Poorly chicken

[Lesley]

We've recently had two emails from our group pointing out that bees are starvig due to the poor year.

 

Having brought last year's bvees through the winter only for them to die suddenly from starvation in February, even though they had some fondant we have been feeding ours for the last few weeks.

 

We had to put some feed in while we were on holiday as we didn't have anyone to keep an eye on the hive and we added a little bit more when we returned last weekend, although they have had a fairly good week for foraging and our swarm has built up a nice sized colony.

 

We found one wasp when we went through the hive on Monday so we will close the door aperture down to help the bees fight them off.

 

From the local group:

Having looked at a large number of colonies over the past week, I have noted

that some colonies are totally destitute - no honey, no pollen stores - but,

oddly, others are looking reasonably prosperous.

 

Apart from the dire weather, wasps are causing huge problems in some

apiaries and will quickly strip out stores (and brood) from weaker colonies.

You need to take action now:

1 Feed if colonies are light

2 Reduce entrances where wasps are a problem

3 Destroy any wasp nests that you can find

4 Do all in your power to prevent robbing

5 Treat for varroa - the last thing that colonies need now is the additional

stress from high varroa loads.

 

Peter

 

From the Regional Bee Inspector:

>

> Hallo Peter,

>

> Can you circulate this in your Association newsletters and among your

> members please. It may help the situation. If you need to add comment,

> adapt or modify, then that's OK. Thanks.

>

> /During our inspection visits over the last week my Inspectors and I are

> coming across many, many colonies, indeed whole apiaries, where the bees

> are on the point of complete starvation. Some of the best and really

> strong colonies have already collapsed into a carpet of dead bees on the

> floor which even spills outside the hive, with the beekeeper often being

> completely unaware (particularly in out-apiaries). A sad sight, which

> serves to emphasise how quickly colonies can get overtaken by poor

> conditions and how rapidly they use up their reserves. There is absolutely

> no food at all in the combs which are as 'dry as a chip' and in most

> districts many colonies are struggling to find opportunities to obtain

> sufficient nectar just to keep themselves going. Neglected and abandoned

> brood is evident everywhere. Queens have stopped laying - therefore no

> winter bees or bees for brood rearing next spring - and stressed and

> lethargic colonies are frequently seen to be already showing signs of

> viral conditions and the impact of varroa, to which they will surely

> succumb. We are already recording "winter losses"!

>

> Do have a look at your own colonies as a matter of urgency to make sure

> they are OK for food particularly and feed immediately if you have any

> concerns at all - you might just rescue them. In any case, if you have not

> yet started your full autumn feeding and varroa management programme, then

> do so just as soon as ever you can - remember that the success of your

> beekeeping and the prosperity of your colonies next season will depend on

> what you do now - 'the beekeeper's year starts in late summer'

>

> Dave Sutton

> Regional Bee Inspector

> NBU Western Region\

>Avon, Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire,

> Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire >

[Couperwife]

We dont have bees, but this sounds rather worrying

 

is there anything that non bee keepers can do to help local bees?

 

cathy

x

[Lesley]

Perhaps by ensuring that there are plenty of nectar and pollen rich flowers/shrubs/herbs around?

 

I've never been much interested in flowere gardening but have always included some - usually shrubs - to attract beneficial insects to aid organic gardening. Since having bees, I have been adding more flowers and have a bee garden near to the hive. At the moment the bees are all over a flowering Marjoram.

 

I'll have a look on the bee forum to see if there are lists of plants.........Buddleia is always a favourite........ I am growing lots of lavender.

[Blackrocksrock]

We have buddlias and other flowering shrubs and no bees - we have mimic bees but no honey bees at all this year - very worrying

[chickenanne]

I've been thinking about keeping bees for a while now: still very early in the research phase. Should bee-keepers be aware of how low in sotres hives are, even at this time of year? Should you expect to be checking them now, and if so, how often?

[Lesley]

Yes, this is the main time for checking that your bees have enough stores to get them through the winter. Experianced keeps can tell by lifting one side (called hefting) - we're still learning!

 

Our bees were a small swarm earlier this summer and even though they've built up a nice sized colony, they won't have enough stored honey to get them through.

 

You need to check a hive most weeks from around March to Sept/Oct.

[missuscluck]

We always feed our bees at this time of the year. Mostly syrup although we have made Candy for them once or twice. It is a worry. We now have 4 hives of bees on the go and have only managed to produce 13 jars of honey this year. I am not happy at all.

[chickenanne]

How much time does bee-keeping take up? I was thinking one or two hives only, but I've no idea really about how long it all takes.

 

I've read various stuff on the itnerweb, but am loathe to go get books until I know if it's a seripous proposition. My local bee-keeping club is quite far away, but I s'pose that's probably a good place to start...

[Lesley]

Def. start with a beekeeping group - they should run a course early next year where you will learn lots and also have some hands-on experience to see whether bee-keeping is for you.

 

It only takes about an hour a week through the summer for one or two hives - a bit more time at the beginning of the Spring and a bit more time at this time of year to take honey off and get the hive ready for winter.

[chickenanne]

Right, it sounds like good advice to go to the beekeeping club. Will do that, am surprised about time it takes, I thought would be longer than that TBH!

There's no reason why a hive can't be put relatively high up, is there? It would need to be on a riased platform as where it's going is on top of a riverbank - river does come up higher in the winter, so they'd get a bit wet every three years or so otherwise!

[Lesley]

How high would you need to raise them? - ours are on a raised plinth about knee height.

 

In a good year you would have three or more supers on(layers for honey) and it could be difficult to look through the hive and keep an eye on each of the supers and the brood box if it started off too high.

 

An experienced beekeeper will give you advice about siting a hive.....just ask at the local club.

[chickenanne]

I think would raise them 3ft at most, which doesn't sound like it would be too much of a problem!

 

Thanks for your help, Leslie, much aprecaited!