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MikeT

Field Bee
Joined
Oct 19, 2014
Messages
645
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0
Location
West Norfolk
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
5
I have been out of bee keeping for several years. Bought a nuc. this summer which I had no intention of taking any honey off this year, but the farm around our home has sown a green manure crop of mustard and radish which is in full flower. Took one super off which crystalised in the extractor, eventually got it to run with some heat, put another super on with foundation this was drawn out and filled within a week. I don't know what to do with this one, leave it for the bees or extract it. The hive is so heavy I can hardly raise the rear off the stand.

I have recently bought 2 additional hives which are not working as well, I am feeding these.

When I last kept bees varroa was not in the UK. I have no experience of controlling this pest. The 2 bought in hives were treated with Apigaurd before I bought them, and I cannot see any mites on the floor of these hives (both have mesh floors). The nuc was only treated with Apigaurd at the beginning of October and I am still getting mites dropping.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Mike
 
A good place to start, and to revise, is the Beebase "Advisory Leaflets, Training Manuals & Fact Sheets" page http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageid=167

If you haven't registered your colonies it's a good idea to do so. Use the link on the top right corner of the Beebase page, and then wait a few days for an email.
 
Welcome to the forum.

My suggestion would be to pal up with a local association or two and ask someone to come round for a look.
What part of Norfolk are you in? (There may be locals on here.)

From what you say it might make sense to shift some stores frames from the heavy hive to the lighter ones.
It'd also be worthwhile to find a local baker that would be prepared to order in for you a 12.5kg box of Bako plain white fondant for winter feeding, should that be needed. (Expect to pay £12/15 for the box.)


Regarding varroa, from now I think (unless its a mega problem) that the best/simplest route would be to look to doing an Oxalic treatment in December (possibly earlier than later).
If it were a mega varroa problem, Apivar might be the best option, but it involves jumping through some legislative hoops. (And I do mean Apivar, rather than anything with a similar name!)

But an on-the-spot assessment is going to be so much better than an indirect impression. Both for varroa and stores.



"Forum wisdom" (if it exists) is generally in favour of overwintering with the combination of the following - the mesh floor open (no tray in place), a no-hole (or closed-hole) coverboard, and insulation (like Kingspan/Celotex/etc) between coverboard and roof.
 
:spy:For me, it's all getting a bit cold for messing with Bees now ' but if you need to sort something , I guess you pick the best part of the best day and do it as quickly as poss... i.e. remove Q/E etc...

The 2nd Super full of Mustard , from your posting, it sounds like it's still on the Hive !
If I had a Hive it that postion now, I'd pop the super under the B/box and remove Q/E and leave them to it... Having a spare floor and an extra Crown board will make the operation very quick..

As for Mites , if they have been treated , great...
I'd just treat with Oxalic acid in January ' ish. ( Brood Gap ).

We've also had a run on Mustard in the that last few weeks. the girls were still bring it home last Friday !!
We did harvest a couple of buckets of it ' but I can't say its very tasty.. In fact I'm hoping it tastes better in 12 months.

On reflection, if the farmer plants Mustard next year the Girls can keep it !!!


P.S. Where in Norfolk are you ??? You could be the other side of the same field as me !!!!!
:paparazzi:
 
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Thanks for the replies.
I have joined the local Association.

My wife does not like the mustard honey, it crystalised within a day in the jars and the flavour is rather strong, so the bees can keep the 2nd super, which I will put under the brood box. They are now filling another super which I propose to give to weakest hive.

I could make some mead out of it.

As for Varroa I will keep a check on the drop and retreat as you suggested
with Oxalic acid in Dec/Jan.

We may see more Mustard/Radish planted after cereals on the light soils of Norfolk as it is claimed to reduce free living soil nematodes, and ploughing it in increases the soil organic matter.

Mike
 

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