BRIEF REPORT: Fall has settled in the the bees are settled in with it. We ended summer with a flourish of preparations, including Varroa mite and Nosema treatments. The results of the summer’s testing of the Fumadil-drench technique were interesting. Apparently it works if the spore count is not too high. Some of the Farm hives had pretty high infestation rates in Spring and into Summer, however, so they are currently still on a treatment regime to try to keep the disease at bay at least until the queens start laying strongly again. See graphs below for results.
The hives are insulated and look a little awkward but the bees will save energy. On Sunday, October 28th, the bees were bringing in a significant amount of pollen, probably from exotic &/or ornamental flowers. They were taking advantage of a relatively warm and dry day after a week of cold and rain. This is a good sign as to the health of the bees and heartwarming to watch. Amazingly, there were also a few drones flying! Normally they are all banished from the hive by the end of summer.
BEE GROUP MEETING: Tuesday, Nov. 6th, 16:00, Biology Greenhouse.
Anyone interested in the bees and especially in volunteering &/or taking the summer course should attend. We’ll recap the year and talk about plans for next.
Items needed: 1-1/2 qt plastic peanut/mixed nut jars (Costco type), for feeders
Rigid insulation 1, 1-1/2, or 2 inch, for hive winterizing
Burlap coffee bags, for smokers
Laundry lint, for smoker tinder
Newspaper, for combining, smoker lighting Leftover paint (exterior latex), for hives
OUR BLOG:
http://beeinterns.blogspot.com/
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| Results of test of Fumadil (anti-Nosema) drench |
