For Beginners: December
Ivor Davis, PhD, NDB
In the last of Ivor's series, here are some tips for the depth of winter
LAST MONTH, in a letter HIGH WATER COLD WINTERS ARE A taking the best to create
to Bee Craft, Mike new generations of queensCONTENT IN HONEY GOOD THING
from one stock alone.Rowbottom reminded us
I discussed honey last I was recently in Californiathat rats can also be hive
month and mentioned that and had the pleasure of ISOLATIONpredators and will work
honey is better and has a meeting Susan Cobey, a STARVATION
hard to gain access to longer shelf life if the water world renowned bee In winter, the cluster moves
colony stores. I have content is less than 19%. I researcher from Davis upwards as it consumes its
never had this problem have been asked what can University. She stated that in honey stores. The cluster
but my hives have be done if the water content California winters are quite may move away from stores is higher than this. warm and bees do not really
suffered from vandalism. in other parts of the hivehave a rest period.
The simplest remedy is to and, unless it expands inBEE RUSTLING
mix the batch with another She used to work in Idaho warmer weather and
There has also been a recent that has a much lower where they have cold reforms, the bees canwater content. If you have
upsurge in bee rustling winters. She noted that become isolated from theirhoney with 16% water winter is a time of great
which is very sad. Rustlers stores. The colony can thencontent then mixing it with stress to the bee colony die of starvation.
are probably beekeepers the same quantity of honey and thought that many of
who see the chance to gain All I can suggest is to have awith 20% water will result the colonies that die in
a colony or collect additional quick look in the brood nestin honey with a water winter were weak, from
honey at the expense of on a calm day. Check thatcontent of about 18%. poor genetic stocks or
another beekeeper. there are stores near the brood diseased and were not
So long as the water nest. If not, place someIn reality, many opportunists good breeding material. In
content is 20% or less, it is fondant directly over thewill try to steal stores from California these stocks
legally honey and should be cluster. Work quickly to reduce
colonies in winter when continue to be weak. enjoyed as such. Just do the chance of chilling the
food is short. Once you not try to store it for a long GENE POOL brood.
know the nature of the time and be careful if it
attacker you can take starts to crystallise as this She also believes that one VARROA CONTROL
appropriate precautions. might initiate fermentation. of many possible causes of The important time to
Thank goodness we do not You can also make mead or Colony Collapse Disorder control varroa is before
have bears in this country cakes with it. Freezing (CCD) in America is the very winter. This is because varroa
attacking our beehives! arrests the fermentation. narrow gene pool that is vectors viruses and these build
used to generate queens
Bees can starve in winter even with plenty of stores. This up in the colony throughouteach year. The bees have
is called isolation starvation and occurs when the cluster the year. Even though thebeen bred to be good
moves and loses contact with the honey varroa numbers are lowhoney collectors, pollinators
through winter, the virus levelsand gentle but the normal
in the winter bees may still behybrid vigour from more
high and shorten their lives.natural mating is being lost.
Varroa mites can then transferPerhaps we do not have
the virus to the new brood inthis problem (narrow gene
spring. pool) in the UK but it is a
warning that the search for If mite levels are controlled
a perfect bee must not through the summer, the
divert us from maintaining a virus level can be kept low
ret wide variety of honey bee in the adult bees and the
pm
u genes in this country. colony has a better chanceS
dla Breeding is more than of surviving the winter.
no
D
Bee Craft digital December 2008 Page 7
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