon as I'm prepared to go outside without a coat and there is a nice still sunny day (sometimes have to wait til May!), I do a full inpection. After that:
If some are flying and others aren't, I'd look.
If pollen seen going in with lots of flying bees, I'm happy to leave them.
If flying but no pollen when other hives are bringing in pollen, I'd look - may not have a queen.
If the bees are annoyed just by my presence outside the hive, I'd look - may not have a queen.
If there is only one sunny day in 5, I don't look as I feel that may be there only time to forage well.
If there are a few sunny days in a row and I haven't looked at them for a month, I'll look - to check them and also because I like looking at what they're doing. I check them more during swarm season if the weather is good and I am home.
I check them before leaving them alone for the winter.
I have used my own wax for starter strips. This year I am using a triangular piece of wood nailed to the top with no way - they seem just as happy with this. I do have a problem with them building comb across several frames, but at the end of the season I just take that super off, extract the honey and the wax and then try again. It's a bit messy but I like to try different things. I'm trying to intersperse well drawn comb with starter frames in the hope that they will be encouraged to build straight. Even with foundation, my bees don't always build straight comb. Maybe it's something I'm doing wrong. Suggestions welcomed from anyone else using foundationless frames.
Changing comb - if I want to change a whole box of comb, I move it up so that as the bees go back down when winter is approaching, the combs are less likely to have brood in them. I can extract any honey and melt out the wax.
IPM - I look at the colonies and monitor them for notifiable diseases. I don't treat for Varroa and haven't for at least 8 years now. I keep an eye out for DWV but haven't seen any for a while. If I only see 1 or 2, I'm not worried.
I try not to deplete the hives of honey so that I can avoid feeding syrup because 1) I'm too busy to do the whole syrup thing, 2) I think honey is better for them and makes for healthier and stronger colonies (not based on anything other than my own feelings). 3) I don't make a living out of selling honey so I'm not fussed if I only get a bit. If they need it, I will and do feed sugar syrup.
Is my apiary remote? - no houses nearby and no beeks within a mile at least.
Cheers,
Amanda
