Very busy bees

[Les]

I inspected my bees on 28th August as we were going away for a week and as one of the hives had a nearly full super I added an undrawn national brood box as that’s all I had left – just inspected today (12 days) and they have drawn all 11 of the frames and filled 9 with honey with the other 2 well on the way. There has been quite a flow on

 

[Roola]

I inspected my bees on 28th August as we were going away for a week and as one of the hives had a nearly full super I added an undrawn national brood box as that’s all I had left – just inspected today (12 days) and they have drawn all 11 of the frames and filled 9 with honey with the other 2 well on the way. There has been quite a flow on

Or maybe there's a beekeeper nearby who opened up to find all their honey gone...

 

[alldigging]

Have you got balsam near you? It's been busy weekend for the bees here with tons of smashing sunshine all weekend. They'd predicted rain but it turned out quite lovely.

 

[Les]

Have you got balsam near you? It's been busy weekend for the bees here with tons of smashing sunshine all weekend. They'd predicted rain but it turned out quite lovely.

We have rather a lot of balsom

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Again, I think this season is coming out a lot longer than a lot of beeks had expected but the bees have known. Must be near the end now though. They'll tell us.

 

[Les]

Again, I think this season is coming out a lot longer than a lot of beeks had expected but the bees have known. Must be near the end now though. They'll tell us.

The problem that I have is - while there is so much Balsam and the bees are collecting I am reluctant to give them a Thymol treatment - what would others do?

 

[Luminos]

Or maybe there's a beekeeper nearby who opened up to find all their honey gone...

 

[pargyle]

The problem that I have is - while there is so much Balsam and the bees are collecting I am reluctant to give them a Thymol treatment - what would others do?

Rather depends on whether you want some more honey to take off or you want the bees to store for winter ? Former is going to mean that you will have to wait to do your thymol .. latter ... doesn't matter so much.

Alternative appears to be MAQS which does not, apparently, taint the honey.

Have you checked the varroa situation ? If it is as low a count as some people are posting you might have other options ...

 

[Les]

Rather depends on whether you want some more honey to take off or you want the bees to store for winter ? Former is going to mean that you will have to wait to do your thymol .. latter ... doesn't matter so much.

Alternative appears to be MAQS which does not, apparently, taint the honey.

Have you checked the varroa situation ? If it is as low a count as some people are posting you might have other options ...

Had a low count all season – but you never really know!!!

 

[Les]

Just to add - Balsam makes up the bulk of my honey.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I have exactly the same question because now my weather does seem to have turned so should probably treat now, but count has been non-existent, and the weather might recover, so it's not 100% obvious.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I'll inspect on Weds, and with Thymol taking 4-6 weeks, going after mid-Sep puts you into November and that's late; better a few frames of honey tainted than a cluster of bees...