What did you do today? (2014)

Hi, made the pin today that ties the two channels that hang down below the beam and to which the chain block is held up by.

The reduced portion in the centre is where the hook of the chain block sits and keeps it central to the trolley.

The design of this trolley maximises the full width of the traveling lifting beam.

Just need to make and fit a pair of guide pads to keep the trolley central on the lifting beam and to stop it twisting.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 03/04/2014 22:14:46

Spent another 3hrs in the garage on bee boxes, I can deliver them all on Friday.

Ian S C, the Varroa mite is now endemic across the UK and Northern Ireland. It has been established that it is a vector for viruses that affect the bees, K wing virus and Israeli virus, and others. The eradication has to be ongoing all the time and as it becomes immune to one treatment then we change to another.At the moment I am using a wafer that is impregnated with what are called essential oils called Api life Var. I no longer use a miticide as it is now no longer effective after much over use. Thymol in a sugar feed helps and there are other applications that use Thymol. for long term application. Acetic acid is also used but care is needed to apply it. The problem is that you can kill the Varroa that is on the bees and loose in the hive but not the ones in the comb, the incubation period is 10 days and you have to re-apply on the 9th day before that lot come out of the combs. Of course they come out all the time so that is why it has to be ongoing. Open mesh floors are now needed and means that any Varroa that go on the floor fall through and die.

A new threat is coming, it is the Asian Hornet which preys on bees. It has swept through Europe and is now in Northern France and is expected to get across the Channel soon. Lots of French beekeepers have been reporting lost hives to the Hornet. There is a method of trapping the Hornet which means another bit of hardware to make. Basically its mode of attack is to behead a few bees which demoralizes the hive and the bees stay inside and not forage, this depletes the stores and the hive dwindles and then the Hornet horde descends and enters the hive and kills all the bees.

No sooner do we get to work on one pest, another one is reported. This is Globalisation in the bee world as these pests are imported by accident or unintentionally.

Clive

Clive - what is the device that traps the hornets?

Clive - what is the device that traps the hornets?  Is it easy to make?

Edited By ChrisH on 03/04/2014 23:08:28

i do like Nick Farr's hoist etc. all i need is a complicated system through the house from the workshop then down some steps then 40ft up the garden to the car boot to load my miniature locos unassisted!

cheers,

julian

maybe something like this: **LINK**

i'm sure they could accommodate your requirements!

Hello Chris, the Hornet trap is an 18" square box, about 4" deep. The front has a slot to let bees in and then behind the slot is a wall. The bees can go up and into the hive through another slot in the roof of the compartment. The rear of the box then has a sliding drawer and the drawer and the sides of the main box have matching holes and, 'Cones' are fitted on the inside of the drawer, these are, 'one way cones that let insects in, but not out, hence the trap effect. The Hornets get in after the bees but are unable to get to them as there is a wire mesh above them and they eventually die of dehydration. Should be quite easy to make in Western Red Cedar wood and the mesh is available from Thornes in 18" squares. You will of course need 1 for each hive. Best way is buy 1 trap and then make copies! Naughty I know but needs must.

If you search, 'Asian Hornet traps' you will find methods of making bottle traps and if you search Vita-Europe.com you will see a pic. of the wooden base trap.

Clive

.

Clive,

That sounds uncomfortably like a planned attack

... I have sent you a PM.

MichaelG.

I watched a documentary on TV about these giant hornets (in Japan I think), a bee keeping priest was the leading character, you may have seen it. Those hornets might well have been made by De Havillands, and been powered by a couple of RR Merlins, they are monsters.

The Verroa mite is a fairly recent invader here, and it is gradually spreading all over the country.

Ian S C

I watched that one Ian, they crept up on a single hornet and attached a cotton tag to it and followed it to the nest. If I remember rightly it was in a pile of rocks and they used a JCB type digger to get it out.

Clive

Hi Nick,
I was going to suggest using flanged wheels but it would not fit in with your design. I thought I had put flanges on the wheels on mine but when I went to take pictures I found I had only fitted a flanged wheel to the wheel that can be used to drive it along the track. I did not even make wheels for the other three. I just used the outer of the bearings.

I had just used guide plates on the other three corners.

Les.

Hi Clive ,If we see these hornets can we all join in killing them? I am willing to sacrifice some of my honey

(I do not keep bees) to act as bait ,if so how? Maurice

Clive - My favourite honey is when the bees have been on rape seed. Judging by the already yellowing fields round here there should be no shortage of grub for them this year - can only hope that the nasties don't get to them and clobber their honey production.

Rik

Maurice, try and access the Google page that i mentioned, search for, 'Asian Hornet traps' and it gives details of how to make clear wasp traps from lemonade bottles, they like orange juice by the way ! Best not to use honey in a trap as if it is from abroad it can have infective bacteria like American foul brood spores in it and the bees will try and feed on it. Its wasps your after not bees. My bottle traps catch dozens of wasps.

Clive

RiK, personally I do not like Rape honey, it tastes like icing sugar to me. It is a big problem for bee keepers when the bees collect rape honey as it sets hard in the comb within 3 days and has to be melted out.. My preference is honey from Cherry, apple and plum and pear as I can smell the fruit essence in it. One of my main crops is Blackberry nectar and Raspberry as we have a big area of both. The DEFRA and the Bee keeping organisation are well up on the risk of this pest coming in and its right we should be prepared for it. Just more expense for more hardware on the hives. I think the authorities will be very alert and try their best to eradicate any nests as they are reported. Remember that a Hornets nest comes from 1 Queen so if you find a hibernating queen kill it and therefore no nest, simples.

Clive

Clive

Does the native Hornet attack bees and destroy hives? I have never seen one.

JA

Clive, many thanks for the info on traps for the Asian Hornet. Pesky blighters aren't they? Seems like the more that are trapped and killed the better, esp the queens. I do not have a hive as no space but would like one, so am very interested in what you write on bees!

Chris

JA

Like you I had never seen one either - until we moved down here to the West Country. We do get them here from time to time - imaging the largest queen wasp you have ever seen and multiply by about two! They LOOK angry when they are flying ( and the flying is not elegant!) - but I certainly give them a wide berth - I have no desire to have a close encounter - of ANY kind - with a hornet !

Norman

Edited By NJH on 04/04/2014 20:08:13

> so if you find a hibernating queen kill it and therefore no nest, simples.

Yes, stomp on the bee-killers, but please don't kill native hornets. I've been within inches of a nest and surrounded by them feeding on fallen plums and not been stung. Nearly every spring I have to let a queen out of my workshop.

Neil

I have approached the subject of having a hive or two in the garden on a number of occasions without success. She quite simply cannot bear Buzzy Stingy things. I know, Bees generally do not go out of their way to sting, but she will not have it.

graham.