Old Speckled Hen Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Happy New Year, everyone. My bees got their Oxalic today......... what a present I must admit I was quite nervous but was very pleasantly surprised to see many more bees than I expected. The job was easy Fingers crossed now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Well done, I'm dying to know if my bees survived the recent very cold spell, but not ready to do the oxalic acid treatment yet - a fellow beekeeper is going to let me have some. Glad to hear yours are ok so far. Incidentally one of our group has already had some serious woodpecker damage on a hive at an out-apiary - if any of you have hives in locations where this might happen, get some chicken wire on them. Not only will they kill your bees, either directly or through letting the cold in, they will do a lot of damage to your expensive hives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 I'm dying to know if my bees survived the recent very cold spell I'm dreadful. I go up and put my ear to the boxes every day It's lovely to hear them. I have fondant on but there is a trail of cappings under each of them so I knew they were alive I had the trays in when it was very cold but it has been relatively mild the last week and it was wonderful to see them out and about going for a poo,fetching water and throwing out their dead. Trays are back in (leaving a little gap for ventilation) just to do a mite count after treatment I'm sure, Olly yours will be OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I tapped mine yesterday, 3 answering hums - its the best sound in the world We're going to do ours any day but it has turned chilly again so will probably have to wait a short while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 It was about 3˚ when I did mine having lost an earlier 7˚ opportunity. My DH was my assistant, I was armed with two Trickle Twos from Thornes (and I was glad I had two as there were more seams of bees than I anticipated) and the whole thing took less than 30 seconds per hive. I was getting a little twitchy as I have no previous experience or knowledge of when brood appears up here. Once there is a patch of brood you've had it as all the little beggars are safe under the cappings....... I might be wrong here but it seems sense to me that it would be just the event the varroa on the bees are waiting for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
