I can't thank you enough for making this video. I'm a second yr beekeeper and I was unsure of how my inspections should be done and this was still the case after attending a beekeeping class I took during the winter. There were many questions I had but couldn't be answered until I saw a demonstration closeup of a hive. There is nothing like seeing up close what to look for during the inspection. Your tips about how to shake the frames, what to look for with wax moths (my fellow bee classmate just lost her hive to moth infestation), and how to wiggle back on the excluder along with how not to roll your bees is such invaluable information. I truly appreciate your dedication to helping many of us out here! Best, Alicia DeHaai Gloucester, MA USA
I have learnt beekeeping through my local beekeeping association and reading books during the winter from France (I am originally from France but living the last 20 years in Ireland) and Ireland/UK but I found your videos so instructive...I am just starting to follow you and I hope you will continue posting....It is important for us beginners (I am only in my 4th year) to have experienced beekeepers sharing their knowledge and make us better beekeepers.Thanks a million for you and your little helpers ,great work Stewart :)
It is a pleasure to watch you working with your bees,I have to catch up to watch all your videos :) I continue learning and you are so inspiring....Any chance to show your technique on wintering your hives? I know it is still a little bit early for that....I am hoping to extract soon and I am already starting to think about what next :) Varroa control,hives back on warm way,inspection etc...traps for wasp already made etc...
"Jazz Hands" hahaha I don't normally comment on videos but I'm going to take the opportunity to thank you for all the ones you have done. They are an excellent place to start for any novice bee keepers out there.
Hi BCFHex, I really do appreciate you taking the time to comment and appreciate your kind words. Brilliant, at last someone has watched my videos to the very end, lol. I decided to leave it in just to see if anyone would comment, you win the prize fore being the first. Well Done. Stewart
Hi Monica, I found a wax moth larvae in my hive yesterday. I need to go back and inspect properly ASAP. Just curious how you got on with your hive. Did your hive come back strong?
Hi Neal, It's always good to be able to show beginner beekeepers what these things actually look like in the flesh so to speak. Hopefully it will allow new beekeepers to more easily identify what they are looking at and not worry excessively about their bees. Stewart
FANTASTIC as usual Staurt, many thanks.. this was excellent timing as i have my assessment this weekend, and your guidance on wax moth larvea taken on board.
Hi Jeffrey, Thanks for commenting. As long as you don't let them get to a high level I think the bees can handle them but I do like to remove them when I see them. Stewart
Stuart, another good video thank you. Really interesting to learn about the wax moth larvae, and how to find them - currently don't suffer with this, so haven't observed the tunnel trail you showed in this video. *loved the jazz hands, made me laugh!
Hi Mark, Thanks for commenting, I thought I would leave the "Jazz Hands" in to see if anyone actually gets to the end of the videos without falling asleep! Stewart
When you was looking at that queen cell i saw the wax moth larva and was shouting at the screen wax moth wax moth it's there look!!!! 😆 I'm getting right in to this play list lol Who needs to go to the cinema when you have the bad guys here which are wax moths lol. It surprises me that the bees don't kill it when it starts squirming across the hive.
Absolutely the best inspection I have EVER seen!! Interesting that a full happy colony of healthy bees can't deel with wax moth larvae ... one quick sting would do it, no? Farmer John, Ontario, Canada
Thanks for this video, I found waxworms then I managed to trace an adult wax moth hiding in my hive, but last visit I found bald brood, which set me on a search for the cause. I see it is the waxworms again! I will inspect every frame tomorrow. I found the wax worms are very quick at escaping and the only way I can get rid properly is squashing them, which is not nice I know.
Thanks Stewart, that was a very informative inspection. Good to now know how to deal with the Wax Moth Larvae. Not shaking the frame that had the queen is a good idea. I'll do the same if I manage to spot her during inspections. - Paul PS: The jazz hands were funny and a nice quirky way to end the video, esp reading below your motives.
Hi Paul, Thanks for the comments. I find I can help keep the numbers down in the colony by removing any wax moth larvae I see as I inspect each week. I don't think the queen comes to any real harm if she's shaken off but I like to take good care of her. Thanks for watching right to the end :) Stewart
Hi Stewart, GREAT footage of the wax moth! I recall you mentioning earlier how far along the brood box ought to be drawn out before adding a honey super, but can't seem to locate it. If you don't mind please mention once more. Thanks!
Hi Bruce, Draw out the brood box until most of the frames are drawn and the bees are working on the outside face of the outermost frames and getting to the point of running out of room. Stewart
Hi Christopher, You may be right, I'm just glad I spotted the ones that I did see. I'm always missing things so I'm sure there will be more to remove in the coming weeks. Stewart
Today I have had to throw out a polystyrene brood box and super which I had been storing with used comb inside, because there were literally hundreds of wax moth pupae and grubs which had developed over two weeks of storage, and they had burrowed into the polysytyrene as well as consuming the wax comb. Not a pretty sight! I will take more care next time, and maybe treat with B401 Certan before storing.
Hi Stewart, at 14:30, you flip the frame over looking for wax moths. There are a bunch of greyish looking cells around the middle of the frame. What are they, or is that just caused by the camera angle? Thanks a bunch!
Hello Stuart, complete novice, no hives, as yet. love your expertise vids. 2nd frame showed drone cells, you mentioned removing it autumn, why? Thought workers did their duty and killed drones in autumn anyway?
Hi Katina, Thanks for commenting and for your question. The frames in question is just drone cells, it's a special sheet of foundation that has larger cell sizes so that when drawn the bees will only produce drone cells. I wouldn't have normally used this type of foundation in this colony but it was the only thing I had at hand at that time. I would remove it in order to prevent the queen from continuing to lay drones, I'm not sure if I left it in over Winter or removed it now, I will check in the Spring again and if it is still there I will remove it and replace it with worker foundation. Stewart
Hi Debe, Thanks for commenting. The smoker fuel is a type of lichen that I find at one of my apiaries. It just grows on the ground and the more I pick it the more it seems to grow! It has a really nice smell (For smoker fuel). Stewart
Hi Steven, Thanks for the comment. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. If I've been a bit clumsy and damaged the developing pupae the bees will reject it and clean out the cell. Either way I'm just glad to have spotted the wax moth and got rid of it. Stewart
Brilliant video and camera work. Really got a good close up of the cells & lavae. So much more information than just looking for wax month lavae. Thanks Stuart. Just one question, I'm new to beekeeping (1 year in) and I noticed that you don't cover the feed holes in the crown board. I cover mine with the bits of mesh that came with my hive. I don't know why I do it though, it's just I thought I should because the mesh was provided. Can you tell me the correct way please?
Thanks Eileen, Through the active season I leave the holes open but through the Winter I cover them. The holes are use mainly for clearing and feeding so not needed on a regular basis. As for the correct way, a lot of beekeepers will have different views but for me I leave them open in Summer and covered in Winter. Stewart
The Norfolk Honey Company Thanks Stuart, I think I might remove mine then as the bees have glued them in with propolis at the moment. Thanks for all the great videos.
Hi Jeff, Thanks for watching so closely, it's not what I would term a queen cell rather a rudimentary queen cup. It's where the workers have started making preparations for queen cells, a bit like building foundations for what is to come. You can destroy all of them if you prefer but they just keep making more. Once it has an egg or larvae in it at that stage I would call it a charged queen cup and once the workers start to draw out the cell it then becomes a queen cell. Stewart
If you had have found evidence of wax moth lava on the queen frame, would you have shook to remove the wax moth lava? I am looking through all your videos, as I intend to start bee keeping in 2019, so i am watching your vids, and have contacted my local Bee Keeping Association to go and see them and the bees before starting. Oh and i love the jazz hands
Hi, Thanks for the questions. No, I don't shake the frame with the queen on it, instead, I gently brush the bees away with my fingers or some long grass. I'm excited for your visit to the local association, I hope you have a great time. Stewart
I can't thank you enough for making this video. I'm a second yr beekeeper and I was unsure of how my inspections should be done and this was still the case after attending a beekeeping class I took during the winter. There were many questions I had but couldn't be answered until I saw a demonstration closeup of a hive. There is nothing like seeing up close what to look for during the inspection. Your tips about how to shake the frames, what to look for with wax moths (my fellow bee classmate just lost her hive to moth infestation), and how to wiggle back on the excluder along with how not to roll your bees is such invaluable information. I truly appreciate your dedication to helping many of us out here!
Best,
Alicia DeHaai
Gloucester, MA USA
I have learnt beekeeping through my local beekeeping association and reading books during the winter from France (I am originally from France but living the last 20 years in Ireland) and Ireland/UK but I found your videos so instructive...I am just starting to follow you and I hope you will continue posting....It is important for us beginners (I am only in my 4th year) to have experienced beekeepers sharing their knowledge and make us better beekeepers.Thanks a million for you and your little helpers ,great work Stewart :)
Hi Mieszko,
Thanks for your comments, I'm glad the videos are helping you.
Stewart
It is a pleasure to watch you working with your bees,I have to catch up to watch all your videos :) I continue learning and you are so inspiring....Any chance to show your technique on wintering your hives? I know it is still a little bit early for that....I am hoping to extract soon and I am already starting to think about what next :) Varroa control,hives back on warm way,inspection etc...traps for wasp already made etc...
"Jazz Hands" hahaha
I don't normally comment on videos but I'm going to take the opportunity to thank you for all the ones you have done. They are an excellent place to start for any novice bee keepers out there.
Hi BCFHex,
I really do appreciate you taking the time to comment and appreciate your kind words.
Brilliant, at last someone has watched my videos to the very end, lol. I decided to leave it in just to see if anyone would comment, you win the prize fore being the first.
Well Done.
Stewart
This has been very helpful in training my eyes.I have wax moths in my hives .Found them today.Thanks for all you do to help us be better be keepers.
Hi Monica,
Thanks for commenting.
I'm glad you found it useful, it's easy to miss them when you're not sure what you're looking for.
Stewart
Hi Monica, I found a wax moth larvae in my hive yesterday. I need to go back and inspect properly ASAP. Just curious how you got on with your hive. Did your hive come back strong?
This was super educational Stewart. Never seen a wax moth larvae and their trace before.
Hi Fred,
Thanks for the comments. I'm glad to be able to show you something new.
Stewart
Such brilliant videos! and UK based! I'm hooked. Many thanks!
Thank you Stewart you have answered many questions for me. Excellent video thank you very much
Donna
Dorset
Fantastic about Moth larvey
Hi Neal,
It's always good to be able to show beginner beekeepers what these things actually look like in the flesh so to speak. Hopefully it will allow new beekeepers to more easily identify what they are looking at and not worry excessively about their bees.
Stewart
FANTASTIC as usual Staurt, many thanks.. this was excellent timing as i have my assessment this weekend, and your guidance on wax moth larvea taken on board.
Hi Martyn,
Thanks for your comments, good luck with the assessment.
Stewart
Great video! Wax moths are nasty critters. Thank you Stewart.
Hi Jeffrey,
Thanks for commenting. As long as you don't let them get to a high level I think the bees can handle them but I do like to remove them when I see them.
Stewart
As always, an excellent education! Thank you!
Hi Lilli,
thanks for commenting.
Stewart
Hi Stuart. very insightful. I learn from you everytime I watch your videos, thanks. look forward to see you at the next meeting. Lee.
Cheers Lee,
See you at the next meeting.
Stewart
Stuart, another good video thank you. Really interesting to learn about the wax moth larvae, and how to find them - currently don't suffer with this, so haven't observed the tunnel trail you showed in this video.
*loved the jazz hands, made me laugh!
Hi Mark,
Thanks for commenting, I thought I would leave the "Jazz Hands" in to see if anyone actually gets to the end of the videos without falling asleep!
Stewart
When you was looking at that queen cell i saw the wax moth larva and was shouting at the screen wax moth wax moth it's there look!!!! 😆 I'm getting right in to this play list lol Who needs to go to the cinema when you have the bad guys here which are wax moths lol. It surprises me that the bees don't kill it when it starts squirming across the hive.
Very informative. Learned a bit more on this video, keep them coming
Hi bluzervic,
Thanks for the comments.
Stewart
Absolutely the best inspection I have EVER seen!! Interesting that a full happy colony of healthy bees can't deel with wax moth larvae ... one quick sting would do it, no? Farmer John, Ontario, Canada
Thankyou Stuart - very helpful
Thanks for this video, I found waxworms then I managed to trace an adult wax moth hiding in my hive, but last visit I found bald brood, which set me on a search for the cause. I see it is the waxworms again! I will inspect every frame tomorrow. I found the wax worms are very quick at escaping and the only way I can get rid properly is squashing them, which is not nice I know.
THANKS SO MUCH!!
Informative video, I enjoy it. thanks for the effort,
Hi Eyad,
Thanks for your kind comment.
Stewart
Thanks Stewart, that was a very informative inspection. Good to now know how to deal with the Wax Moth Larvae.
Not shaking the frame that had the queen is a good idea. I'll do the same if I manage to spot her during inspections.
- Paul
PS: The jazz hands were funny and a nice quirky way to end the video, esp reading below your motives.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the comments. I find I can help keep the numbers down in the colony by removing any wax moth larvae I see as I inspect each week. I don't think the queen comes to any real harm if she's shaken off but I like to take good care of her.
Thanks for watching right to the end :)
Stewart
Hi Stuart
Another really useful video, thanks. Could you put a link to your Nitrile gloves for us please.
BW
Ray
Hi Ray,
thanks for commenting. Link below for Nitrile gloves.
amzn.to/2lYOHY0
Stewart
Hi Stuart. Very interesting video. Thanks for showing. How do wash your hive tool in between hive inspection? Cheers from Switzerland
Hi Hans Olo,
Makes me smile every time I see your name :)
I use washing soda and a splash of washing up liquid in warm water.
Stewart
Hi Stewart, GREAT footage of the wax moth! I recall you mentioning earlier how far along the brood box ought to be drawn out before adding a honey super, but can't seem to locate it. If you don't mind please mention once more. Thanks!
Hi Bruce,
Draw out the brood box until most of the frames are drawn and the bees are working on the outside face of the outermost frames and getting to the point of running out of room.
Stewart
The Norfolk Honey Company Thanks
Maybe the gentle nature of the colony makes them more tolerant than normal of interlopers like wax moths and their larvae?!
Hi Christopher,
You may be right, I'm just glad I spotted the ones that I did see. I'm always missing things so I'm sure there will be more to remove in the coming weeks.
Stewart
Today I have had to throw out a polystyrene brood box and super which I had been storing with used comb inside, because there were literally hundreds of wax moth pupae and grubs which had developed over two weeks of storage, and they had burrowed into the polysytyrene as well as consuming the wax comb. Not a pretty sight! I will take more care next time, and maybe treat with B401 Certan before storing.
Hi Stewart, at 14:30, you flip the frame over looking for wax moths. There are a bunch of greyish looking cells around the middle of the frame. What are they, or is that just caused by the camera angle? Thanks a bunch!
Hi Mimi,
I think it must just be the light and camera angle, I took a look and all I can see is healthy larvae and capped cells.
Stewart
Hello Stuart, complete novice, no hives, as yet. love your expertise vids. 2nd frame showed drone cells, you mentioned removing it autumn, why? Thought workers did their duty and killed drones in autumn anyway?
Hi Katina,
Thanks for commenting and for your question.
The frames in question is just drone cells, it's a special sheet of foundation that has larger cell sizes so that when drawn the bees will only produce drone cells. I wouldn't have normally used this type of foundation in this colony but it was the only thing I had at hand at that time. I would remove it in order to prevent the queen from continuing to lay drones, I'm not sure if I left it in over Winter or removed it now, I will check in the Spring again and if it is still there I will remove it and replace it with worker foundation.
Stewart
Very good video, very informative. Not sure if asked before, what do you burn in the smoker?
Hi Debe,
Thanks for commenting. The smoker fuel is a type of lichen that I find at one of my apiaries. It just grows on the ground and the more I pick it the more it seems to grow! It has a really nice smell (For smoker fuel).
Stewart
I'm guessing the bees will recap the larvae?
Hi Steven,
Thanks for the comment.
Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. If I've been a bit clumsy and damaged the developing pupae the bees will reject it and clean out the cell. Either way I'm just glad to have spotted the wax moth and got rid of it.
Stewart
Are those artichokes? Great video btw.
Brilliant video and camera work. Really got a good close up of the cells & lavae. So much more information than just looking for wax month lavae. Thanks Stuart. Just one question, I'm new to beekeeping (1 year in) and I noticed that you don't cover the feed holes in the crown board. I cover mine with the bits of mesh that came with my hive. I don't know why I do it though, it's just I thought I should because the mesh was provided. Can you tell me the correct way please?
Thanks Eileen,
Through the active season I leave the holes open but through the Winter I cover them. The holes are use mainly for clearing and feeding so not needed on a regular basis. As for the correct way, a lot of beekeepers will have different views but for me I leave them open in Summer and covered in Winter.
Stewart
The Norfolk Honey Company Thanks Stuart, I think I might remove mine then as the bees have glued them in with propolis at the moment. Thanks for all the great videos.
Just the advice I need !!
Where's the link for the gloves can't find it
17:00 missed queen cell centre top 👍
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for watching so closely, it's not what I would term a queen cell rather a rudimentary queen cup. It's where the workers have started making preparations for queen cells, a bit like building foundations for what is to come. You can destroy all of them if you prefer but they just keep making more. Once it has an egg or larvae in it at that stage I would call it a charged queen cup and once the workers start to draw out the cell it then becomes a queen cell.
Stewart
nice way to inspect diseases and pests
From where I can buy nicot kit cell punch frame
Hi Khalid,
Check out the bee equipment website bee-equipment.co.uk/collections/queen-rearing-kits/products/queen-cup-system-starter-kit
Jazz Hands
:)
Thanks for watching to the end of the video !
Stewart
If you had have found evidence of wax moth lava on the queen frame, would you have shook to remove the wax moth lava?
I am looking through all your videos, as I intend to start bee keeping in 2019, so i am watching your vids, and have contacted my local Bee Keeping Association to go and see them and the bees before starting.
Oh and i love the jazz hands
Hi,
Thanks for the questions. No, I don't shake the frame with the queen on it, instead, I gently brush the bees away with my fingers or some long grass.
I'm excited for your visit to the local association, I hope you have a great time.
Stewart