Any beekeepers here?
Discussion
I got my first nuc last summer, so obvs no honey.
I have questions about Verroa - has anyone here used MAQ strips? I didn't get around to ordering any oxalic acid soon enough, and because it's so mild now, am a little cagey about treating them with OA now. I have no real way of counting Verroa, as the hive has a solid floor. I did treat with Apiguard last august/september, so am thinking of using them again when it warms up a little, or failing that, will get some MAQ strips.
Any advice on whether MAQ strips are good? I like the idea that they can be used all year around too.
I have questions about Verroa - has anyone here used MAQ strips? I didn't get around to ordering any oxalic acid soon enough, and because it's so mild now, am a little cagey about treating them with OA now. I have no real way of counting Verroa, as the hive has a solid floor. I did treat with Apiguard last august/september, so am thinking of using them again when it warms up a little, or failing that, will get some MAQ strips.
Any advice on whether MAQ strips are good? I like the idea that they can be used all year around too.
I've been beekeeping now for four years, apart from treating my hive for a little varroa (shown by deformed wing virus) in their first year I've not done any treatments at all. The MAQ strips are quite new to the market and the advice from my local bee inspector is to hold off until they've been used a little more and there is more experience built up as to their effectiveness.
The thing is a lot of beekeepers have been taught that you MUST administer a certain treatment at a certain time of year. What this has actually meant is that the various bee diseases have built up a resistance to a particular treatment and new ones are having to to be constantly found, rather than only treating on symptoms being present as you or I would do to ourselves. So I would personally hold off with any further treatments until you've been able to go through your hive later on in the year.
The biggest killers of your hive at the moment will be damp, the hive needs to be well ventilated, and because of the mild winter we're having at he moment, running out of food. Do you know how to check that your bees still have sufficient stores?
Are you a member of your local association as there's a wealth of knowledge out there and it generally helps if that knowledge is local as it can vary from one side of the country to the other. You can find the contact details of your local association on this website: http://www.bbka.org.uk/
The thing is a lot of beekeepers have been taught that you MUST administer a certain treatment at a certain time of year. What this has actually meant is that the various bee diseases have built up a resistance to a particular treatment and new ones are having to to be constantly found, rather than only treating on symptoms being present as you or I would do to ourselves. So I would personally hold off with any further treatments until you've been able to go through your hive later on in the year.
The biggest killers of your hive at the moment will be damp, the hive needs to be well ventilated, and because of the mild winter we're having at he moment, running out of food. Do you know how to check that your bees still have sufficient stores?
Are you a member of your local association as there's a wealth of knowledge out there and it generally helps if that knowledge is local as it can vary from one side of the country to the other. You can find the contact details of your local association on this website: http://www.bbka.org.uk/
Thanks. I am a member of the local crew, but have difficulty getting to the meetings etc. Have posted on bbka forums - but thought I'd get another view point here, as the forums are so large.What you say makes sense to me though - I'm all for leaving stuff alone unless a problem is evident, but I have no way of checking varroa numbers, so am worried about a collapse. After a few weeks though, the nuc had grown into a very healthy colony, so I think they should be good. I was going to put some fondant intoday, but time ran away with me and will have to wait until next weekend. The weight of the hive seems fine for now though.
Steve - there isn't really no. Best advice I've heard, is if you want to have one, site it around 2-3 feet from your fence/hedge, whatever, and as the bees leave the hive they will go straight up and then continue on above head height, so as not to bother anyone.
The effect they have on cropping vegetables etc. is marked, so local growers will welcome more bees being around. The process around putting them on allotments is a bit more involved, as you have to get agreement from everyone, and if someone objects once they're there, you have to sort all that nonsense out.
Steve - there isn't really no. Best advice I've heard, is if you want to have one, site it around 2-3 feet from your fence/hedge, whatever, and as the bees leave the hive they will go straight up and then continue on above head height, so as not to bother anyone.
The effect they have on cropping vegetables etc. is marked, so local growers will welcome more bees being around. The process around putting them on allotments is a bit more involved, as you have to get agreement from everyone, and if someone objects once they're there, you have to sort all that nonsense out.
It's not been cold enough here (Hampshire) for oxalic treatment all winter, and it's probably too late now as there will be brood present.
Are your bees still in a nuc box? If so I'd be tempted to do a shook swarm in late spring (ie shake them into their permanent home with new foundation; don't move frames) The broodless period will knock the varroa count right back and you can treat with oxalic at the same time.
And yes you can keep bees in a residential garden. But I'd recommend joining the BBKA so you get third-party insurance.
Are your bees still in a nuc box? If so I'd be tempted to do a shook swarm in late spring (ie shake them into their permanent home with new foundation; don't move frames) The broodless period will knock the varroa count right back and you can treat with oxalic at the same time.
And yes you can keep bees in a residential garden. But I'd recommend joining the BBKA so you get third-party insurance.
There'n in a brood chamber. The fellow who sold me the nuc' shook them in there for me. The population then exploded! There's tons of himalayan balsam around here, so they had a lot of forage, plus I fed them maybe 3 times with a 1:1 sugar syrup solution. As I say, I didn't get chance to stick the fondant in this weekend, so will have to wait until saturday.
^^ I'm inclined to agree. I got the brood and 2 supers from a fellow who visits our campsite, used to have 50 hives, now not so many. He basically gave me the gear. I then bought another brood box and 6 supers or so (plus frames) off him for 80 quid, so I've just been motoring on that for now.
I think, when the weather warms up, I will look at getting an open mesh floor, as it seems an ideal method for not letting them re-attach, as you said.
I think, when the weather warms up, I will look at getting an open mesh floor, as it seems an ideal method for not letting them re-attach, as you said.
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