What did you do today (2015)

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Received eMail notification from Starrett, regarding these useful-looking HoleSaws.

… May be of interest to others

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Sorted out their, presumably Chinese, bench shears.

Wouldn't bank on it, see MEW 233…

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

The Mosquito seen at Oshkosh was KA-114, it was rebuilt in NZ by Glen Powell of Papakura(near Auckland)it's a FB-26, and is painted up to represent one of 487Sqd, a NZ Sqd of the RAF that flew the "Operation Jerico" raid on the prison at Amiens, freeing over 100 resistance prisoners.

There was more than a few tears shed when KA-114 left NZ for the States.

It's the only flying Mosquito at the moment, I think there may be another on the moulds that will stay in NZ. 

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 27/10/2015 10:20:54

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

More on Mosquitos, there is another one flying in Canada, not a rebuild, don't know much about it. Glen Powell has 2 airframes being built at the moment, could be airbourn in 3 years or so. His first aircraft is a non flying aircraft in Canada. The second of the current aircraft was going to UK, but that seems to have changed, I don't think they want it. So in 3 yrs there might be 4 AC, 1 in USA, 1 in Canada, I in NZ, and the last?

Ian S C

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

As I posted earlier my redundancy looms, in fact on Friday coming, I have received my redundancy package and am quite pleased, All 4 of us have spent the last 2 days extracting all our own tools and bits and pieces. Now my garage is filling up fast. Aquisitions, just a couple, a decent grindstone and a few small things like thread inserts and some odds and sods that will be useful.

We have arranged a fish and chip midday meal as we dont drink and pubs are out. We have had hardly any communication with the head office about anything with just one visit by the lads up there in Cambridge coming down and stripping one complete work station, due again on Friday coming but i will not be there as I only work Mon. to Thurs. Personally I have no emotion about it and just see it as another milestone in my life with other doors opening up for me to explore, 2 offers of work so far.

Clive

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

An interesting piece of bee research has come up with the fact that bees are suffering from the carbon particles given off by Diesel exhausts, these minute particles are causing the bees to lose the ability to sniff out nectar in flowers. In fact, finding nectar scent from any flower. This might go some way to explaining why bees are declining.

Today I went to the Apiary and using a strimmer cleared all the undergrowth from around the hives, less bulk for the snow to lay on and block the hives. One hive had to be put on a taller stand as it was too low, I strapped it up to stop it splitting apart and then lifted sideways to another stand and replaced the low one with 10" legs and then had to lift 5" to the taller one, It was heavy and a struggled to lift it. Got it done and levelled. I would estimate 60/70 lb with brood box and one honey box.

Putting away the garden parasol, I unfolded it and as I looked found a hibernating Queen wasp which made a nice cracking sound as I squashed it, left it on the table and 10 mins. later it was taken by a bird.

Clive

Edited By Clive Hartland on 27/10/2015 14:58:21

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

An item came up on local ( south west) news last night.

A local bee keeper is breeding what he calls hygenic bees..these appear to groom each other. ( and I thought they did any way).and actively clean each other of varroa mite..
To this end he is artificially inseminating queens to try and develope the strain…
..will post more if you cant find the programme on iplayer

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Neil,

Sadly, the Bench Shears were nowhere near in the same league as the Durston Guillotine. 16G steel might be about the limit; forget 1/8 inch strip, and stick to cutting shimstock!

Howard

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

Ian, I took a load of pictures when I was at the museum in Oshkosh.Here are my favourites

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Queen wasp which made a nice cracking sound as I squashed it

You know that releases a pheremone that upsets other wasps?

As a sixth-former visiting prospective universities I was shown a large ant colony with BIG soldier ants in it. One ant was crushed to show how it smelt 'lemon fresh' and limonene was their warning pheremone.

A few minutes later walking down the corridor at the back of the group I yelped loudly and everyone turned round astonished. I had been bitten hard on the arm by an escaped soldier ant!

Neil

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Hello Jason, the report about the bees that actually clear the hive of Varroa has been about for a while, inspecting dead varroa mites the researchers found bite marks on their carapace and found that the bees were doing this.

Grooming of the Queen and bees is normal, it is just that some strains of bees do it more or better. I think it has been 17 years plus since varroa swept through Southern England and then spread to other areas, it is thought that the bees will eventually overcome the mite in time but how long is not known.

The original source of the varroa mite was hosted by a bee in South East Asia, Apis Cerana and it was quite able to live with the mite, it is only since it tracked across Europe that the strains of bees in the areas it went through had never met them before and had no real defence to oppose them. The varroa breed in 10 days and a bee in its cell takes 19 days so the varroa can do it's deadly work before the bee hatches. The varroa is a virus vector and passes on these virus when feeding off the bees blood.

Clive

Edited By Clive Hartland on 27/10/2015 21:31:12

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

Tonight I managed to get into the workshop after a struggle to get the Grandchildren, who are here for a few days to settle down and got to sleep. I tried out the conversational programming of the mill with Path Pilot, I'm impressed by how easy and intuitive it is. I tried a simple gracing cut off a surface using a 1/4" end mill. everything worked first time. Tomorrow I will try some pocketing and engraving.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Clive..looks like you couldn’t get the rest of the article.

1 . fascinating micro manipulation tools for the AI of the queen

2 an alternative explanation for why the wing deformity virus carried by the mite does not seem to be troubling his hives.

The original theory was his bees by grooming (more) were not getting it from the mite. ( cue footage of bees removing invested larva from brood cells)

A biologist proposed a different theory. .and asked for samples of “healthy” bees for analysis. .
These were mashed and. DNA ( rna?) Sequenced…

Now it appears the mite carry two viri say type A and B
And if type B causes wing deformity and A is “harmless”…

These samples were flooded with type A but no sign of type B…

One might suggest that the mite are in effect vaccinating the bees with type A and thus providing something like immunisation to type B

Apart from insect immunology isn’t quite like human ( mammal)..
..

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Jason, that is a new one on me, anything like this would appear in the bee magazine as it monitors all the worlds research units for information. The fact the the Varroa carries virus makes it a danger to the welfare of our bees. It is not just honey bees as they have found varroa on Bumble bees and in other bees in the UK.

To see a wild bees nest badly affected by the virus given by Varroa is devastating as the ground under the hollow tree covered in wingless bees. The bee grub is sealed in with the varroa bug and they suck blood sera from them and in doing so the bee gets deformed. There is another effect as well, 'K' wing virus which also causes serious problems. Some of the treatments also cause problems as they lower the Queens fertility, I no longer us the pesticide strips but use Thymol in pads or liquid form. In fact for 2 years now I have not used any treatment and the Varroa count has dropped. I do treat a swarm that I take at the initial placing in a Nucleus box with a liquid treatment which gives them a clean start.

Clive

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Will look up a link for iplayer if possible.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0071mt5/episodes/player

I think..
Inside out southwest 26/10/2015

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

At about 9′ 30″

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Today i went to work for the last time in this employment, I fully expected to see the Boss there but learned he was in Dubai ! Alright for some. Desultory time passing sitting there and at 1300 my friend went for the fish and chips and we sat and chatted and ate our way through far too many chips. Soon it was time to go, so shaking hands and went to embrace the lady who works with us and she burst into tears, Oh dear, what do I do? She calmed down and turned away and started again. I did not know I was so popular.

Made my way to the Apiary and placed mouse guards on the hives just as it started to drizzle. Picked a few Bramley apples and came home. Next job to put some red plastic flashing on the hives to deter the Wood Peckers.

Thank you for the info there Jason i will have a look at it.

Clive

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Time to write your beekeeping book now, Clive

Have a long and happy retirement!

Neil

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Just before I left at dinnertime another Instrument Repair engineer touted me for my email addy saying,' You will be hearing from me'. Then, a query from the bee shop which asked if I would be available to do some work for them. Both being part time.

Something for Jason on the bee treatment, I use Oxalic acid at about 5% strength mixed with sugar water trickled over the bees on the combs which the Varroa does not like. it is said to erode the varroas mouth parts and does seem to be effective.

Thank you for the sentiment Neil, but I feel I still need a pastime.

Clive

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Clive,

Welcome to the World of Retirement (WoR)

You will now find out that you don't have enough time to do anything

Geoff – Where has all that time I had when I was working, disappeared to?

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Very true, time now seems to disappear quicker and quicker. I need to plan my time a bit better now as i look and see more and more jobs arising. One of the first is to organize the workshop as it is now stuffed with gear and I will sort a lot out and put it up for sale so watch this space, A couple of drain lasers are up for sale and lots of circular bubbles and a couple of very sensitive tubular bubbles. Maybe calipers and the like.

Clive

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

Why does someone keep playing hide the thread? I thought John had pulled the plug for nonpayment of His 4 quid!

[Johnboy25Participant @johnboy25]

Congratulations Clive… I hope you have a long enjoyable retirement. I've been ask several times "how am I managing?" My usual reply is "living the dream!" I've been planing my retirement for some years now!

John

Edited By Johnboy25 on 31/10/2015 19:35:48

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Had a walk on the Cob an Porthmadog and watched the 11am to Caernarfon set off. Quite nostalgic with the cooler temperatures and the steam ever evident.

Bri

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