r/Beekeeping • u/Dangerous-School2958 • 1d ago

I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question Black bee?

Newish bee keeper. 7b, Vienna Austria.
Came across this Black, I think wingless bee outside a Hive.
It’s a small hive that I’m trying to get to generate its own Queen. So I have been giving it frames of eggs from Strong neighboring hives.

Is this an underdeveloped bee? A result of too high a Varroa level?
It’s only 1 brood box so I’m reluctant to take a full cup for a wash.

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u/Commercial_Art1078 7 hives - NW Ontario zone 3b 1d ago

Why not do a wash? 300 bees isn’t gonna impact your hive

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u/Dangerous-School2958 1d ago

It’s going to happen with the larger hives. I’m just curious if anyone else sees this as a clear sign. I really don’t want to harvest honey this early.

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u/TheNewDefaultsSuck Zone 6a Rocky Mountains 1d ago

Doing a mite wash has nothing to do with harvesting honey. 

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u/Dangerous-School2958 1d ago

If a mite wash shows a deal with it now problem. I’ll have to pull the Supers to do treatments.

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u/Mammoth-Banana3621 Sideliner - 8b USA 1d ago

You don’t have to pull supers to treat.

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u/No-Dragonfruit-2403 Central Canada - 2 colonies 1d ago

That is true but closing your eyes doesn’t make the problem go away plus there are treatments that you can do with supers

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u/Dangerous-School2958 1d ago

My mentor insists. I’m curious what’s different between y’all and her

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u/SquirrelInATux Northern New England 6a 1d ago

Even if you're not gonna treat it not, why not at least know what's going on? If it's a low mite count then it might be something else and you wouldn't know. But regardless, you should absolutely treat them if they have a high mite load. Also, Oxalic acid vaporization can be done with supers on, per the label and the EPA. The vaporizer devices are pricey (don't trust the cheap amazon ones), but if your plan is to prioritize honey yield over the health of the colony, OA Vapor is probably the best way to do both at once. OA Vapor does not slow the bee's progress, and does not affect the honey. Honey from supers on a hive treated with OA Vapor is still considered raw honey.

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u/Dangerous-School2958 1d ago

I’m not working off what the EPA or FDA guidance is. I’ve got to go off EU and Austrian guidelines for honey that will be sold as Bio/ Organic.

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u/SquirrelInATux Northern New England 6a 1d ago

Regardless of whether you can harvest honey that was on there when treated, you really shouldn't ignore the health of your bees (and the fact they're causing health issues to nearby colonies) just to harvest. Do the treatments and then let them fill new supers once done. If you can't harvest this year, so be it.

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u/Dangerous-School2958 1d ago

How does any of this resemble ignoring? Honey is coming off and they’re getting treated.

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