Optima

Aug 13, 2014 | 0 comments

Encourages Hygienic Behaviour when used as a spray or drench when mixed in light syrup at the rate of 1/3 teaspoon Optima in 1/3 quart syrup per colony. Food Supplement containing all natural whole plant technology polyphenols together with a proven complete essential oil package. Feeding Stimulant that encourages syrup consumption. Antibacterial for the bees as well as the hive components. Encourages drawing out wax when sprayed on new plastic foundation. Calms Bees when mixed in sugar syrup and sprayed on bees – use in place of smoker and is much better for our environment. Used to help new queen...

Chalk Brood

Aug 13, 2014 | 0 comments

What are the signs? When observing the hive , inspecting the entrance and bottom board/mesh you may come acroos greyish-white pellets or even dark grey to black ( when fruiting bodies are present) the size of larvae. They look like small lumps of chalk and hence the aptly named ‘Chalkbrood’. Closer inspection of the bee frames in the colony may reveal certain cells with the caps removed showing these pellets inside. The disease is characterised by the infected brood, called ‘mummies’ so named by their appearance. Larvae die of chlakbrood after the cells have been capped. Chalkbrood initially appears fluffy...

Nosema

Aug 13, 2014 | 0 comments

The nosema disease is a parasitic disease of adult honey bees (apis mellifera) caused by the described species of microsporidia, Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, which in adverse living conditions forms spores. Honeybees afflicted with nosemosis start to forage earlier, while pathological changes of their mid-gut epithelial cells, as well as digestive and metabolic disorders, cause malnutrition leading to premature deaths. Spores enter the digestive tract of bees via infected food and drink or on occasions of social food exchange with other bees. The most common source of infection include unsanitary water supply, honeycomb marked with faeces of infected bees,...

Varroa

Jul 25, 2014 | 0 comments

LIFE CYCLE OF THE HONEY BEE. The Honey bee exists as an egg for the first three days of its life. About the third day the egg hatches to form small larvae. The larvae will exist until the 7th to 8th day. The worker bees then start to feed the larvae and the larvae continues to eat getting larger every day. The larvae become large and robust and are pearly white colour, covering the bottom of the cell. The adult bees then begin to cap the cell. The VARROA MITE must enter the cell before the cell is capped. If a varroa mite has not entered the cell...