BEE-L Archives

Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

BEE-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Peter Hutton <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 27 Dec 1998 20:28:16 GMT
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (50 lines)
 CHRS: IBMPC 2
 CODEPAGE: 437
 MSGID: 240:244/116 52d1fe0c
 REPLY: 240:44/0 8c25a47b
 PID: FDAPX/w 1.12a UnReg(526)
Hello all,
I'll put in my six penneth worth, I collect more swarms than anyone in my
locality, I also have many swarms arrive of their own volition since I set up
bait hives. Since two years before Varroa was noticed here in South East
England the propensity for swarming increased.
40% of existing beekeepers gave up on losing their bees in 95, mine dropped
from 200 colonies to 20, I now have around a steady 50. I have always (over 35
years) removed feral colonies from buildings, I am aware of some 60 properties,
trees etc that home feral colonies in my region.
Most of all those feral colonies were dead by 96-98, the voids were not taken
up because of the frass left by the greater wax moth, tons of honey has fallen
down chimneys and through ceilings as a result. Only now are the swarms
reoccupying some of the voids. Here the facts, what has been written of
swarming bees leaving relatively free of mites is to my mind correct, a swarm
arrived and hived itself on foundation and one drawn comb. All the combs were
drawn (early May) the queen laid up all the combs (6) the bees provisioned the
larvae, stored pollen and nectar, at about twelve days, two queen cells
(supersedure, very common with swarms) were laid up,four days on all bar 50,
left and moved on, I know not where. If I knew I would have grabbed those bees
because I think that might be evolution at work. They had left all the Varroa
entrapped, I did not mention they also removed all the stores so the 50 bees
were rather a sacrifice.
 
I have kept bees for 39 years now, I only wish I had the mind of a scientist
and recorded all the odd things that happen with bees so that I might determine
if my theories have any substance.
 
In 98 many of the remaining beekeepers hereabouts had no honey to speak of,
they nearly all lost prime swarms and afterswarms. My best crops came from the
colonies I managed rigorously or from the early swarms I took. I have some
colonies that appear to cope better, they have fewer mites than others but
unfortunately they are the colonies I wished to requeen because their temper is
poor. It is a dilemma? Until some of my docile colonies show an aptitude to
overcome Varroa I feel obliged to keep these other queens going. I keep the two
extremes eight miles apart. The colonies at apiaries in between I treat with
various hard and soft drugs. This summer I promise myself to keep records
better than in the past. Who knows?
 
Regards and keep on going despite adversity.
 
[log in to unmask]
 
---
 * Origin: Kent Beekeeper Beenet Point (240:244/116)

ATOM RSS1 RSS2