What did you do in the Apiary today?

[BMH]

cheers

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[drex]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6513
Is the link for thymol syrup, for use against nosema and fermentation
Madasafish has posted the link to thymol in oil for varroa treatment.

 

[B+.]

for use against nosema and fermentation

Are any of you actually testing for nosema or just treating prophylactically?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Are any of you actually testing for nosema or just treating prophylactically?

prophylactic in the autumn, and if needed after testing at any other time.

 

[B+.]

prophylactic in the autumn, and if needed after testing at any other time.

I may be wrong but I'm getting the impression that others are doing it as a matter of course (i.e. without testing). I just wanted to check that this wasn't the case.

 

[Brigsy]

I'm sure people aren't using to treat nosema. I certainly use it to stop stores going mouldy in the Autumn.

 

[B+.]

I'm sure people aren't using to treat nosema. I certainly use it to stop stores going mouldy in the Autumn.

Is this not a management issue (i.e. feeding more than the colony can take within a reasonably short period}?

 

[Brigsy]

More of a VMD issue


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[B+.]

More of a VMD issue

Interesting.
It makes sense to me that someone with a large number of colonies would have a logistical problem getting around every colony. Treating prophylactically and doing whatever is necessary to reduce mold growth makes sense too. Its a labour shortage/ cost problem.
However, beekeepers with a few colonies don't have this problem. I would have though it took very little time to replenish the feeder on a couple of hives. Thats why I am asking if people are treating prophylactically (assuming that they will have a nosema problem) or, as you have just said, using it to prevent mold growth and feed less often.
Of course, this does raise the issue that if so many people believe that they have a nosema problem, what sort of condition are the bees in?

Would it be something that VMD would get involved in? Thats hard to say but, given ITLDs experience, I think we should all be playing very carefully. Personally, I don't treat because it would mask conditions that I would want to be aware of

 

[nantmoel]

Peeked under the roof of a few hives that have clear crown boards, the bees were very active, they have broken the tight cluster they were in a few weeks ago.

 

[Finman]

.
It is strange that all my mould preventing texts have gone?

. Your hives, your problems.

 

[bjosephd]

What do you mean Finny?


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[B+.]

.
It is strange that all my mould preventing texts have gone?

I think your advice was wrong for this country Finman. The generally accepted advice is to feed thin syrup (1:1) in the spring if they need it and thick syrup (2:1) in the Autumn. This is to provide winter stores after the honey crop has been removed.
I believe that a thick syrup feed in spring would be stored in the combs and encourage bees to forage actively (possibly too soon when there could still be cold weather). It would also begin to choke up the comb space that the queen will need to begin laying her brood nest. and possibly even find its way into the honey crop.
Your advice may suit your country and your way of doing things but, as is so often the case, things are very different here.

 

[B+.]

Windy night

I had to replace a couple of roofs that had blown off in last nights wind. Even though they had a rock ontop, I still found 2 poly roofs had blown off....more to come tonight, I think, so I've tied the roof down again

 

[drex]

Having practised medicine for the last 40 years, I do my best to avoid prophylaxis, as it will encourage resistance. If I think they may have significant nosema (remember that it is endemic) then I would look under the microscope first. I am one of our associations microscopists, last year I was not asked to do a single test!

 

[Finman]

things are very different here.

I have seen. I am not blind.

For example when I reduce my hives for winter, you add super under the wintering box.

I put capped winter food over the brood box and you out there put it under the brood.


But I can tell that none of your systems do work in Finland. Only pulsator loundry machine which makes winter syrup.
-
,

 

[B+.]

I do my best to avoid prophylaxis,

You're a man after my own heart Drex!
My wife did a pre-Phd course a couple of years ago and we talked a lot about the experiment design section of the work she was going to do. The essence of it was that the less you interfere (even your own observation of results is often interference), the more reliable your results were. I took that message very much to heart and, apart from sugar syrup if they need it, I don't treat my bees at all. I would have to think long and hard how to react if they ever got a serious problem. I have to record any sign of disease but, is it necessary for the colony to perish too? Perhaps this is taking things too far. One thing is for certain, I wouldn't breed from a colony which was susceptible to a condition like this.

 

[Finman]

I think your advice was wrong for this country Finman. The generally accepted advice is to feed thin syrup (1:1) in the spring if they need it and thick syrup (2:1) in the Autumn. .

That my advice originates from Canada, where 80% of beekeepers are professionals.

That is why I tried to deliver that wisdom to Great Britain.

.

 

[bjosephd]

You're a man after my own heart Drex!

My wife did a pre-Phd course a couple of years ago and we talked a lot about the experiment design section of the work she was going to do. The essence of it was that the less you interfere (even your own observation of results is often interference), the more reliable your results were. I took that message very much to heart and, apart from sugar syrup if they need it, I don't treat my bees at all. I would have to think long and hard how to react if they ever got a serious problem. I have to record any sign of disease but, is it necessary for the colony to perish too? Perhaps this is taking things too far. One thing is for certain, I wouldn't breed from a colony which was susceptible to a condition like this.

Hey B+

What is your stance on varroa treatment? Minimal? I have used Apiguard a bit and that is all, but if this forum is anything to go buy one would think a colony will die in a month or two if you don't gas them every 3 days!

I do feed minimal syrup in spring, and plenty of syrup in autumn - both with 'HiveAlive' in (not for varroa).

It would be tempting to do none of it. As, like you say, you can then observe the true nature of your bees... But again the forum could make one believe this would cause catastrophic failure.


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[B+.]

Hey B+

What is your stance on varroa treatment?

I've never used apiguard, HiveAlive or anything like that bjosephd, so, I can't really help you on that.

The queens I am testing aren't "run-of-the-mill" queens so, what I would do may not be appropriate advice for everyone. My queens do very well without treatment so it is certainly not the case that all colonies will die without treatment. However, these have been selected over many generations and I wouldn't say just stop treating if that's what you've done in the past. Perhaps risk a few colonies and see how you get on or buy in selected stock to breed from. However, if you're going to do that, I would suggest controlled mating too so you aren't mating virgin queens with any old "Tom-Dick-or-Harry" drones that might be in your area.