What would you do? Advice please.

[LeaBees]

Hive that swarm control was performed on; queen plus frames into nuc and all but one QC torn down after 7days - this was 20days ago. Recent check - no sign of brood/queen, bees working in supers BUT noticed signs of CBPV. Shaking bees and the dark abdomens but no signs of mass deaths.

Think queenless and CBPV not endearing me to combining with another. What would you do? With hive and with stores? Advice please.
Thanks

 

[blackcloud]

What was the swarm control specifically?
Suspend the broodbox well off the ground with the floor removed to allow the infected bees to drop out without infecting more.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hive that swarm control was performed on; queen plus frames into nuc and all but one QC torn down after 7days - this was 20days ago. Recent check - no sign of brood/queen, bees working in supers BUT noticed signs of CBPV. Shaking bees and the dark abdomens but no signs of mass deaths.

Think queenless and CBPV not endearing me to combining with another. What would you do? With hive and with stores? Advice please.
Thanks

I have one that was the parent hive part of an AS. Took ages to re queen. Numbers right down, now they have CBPV. I’m destroying them tonight. Awfully sad. Hate doing it especially as they just have a queen starting to lay.

 

[LeaBees]

What was the swarm control specifically?
Suspend the broodbox well off the ground with the floor removed to allow the infected bees to drop out without infecting more.

Swarm control was as follows; when QC seen, queen plus 3 frames of bees put in nuc and moved away. Remaining QCs reduced down to 1.
Aside from removing floor, with no brood/eggs seem would you introduce new Q ? And what to do about stores? Harvest?

 

[LeaBees]

I have one that was the parent hive part of an AS. Took ages to re queen. Numbers right down, now they have CBPV. I’m destroying them tonight. Awfully sad. Hate doing it especially as they just have a queen starting to lay.

Same situation. Mine is parent hive of AS also. Sounds like killing off is advice. Are you destroying the kit too? What to do with the stores? Harvest?

 

[blackcloud]

If you choose to euthanize(feral bees aren't much of a loss)
All the kit can be sterilized
Stores can be harvested separately
Burn the frames as extra precaution.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Same situation. Mine is parent hive of AS also. Sounds like killing off is advice. Are you destroying the kit too? What to do with the stores? Harvest?

I've taken the supers, sterilised the poly box with Cilit Bang, boiling the frames, and burying the wax and the bees.

 

[ericbeaumont]

sterilised the poly box with Cilit Bang,

I heard from an SBI that CB dissolves propolis but does not sterilise.

 

[LeaBees]

I've taken the supers, sterilised the poly box with Cilit Bang, boiling the frames, and burying the wax and the bees.

Hives are wood, so would flaming them be good enough? I suppose can burn the wax and bees rather than digging a hole?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I heard from an SBI that CB dissolves propolis but does not sterilise.

I use Virkon S which used to be recommended for EFB sterilisation of poly by the NBU (and still appears in their literature)

 

[blackcloud]

The nbu also recommended a 2%bleach solution.
It's antiviral and antibacterial.
But the mere mention of the word has some folk chewing the upholstery.
So other products are suggested ie Milton
They are mostly based around sodium hypochlorite.
(Bleach)

 

[Erichalfbee]

I heard from an SBI that CB dissolves propolis but does not sterilise.

CB is 2.1% hypochlorite.

The nbu also recommended a 2%bleach solution.

 

[blackcloud]

There you go

 

[ericbeaumont]

CB is 2.1% hypochlorite.

Seems reasonable.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I heard from an SBI that CB dissolves propolis but does not sterilise.

depends what CB the inspector is talking about.

 

[ericbeaumont]

depends what CB

Which is the most potent?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Which is the most potent?

Dani will tell you, I don't use the stuff as I've always got a few gallons of dairy hypochlorite lying around.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Which is the most potent?

I use this

 

[pargyle]

I heard from an SBI that CB dissolves propolis but does not sterilise.

They are wrong ... Cillit Bang will sterilise anything ... vile stuff, it's banned from our house for domestic use .. after it ate the aluminium shower framing. Great for poly hives.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Cillit Bang will sterilise anything

Ony 99.9% though. Should I worry about the 0.1%? Might it include melisococcus plutonius? I'm ready to lie awake at night with worry.