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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
T & M Weatherhead <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 29 Jun 2004 19:46:29 +1000
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Bob Harrison wrote

> Can a member of the list give pros & cons to their use. Either on list or
> off.

I use a container that is refrigerated.  I run it at about -5 centigrade for
a week, switch off but only run again if I add more supers or a month has
passed.

If it is not refrigerated, then you run the risk of getting a good dose of
wax moth in the warmer weather.  The containers tend to heat up slowly and
hold heat.  One beekeeper here uses one without refrigeration but in winter
has to open the doors at night ( temperature gets as low as -8 centigrade)
to get the temperature in the container down.  Daytime temperatures are
around 20 centigrade.

I know one beekeeper in the tropics who uses a container without
refrigeration but when putting the supers in doses them with phostoxin.  He
does not have a lot of problems.

The other things for containers is that do not lend themselves to use with a
forklift.  It is usually a case of  Spanish work i.e. manual in and manual
out.

For me also, I have lifting cleats on my supers so they will not hold 4
across.  I have to have the outside two rows on bearers (about 3 -4 inches
high) so the lifting cleats can slide in under one another.

A lot of beekeepers here in Australia are moving towards them for small hive
beetle control of supers.  They can even be used to store combs before
extracting and, if refrigerated, wax moth and small hive beetle are not a
problem.

Otherwise they are great.  No chemical residues in the combs and they take
the place of an extra shed to store supers.

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA

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