Welcome to BobsHoneyBees.co.uk - Probably Kent's Best Bees.
Varroa count so far after Oxalic treatment on 1 hive only at my home apiary.
Max day temp Min Night temp
4th January Day 1. 40 10.3 9.2
5th January Day 2. 140 11.0 7.2
6th January Day 3. 66 9.8 6.2
7th January Day 4. 51 11.5 7.0
8th January Day 5. 38 9.1 8.2
9th January Day 6. 53 n/a 1.4
10th January Day 7. 11 3.8 1.4
11th January Day 8. 46 5.4 1.6
Sat 12th January Day 9. 21 4.7 0.0
13th January Day 10. 10 3.5 2.4
14th January Day 11. 23 3.3 -1.1
15th January Day 12. 21 3.0 -0.5
16th January Day 13. 28 1.0 -2.5
17th January Day 14. 18 5.7 -4.9
18th January Day 15. 24 0.8 -3.9
19th January Day 16. 20 1.6 -1.9
20th January Day 17. 9 0.3 -0.7
21st January Day 18. 14 2.5 -0.8
22nd January Day 19. 20 1.6 -3.1
23rd January Day 20. 13 3.3 0.3
24th January Day 21. 7 2.9 0.3
This the last day of counting 7 Varroa one of which was alive and running.
So the total number 623. Double that for losses, like some left in the comb and stuck on the surface of the OMF floor = 1246 This spread over 7 seams of Bees. How many bees in a 7 seam cluster? Guessing now 1300+... I will come back to this later today after I take some measurements.....OK its now 13.12hrs 4hrs later.
I have been looking at Yates 'beekeeping study notes' page 327, Dr Jeffrees determined that a 4.4 inch cluster contained 7,500 bees. But my cluster measures over 7 inches, so maybe there are more than 10,000 bees in my Hive 2. No wonder they can consume 750g of Fondant in around 10 Days.
So in conclusion 1246 Varroa in 10,000 bees is NOT good, so although I did not treat in the Autumn of 2012 they did need to be treated in the winter. Job done.
I am now considering a further treatment this week-end just to see if there is another large kill of Varroa in the next two weeks. to be continued.
See 'second Varroa treatment'.
Welcome to BobsHoneyBees.co.uk - Probably Kent's Best Bees.
Varroa count so far after Oxalic treatment on 1 hive only at my home apiary.
Max day temp Min Night temp
4th January Day 1. 40 10.3 9.2
5th January Day 2. 140 11.0 7.2
6th January Day 3. 66 9.8 6.2
7th January Day 4. 51 11.5 7.0
8th January Day 5. 38 9.1 8.2
9th January Day 6. 53 n/a 1.4
10th January Day 7. 11 3.8 1.4
11th January Day 8. 46 5.4 1.6
Sat 12th January Day 9. 21 4.7 0.0
13th January Day 10. 10 3.5 2.4
14th January Day 11. 23 3.3 -1.1
15th January Day 12. 21 3.0 -0.5
16th January Day 13. 28 1.0 -2.5
17th January Day 14. 18 5.7 -4.9
18th January Day 15. 24 0.8 -3.9
19th January Day 16. 20 1.6 -1.9
20th January Day 17. 9 0.3 -0.7
21st January Day 18. 14 2.5 -0.8
22nd January Day 19. 20 1.6 -3.1
23rd January Day 20. 13 3.3 0.3
24th January Day 21. 7 2.9 0.3
This the last day of counting 7 Varroa one of which was alive and running.
So the total number 623. Double that for losses, like some left in the comb and stuck on the surface of the OMF floor = 1246 This spread over 7 seams of Bees. How many bees in a 7 seam cluster? Guessing now 1300+... I will come back to this later today after I take some measurements.....OK its now 13.12hrs 4hrs later.
I have been looking at Yates 'beekeeping study notes' page 327, Dr Jeffrees determined that a 4.4 inch cluster contained 7,500 bees. But my cluster measures over 7 inches, so maybe there are more than 10,000 bees in my Hive 2. No wonder they can consume 750g of Fondant in around 10 Days.
So in conclusion 1246 Varroa in 10,000 bees is NOT good, so although I did not treat in the Autumn of 2012 they did need to be treated in the winter. Job done.
I am now considering a further treatment this week-end just to see if there is another large kill of Varroa in the next two weeks. to be continued.
See 'second Varroa treatment'.
I am a beekeeper and beebreeder in Rainham Kent, with 5 years experience.
I breed queens that produce workers that are gentle to handle and manipulate.
My bees are beekeeper friendly and I have confidence in supplying to new beekeepers, I offer assistance for as long as it takes for the new colony to get established. Re-queening if nessesary during the season April to August.
Experienced beekeepers that have inspected my bees have commented on how tolerent the bees are to being handled, indeed I often inspect without gloves on. But bear in mind I do get stung quite often, you have to read the bees on each visit and of course the weather plays a large part in its effect on their behavior.
My Bees are right across the SE corner of the UK. From Ramsgate in the east to Croydon in the west. Finchley north London to Littlehampton in the South. Over 50 new beekeepers in 4 years. One of my latest additions in August this year was to supply HMP Young offenders at Rochester Kent with a Newly bred and mated Queen and bees into a new British National hive.
Quite a task with all the formalities and proceedures to obtain entry and exit to the Prison. I hope that the inmates will take up beekeeping when they leave the confines and enjoy this great hobby.
So thats a bit about me follow the links to look at my pictures, as that is my second hobby and it is a great aid to my beekeeping. With winter approaching its time to think about Varroa treatment and what type of feed to apply going into the colder part of the year.
This pic on the left I thought quite remarkable being as it was on the 3rd of January. It sort of confirms that there is brood that needs feeding. I was in the middle of winter Oxalic acid treatment at the time and my Varroa mite drop was not that high considering that I DID NOT TREAT ANY OF MY HIVES IN THE AUTUMN.
I have now concluded that there was no break in brood rearing by the queen in this hive.
My decision to treat again with Oxalic is probably the right one as the Varroa drop is still continuing. See "second Varroa treatment" Results so far.
The Pictures below were taken on the 30th January, still pollen being found but in much smaller amounts.
I am continuing to feed Fondant as this hive still has 7 frames of bees.
