What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Thymallus]

Brian, the m,s are usually lower case. Apparently it irritates the t crossers.

 

[BrianO]

Brian, the m,s are usually lower case. Apparently it irritates the t crossers.

Not to worry , anyway they are hardy divels ! Prepared to forage in cold gales

 

[beeno]

Hi Brian, We have this 'discussion' every year on the forum. Yours may be bedded down, but mine aren't as there is a lot of pollen still available and a lot of emerging brood coming up that need pollen to develop fully. Maybe the bees think it is spring rather than autum/winter. Good brooding weather here for bees and varroa with the warm nights, so I shall do my best to treat this colony ASAP. There is always one isn't there! I prefer to do my best for the bees rather than hoping for the best in this case, because I have enough experience to know what the outcome will be.

 

[BrianO]

Hi Brian, We have this 'discussion' every year on the forum. Yours may be bedded down, but mine aren't as there is a lot of pollen still available and a lot of emerging brood coming up that need pollen to develop fully. Maybe the bees think it is spring rather than autum/winter. Good brooding weather here for bees and varroa with the warm nights, so I shall do my best to treat this colony ASAP. There is always one isn't there! I prefer to do my best for the bees rather than hoping for the best in this case, because I have enough experience to know what the outcome will be.

Hi

Agree re the brooding only 2 weeks ago were absolutely going crazy bringing in masses of pollen. Not bedded down yet but recent temp dip frim daytime 12/13 to 7/8 has seriously slowed them.

Still plenty ivy in bloom though, but should be finishing soon after all .... This day 3 weeks ... Only !! .....Winter Solstice !

Then will be looking forward a few weeks later to the first off the Snowdrops , Hellebores and willow blooming .....

Then were iff again !!!!!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Up to yesterday evening storm Clodagh hadn't disturbed the hives but had got into a normally sheltered corner and blown a stack of extracted supers over, scattering frames around but fortunately undamaged save for one super which came apart at the joints. I quickly gathered things together and made two smaller stacks in a more sheltered spot and put breeze blocks on top. Took the broken super inside to dry and reassemble today. The wind abated after I had gathered things together.

 

[For want of a better word]

Brian, the m,s are usually lower case. Apparently it irritates the t crossers.

and should be in itallicks!


Amm


However you describe them they are the most beautiful of bees to keep!

Yeghes da

 

[BrianO]

and should be in itallicks!


Amm


However you describe them they are the most beautiful of bees to keep!

Yeghes da

Ok Guys !!!

The Pedantic train leaves soon from Platform 5 !
( or should I have used a full stop at the end of that sentence .... Or do I give a toss ) !!

 

[Goran]

Yesterday snow on the ground, today orange pollen go into the hives. Also some wasps.. Bees play in front of the hives.. Lovelly calm sunny day ( 13 celsius), breathtaking orange sunset with stripes of clouds..

 

[Goodwood]

A few weeks ago I noticed a worrying showing of varroa on the inspection boards so I decided to sublimate.
I have just finished 3rd OA sublimation.
Shocking drop of varroa after every dose - some hives in the hundreds.
And this is after full course of MAQS at end of August.
Now going to run a fourth to be sure in 5 days time.
I guess this is due to the mild weather and continuing laying?
Watch out everyone.

 

[gregior]

A few weeks ago I noticed a worrying showing of varroa on the inspection boards so I decided to sublimate.
I have just finished 3rd OA sublimation.
Shocking drop of varroa after every dose - some hives in the hundreds.
And this is after full course of MAQS at end of August.
Now going to run a fourth to be sure in 5 days time.
I guess this is due to the mild weather and continuing laying?
Watch out everyone.

Exactly the same situation for me too I used MAQS in Aug and did my 2nd sublimation in the last 2 weeks today. Very heavy drops.

Also the bees are very defensive at the moment.

 

[BrianO]

I truly wonder about the efficacy of the legendary MAQS !!

Not convinced , and have used it this and last year, albeit ( incoming !! ) at 1 strip rate. The reason for doubt are the many accounts of resultant upset to the hive and as above the heavy mite load after treatment.

Great hopes for my new, soon to arrive, Vapouriser !

 

[Goodwood]

Its a bit anecdotal, but of four colonies which came back from the heather and were treated before coming back with Apiguard ( i had run out of Maqs and had some spare ), one has shown a much lighter drop and the other three no drop at all.

Other 18 colonies after Maqs ... all infested, and some as written above, very heavily.

I wasnt going to mention that but like you Brian, I now have serious doubts about Maqs, especially when I see the kill rate from the stuff on the bees themselves.

 

[Finman]

I wasnt going to mention that but like you Brian, I now have serious doubts about Maqs, especially when I see the kill rate from the stuff on the bees themselves.

Mags is formic acid. It needs 17C day temp to be effective. In over 25C temps it gasifies too much and Queen deaths begin to occur.

Then, too much space and too small dosage, needs carefull evaluation.

That is same with thymol.

 

[BrianO]

Its a bit anecdotal, but of four colonies which came back from the heather and were treated before coming back with Apiguard ( i had run out of Maqs and had some spare ), one has shown a much lighter drop and the other three no drop at all.

Other 18 colonies after Maqs ... all infested, and some as written above, very heavily.

I wasnt going to mention that but like you Brian, I now have serious doubts about Maqs, especially when I see the kill rate from the stuff on the bees themselves.

Indeed Goodwood and it is not cheap !

I think we can get a better knockdown with a far cheaper method through vapourisation if the multitude of posts on here are anything to go by.

I will start next week as soon asmine arrives. No more MAQS for me

 

[BrianO]

Mags is formic acid. It needs 17C day temp to be effective. In over 25C temps it gasifies too much and Queen deaths begin to occur.

Then, too much space and too small dosage, needs carefull evaluation.

That is same with thymol.

Indeed Finman

There were not many days with that temp here for July Augusgcthis year, such a bad summer, and certainly not consecutively to allow effective treatment. Even if one believes MAQS to be effective enough.

Another reason I believe to try sublimination/vapourisation

 

[Erichalfbee]

A few weeks ago I noticed a worrying showing of varroa on the inspection boards so I decided to sublimate.
I have just finished 3rd OA sublimation.
Shocking drop of varroa after every dose - some hives in the hundreds.
And this is after full course of MAQS at end of August.
Now going to run a fourth to be sure in 5 days time.
I guess this is due to the mild weather and continuing laying?
Watch out everyone.

I have done a fourth and the advice from HM was to bring that last treatment forward a day.

 

[beeno]

As a summer's day here - orientation and forage flights galore.
I customer whose husband begrudgingly exceeded his limit of £5.50/lb came back for another jar at £6.00/lb to give as a present because the bees' honey was so good and he liked the local label. Seems my marketing is spot on.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Bloody hell those must be southern prices lol are the bees charged for going inside the M25

 

[beeno]

Bloody hell those must be southern prices lol are the bees charged for going inside the M25

Niche market - local honey- you cannot get that at the supermarket. I am outside the M25, but all the local beeks charge £6. Camilla and Charles an awful lot more.

 

[Eyeman]

Ours sell for £3.65 / 1/2lb jar in our local deli.
They can shift 20+ jars a day and thats limiting it to a max of 2 jars / customer. Some customers want to buy 6-10 jars!