Wasps seem to have disappeared now - and moved to Gavin's place.
Circular? SNHBS?
Should be a good talk at ESBA Dundee tonight. Graham Sharpe on his experiences and protocols. 7:30 in the Methodist Church Hall, Nethergate.
Wasps seem to have disappeared now - and moved to Gavin's place.
Circular? SNHBS?
Should be a good talk at ESBA Dundee tonight. Graham Sharpe on his experiences and protocols. 7:30 in the Methodist Church Hall, Nethergate.
Yes, Graeme is a great speaker. See you there.
The SNHBS workshop is for members (easy to become one ... ) and is at the Aberdeen Uni Zoology Department on 18th Nov. Free for members. Come and meet the crew. See a prominent Varroa and honey bee researcher in the flesh, and some PhD students. Oh, and a genome sequencing expert from the Roslin Institute. Blether to beekeepers. Play with microscopes. Learn!
www.snhbs.scot/events-2
G.
Last edited by gavin; 06-11-2017 at 03:44 PM.
Two points from last nights talk to ESBA by Graeme Sharpe on beekeeping practices that work for him that I noted. 1. no winter oxalic acid treatment as his use of Apivar in autumn is sufficient to control varroa. 2. use of inverted syrup as a spring (very early spring) stimulative feed to give an early build up for OSR crop.
I've not feed in late winter/early spring unless stores were very low and then I've given fondant and used OSR really to help the build up. I get a crop but admittedly could be much larger if colonies were a bit more advanced. Although I doubt I will get close to Graeme's honey yields. Difference in climate between central belt - west and northish east coast come into play - we often get chilled periods well into april/may. I don't think I would stimulate being concerned about getting to swarm control too early with regards getting Qs mated. Anyone else feed to force colonies on in Feb-March?
I did this year. Only really works with strong colonies: as far as honey yield is concerned.Originally Posted by Feckless Drone
The need for midwinter OA treatment is surely dependent upon 3 things ... the level of infestation before autumn treatment, the timing of autumn treatment and the temperature after autumn treatment.
Apivar gets about ~95% of the mites. If the infestation level is high it suggests more will be left - mathematically speaking - than if levels were low. If treatment is early there will be a longer brood rearing period afterwards and this will be exacerbated if it's a particularly warm autumn with brooding going on late.
I've seen colonies this year with very high mite levels (not my own thankfully) and I certainly wouldn't want to risk the chance of not slaughtering those mites remaining for the sake of a few pence worth of OA (or a few pounds of Api-Bioxal).
I've fed colonies thin syrup (not invert) early and pollen ... all (inevitably) very unscientific, but with the intention of bringing on colonies for queen rearing rather than honey production. Graeme made me think it was worth a try as I've largely missed exploiting the OSR since moving here due to slow buildup.
Sorry I missed you last night FD.
PS Graeme said it was only worth doing on strong colonies ...
Last edited by fatshark; 07-11-2017 at 02:53 PM. Reason: PS
yes, that's right - he was selective, based on strength of the colony, about what is built up early for the OSR.
I'm a confirmed OA dribbler and since I did not do any summer or spring treatments for varroa this year I intend to lift the lids at the end of Dec. My apivar strips were removed at the weekend after 8 weeks and with loads of pollen going in to all but 1 poorly behaved hive I am hopeful that I've culled the mites in timely fashion for healthy winter bees.
I missed a trick this year - should have treated swarms for varroa as soon as I got them so should stock up on a thymol based treatment. Tempted to make and try out Randy Oliver's oxalic acid towels.
Is it me or does spring seem a long way off? Been cleaning equipment and wax and feeling morose without being out and about the bees.
Oxalic trickle would do that job as well as any thymol based product. I carry a bottle around with me in the summer and if I pick up a swarm or come across a broodless colony I treat it. I also use it to treat any nucs I make up with a few frames of bees and brood and a ripe queen cell. If you get the timing right you can treat a broodless nuc 2-3 weeks after making it up.
I like the idea of treating the newly caught swarms and mating nucs which are brood less - but worry about potential disruption to the new Q if she has to get mated etc.
I've not trickled swarms/casts with unmated Q's but have - several times - vaporised OA where either the Q is either unmated, or possibly just mated but not yet laying.
No apparent ill-effects and in all cases the Q's have gone on to either get mated or start laying.
Interestingly - at least it is to me, but I do need to get out more - swarms have a higher proportion of mites than phoretic bees in a colony. It's definitely worth treating them.
I've never treated mating nucs.
I treat the nucs in the first week after the queen has started to lay before any brood has been sealed.
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