What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Boston Bees]

Good luck on Wednesday, you’ll be fine I’m sure.

2 options really, as you said, shook swarm or destroying the hive. I normally go for shook swarm, as I’d like to save the bees if I can. I know some think infected hives should be destroyed.

the SBI mentioned shook swarm if the sample/s come back positive. The sample results letter specifically says ‘recommended action: shook swarm’. I don’t know if this correlate to the level of detection or not.
I was with the SBI, it was very subtle (very few suspected larvae), he wasn’t sure if it would come back positive or not when collecting the sample.

I do the shook swarms (unfortunately I’m becoming quite good at this ). I’ll do both on Sat, as the weather tomorrow is rain pretty much all day. Burning all frames, disinfecting/sanitising all hives poly equipment.

I got a standstill notice, not allowed to move any equipment out of my apiary. Standard practice is they come again in 8 weeks for a follow up check.

Thanks, very useful

Do they ask you for details of everyone you have sold or given a colony to recently? Given the positive test I mean.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I got a NBU email again today regarding EFB within 3km of one of my apiaries. I'm arranging an inspection as I've moved some hives from this site.

 

[GuyNir]

Thanks, very useful

Do they ask you for details of everyone you have sold or given a colony to recently? Given the positive test I mean.

No, they didn’t ask. Nothing came out of my apiary in the last 2-3 years. I only had a few Q’s brought in. But regardless, if there was anything coming out in the last couple years, I would of course let them know.

 

[StephenT]

Today I was mostly savouring the waft of nectar coming from a couple of hives. I could smell one sitting on a bench about 10 feet away. The day of truth tomorrow when we check whether two have requeened successfull. Not hopeful given the weather in the past few weeks.

 

[gmonag]

Today was the first decent day this spring here in E Anglia. I got called out twice to collect swarms - both feral.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Popped up the castle to check the bees, and enjoy the sunshine - as well as dropping some honey off in the shop ready for the bank holiday grockles
Apiarty reeking of hawthorn nectar, as were the hives at Garn cottage. Lucky really as some colonies would have been running on fumes if it wasn't for the fresh nectar fillup.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Thought you said it was a production colony?

I did that's a standard nats hive in the photo.

 

[Swn58]

I had a quiet time painting hives today.....until my partner phoned. She had picked up a message that there was a swarm near the entrance to my allotment. We searched everywhere......found nothing. On the way out of the car park, as I closed the gate, there they were. NOT the allotment gate!!!! Not my bees for certain, as it was a huge swarm.
Gear on.....ladder found.....cardboard box......aaaaand interested members of the public! "Are you going to take their honey?" NO "Do they make Manuka?" NO "Do you sell honey?" YES "Do they sting?" YES!......please move away?
I got on the precariously placed ladder and managed to shake the main bulk of them into the box. My partner had brought over three frames, so I added them and shut them down as good as I could. We then brought in a nuc, with another three frames and shook most of the others into that and shut them down.
All were moved near my apiary in the allotment. I then added the frames from the cardboard box and tipped the bees on top. I think I saw the queen!
They seemed to be settling, so I went back to the swarm site to see who was left. A fair few but a quarter of what I had caught. A 'civilian' was still there, asking about honey. DOHHHH......YET AGAIN I unzipped my hood to speak to him. WHACK! A full hit on my forehead and one on my neck. Botox has nothing on a headshot from a bee!
I've had to cancel my modelling assignment for tomorrow now

 

[Murox]

The 2 samples are back, positive for EFB
That’s 2 more shook swarms for Sat, burning all frames (brood, supers, the lot) and disinfecting/sanitising all poly equipment. That’s 2 more hives done for the year.
Very frustrating, but we plow on…

Very sorry to hear that, a real hammer blow.

 

[GuyNir]

Very sorry to hear that, a real hammer blow.

Thanks. That’s ok. family and I are healthy, everything else is fixable

 

[Murox]

⚕yes it just takes time and more patience.

 

[GuyNir]

The 2 samples are back, positive for EFB
That’s 2 more shook swarms for Sat, burning all frames (brood, supers, the lot) and disinfecting/sanitising all poly equipment. That’s 2 more hives done for the year.
Very frustrating, but we plow on…

The more I think about it, I’m leaning more towards destroying those 2 colonies. Looking at my notes, one of those two was already shook swarmed end of summer last year… so my faith in shook swarm to clear EFB is dwindling.
Also as this is my second year dealing with EFB, I feel I have to take tougher approach to this.

 

[Boston Bees]

The more I think about it, I’m leaning more towards destroying those 2 colonies. Looking at my notes, one of those two was already shook swarmed end of summer last year… so my faith in shook swarm to clear EFB is dwindling.
Also as this is my second year dealing with EFB, I feel I have to take tougher approach to this.

I don't have the experience to give you any advice, but that feels like the right decision. Horrible situation

 

[Swn58]

The 2 samples are back, positive for EFB
That’s 2 more shook swarms for Sat, burning all frames (brood, supers, the lot) and disinfecting/sanitising all poly equipment. That’s 2 more hives done for the year.
Very frustrating, but we plow on…

Oh noooo!

 

[Swarm]

Break out the supers, the bees are going nuts. If you think they need a super, give them two.

 

[Swn58]

The more I think about it, I’m leaning more towards destroying those 2 colonies. Looking at my notes, one of those two was already shook swarmed end of summer last year… so my faith in shook swarm to clear EFB is dwindling.
Also as this is my second year dealing with EFB, I feel I have to take tougher approach to this.

I see what you mean.....shook swarms may not work to stop EFB, so it may be better to just start afresh? I have no experience of this in ten years of beekeeping. I'm not sure what would be best, if my farm apiary tested positive. They are placed in the middle of nowhere though. The nearest beehives I know of are over a mile away.

 

[Antipodes]

One of the production colonys which I have dotted about. View attachment 26326added another super.
Really good flow started at this apiary.

Good to see. Well done on getting the colony to a good size to bring in nectar, despite the weather. Looks like decent fresh green growth there.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I see what you mean.....shook swarms may not work to stop EFB

A lot of the inspectorate are thinking this way. It’s heartbreaking losing bees this way.

 

[GuyNir]

Had an email exchange with the head of the SBI in Scotland last night.
Their ideal solution is actually destroying the positive hives + shook swarm all other hives in the apiary. They think with some hives in the apiary having EFB at a clinical level, likely other colonies in the same apiary have EFB already at a sub clinical level. They realise though this solution is not always possible to do, for different reasons.
Goes without saying keeping good and strict bio safety regime is super important.
So, it breaks my heart but I’ll be destroying those two confirmed.

 

[Worker bee]

Maybe a silly question, but in a good flow how long would it take to fill a super ? A week? Two ?

Depends on a lot of factors but a strong hive can fill a super in a few days. During a heavy flow it's best to have multiple supers. The main thing that slows them down is not enough frames to get the water content low whilst still bringing more in. Also the hotter night and day temperature the faster it can be processed. I take whatever frames I have being capped from multiple hives and replace the frames to make full supers