tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post4850537518090664697..comments2023-05-11T05:13:52.835-07:00Comments on The Valley Ripple: First Fall Casualty...T.M.Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05918557389921159736noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-18331798829463942962016-11-18T17:50:11.351-08:002016-11-18T17:50:11.351-08:00That's right neighborly of you, Muffy, killing...That's right neighborly of you, Muffy, killing off your neighbor's bees. So much for "Save the Pollinators,"right? What a coincidence main minion Ben is your neighbor. He's almost single handedly running the Beez Neez these days. I just hope the BN can stay in business.<br /><br />I doubt you did much damage to Ben's bees. Summertime colonies are at their peak population and a dozen or two here or there won't do much harm. I have set up a moth sheet in our backyard at night to see what moths lurk out there in the Valley and the sheet attracts a half dozen or so honeybees every night. Most insects are "like moths to the flame" and honeybees are no exception.<br /><br />Say it it ain't so: thirty years ago? Seems like just yesterday I was asking you to stand and deliver your memory work. You have always been my Muffy #1 and I've yet to find a Muffy #2. Good to hear from you, Ms. Muffy. Thanks for reading The Ripple and the ramblings of this old man. TMJT.M.Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05918557389921159736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-18318842731789370452016-11-18T10:43:21.118-08:002016-11-18T10:43:21.118-08:00My neighbor, Ben, yes, Ben from Beez Neez (sp?) is...My neighbor, Ben, yes, Ben from Beez Neez (sp?) is a bee keeper. His hive is in the corner of his backyard, which border mine. In the late summer I kept noticing dead bees on my cement patio in the mornings. I eventually figured out that every night a select few would swarm around the light instead of returning to their hive. After more research I learned there is some strange phenomenon where they can become entranced by the light, almost hypnotized, and will die while in this state. I felt terrible. I started leaving the light off until complete darkness. Still didn't work. Such a strange phenomenon. Great to see you blogging again, Mr. J. <br /><br />- Carrie (Whitney) Milburn, a.k.a. "Muffy". I think you were my teacher right about about 30 years ago. ;)Spicyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10459815971046221280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-15679091630312539802016-09-30T22:35:34.993-07:002016-09-30T22:35:34.993-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.mattbeebepoemshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14379933654291050229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-59827293810973746552016-09-27T18:19:09.297-07:002016-09-27T18:19:09.297-07:00Yeah, no wonder the bees can't make it past fa...Yeah, no wonder the bees can't make it past fall each year. I was astounded by that mite load. I checked the tray the day after the photo and the drop appeared to be only a couple dozen. Yes, I treated that hive with HG in August and also did one heavy dosing of powdered sugar. I didn't have trays to check on mite drop during the HG treatments so have no idea how effective they were. Hope to do another OA treatment before the end of the week. I'm planning on bringing the Frohning hive back to the property before the wkend also and will treat it as well. Should be interesting to see what's going on mite-wise in that hive. Thanks for the comment. TMJT.M.Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05918557389921159736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-54419441504821599552016-09-27T06:10:55.225-07:002016-09-27T06:10:55.225-07:00Wow that is crazy! And after treating with Hop Gua...Wow that is crazy! And after treating with Hop Guard in August? Did you get much mite drop from that treatment? I plan on doing another oxalic treatment in winter to be safe. Even with 3 treatments, I'm sure there's still a lot of little buggers in the caps that are able avoid the treatments.gapeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07215005650083018510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-52903464690332101032016-09-26T11:22:33.953-07:002016-09-26T11:22:33.953-07:00Beekeeping has always had its "challenges,&qu...Beekeeping has always had its "challenges," but these were minor irritations (swarm abatement, brood diseases, laying workers, pesticide kills, bee dysentery [nosema], etc.). Mites are an entirely different level of frustration as there seems to be no effective way to combat them. In the meantime the colonies die and we replace them every spring. Thanks for reading, kiddo. TMJT.M.Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05918557389921159736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-34944454841335735242016-09-26T11:16:14.059-07:002016-09-26T11:16:14.059-07:00Interesting you should bring up the chemical issue...Interesting you should bring up the chemical issue. The first miticides left a residual buildup in the comb and subsequent brood were contaminated by the chemical,thus proved toxic to the bees: unintended consequences again. In fact there are still traces of the chemical in foundation wax sold to beekeepers. Some have gone to plastic foundation for this reason. (No plastic yet for this beekeeper.) On the biological front, some beekeepers are raising queens from overwintered colonies, hoping to pass along mite-resistant traits to new generations. Some colonies, also, seem do more grooming of each other, removing the mites in this manner. Not sure any research yet into a predator mite that targets Varroa but numerous biologists and entomologists are working on the mite problem. Then there's the middle of the road organic approach. The miticide Hop Guard uses a derivative from the hop plant. It's a contact miticide: bee movement spreads it throughout the hive thus spreading it to the mites. I've used this for three years and believe the product is ineffective. Oxalic acid derived from wood sorrels is also an organic treatment. (Oxalis,of course, is found in rhubarb and many other edible plants.) I have done the first fumigation treatment and one colony presented over a thousand dead mites on the bottom board. That hive had been medicated with HG twice and had one heavy dusting with powered sugar (makes the bees slippery and mites fall through the screened bottom boards to their deaths). Varroa mites are here to stay. The beekeeper can only hope to assist his colonies keep them at a manageable level. Good to hear from those Beebes. TMJT.M.Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05918557389921159736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-62495496180282870352016-09-25T23:24:45.075-07:002016-09-25T23:24:45.075-07:00As if keeping bees didn't already have its cha...As if keeping bees didn't already have its challenges. I'm curious to find out about the colony on the Frohning Farm. Keep me posted. (I'd type more, but I have a stiff finger). Buzz buzz!Marikahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07081113541968920322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3284974424559143648.post-23492037715941498122016-09-25T20:48:32.687-07:002016-09-25T20:48:32.687-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.mattbeebepoemshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14379933654291050229noreply@blogger.com