Panorama

Well done to Panorama and the BBC detailing "Britains' Disappearing Wildlife" and the implications for our food supply. I am sure I heard a mention of the honey bee somewhere in the programme!

Guilty Conscience?

Before I put the honey supers into winter storage they are frozen for 48hrs+ to kill disease organisms and pests (such as wax moth); I am lucky to have an old chest freezer- which my wife allows me to use! I began this process tonight putting the first 4 supers in. As i grabbed the handle to shut the lid down a wasp appeared from within the comb, realising the sudden drop in temperature? I shut the lid down quick! After 5 minutes of deliberating I returned and opened the lid- no sign of said wasp- guilty conscience?

The Flip side

The Co-operatives "Plan Bee" is a good campaign. Where it does fall down is saying "Take up bee keeping. It's easier than you think". Shades of Omlet here!
I also draw question to " The native black honey bee with its better ability to cope with the British weather": does the native honey bee still exhist? Does it cope better? Maybe more localised breeding with quality developed stock would serve better.

Tonights' news showed honey bees bred for good hygiene and grooming traits as a development in the fight against the varroa mite. Maybe a good thing. But at what expense (what traits are lost)? It was "mans" meddling in bee genetics that brought about this crisis - I hope this helps redress the balance.

Wet Wet Wet and a bottle of plonk!

It's rained a lot over the last 2 weeks and really curtailed my colony inspections. I have managed to check all my colonies but at most hives when lifting the roof off I was greeted by "lady" workers bearing their tail ends at me- stings poised! Their way of saying "What do you want? We're in no mood to be messed around!" Colonies are defensive of their stores this time of year as they "prepare" for winter and no doubt the poor weather has left them a little frustrated and hive bound.
My activities curtailed I recently sought solace in a bottle of wine from my local co-op. My choice was made simple when informed that buying "Banrock Station" supported The Co-operative's "Plan Bee" campaign.

For The Man In The Street Beekeeper

What I have to say is:
There is more than one size (brood) frame available.
There is more than one winter feed (eg. "Leave some honey on!" or Use Fondant).
Apiguard (Varroa treatment) should be co-ordinated with other local bee keepers.
Smoking bees should be done diligently.
Prophylactic treatments can lead to resistance or immunity.

Those who are in the know will know!!

To quote Jean Luc Picard...

"We have engaged the wasps!"
Todays inspections , on my return from holiday, were dictated by my earlier concerns. The weather for August looks to be cool and damp (even though we had a reasonable weather on the South coast last week). There appears to have been little income for the bees, indeed stores look slightly diminished, though all seem to have some stores for now.
Any colony with wasps hovering around the entrance (and a few with wasps found within the hive!) had their entrance reduced so as the bees can defend it better. I had already deployed some wasp traps but more will be made this week.

Early arrival of winter pest

Todays' inspections were pretty mundane until I checked an empty nucleus hive sat on the floor at one of my sites. Mouse guards are normally put on in September but this little critter was ahead of the game; my mistake for leaving it with the entrance open. The comb has already been chewed out and a lovely little nest constructed. I don't have the heart to expel it now so it has a "des res" for this winter (but I will want to use the hive again next spring).

Wasps!

Sat in the dentist waiting room this evening I read in the national press about "The Wasp Invasion": pest control firms reporting a huge increase in calls to deal with wasp nests. I was already preparing traps and have reduced entrances on some "nuc" boxes at some of my apiaries. When I got home I put out 2 traps- literally within minutes I could see wasps trapped in both. I thought last season was bad ( I lost two small colonies to wasps last August and 3 others suffered hugely) but I fear this year could be worse despite the hard winter, which I thought would have knocked the wasps back.

Bees on Artichoke/ BBKA Education

Over the last few days as the Globe Artichoke has come into flower I have noticed an increased amount of activity on it. In the past the bumble bees have gorged themselves on the flowers appearing almost drunk, staggering over the flower heads usually smothered in its' pollen. Today there are local honeybees, hoverflies and several species of bumbles all gorging away- as usual the bumbles are buried/bathing in the flower heads; the honey bees appear to be collecting the pollen but even they emerse themselves into the flowers.

On a different note I am struggling to understand the BBKA and its' direction regarding its' teaching structure? Say no more for now!