Viruses are the smallest of all the micro-organisms. There is debate about whether they are really alive or just tiny machine-like bundles of protein which function only in response to physical forces. They have no independent metabolism and are unable to live or reproduce on their own. Instead the modus operandi of viruses is to penetrate a cell wall of the target creature and head for the nucleus which is then hi-jacked and coerced into manufacturing more viral particles; the cell becomes a virus factory. Generally when the cycle is over, the cell will rupture and millions of new viruses will float or seep out into the environment. Continue reading Bee Viruses
Hibernating Queen Wasps
What you do with them is up to you – it’s always a dilemma for me. Remember that each one has the potential to create a huge wasp colony of perhaps 15,000 individuals and if you’ve had real wasp problems in the past you know what this can mean for the bees. However they are great in the garden in the early part of the year and only come into conflict with the bees in the late summer. If the bees are strong and you get your entrances narrowed down in time they will be able to defend themselves.
If there seem to be a lot of them you could prune them.
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Storm Damage
But weren’t we lucky! Our farmer noticed the branch had dropped and let us know quite quickly – it only broke one hive and we rescued the bees.
First sight was horrific but closer examination showed only one hive seriously damaged – a polystyrene one. Part of the branch landed on the roof, breaking the hives stand and the front wall of the poly box popped out under the pressure followed by the first frame. Somehow the rest of the frames stayed in place and the bees were actively coming and going when we arrived to rescue them.
Another part of the same branch landed on a wooden hive (the white one near the centre of the main picture) and the metal top of the roof buckled a bit but managed to survive the blow intact. Polystyrene hives are certainly not as strong as wooden ones but in fairness, this one still had the strength to hold together somehow despite a blow strong enough to break the wooden hive stand.
The moral of this story is to keep checking your hives throughout the winter because sometimes storm damage doesn’t come to full fruition till some time after the event.
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Crocus Bees
Crocuses are only just opening now but should be open every sunny day from now until mid-March. The bees won’t get honey from these but fresh pollen at this time of the year is important as it will give them all a bit of a boost and help get the queen laying. Continue reading Crocus Bees
Nosema Disease
If, like me, you thought Nosema was skittery bees – think again because that’s dysentery. Nosema, or should I say Nosemosis, is something else altogether. Read on. Continue reading Nosema Disease
Acetic Acid Fumigation
If you have old brood frames it is always a good idea to fumigate them before using them again to kill Nosema spores and wax moth. However, be sure they don’t come from a hive where the bees died of AFB. If you aren’t sure, or if frames contain patches of old sealed brood it’s probably best to burn them.
If the wax is old and very black it is best to strip these frames down and add fresh foundation in the spring – you’ll seldom find AFB in nice clean frames. Continue reading Acetic Acid Fumigation
Diseases of Bees – an Overview
Stress and prolonged periods of foul weather can allow some of these diseases such as Nosema or Dysentery to thrive.
Other pests such as Varroa make their presence felt later in the year and of course you can’t treat them while you have honey on board.
Brood diseases won’t be noticed until there is brood so they are always a concern for summer inspections but not to be forgotten in the winter. In fact, if you bring in dead hives in autumn or spring always be on the look out for AFB eg patches of dead brood with sunken cappings and if in doubt – burn.
Bee diseases can be immediately split into two broad categories:
- Diseases of adult bees;
- Diseases of bee brood.
Diseases of adult bees which can arise in this country are as follows – click for information sheet:
Diseases of brood which can arise in this country:
Click here for Shook Swarming and Disease Control
Copyright © Beespoke.info, 2014. All Rights Reserved.
Acarine Disease
Signs and Symptons
Acarine disease is something to look for in the spring when colonies may fail to build up properly. Look out for large numbers of crawling bees on the ground and/or a pile of dead bees beneath the entrance – these are signs of chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) which is often present when the bees have Acarine. They may also have ‘K wings’. This is where the bees hold their fore-wings at strange angles so they look like a letter K. The bee has has four wings, two on each side; they are zipped together for flight and unzipped but folded together in a relaxed sort of way otherwise. With K wings it’s as if the wings are broken and the fore-wings are held out at right angles.
Dysentery
Dysentery is more of a disorder than a disease as there seems to be no causative organism. It is where the gut fills with more fluid than the bee can handle and the primary sign or symptom is when the fronts of the hives and sometimes even the insides of the hives are all spattered with skittery bee crap. Continue reading Dysentery
Garden Heathers
The garden heathers are in bloom now and the bees are all over them whenever the weather allows. These are not to be confused with the Ling heather (Calluna vulgaris) we see on the hills in the late summer – they are all Erica species, mostly varieties of Erica carnea or E.cinerea. Erica specialists please correct me here. Continue reading Garden Heathers