Page 3 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 42

Thread: State of colonies this spring

  1. #21

    Default

    Guys came in from first proper check on a local group. Near Blairgowrie.

    Big group in a wood, a dark and dingy spot on he face of it yet they winter well there.

    133 fine and carrying good amounts of pollen..........willow, crocus, butterbur from what they could see. 6 dead. 4 more alive but not carrying pollen, not all the 4 were small. So looks like 10 duds from 143. One of the best outcomes we have seen for years.

    Now the 'everything must be local' people will be saying how easy it is again.....................but its not. This time we just got lucky.

  2. #22
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    400 miles S of Stonehaven
    Posts
    398

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Calluna4u View Post
    They have just been shaken out.
    How far away do you shake them?

  3. #23

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bumble View Post
    How far away do you shake them?
    No particular distance. Not right beside another hive for sure, but its nothing like 10 yards away. We are FAR more particular about that if we are putting a split down on the site of a previous drone layer in summer though, as if you don't do it right (which involves killing the DL if possible) you can find it takes over the split, so all you have is a refreshed DL.

  4. #24
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Lindau Germany
    Posts
    705
    Blog Entries
    5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Calluna4u View Post
    They have just been shaken out. All the remainder have active worker brood in them and are on the cusp of crossover day.
    hi
    would you not just gas them ? If they have nosema shaking will just help spread it (sickness/spores) to other hives?
    At least thats what we are advised here in Germany.
    You are right they are never worth saving - however much it pains me I have to let nature take its course and accept survival of the fittest.

  5. #25
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    West Wales, Gorllewin Cymru
    Posts
    709

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    Mite levels were high in mid July when I sampled colonies.
    I pulled some brood frames for the first time yesterday, I'm not sure if it was instinct that made me pull these or whether this colony was generally indicative of the rest, but it was riddled with varroa with signs of dwv and a shrinking brood nest. This apiary got oav in february and I'd hoped to have caught the mites out of brood, obviously not on the one I inspected though. I re treated the lot with oav and a thymol pad, too little too late I'm afraid for the one I looked at, still strong in bee numbers, as were the rest, but if the nest is shrinking at this time of the season it would be some turn around if they make it.
    This has obviously raised concerns over the rest and what I'd like is a description of your sampling protocol and maybe info on where to get the kit. Ta in advance.

  6. #26

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Calum View Post
    would you not just gas them ? If they have nosema shaking will just help spread it (sickness/spores) to other hives?
    We just get stuck into it and do the deed. To many apiaries and too much distance to cover to do anything fancy. The only bees we will actively kill are if we are destroying an EFB colony. There is no sign that any of these have any abnormal levels of nosema. At this time of year we work on the assumption that most will have some level of it, and from here on in it gradually reduces away. The hives are clean, mostly the ones shaken just have a couple of patches of drone brood or none at all. Its March and still cold at night. The morning after was white frost with ice on the roofs. The assumption is that most of the shaken out bees will be tit food rather than recover into hives.

    Any indication of nosema and the hives are brought home for sterilisation, we keep acetic acid in stock at all times. These were all just queen failures with no apparent other problems. There are always some, and we possibly see more of this than others as we do not do an autumn sort out, they all go into winter after the heather and we don't have time to examine them all. By late September it can be hard to tell a dud from a good un anyway as there is normally no brood until the late cycle they do with the winter feed back of the low ground. Makes us have apparently higher winter losses than others, though the net effect is just the same as doing a pre winter cull.
    Last edited by Calluna4u; 31-03-2016 at 05:23 PM.

  7. #27
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Belfast, N. Ireland
    Posts
    5,122
    Blog Entries
    94

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mbc View Post
    This has obviously raised concerns over the rest and what I'd like is a description of your sampling protocol and maybe info on where to get the kit. Ta in advance.
    This is the protocol

  8. #28
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    West Wales, Gorllewin Cymru
    Posts
    709

    Default

    Thanks Jon, I knew I'd seen it somewhere.

  9. #29
    Senior Member Bridget's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    On the edge of a mature pine forest, Kingussie, Inverness-shire
    Posts
    593

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Calluna4u View Post

    Looks like one of these winters that make folk think its easy.................but always lurking round the corner........
    1st April last year .....

  10. #30

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bridget View Post
    1st April last year .....
    Yes indeed....our colleagues in the Midlands got a taste of that on Monday while we were having a great day up here.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •