Varroa count

[Erichalfbee]

Out of curiosity, just how many colonies does he manage? It seems like a lot of work at a time when you don't really want to disturb the winter cluster.

Perhaps I should add a supplementary question: How many of them survived this regime?

Do you know B+ I can't quite remember. 60? seems to stick in my mind, maybe it was 16...JBM might recall.
As for your second question.......I haven't a clue. Some scientists live on their own little planet with little consideration of anything apart from their own goal. I think he's mad to be disturbing the bees this way and if he thinks most other beekeepers will do it I think his planet must indeed be outwith this solar system.

PS...just looked it up, 110 hives and he's claiming 100 survival to the following spring

 

[Erichalfbee]

Which is written in crayon

Good one...didn't spot this earlier

 

[Gilberdyke John]

By "autumn", do you mean now? As a newbie, I'm a trifle confused, since to me "autumn" generally means Sept - Nov, but JBM is saying "as little varroa as possible in the colony September to November", so should I treat now so that varroa numbers are knocked down by the start of September?

It's often suggested that Apiguard (4 weeks treatment) should be started around now so at the end of it the hives can be weighed and sufficient 2:1 (thick) sugar syrup fed in time for the bees to evaporate the excess water and cap the resultant stores for winter before the atmospheric temperature falls too low for successful evaporation. Having plentiful late forage skews the logic.
The weather varies from year to year so the pedantic approach is just that. Often a later cycle is successful but you are the beekeeper and it's your decision (and possibly gamble).
Insulated hives behave differently just to make it more difficult for you

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

start treating early September, if it's sublimation,you can leave it a little later still

 

[MuswellMetro]

Out of curiosity, just how many colonies does he manage? It seems like a lot of work at a time when you don't really want to disturb the winter cluster.

Perhaps I should add a supplementary question: How many of them survived this regime?

Does ratneik manage any?, i think it is his Italian apiary manager and Phd students that manage them

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think he has a colony or two in his garden

 

[Cussword]

Insulated hives behave differently just to make it more difficult for you

In what way, because they are warmer? Does that mean that an insulated hive should be treated, and fed, later?

start treating early September, if it's sublimation,you can leave it a little later still

How much later JBM, I was going to sublimate at the end of the month?

.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How much later JBM, I was going to sublimate at the end of the month?

.

I do my mite bashing mid to late September then get feeding

 

[Finman]

In what way, because they are warmer? Does that mean that an insulated hive should be treated, and fed, later?

How much later JBM, I was going to sublimate at the end of the month?

.

The feeding depends on out temp and on nature, when the autumn use to arrive to your district. Feeding is long process and you cannot take shedule from forecasts.

you may feed the hive full in 2 days, but capping takes 2 - 3weeks.

Feeding has nothing to do with polyhives or wooden hives.

When bees react on autumn, they decide to prepare for winter. First sign is that they kill drones. Quite many hives does not want to take in sugar. But more usual is, that most of winter food will not be capped.

Start feeding in good time,sooner than later. Then give later the rest half.


If I start feeding at the first week of September, they cap the food well. But if I start feeding on the third week of September, they like do not cap the food. I have tried electrict heating in it, but it does not help.

The high sugar content in syrup helps a lot.
.

In last week of August my hives use to have wintering box full of brood. This comes again from shedule how last plants give pollen in nature.

.
.

 

[maddydog]

How much later JBM, I was going to sublimate at the end of the month?

.

Most of my colonies usually have a brood break around the end of august/early September before they gear up for winted bees. Seems like an ideal time for vaping

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Most of my colonies usually have a brood break around the end of august/early September before they gear up for winted bees. Seems like an ideal time for vaping

Yes: mid-Sept for me if I'm alert. Huge amount of sealed brood at present in big ccolonies and not much open (don't think I've killed all my Qs...) so prob heading in that direction.

In defence of the Prof (and JPM has never forgiven me for this) I chose A FLYING DAY in mid-December one year to look (successfully) for a brood break. The Prof I think suggests brood sacrifice. On a FLYING DAY it makes sense to me.

 

[beeno]

Some advice now states that one should treat so that the generation that are to produce the winter bees is not compromised. In practice that means to treat ASAP or should have done already depending on the weather to come. However, in treating early one has to make sure that the bees have not picked up varroa from robbing.

 

[Finman]

Some advice now states that one should treat so that the generation that are to produce the winter bees is not compromised.

.

That is the most important.

.and second is that do not let mite count on critical border. IT goes there itself.

 

[Finman]

Yes: mid-Sept for me if I'm alert. Huge amount of sealed brood at present in big ccolonies and not much open (don't think I've killed all my Qs...) so prob heading in that direction.

In defence of the Prof (and JPM has never forgiven me for this) I chose A FLYING DAY in mid-December one year to look (successfully) for a brood break. The Prof I think suggests brood sacrifice. On a FLYING DAY it makes sense to me.

Mid Sept is too late. Winter bee brood are already violated.
.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Mid Sept is too late. Winter bee brood are already violated.
.

It isn't here.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Some advice now states that one should treat so that the generation that are to produce the winter bees is not compromised. In practice that means to treat ASAP or should have done already depending on the weather to come. However, in treating early one has to make sure that the bees have not picked up varroa from robbing.

what about the generation that has to produce that generation, or indeed the generating rearing them? if you go on following that kind of nonsense you'll end up disappearing up your own fundamental.

 

[Finman]

It isn't here.

Where here? Is it same in Scotland and in Somerseth?
And those ivy areas.

But everybody must know how things proceed in their area..

In Finland mite killing should be started at the beginning of August.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Where here? Is it same in Scotland and in Somerseth?
And those ivy areas.

But everybody must know how things proceed in their area..

In Finland mite killing should be started at the beginning of August.

"Here" is N. Somerset in this case. Similar climate to mine. Pete talks of a mid-Sept brood break as a chance to jump on the mites and I tend to see the same. I then have two full brood cycles before the ivy stops and they slow down for winter.

 

[Hivemaker.]

In Finland mite killing should be started at the beginning of August.

Not here.

 

[Finman]

Not here.

It would be very strange if UK has as short summer as in Finland. Like that Tamar Valley Ice Ace, with those African valley bees.

.