enrico
Queen Bee
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2011
- Messages
- 12,371
- Reaction score
- 3,732
- Location
- Somerset levels
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 5
Sadly nothing is cheap these days. You are looking at about £40 from Screwfix.
Pity, as hands in hives is the quickest route to learning.local beekeeping course last year ... it was online
I see little evidence of EFB, just a rapidly dwindling hive hammered by varoosis, I'd just wait until they die out, scrap the frames, scorch the hive and start again in the spring.It looks like there are some dried shrivelled larvae in some of the cells. The last photo in particular. Could someone with more experience have another look please?
would you say that on the last photo there is chalkbrood then ?I see little evidence of EFB, just a rapidly dwindling hive hammered by varoosis, I'd just wait until they die out, scrap the frames, scorch the hive and start again in the spring.
Definitely sort out a proactive IPM for varroa next season, I would say the one apivar strip in August was not enough in the first place and Amitraz isn't IMHO the best of treatments.
You need to treat the suriving colonies as a matter of urgency - OAV would be your best bet
LIsten to Jenkinsbrynmair, I'd value his opinion ... I could not see any signs of EFB - just a very poorly colony as I said originally, almost certainly the result of varroa. Don't panic about EFB ...Thanks for the helpful replies everyone. Really appreciate it.
This is the one I use ...just over £20 ... works well.Sadly nothing is cheap these days. You are looking at about £40 from Screwfix.
Top right corner there is a mummified larvae .Or sunlight from behind-you can see the cell walls of the opposite side in some of the cells.
Possibly one chalky larvae .... but in a colony as weak as this it would not surprise me .. could just have been chilled - it's well the edge of what little brood area there is and there are so few bees it may have starved and left uncapped. It's still white and if it was an EFB infected larvae I'd expect it to be discloured and more gloopy than that or in the early stage twisted up.Top right corner there is a mummified larvae .
Agreed it is only one larvae @beebob has there been any mummified larvae on the inspection board or at the entrance ?Possibly one chalky larvae .... but in a colony as weak as this it would not surprise me .. could just have been chilled - it's well the edge of what little brood area there is and there are so few bees it may have starved and left uncapped. It's still white and if it was an EFB infected larvae I'd expect it to be discloured and more gloopy than that or in the early stage twisted up.
no
little evidence of EFB
could not see any signs of EFB
Yes, let's put this in perspective before getting all Corporal-Jones about EFB: there are no real visible signs of the disease, Rob, so sleep easy tonight in the knowledge that although the colony has been in trouble for some time and is doomed, much instructive comfort will result from the visit by your SBI.Bit frightening when EFB mentioned
No, Apivar is very effective and the least-worst chemical of choice, but repeat use can lead to resistance by varroa. For example, if your source of bees used Apivar for two or three years, I would have used a different treatment which did not use the active ingredient Amitraz. After another couple of years you could use Apivar again, but rotate every two or three years.So, Apivar, abit rubbish? Is it OAV all the way in terms of preventing / treating varroa?
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