What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Sutty]

Glorious day today. New queen added to the queen less hive . Added a super and qx to two. Disappointed to find wax moth damage to some of the frames in the supers. Did so much work on them going into winter, freezer first, sprayed with Dipel . Put into the supers which had been torched. Wrapped in cling film with newspaper in between, and still they managed to destroy!!!!!! Saw four of the queen's. Thoroughly enjoyed

I've been stacking about 8 boxes wrapped in plastic (wheelie bin liners and luggage cling film), with an empty box on top containing a take-away container with about 1cm of 80% acetic acid. No wax moth problems so far, the acid has dissipated over winter, and no real corrosion problem.

 

[Nannysbees]

I use sulphur and never had a problem with wax moth

I'm going to try something different next year, did think about putting some rails in the shed and hanging the them, have a clear plastic roof so flooded with light

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I store mine wet, don't fiddle about with lotions, potions, freezing or fuming and don't get issues

 

[gregior]

Checked a few of my very strongest hives for swarming but nothing happening yet thankfully. My star colony has drawn out and layed up a complete brood box in the last 10 days!

 

[Do224]

Checked a few of my very strongest hives for swarming but nothing happening yet thankfully. My star colony has drawn out and layed up a complete brood box in the last 10 days!

Wow, did you just convert from single to double or do a demaree?

 

[Eyeman]

I store mine wet, don't fiddle about with lotions, potions, freezing or fuming and don't get issues

Until one day! Now I give mine a spray of Dipel before storing & a second spray 1 month later.

 

[Nannysbees]

I store mine wet, don't fiddle about with lotions, potions, freezing or fuming and don't get issues

Thank you, are yours in boxes or out in the open?

 

[Murox]

I store mine wet as well, in an unheated garage sealed top and bottom with a plastic gravel tray (@Erichalfbee's idea I think) and a piece of cut to size builders plastic sheeting in between each one which catches any drips. I flip the sheet and leave it on the super for the bees to clean up the following season, acts as a "crown board" early in the season. I do similar with any used stored brood frames.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thank you, are yours in boxes or out in the open?

they are stored in their shallows, sealed top and bottom with a 460mm square OSB board. cinched up with a ratchet strap and stored outside in an open sided shelter

 

[JamezF]

Looks like the deer have been clumsily bumping stuff around in my apiary again. There are quite a number of bees investigation a stack of brood boxes containing foundationless frames that has been knocked askew. It's very scout-like behaviour, but surely not yet? They've barely had time for flying so far this Spring. I shall be investigating later.

James

 

[Nannysbees]

I use sulphur and never had a problem with wax moth

they are stored in their shallows, sealed top and bottom with a 460mm square OSB board. cinched up with a ratchet strap and stored outside in an open sided shelter

Is it unusual they are in the honey super?

 

[JamezF]

Is it unusual they are in the honey super?

I suspect they pretty much ignore supers unless they have had pollen stored in them. I don't know that for a fact, but when I've checked super frames as I've been extracting, it seems like the ones that have a wax moth problem are the ones that have cells that have been used for pollen.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is it unusual they are in the honey super?

you find them there occasionally, but not often do they do any serious damage

 

[Sutty]

I think they need a protein source, so cells that have been brooded in and have pupal casings, or possibly pollen

 

[Erichalfbee]

Found this yesterday.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

poor bugger
And then being paraded naked on social media!!

 

[Sutty]

Found this yesterday.

What is it? Looks to be some form of beetle, but only 4 legs?!

 

[Erichalfbee]

poor bugger
And then being paraded naked on social media!!

I know….. terrible. I was hoping a beginner might have stab at identifying. It’s quite common.

 

[Erichalfbee]

some form of beetle

It does doesn’t it …… but it isn’t.

 

[Sutty]

I put it through a Google image search and it came up with "dung beetle" - Google evidently has a low opinion of your finger!