What caused my colonies to fail?

[Do224]

Cheers all. I know it can be frustrating watching somebody make a hash of something that seems so simple when you look at it from the point of view of experience. I think the overwhelming lesson I'm taking from all the comments is that varroa treatment should be my number one priority going forward.

Catching the swarms was great fun, the whole process was a really fascinating experience. I'm so glad I went down this route rather than buying nucs.... if I'd paid £200-£300 for each of my failed colonies it might just have been enough to put me off beekeeping altogether. Appreciate there are down sides to hiving swarms though and perhaps my bees are more defensive than they might have been if I'd bought nucs....?

Here’s a couple of pics of the inspection tray under my remaining hive (I wiped it clean perhaps a week ago). Look ok do you think?

 

[pargyle]

Aly tape doesn't need scissors or a knife to cut it - but you do need a strategy if it's not to spring back into a coil, all stuck together and irretrievable

Yes ... it needs controlling as it has a mind of its own ... I tend to keep the 'unpeeled' lengths to a size that I can handle and then pull the backing off as I am sticking it down on whatever it is I'm sticking it to.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Cheers all. I know it can be frustrating watching somebody make a hash of something that seems so simple when you look at it from the point of view of experience. I think the overwhelming lesson I'm taking from all the comments is that varroa treatment should be my number one priority going forward.

Catching the swarms was great fun, the whole process was a really fascinating experience. I'm so glad I went down this route rather than buying nucs.... if I'd paid £200-£300 for each of my failed colonies it might just have been enough to put me off beekeeping altogether. Appreciate there are down sides to hiving swarms though and perhaps my bees are more defensive than they might have been if I'd bought nucs....?

Here’s a couple of pics of the inspection tray under my remaining hive (I wiped it clean perhaps a week ago). Look ok do you think?

View attachment 29881View attachment 29882View attachment 29883

quite a few varroa on there - it wouldn't harm to give them a quick OA trickle before they start brooding in earnest.

 

[Curly green finger's]

quite a few varroa on there - it wouldn't harm to give them a quick OA trickle before they start brooding in earnest.

Are they not brood cappings? I can see, which would suggest the queen is laying.
Better option would be to vap?
3 x 5 days apart?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Better option would be to vap?
3 x 5 days apart?

He hasn't got the equipment, we're looking at a quick fix with what the OP has available. Even if they are brooding a trickle - sooner, rather than later will help to ease the mite burden on the remaining bees.
He's a beginner, stop trying to complicate matters for no good reason

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

...it's actually better ripped apart, if you cut with scissors it can take ages to find an edge to separate from the backing. Sometimes I deliberately rip a corner again when I'm frustrated at separating it.

No, I said it doesn't need scissors - unlike duct tape

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Aly tape comes with and without backing paper. I'm finding I prefer it without now.

 

[Curly green finger's]

He hasn't got the equipment, we're looking at a quick fix with what the OP has available. Even if they are brooding a trickle - sooner, rather than later will help to ease the mite burden on the remaining bees.
He's a beginner, stop trying to complicate matters for no good reason

The op might know someone with a vap?
And its not complicated it's logical

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I said it doesn't need scissors - unlike duct tape

I never use scissors on duct tape, just tear it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The op might know someone with a vap?
And its not complicated it's logical

If you'd been following this thread, and the original one you would have known the OP had very little in his armoury, why do you think I suggested a trickle in the first place?
It's called thinking a little instead of posting anything to get on the thread.

 

[madasafish]

...it's actually better ripped apart, if you cut with scissors it can take ages to find an edge to separate from the backing. Sometimes I deliberately rip a corner again when I'm frustrated at separating it.

I take a corner of aluminium tape and hold between thumb and forefinger . Then try to separate the corner by moving fingers up and down the tape . Works enough to separate it .

And I tear duct tape. Scissors not required.(although I have a pair of very sharp small Japanese scissors which would cut wire - or flesh so used with great care as pointed and dangerous. (Plastic cover over the pointy bit)

 

[user 20297]

No, I said it doesn't need scissors - unlike duct tape

....and I am agreeing with you and adding that it's actually better that way.

 

[Curly green finger's]

If you'd been following this thread, and the original one you would have known the OP had very little in his armoury, why do you think I suggested a trickle in the first place?
It's called thinking a little instead of posting anything to get on the thread.

I have been following the thread jbm.
And I'm always thinking, it was a suggestion as there is brood.

 

[mbc]

If you'd been following this thread, and the original one you would have known the OP had very little in his armoury, why do you think I suggested a trickle in the first place?
It's called thinking a little instead of posting anything to get on the thread.

To be fair to cgf a repeated vape would be a better option if
(a) there's brood
(b) the colony is vulnerable
I think a trickle could be the deathnell of the colony considering its neighbours have gone down like domino's, a vape is far less likely to be its final straw than a trickle given the history imho

 

[Do224]

I'm open to any and all advice and it's great to get different perspectives as it can help understand the reasoning behind people's opinions. JBM and CGF, I'm really interested in what both of you have to say. I bought a 35g sachet of Api-Bioxal and a syringe back in the summer with the intention of doing the trickle treatment. A few people told me it was quite harsh on the bees and may cause more problems than it fixed, which is why I didn't do it in the end....in retrospect maybe I should have gone ahead and done it.

I'm obviously a bit paranoid about losing my last colony now so if the trickle is a bit risky, as per mbc's comment, maybe I should bite the bullet and learn how to do the vape. I've had a scout around on amazon and found a couple of vapers that look ok I think...? I can order with next day delivery using amazon prime, so would be good to go in the next few days.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Varomorus-.../B07GCVWL6B/ref=psdc_4542216031_t1_B08HWXLJ8N
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MEETOZ-Vap...cphy=1006605&hvtargid=pla-1026104545150&psc=1
So is this vaping business pretty straight forward? Weather dependant? Presume the Api-Bioxal stuff I've got can be used for either trickle or vape...

 

[pargyle]

I take a corner of aluminium tape and hold between thumb and forefinger . Then try to separate the corner by moving fingers up and down the tape . Works enough to separate it .

And I tear duct tape. Scissors not required.(although I have a pair of very sharp small Japanese scissors which would cut wire - or flesh so used with great care as pointed and dangerous. (Plastic cover over the pointy bit)

I'm not suprised you are careful ... your form with sharp things is not good ! Better that you keep your remaining digits in good nick !

 

[pargyle]

I'm open to any and all advice and it's great to get different perspectives as it can help understand the reasoning behind people's opinions. JBM and CGF, I'm really interested in what both of you have to say. I bought a 35g sachet of Api-Bioxal and a syringe back in the summer with the intention of doing the trickle treatment. A few people told me it was quite harsh on the bees and may cause more problems than it fixed, which is why I didn't do it in the end....in retrospect maybe I should have gone ahead and done it.

I'm obviously a bit paranoid about losing my last colony now so if the trickle is a bit risky, as per mbc's comment, maybe I should bite the bullet and learn how to do the vape. I've had a scout around on amazon and found a couple of vapers that look ok I think...? I can order with next day delivery using amazon prime, so would be good to go in the next few days.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Varomorus-.../B07GCVWL6B/ref=psdc_4542216031_t1_B08HWXLJ8N
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MEETOZ-Vap...cphy=1006605&hvtargid=pla-1026104545150&psc=1
So is this vaping business pretty straight forward? Weather dependant? Presume the Api-Bioxal stuff I've got can be used for either trickle or vape...

Both of those will do the job .. they are the cheap end of sublimators so don't expect them to last forever but vaping them is safer than trickling and arguably more efficient ... but - you will need a fume quality mask and goggles and a bit of experience - trickling (as you already have the Apibioxal) is quick, easy an will also lower the mite load and you don't need anything more than a syringe. I'm with JBM on this occasion - get on an trickle and forget sublimation until next year when you have a bit more beekeeping under your belt.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Agree with Philip. I have sublimated Oxalic as my sole varroa Tx since 2008. I made many mistakes when I first started including vaping through the entrance as recommended and singeing a few bottom bars. This I didn’t discover till spring and I was jolly lucky not to have cooked a queen or two.

 

[W0otz]

Don't forget PPE - 3M 4277+ Maintenance Free Half Mask, FFABE1P3 R D Filters : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
That one protects against organic (A) and inorganic (B) vapours, sulphur dioxide and acid gases (E) and particles (P3), which should cover OA as it's an organic acid.

 

[Do224]

I've had a chat with the other chap who keeps bees in the same apiary (he lost two of his four hives as well).

He's planning to vape his remaining two colonies in the apiary this week and has offered to help me do my colony at the same time. He's got about 60 hives in total I think (elsewhere) so he should hopefully know what he's doing. I asked if we needed to vape multiple times over a couple of weeks but he said one treatment would be all they needed...

I'm going to order my own vaper as well so that I can do further treatments if you guys recommend it.