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Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 11:05 am Post subject:
Are you all registered on the beebase?

gardening-girl

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 6024
Location: Somerset.

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 12:18 pm Post subject:
I am! I have one national. I may have a quick look inside this afternoon ,its very warm and sunny here.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 3:12 pm Post subject:
Im not, but know the local bee inspector who has been to visit a couple of times - very helpful lady. My bees got a clean bill of health, although she was concerned at the lack of forage locally (we are surrounded by maize & rape fields. They seem to do okay though....

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 4:33 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

We tend to let our modern hives alone most of the time as they are not somewhere that swarms are going to bother people.

I would suggest that a certain amount of inspection is a good idea if swarms may be a problem, and to check for disease. Foul brood is around in southern England, and having infected hives is not popular among the beekeeping fraternity.

The problem with regular inspection is every time you open a conventional hive you usually have to subdue it with smoke which disturbs the equilibrium of the colony for some time afterwards. Another plus in favour of HTB hives.
Much about what happens inside (including brood disease & imminent swarming) can be determined through observation at the entrance, especially if you use senses of smell & hearing as well as sight.
Read 'At the hive entrance' by Storch.
Valuable book.

mochasidamo

Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 615
Location: Montgomery

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 14 9:47 pm Post subject:

Tavascarow wrote:

Usually? Erm, no. The only advantage of a htbh can be simulated very simply using clean smooth tea-towels to keep the frame tops covered except where you are working. You can use water sprays with box hives any time it's warm enough to work them.

Please explain how you can detect foul broods from outside a hive.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16273

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 6:49 am Post subject:
That's what mainly bothers me too Mochasidamo. Lorraine, I am surprised your bee inspector is worried about lack of forage if there is rape in the area. It should be coming into flower now and the bees will really go for it. It is often the main crop for our bees in the woods, although they also go onto things like bramble later in the year.

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