What did you do in the Apiary today?

[B+.]

Where to start.
Got 15 colonies in an apiary I cannot get to atm due to flooding. Been like it for weeks.
Had to bite the bullet and deal with it today. The job had not been made easier by the foot deep tractor ruts in the track full of water.
Got 2 inspections done from one end and a hive at the opposite end swarmed. Had to go and get a nuc from the van and deal with that.
I had to carry everything from the van 400m up a hill after walking through 4 inches of water on top of 3 inches of mud.
Must of been up that track 20+ times fetching supers etc they get heavy after a bit.
Then halfway through inspecting a double brood colony the heavens opened, had to finish the inspection and close them up, walked back to the van now soaked to the skin.
Sat in the van for half an hour until it stopped then back up the hill to carry on.
Got to the penultimate hive and the last hive swarmed. ffs.
Back to the van for another nuc.
Got them in a nuc and said sod it.
Took me most of the day to do what should of taken a few hours.
Fed up doesn't come close.
Bee suit has mud up to the knees and needs washing again. Boots are wet and my back hurts.
Bloody beekeeping. lol.

This'll sound crazy, but, I keep a sheet of plastic at an apiary so that I don't get wet during rainfall. Once the rain-clouds have passed over, I put the sheet away and continue with what I was doing as though nothing had happened.

 

[pargyle]

When I was young and gullible I was told you could dry banana skin and smoke it to get as high as weed.....well, it never did anything apart from giving me a sore throat....

It was a 1966 hippy joke - like some beekeeping myths perpetuated in numerous books and articles written by people with no practical knowledge or scientific credence just regurgitating previously written rubbish !

 

[Swn58]

yes apparently the banana gives off a chemical, some swear by it others think nonsense, thought I'd give it a whirl

Interesting.....as bananas make fruit go off quickly due to, what I assume, is the same chemical fumes that is given off?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It was a 1966 hippy joke - like some beekeeping myths perpetuated in numerous books and articles written by people with no practical knowledge or scientific credence just regurgitating previously written rubbish !

A bit like sprinkling icing sugar on your bees

 

[pargyle]

Interesting.....as bananas make fruit go off quickly due to, what I assume, is the same chemical fumes that is given off?

As they ripen they give off Ethene (Ethylene) and it is this gas that causes the ripening of other fruit in their vicinity - there are various chemical reactions that come into play that affect and convert starches and sugars.

I don't begin to profess any understanding of the chemical process but I know enough not to put bananas in the fruit bowl with other fruit and also enough to know that my bees hate the smell of ripening bananas .... and I can't think that introducing Ethene into any of my hives would be something the bees will appreciate,

 

[Erichalfbee]

When I was young and gullible I was told you could dry banana skin and smoke it to get as high as weed.....

My mother caught me doing the same thing

 

[pargyle]

My mother caught me doing the same thing

Donovan's hit 'Mellow Yellow' was supposed (at the time) to be written about the banana skin smoking - it subsequently transpired that he had been inspired by a large yellow vibrator !

 

[jeff33]

A bit like sprinkling icing sugar on your bees

As they ripen they give off Ethene (Ethylene) and it is this gas that causes the ripening of other fruit in their vicinity - there are various chemical reactions that come into play that affect and convert starches and sugars.

I don't begin to profess any understanding of the chemical process but I know enough not to put bananas in the fruit bowl with other fruit and also enough to know that my bees hate the smell of ripening bananas .... and I can't think that introducing Ethene into any of my hives would be something the bees will appreciate,

I heard it kills varroa instantly and you end-up with varroa free colonies, treated organically in a sustainable manner...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I heard it kills varroa instantly and you end-up with varroa free colonies, treated organically in a sustainable manner...

You're better off just sprinkling the sugar onto some mashed banana...
And serving it with some fresh full cream milk poured over it.

 

[Curly green finger's]

A bit like sprinkling icing sugar on your bees

What about rhubarb leaves, what are we supposed to do with that?
Apple where are you?

 

[Erichalfbee]

What about rhubarb what are we supposed to do with that?

More sugar

 

[Curly green finger's]

More sugar
[/QUOTE

 

[pargyle]

I heard it kills varroa instantly and you end-up with varroa free colonies, treated organically in a sustainable manner...

I don't think so ... I can't find any legitimate reference to bananas having any useful effect on varroa levels. It's probably come from this:

https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/animals/docs/la_bees_research_manual_bee_keepers_en.pdf
Wherein you will find that Ethylene Oxide is a very effective chemical cleaning reagent - but Ethylene Oxide is not what is given off by ripening bananas and I suspect some buffoon has made a quantum leap from Ethylene Oxide to Ethylene.

Millions of tons of Ethylene are produced every year - used for everything from general anaesthesia to welding and a variety of tasks in between. If it had been a practical varroa killer then someone would have produced it in an aerosol can and you would just have to spray your bees a couple of times a year and job done ...

What am I saying ? I've just found my road to riches ... Bee Banana Spray - available shortly, I will post details of my crowd funding site - I will only need about £5 million and all subscribers will receive a supply of BBS that will treat 10 colonies for 10 years .... watch this space.

 

[pargyle]

What about rhubarb leaves, what are we supposed to do with that?
Apple where are you?

Banned ...

 

[madasafish]

Banned ...

Oh what a shame...

 

[pargyle]

Oh what a shame...

It was some time ago and he had lots of chances ... I think Angie finally had enough and let him go.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

He was only here on licence at the end anyway (thanks to Dani and I vouching for his good behaviour)- and still insisted on getting as many yellow cards as he could

 

[jeff33]

I don't think so ... I can't find any legitimate reference to bananas having any useful effect on varroa levels. It's probably come from this:

You obviously haven't smoked enough dried banana skins!!

 

[CaptainCymru]

Decided to tackle the brood box of cross comb, also decided I would chance it with trainers and a broken elasticated ankle cuff on the suit......may as well been nude break dancing in a nettle field

 

[jeff33]

A bit like sprinkling icing sugar on your bees

This still managed to get 103 replies and 2000 views on the latest thread...I haven't opened it as I thought it may save myself the tiny bit of sanity I have left!