Bird-proofing the Bait Hives

When setting up a swarm trap there is always a chance that birds might make a nest in it. So to avoid this I stapled chicken wire to the inside of the entrance;

Landing Boards and New Apiary Location

After reading this thread on biobees forum I decided to make landing boards on all my hives. At first I thought landing boards being a bad thing since birds, toads and mice/rats can easily get to it and then cause damage to the colony but after a short contemplation I realised that feral colonies have "landing boards" in form of a tree bark. Just look at the Oak bark for example. Most tree hollows have a deep entrance which creates enough landing space.

I remember last year observing my two top bar hives and seeing many foragers falling down to the ground loaded with nectar. They could not land on the tiny entrance which was clogged with guard bees and reciever bees. Each time a forager bee falls down it needs time to recharge and rest before it can take off again. This ends in less honey for the colony . 

So I decided to make, not that large, landing boards so foragers have a better chance to enter the hives without falling to the ground.

Birch branch as a landing board

As mentioned before, our summer house is situated on the North side of a small hill and I had no other place but to place the hives as shown on the picture bellow.

But after talking to a few beekeepers I think Im in need of a new spot. All beeks (including my wife's father) told me that having hives on the north side of the hill is a bad idea. The only place on our property which gets enough sun is right behind the house which is facing South. The hives will be protetcted well from the north and west winds here.

No Space in the Garage

The garage is jammed with bee hives. There is literaly no space to go around them. Even though I first planned to varnish the hives and then place them out doors, I had to move them out now because I need the garage for other projects. This will be a good chance to check if the roofs are leaking before bees move into them.

I still have to level the hives and dowse for actual position.

Sign Petition to Save The Bees Before 25th Feb

UK 'environment minister' looks like he will vote AGAINST a European ban on neonicotinoids!
Please sign this petition before the 25th February when EU will vote on Neonicotinoid ban. Save the bees, save our future! Thank you :)
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/david-cameron-owen-paterson-to-change-stance-or-david-cameron-to-change-defra-secretary


David Cameron promised the British people ‘The Greenest Government Ever’. Yet we currently have Owen Paterson as DEFRA Secretary, who:
- It is reported will vote against proposed EU restrictions to the use of just 3 neonicotinoids, to ensure they are not used on crops attractive to bees(1). This is despite independent investigation into regulatory test standards and evidence from EFSA concluding that these chemicals put bees at risk.
- Has ignored the scientific evidence on badgers and TB, and plans to proceed with the cull, despite public opposition, and the fact the government’s own chief scientist has refused to back the killings(2).
- Has backed fracking despite widespread UK and overseas concern for the potential hazards of fracking (2)

We call on David Cameron to either ensure Owen Paterson revises his stance on these issues, and henceforth adapts a stance conducive to the election promise to be “The Greenest Government Ever”, or he should select a new Defra Secretary.

(1)http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/government-to-ignore-european-ban-on-neonicotinoid-pesticides-8483916.html
(2) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/oct/13/badger-cull-mindless
(3) Examples can be seen at: http://frack-off.org.uk/resources/science-and-data/

Hinged Roof and a Nuc Stand

I have found very cheap hinges and decided to hinge all the hive roofs, and instead of lifting the roof I can simply open it like a door :)

very easy to open and close the hives, No lifting required :) Beekeeping is not ment to be heavy nor expensive ;)

 

Besides the hinges the roof is secured with an old rusty chain (I found in the bush) so it doesnt fall back

 I have made a stand for the nucleus hive ... very simple ... a few planks and a screw or two ;) The hive is not attached to the stand. The stand height is 80cm so no need for bending the back much.

Un-treated colonies surviving Varroa - Research

Abstract
We document the ability of a population of honey bee colonies to survive in France without Varroa suppression measures. We compared the mortality of collected Varroa surviving bee (VSB) stock with that of miticide-treated Varroa-susceptible colonies. Varroa infestation did not induce mortality in the VSB colonies. Some of the original colonies survived more than 11 years without treatment and the average survival of the experimental colonies was 6.54 ± 0.25 years. Swarming was variable (41.50 ± 9.94%) depending on the year. Honey production was significantly higher (1.7 times) in treated than in VSB colonies. For the first time since Varroa invaded France, our results provide evidence that untreated local honey bee colonies can survive the mite, which may be the basis for integrated Varroa management.
Continue reading ...

Murder of the Honeybee