In message <[log in to unmask]>, Mike Tooley
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>I think most of your 'resistant'feral hives are just swarms from
>treated hives.
I had a call today to look into moving two colonies away from a field to
make way for cultivation. In a future year the landowner may well
acquire bees and restock the hives (the owner has let them all go).

The hives had not been looked at for 4 years. Varroa came in 1996
possibly 1997. So they have not been treated at all. Two hives were
empty, one eaten out by wax moth (the other left unexamined in a briar
patch). One colony was showing distinct deformed wing virus, with
ejected small adults and many bees with deformed wings. Comb was
diagonally across several frames. It was obviously a swarm of maybe 2
years ago, given the used state of the comb. I gave it one strip of
apistan.

The second colony was strong and showed no sign of deformed wing virus,
though I did not lift out any frames given the bees were only just
flying. All comb was in the original frames. There was at least 60lb
honey in the hive - not a great deal for this year especially with the
second super having very little in it. I gave it 2 strips of apistan.

So, either we have some degree of resistance or the hive has been
reoccupied quickly before any serious loss of comb to wax moth, once or
even twice. The colony will be given OMF next spring and watched for
signs of tolerance. To attempt to help along my embryonic tolerance
study programme I will give frames of drone foundation or slip in some
drawn drone comb at the bottom of 2 or 3 frames and get a bit of varroa
development to see if they switch on grooming (with mite damage) since
it has been suggested this will happen when the varroa numbers rise
above some unknown threshold. It's an interesting time here given the
mechanism may be widespread. Any colony that did not develop dwv will
get the same treatment, many having been treated a bit late this time.
Unfortunately 2 apiaries were treated late and showed a high proportion
of colonies with at least a little dwv but most were still laying with
up to 4 frames with brood including 1 with eggs, patches about 15cm
diameter so they should recover well.

As night temperatures at the moment are typically around 7C the colonies
to be moved will be given new floors a.s.a.p. to reduce weight and ease
carrying (they have floors which are also 4-legged stands and quite
substantial) and moved one morning when the temperature gets to at least
10C and the forecast is for at least 12C (most days at the moment it is
higher). They are still getting in lots of pollen and there's still some
uncapped stores so they seem to be bringing in nectar from somewhere. I
have seen blackberry and dandelion flowers opening again!
--
James Kilty