Bees

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Comment by Nicholas Mayne on July 24, 2012 at 9:57am

I got a nucs coming earlier than I expected so I need to quickly finish a raised langstroth base I am building for the hive. I urgently need a sheet of mesh for the bottom; any ideas where to get one quickly?

Comment by Janet Luke on July 4, 2012 at 12:27pm

Does anyone use oxalic acid for successful varroa treatment? jellyman on the Save Our Bees forum needs some advice http://www.greenurbanliving.co.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=1103

Remember to attend, if you are able, the Varroa workshops being held in the North and South Islands soon

http://nba.org.nz/news-events/news/varroa-workshops-information

Comment by Julie Martin on June 26, 2012 at 10:33am

Great to hear that the Conference was successful, Janet. In hindsight I am delighted with my visit to Paul.  He said that the banning of top bar hives by the Ministry would be most unlikely and that the criteria rests with the comb and its ability for inspection and not with the type of frame it is in, which really brings everything back to the original MAF interpretation.  Hopefully when the review of the Strategy is completed  those who have doubts about top bar hives will think it through and realise that in the end whatever the type of hive it all comes down to good hive management.

Comment by Janet Luke on June 25, 2012 at 7:12pm

Hi Julie, great to hear your experiences regarding Top Bar Hives. We had a great Natural Beekeeping Conference here in Havelock North on Saturday with over 65 people attending.I have recently also spoken to Paul Bolger and did invite him to our conference. He did tell me that if the Ministry  considered banning TBh's all stakeholders would be involved in an indepth consultation. He went on to state that the most likely outcome would probably be a changing to the Strategy to include words that stated that all comb form  a hive, irrespective of design, is required to be inspectable. I am perfectly happy with this outcome as we all know that a Top Bar Hive can be inspected. It is good to know that it appears that common sense has won out finally. 

Comment by Julie Martin on June 25, 2012 at 4:45pm

“After listening to Janet Luke’s very interesting morning report item on top bar hives I thought I should update the forum on my experiences since I last wrote.

As I have already written here I use top bar hives, not because I am a purist, but simply because they suit me better than the langstroth. I had them both last year and so know what I am talking about. I have also adapted the bars to my needs so that I never have any risk of breakage.

Last December Tony Roper and Rex Baynes came and inspected my top bars and Tony said he found them very easy to inspect. His Exotic Inspector had already looked at them much earlier in the year.

I invited the members of the MA to come and talk about them and see them – which they did at the end of April - and I have photos on my walls to show just how rigorous an inspection they made. But there was not the slightest risk of any of the heavy capped honey combs breaking no matter at which angle they were held.

I didn’t hear anything from them so last week as I had already made an appointment, I went to see Paul Bolger in Wellington, which was before the morning talk article. I took with me my MA photos, adapted top bars (including one with a failsafe method of being placed back in the exact position required by the bees) and a comb of capped honey which survived the trip magnificently in a plastic bag. He didn’t say much but I think he realised that top bar hives with adapted bars (not frames as that would make the hive a long hive) are perfectly easy to work and inspect just the same as frame hives. With the adaptions you don’t have to keep the comb straight when inspecting it, which is what I like.

I can’t quite make out who the gentleman is trying to convince when he says that the langstroth hive is easier to work than a top bar and he may find it difficult to accept working a top bar himself as, like Janet, I agree that it is a place to keep bees and not to extract lots of honey and other products, which is presumably the reason he is a commercial beekeeper. I would also point out that the spread of AFB has a lot to do with exchanging equipment between apiaries, which is very unlikely with top bar beekeepers.

Comment by Janet Luke on June 20, 2012 at 8:11pm

Latest about the legality of Top Bar hives

http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/remote-player?id=2522314

Want to be part of the solution? Come and attend NZ's First ever Natural Beekeeping Conference here in Hawkes Bay, this Saturday. We have over 55 people attending, it is shaping up to be a great day.Natural%20Beekeeping%20Conference.pdf We will talk about all aspects of natural beekeeping, keeping bees in a bee focussed way and opening up some Top Bar hvies to prove all those skeptics that yes, they can be checked for exotic diseases.

Comment by Grant on June 1, 2012 at 9:47pm

Tony, there is also NZ Beekeepers, Buy, Sell & Exchange to keep an eye out for next seasons availability

Comment by Gary and Margaret - Kiwimana on June 1, 2012 at 4:22pm

Hi Tony,

Yes we will be selling NUCS, but not until Spring.  Get in touch via our web site to join a waiting list if you are keen...Thanks Gary

http://kiwimana.co.nz

Comment by Tony Culmer on June 1, 2012 at 3:19pm

Hi there. Anyone know where to purchase a nuc from? Bob Blair on the Shore, is retiring and won't have any more this season.

Comment by Grant on May 22, 2012 at 7:29pm

Upcoming beekeeping events for New Zealand beekeepers

http://www.nzbees.net/forum/events/upcoming

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