What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Heather]

Went to assess a Dadant hive for an elderly man who decided to give up beekeeping, and giving me his colony.
Will be a challenge to move.. but on initial inspection, I removed the super with 2 wasps nests in, removed the crown board (well came off in bits.) removed QE that had been there for a looooong time. I didn't explore the busy colony below but lots of pollen going in.. will do that in two weeks when I have safely moved to a new site and allowed them to settle. But will keep it all on the extra roof which is under the rotting floor to allow safe transporting in my car!! Bless him, don't think they have been looked at for a year or two. Will be interesting to assess varroa. But the bees were busy getting used to the only exit I left them as I blocked up 2 others in the dodgy floor. Going to a beginner with no bees and I will help him for quite a while ...

 

[user 819]

Sounds possibly might be a candidate for TF with monitoring.

 

[gmonag]

Wouldn't it be easier to transfer the frames to a new box , then move it?

 

[Swn58]

You know as well as I do that all honey has been through the brood box. Studies and manufacturers detail instructions state use in Aug. after the honey flow (as there is risk of build-up in comb and honey). I would say if you have a problem in spring that is not the way to go. But as you always say if you get your autumn treatment right there should be no need for spring treatments.

So.....this STBK video is wrong then??? Do you actually use this, or are you putting yourself up as a self styled expert?

 

[Swn58]

May the Goddess Brigid save us from the idiots

 

[Heather]

Wouldn't it be easier to transfer the frames to a new box , then move it?

He wants it removing asap. and I want to teach the new beekeeper about gently transferring bees across. So going to do on new site. The BB frames are so glued up it may take quite a while if gently done. And in middle of rose bushes!

 

[Moobee]

Too cold and damp to do anything useful outside except put up the bird boxes I made.
Started putting my second planned hive together in my toasty bee cabin.

 

[The Poot]

Too cold and damp to do anything useful outside except put up the bird boxes I made.
Started putting my second planned hive together in my toasty bee cabin.

Good for you. The boxes look good too

 

[Moobee]

Good for you. The boxes look good too

thank you

 

[Moobee]

Watch out! They don't like mamalian smells or fast movements. That's when they sting.

hmmmm, I was the other end of the garden though, nowhere near the hive. she was a bit persistent!

 

[beeno]

hmmmm, I was the other end of the garden though, nowhere near the hive. she was a bit persistent!

If I am in bee suit when that happens, she gets a big clap between my marigolds. Have you made the bee cabin yourself too?

 

[beeno]

To Pargyle thought you might find this interesting. Could not get link to work.
A Look into the Cell: Honey Storage in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera

 

[Murox]

To Pargyle thought you might find this interesting. Could not get link to work.
A Look into the Cell: Honey Storage in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera

Is this the link -a pdf - ?this link?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think it must be. It’s a beautiful sunny day and it’s too long to read
Can somebody précis it for me

 

[Boston Bees]

To Pargyle thought you might find this interesting. Could not get link to work.
A Look into the Cell: Honey Storage in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera

Sorry Beeno, I am not sure this says what you are suggesting it says.

This study used 5-frame mini-nucs and looked at what the bees did with nectar as they stored it on two of the outer frames. As such it is fairly useless in determining what happens in a national hive with a brood box and a super (or supers).

It found that the bees moved nectar between cells on the frames as the ripening process continued, consolidating nectar from various cells into one cell, as it were (though they weren't sure if this was caused by the use of a feeder).

But we surely already knew this - clearly as it goes from nectar (80% water) to honey (20% water) there will be a consolidation (i.e. the old adage that you need two supers of nectar to get one super of honey).

To say that "all honey has gone through the brood box" (i.e. has been stored there first) is not supported by this study. In this study there was only a brood box, so clearly all nectar went into it, but that tells you nothing relating to the movement of honey between brood and supers in a more normal hive setup.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think it must be. It’s a beautiful sunny day and it’s too long to read
Can somebody précis it for me

clutching at straws
Of little relevance to Pargyles argument

You're welcome

 

[Murox]

They plainly state “Our results support hypotheses regarding honey production pro- posed in earlier studies and provide new insights into the mechanisms involved.” Without further reading I 'm not sure what the new insights are, their references include these old studies amongst others.
Park OW. Studies on the Evaporation of Nectar. J Econ Entomol. 1927;
Park OW. Further studies on the evaporation of nectar. J Econ Entomol. 1928;
Park OW. How bees make honey. In: Grout RA. The hive and the honey bee. Hamilton, III. Dadant & Sons; 1949.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

not sure what the new insights are, their references include these old studies amongst others.
Park OW. Studies on the Evaporation of Nectar. J Econ Entomol. 1927;
Park OW. Further studies on the evaporation of nectar. J Econ Entomol. 1928;
Park OW. How bees make honey. In: Grout RA. The hive and the honey bee. Hamilton, III. Dadant & Sons; 1949.

bang up to date then - must be on the BBKA list of proscribed books as being far too progressive

 

[Murox]

To be fair they also cite messers Greco, Seeley, Winston, Corbet and others.

 

[pargyle]

clutching at straws
Of little relevance to Pargyles argument

You're welcome

Sadly not satisfied with all the myths and madness already proliferated in beekeeping Beeno appears determined to invent some new ones ... it's only a matter of time before this new one ends up as a question in the modules....