I think there's something to be said for that. As long as it's not carried over to Nosema zapping. I had a public head-to-head with a certain guiding light of BIBBA over this last year: random use of antibiotics makes me grumpy.Originally Posted by Adam
I'm with you over antibiotics. I don't even use them when I suspect nosema. Can I just make it clear though that it's not BIBBA policy to promote antibiotics. I think the leading light was speaking for himself.
Rosie
Now I'm curious - but I suppose that it is impolite to ask whether the leading-guiding light looks like santa?!
In any case, if it is the antibiotic I think you're talking about, it will be impossible to find in 6 months.
Last edited by gavin; 01-01-2012 at 07:22 PM.
After some deliberation i went with oa sublimation Sticky boards 4days later showing 115/108/1/0 a little surprising that this follows the natural drop I found earlier.
I always assumed large colonies had large v count mainly because of the rate brood expansion and opportunity rather than bee breeding.
One thing I did notice was the only poly hive is bigger with bees apparently free to roam around compared to the wooden hives
Interesting about the polyhive, and it accords with what others say about them. That variation between colonies is always hard to fathom. Some colonies are probably better at just dealing with mites, some have a lot because they had a lot of brood (especially drone brood where they multiply faster) and some pick up mites because they rob out colonies that are collapsing due to Varroa.
That's what I find difficult. Is a big mite drop a good thing or a bad thing and is it possible to extrapolate anything from it given the number of different factors which could be involved.
My mite drops have been like nemphlar's, some with hundreds and others with none at all.
I've got a summary of my varroa count here
http://www.norfolkbee.co.uk/useful-d...ansing2011.pdf
No pattern to mine either.
Gavin, I assume you're saying that Fumidil B will not be available soon?
Good question Jon, I like one good mite drop - at least I know the treatment was effective.
Treating OS at the right outside temp is no garuntee that the colony is sitting tightly in their winter 'knot' which reduces the effectiveness of the treatment (according to the treatment documentation in Germany).
Gavin reinvasion of varroa through absconding bees from collapsing colonies is I think a bigger issue that robbing at this time of year, but it is colder here and I have not seen bees looking for food when they go out even when the next hive is empty (absconded) already. Although Scotland is alot warmer than south Germany at this time of year!
Illegal here thank goodness. An issue is that in america antibiotics are used to treat foulbrood - this only deals with the symptoms, but not the level of spores in the hive making the problem rampant (but if everyone treats no problem haha). The antibiotics are measureable in imported honey - but that is saleable whereas a german honey containing those antibiotics would be classed as industrial waste and the beekeeper would face a heafty fine. go figure...
I read somewhere that it is now illegal to sell it in the UK, but vendors have a period of grace (6 months?) to sell their current stock.
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