Brains TRUST, 2023

The NSBK 2023 monthly club meetings kicked off with an expert  [Brains Trust Panel] fielding questions from an audience of 30 members.  Of the dozens of questions put to the panel several evoked strong discussion:

"What beekeepiing myths most annoy the Panel?"
        The failure to warn new-comers about the massive storage requirements for beekeeping kit!
        That 'Natural Beekeeping' is kind to bees.
"What Varroa treatment methods do the Panel members now employ?"
         The essential activity is regular mite monitoring. Only treat when required.
          Thorough Oxalic Acid vaping in December.
          MAQs strips throughout the year.
          With sufficient colonies, leave alone and tolerate losses to breed tolerance.
"Have the Panel encountered an unexpected Winter colony loss recently?"
         Finding empty hives, with few or no live bees and extant honey stores is a mystery.
         Could Nosema be the cause?
         Ivy honey can be too crystallized for the bees to utilize leading to starvation.
"Do you prefer traditional wooden or polystyrene hives?"
         I stick to wooden hives.
         I use poly nucs but wooden hives.
         I am trying poly hives.

Many thanks to Garry Packer, the club president, who acted efficiently as session chairman.
Rob Williams
23/1/23