News from Down Under

[Michael Bush]

Small cell studies:
https://bushfarms.com/beessctheories.htm#smallcellstudies

As far as cell size, the bees will chew out the cocoons when the cell size falls below a set threshold.  There is a limit to how small they will get and it's a natural limit.  See "A Biometrical Study of the Influence of Size of Brood Cell upon the Size and Variability of the Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.)"-Roy Grout

Also you get smaller cells just by letting them.  Don't use foundation and you get smaller cells.

[max2]

In the studies I have been reading there is no mention of bees" chewing"  and thus trying to enlarge the cells? I have not seen it done.
Less honey, less pollen, smaller population...smaller bees...does not seem to be favourable to a colony?
We don't have Varroa at this stage and I can't personally comment about the effect of smaller cells on varroa



Research shows ( comparing new comb vs 4 year old comb): with 4 year old comb: 15% less honey, 19.7% less pollen and 24% smaller population.They also noted that the honey was not as nice.Bees were smaller ( 32%)Queens also ( 28%)...less royal jelly.Multiple references are quoted.To me, the evidence is clear.I have been making up more frames and have started to replace  more frames each time I take honey off - this is the best time for me with less need to lift supers.

[NigelP]

There was an old paper examining some French bee colonies that were surviving varroa without treatment.
What made my ears prick up was when they treated some of these colonies for varroa honey yields increased by 1.7x. a not inconsiderable amount.  Sug gesting (for these bees at least) living with varroa was very energetically expensive.
https://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/pdf/2007/06/m6118.pdf

[max2]

I checked on the two large swarmes we hived.
Both are going very well.
I added traps and and inner lid.
I also checked on the first batch of nuc's i made a month ago.
All have queens and quite nice patterns of eggs.
Some are ready to sell.

[max2]

A followup on the SS Queen excluder.
These are punched excluders I never been game to use. The edges feel rather sharp.
Others here have used them with no isse.
So, I gave one a go.
Nil problem. The excluder is now on my best producing hive.
I took a 1/2 super of honey off this hive on the 27, September and another full 1/2 super  on the 4. October.
To my surprise the Q excluder was very clean - no comb builduo, no propolis.
I often read about Q excluders being honey excluders. Well this hive , to my surprise, had no issue.

[Michael Bush]

I had some punched plastic ones in the past.  I think they tear up their wings more than smooth wire or smooth round plastic ones.

[max2]

I mentioned a while back a very large swarms we hived.
I think this was around the 14th October.
We split this swarm into two.
Today I went and had a look at the 10 frame super with the 1/2 without the queen.
As expected there were 5 queen cells.
I split the 10 frames into 2 x 5 frame nuc's - each with a couple of Queen cells. On the 14 November I will open these nuc's again in the hope that both have laying queens!.

I also checked a few more of the nuc's i made a month ago - some are powering but this year I had two duds so far.

We have been taking honey off every day except saturday which was market day. The flow is still on...it will end some day...except if the Brushbox and Ironbark are delivering.
We shall see.

[max2]

It has been hot here.The heat has not eased for most of the week and in the middle of the day it is even too hot to do work in the beehouse.
The bees are hanging out of their boxes too cool off.I don't like that look. This is when the SHB sneak in.
Early in the morning I managed to make a few splits, check on some hives, and pick up some queens.By nine  the temperature makes work outside uncomfortable..It is not only beework I try to get done in the cooler part of the day, the garden too needs some attention.I can't stop myself from growing seedlings from seed and they need some extra attention.
When the temperature and humidity drives me inside the beehouse there are plenty of jobs waiting for attention.I have been making tealights and just ordered another 500 cups and wicks.I'm always nervous when ordering online.I'm glad and relieved when the right stuff arrives.I have a candle mould which has room for 6 x 5 hrs candles. This mould needs to have the wick inserted - quite a slow process. I can only do six candles and then have to wait  for the wax to cool and release the candles.Lovely to see them when they are perfect.Back to inserting the wick and more wax...I will never run out of making up frames. I still do them the very old fashioned way - eyelets, glue, nails top, bottom and sides.. Stainless steel wire.I'm surprised by the number of frames I sell.I have made up jigs for the assembly of the frames and also for the wiring part.It is light work but when the thermometer hits 32C inside the beehouse it is time to move to my office.32C in the beehouse and only 24C in the office - no AC. We built the house more that 30 years ago from subsoil under the house footprint. The 30cm earthwall keeps the rooms lovely and cool.I never have to heat or artificially cool this part of the home.This is also the room where we keep the comb honey. perfect temperature!
Later in the afternoon the heat eases and I can return to the beehouse. A cool breeze generally moves up the valley from the river below us.By late afternoon it is time to check on the cows and move them into a new paddock.
The days are long but it is a rare day when all the jobs are done.There is always another morning

[Terri Yaki]

The days are long but it is a rare day when all the jobs are done.There is always another morning

As I recall, that is farming.