What did you do in the Apiary today?

I spoke to thornes the other day Jill told me the sale was off.....

Gill ?

masterBK said:

Gill ?

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One of the directors

Just questioning the spelling of her name which I believe begins with a G. It can be annoying if your forename begins with a G (as does mine) and people spell it with a J (and banks don't accept cheques you are trying to pay in).

Moved second load of forty five colony's to OSR, most fields have been flowering about five days. There is about 300 acre that's a week behind which should hopefully extend the flowering period.
Lovely to see the sun, but damn cold wind blowing, even big double brood colony's were reluctant to show themselves after setting them out.
As a key worker still having to work as normal is a pain, could find loads of bee work to get on with, sales have gone crazy. Nice to have quiet roads for a change & my queen bee relished the chance to get in the open air away from her front line NHS role.

G'day Gmonag,

I understand Braula can trouble queens because she is the longest lived bee in the colony (and so they can accumulate on her and muck her up). My inspections usually start easily enough, but the longer they go on, the more things get out of hand! I quit looking for her before things got to the dreadful stage.

I've never seen so many before on the workers. Because we are the only State in Aus to have Braula and we don't have varroa (and so don't treat the hives), they are apparently still going strong here.

masterBK said:

Today finally got that photo of bee on willow I have been after for the last week or so

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Cracking photo, well worth the wait!

TANKER JOHN said:

Moved second load of forty five colony's to OSR, most fields have been flowering about five days. There is about 300 acre that's a week behind which should hopefully extend the flowering period.
Lovely to see the sun, but damn cold wind blowing, even big double brood colony's were reluctant to show themselves after setting them out.
As a key worker still having to work as normal is a pain, could find loads of bee work to get on with, sales have gone crazy. Nice to have quiet roads for a change & my queen bee relished the chance to get in the open air away from her front line NHS role.

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Keep going John
And eternal gratitude for all you and your queen bee are doing.

Plus one

I can see my apiary from my office window. 8 degrees here and they're out in number. Had this photo sent from next door too. I may need to buy a bird bath.

Antipodes said:

Because we are the only State in Aus to have Braula and we don't have varroa (and so don't treat the hives), they are apparently still going strong here.

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Does Oxalic Acid control them? If so that might help.

The queen always used to get a large amount of attention from the pesky blighters and they ruined good comb honey. I bet oxalic would do the trick maybe get the cheap gas vape sent to you minus the gas of course.

Checked stores after lunch - 8C as yesterday - but minimal wind so quick check and added fondant where needed. Few bees flying and forecast is more of the same till Sunday..

Both nucs and hives appear to be thriving despite the poor weather..must be the pollen patties two weeks ago...or the pollen brought in on the odd nice day.. or....

Heres a pic from 1970's of Braula on queen taken in Yorkshire. They don't harm her as such but do slow down her laying somewhat

More blasts from the past

I assume that we don't see them any more because we are treating for Varroa?

I had undesired visit yesterday - marten..

gmonag said:

I assume that we don't see them any more because we are treating for Varroa?

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That is what the Dave Cushman website suggests.

As to the braula, I did treat a hive with tobacco once (in the smoker and puffed into the entrance) and that did kill some, but not worth the cost of the tobacco I'd say. If I found a bunch of them on a queen, I'd light a pinch of tobacco in tweezers and let the smoke go briefly up and into a queen cage.

Japey...that's a lot of bees at the bird bath! I've only ever seen bees that thirsty when it is hot.

Goran...good shot of the marten...I don't think we have any animals here like that that cause trouble with the hives. Cane toads in Queensland can sit at the hive entrance and gobble up bees, but they are not down here in Tas. They wouldn't survive the cold...I hope.