unfinished supers ?

[BrianO]

Anyone putting an uncapped super under a brood box right now needs their head examined!!

That's like sending out an invitation to a honey banquet for the wasps. There is a serious wasp problem this year and I see the wasps going for the hives that contain honey, they are flying around the supers as they smell the honey. Put it at the bottom and you are attracting them to the entrance.

The relatively honey less nucs right beside the hives are being left alone.

Hi Torq

If you think putting not having a super nadired below will lessen wasp interest , no disagree.

Of course a stanard brood box on a floor will have plenty of stores to attract wasps at this time . Thing is now to reduce entrances to defendable size, no biggy if bees have to delay sightly to enter // exit if it means being easily able to defend the hive.

 

[Torq]

If you think putting not having a super nadired below will lessen wasp interest , no disagree.

I'm having a bit of trouble with your grammar in the above sentence, I can't quite work out what you are saying.

Of course a stanard brood box on a floor will have plenty of stores to attract wasps at this time . Thing is now to reduce entrances to defendable size, no biggy if bees have to delay sightly to enter // exit if it means being easily able to defend the hive.

I've one hive down to 3 8mm holes drilled into a 2in thick piece of timber so not only is the entrance reduced, there is a small tunnel to contend with.

Another hive 150m away that somehow ended up on a solid floor is having no wasp problems at all.

Could our open mesh floors be contributing to the wasp problem by allowing honey vapours out the bottom of the hive?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Could our open mesh floors be contributing to the wasp problem by allowing honey vapours out the bottom of the hive?

Yes, of course it would. That's where the plume of honey smell would come from.

 

[Torq]

Could our open mesh floors be contributing to the wasp problem by allowing honey vapours out the bottom of the hive?

Yes, of course it would. That's where the plume of honey smell would come from.

So could it be that OMF is not the great idea that we all believe it to be? Time to go back to solids?

 

[mbc]

So could it be that OMF is not the great idea that we all believe it to be? Time to go back to solids?

I've never baught into omf and the majority of my floors are solid and any new ones I make are solid, makes for easier beekeeping imho.

 

[oliver90owner]

So could it be that OMF is not the great idea that we all believe it to be?-

Rubbish. One cannot legislate on how the I d I o t s insist on abusing a simple formula/idea.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I've never baught into omf and the majority of my floors are solid and any new ones I make are solid, makes for easier beekeeping imho.

Same here, i much prefer the solid floors.

 

[Floyd]

Same here, i much prefer the solid floors.

Maybe it's time for a poll.

I use OMF but have wooden inserts for the winter or when cold.

 

[itma]

...
One cannot legislate on how the I d I o t s insist on abusing a simple formula/idea.

Well, actually, that's why the NBU are dead set against the prospect of legitimising Oxalic vaporisation at all.
Different area, but "Knowing beekeepers" (in the RBI's words) they think there would be bound to be many beekeepers who would "abuse" the facility and ignore Health & Safety requirements.
So they seem to think that nobody should be allowed to do it, and, if I read the runes correctly, they (and the VMD) might start acting next year. If they do, then blame the "I d I o t s" ...

 

[mbc]

Maybe it's time for a poll.

I use OMF but have wooden inserts for the winter or when cold.

The raison de etre of omf is varroa monitoring by checking for mite drop. I believe most clued up beekeepers have moved away from monitoring drop as a reliable indication of varroa levels these days.
re the NBU's nanny state approach they need to carefully balance their advice as people naturally drift away from looking to them for leadership when so much better informed information is published elsewhere whilst they bury their heads in the sand at every thorny issue at the same time as trying to order us to do things just so. #dinasours

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I believe most clued up beekeepers have moved away from monitoring drop as a reliable indication of varroa levels these days.

re the NBU's nanny state approach they need to carefully balance their advice as people naturally drift away from looking to them for leadership when so much better informed information is published elsewhere whilst they bury their heads in the sand at every thorny issue at the same time as trying to order us to do things just so.

Some people just like to spend their time telling people what the can't do rather than trying to find a way of working better - after all, they are civil servants, and the people making these decisions are far enough up the line to have had every scriven of common sense,charisma and independent thinking bleached out of them

 

[itma]

The raison de etre of omf is varroa monitoring by checking for mite drop. ...

Not what I had understood.
Mesh floors were introduced to the UK before varroa as a better solution to dampness and humidity problems, improving colony health.
Sure, with the addition of a temporary tray, the possibility exists for varroa monitoring - but that wasn't the original idea!

OMFs are not a new idea, but have been around for about a century and a half, their main reason for use being to promote good wintering under harsh conditions.

OMFs have several advantages, they provide ventilation of the hive and may remove the need for special ventilated top screens when moving colonies in summer, although a screen may be advisable for a long journey. Their popularity has increased since the arrival of varroa.

Patterson at http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/open_mesh_floors.html

 

[mbc]

Not what I had understood.
Mesh floors were introduced to the UK before varroa as a better solution to dampness and humidity problems, improving colony health.
Sure, with the addition of a temporary tray, the possibility exists for varroa monitoring - but that wasn't the original idea!
Patterson at http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/open_mesh_floors.html

The Swiss were using them for migratory beekeeping before I was born, but the point stands that their popularity in the UK stems from varroa arriving and advice given to monitor drop.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I'll tell you one thing is that I get a load of wax moth under mine. Seems a regularly-cleaned insert would be better. Want to experiment with "natural" (wood chip) floors.

 

[Erichalfbee]

NBU...................................................they seem to think that nobody should be allowed to do it, and, if I read the runes correctly, they (and the VMD) might start acting next year. If they do, then blame the "I d I o t s" ...

Time to stock up on Oxalic?
Mind you....it has plenty of other uses.

after all, they are civil servants, and the people making these decisions are far enough up the line to have had every scriven of common sense,charisma and independent thinking bleached out of them

Yes.....just look at Chilcot

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they seem to think that nobody should be allowed to do it, and, if I read the runes correctly, they (and the VMD) might start acting next year.

And how are they going to do that? check our mecicartion records to see how often we clean the woodwork on our hives? check with Halfords for an upsurge in the purchase of motorbike batteries? stop all yacht chandlers from selling oxalic crystals? set up CROPS around rural apiaries in the hope of seeing the odd wisp of oxalic vapour?

 

[mbc]

And how are they going to do that? check our mecicartion records to see how often we clean the woodwork on our hives? check with Halfords for an upsurge in the purchase of motorbike batteries? stop all yacht chandlers from selling oxalic crystals? set up CROPS around rural apiaries in the hope of seeing the odd wisp of oxalic vapour?

Quite, it's pie in the sky. The way things are going I don't envisage the nbu having loads of spare manpower to police their current areas of responsibility let alone taking on more pointless tasks.

 

[Torq]

So solid floors are on the way back to being in fashion. I'd better stock up on matchsticks for the winter!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not really - expecially when SHB hits our shores the last thing you'll want is a floor littered with detritus affording the ideal playground for the little buggers

 

[Ely]

Not really - expecially when SHB hits our shores the last thing you'll want is a floor littered with detritus affording the ideal playground for the little buggers

Plenty of detritus seems to build up on OMF also. Swapping for clean floors on regular intervals is the way to go.