Pests

Possible reasons for winter losses!🐝

apiarymanager Bee Health, Feeding Bees and Starvation, Foul Brood Diseases, Hornets, Neonicotinoids, Nosema, PBKA, Pests, Varroa

We have had reports of significant Honey Bee losses this winter. This can be for a variety of reasons including starvation, queen failure, undiagnosed/untreated disease, mite infestation, pesticides and of course, inclement weather.

Beekeepers may find the attached from the NBU of interest and perhaps act as a timely reminder to keep their eye on the ball with such risks as Varroa and Nosema for example, which have faded into the background somewhat, with the looming threat of the Yellow Legged Hornet!

Asian Hornet update!🐝

apiarymanager Hornets, PBKA, Pests
Hi all, we have put our bees to bed and made sure they have plenty of stores. For the moment we can relax.

I ask, that you think about the Yellow Legged Hornet. Any males should by now have perished. Female hornets would still be active. Watch out for nests as the leaves fall from trees and the hedges get thinner. Non lethal traps are worth keeping out where you can see them everyday. If we learn to prepare now we stand a better chance of managing the Inevitable invasion of hornets in the future. This year, more nests than ever have been discovered.

Please remain vigilant.

Peter Kirkup – PBKA Asian Hornet Co-ordinator

Bee treatments and the recording of veterinary medicines 

apiarymanager Bee Health, Education & Training, Foul Brood Diseases, National Bee Unit, Nosema, PBKA, Pests, Starting Beekeeping, Stories of Interest, Training, Varroa
Beekeepers should regularly check their bees for signs of disease and infestations.
Now is a good time to check and treat for Varroa, before Winter feeding commences. There are numerous permitted treatments available and you are required to keep records of treatment given.
See below the advice given by the National Bee Unit (NBU).

Record of Veterinary Medicines 

You must keep records of all veterinary medicines administered to colonies for at least five years, irrespective if the colony concerned is no longer in your possession or has died during that period.

The ‘veterinary medicine administration record’, is a useful template for you to use to meet these requirements.
Your medicines records can be requested at any time by the relevant authority and/or bee inspector. Failing to keep records of veterinary medicines applied to honey bee colonies, as set out in the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) 2013, is an offence.

Asian Hornet Coordinator Report

apiarymanager Hornets, PBKA, Pests

A brief comment on the Asian Hornet or Yellow Legged Hornet, it seems the new term is preferred, in June, Kent and East Sussex provided the only confirmed reports. PLEASE DO NOT try to deal with a nest if you find one, REPORT IT. https://risc.brc.ac.uk/alert.php?species=asian_hornet

Let’s talk about… WASPS, that time of year is upon us, time to reduce the entrance gap to one bee space. I am reluctant to kill wasps, they have their role to play in nature, perhaps my observations and ideas will be helpful to you when you inevitably face a wasp invasion. Putting out wasp traps I abandoned long ago, they cause the demise of wasps and other insects, even worse, the wasps that escape seem to tell other wasps they found a sweet drink and more start appearing. It is likely a wasp nest is near by, to find it can be tricky. Wasps are easy to catch so you can glue a bit of foil to one, release it and see where it goes. This year, if I get a problem (shouldn’t do as hives are big and strong) I will offer the wasps a sweet liquid treat away from my hives, they might choose the easy option and not harass my colonies. What do you think, do you have other solutions? If my attempt fails I plan to adopt a biological weapon, watch this YouTube video to see how organised wasps can be and what secret defense you can employ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9RfjS6rVoE&t=216s&pp=2AHYAZACAcoFFEFjcm9iYXRpY3MgbWluaXNjdWx

Peter Kirkup

PBKA Asian Hornet Coordinator