Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[AugustC]

http://solarbeez.com/2014/05/08/vernons-second-perone-hive/

this is nice little update on an overwintered perone hive

[Solarpat]

To be honest, I'd rather not post this, but to be honest, I should. Vernon wrote to tell me his 2nd Perone hive had a failure. As can be expected he is really unhappy about it, but he sent me some photos and videos in the hopes that someone could shed some light on what could have happened.

http://solarbeez.com/2015/01/09/perone-failure/

On an optimistic note, the first Perone hive (right beside it) is still doing well, treatment-free. The bees are bringing in lots of yellow pollen and well, since it was my swarm that started it off, I'm really happy about that.

[Viggen]

Best to have all the information possible.
As to the why of something - will always be a guess. Over several years and many hives(in particular climates) only then can we guess better..
Interesting that the one surviving is a local swarm - and that region is right on the Pacific coast.

[Tavascarow]

Nice blog.
Have we got a link on this site where blogging beeks can post links to their sites?

[andy pearce]

If you imagine a slightly different dimension my MK1 looked exactly like that when I opened it in September 2013. No bees at all. I still have the video I made at the time but decided not to post it as there were some very negative issues going on at the time.

As far as information is concerned, these hives are so few and far between we have to have all the information possible.

Unlike Vernon's mine had no brood at all and was on its own. In my case I concluded, varroa but as yet no one has been able to offer up a detailed process of how a hive goes from many bees to no bees, not even dead bees. As mine was empty at the end of summer there were no egg laying workers or dwarf drones lurking about if the queen had failed.

Thanks for posting, this is a learning process.
A

[mrcadman]

Interesting well documented history. My Perone hive still active here in Northern France. If they survive, will be opening in August to inspect (honey crop??!!) - have not opened since early 2014 when hive populated. Has always had good activity at the entrance.

[Adam Rose]

[mrcadman]

The "Perone's are too big" hypothesis is just that - a hypothesis.

Having read the research and applied information out there re Perones, we know they do work - at least in South America.

Some of us are taking a more pro-active approach to see if it could work here in the Northern Hemisphere.

It's success does depend on the large cavity being fully occupied to raise the temperature and humidity. Reports state that a Perone can have 2-3 colonies in occupation in which case the 40 litre 'rule' does not apply to this type of hive.

In the future we will, hopefully, have a definitive answer. This can only be achieved by practical experimentation. This is the way the world and beekeeping move forward.

[Solarpat]

[andy pearce]

Just to echo Mrcadman's point....Oscar Perone made certain claims....he suggested we should try for ourselves and see if his claims were transferable to our areas and some of us decided to have a look and see if what he was claiming was right. It may or may not be right. If more Perone hives fail than thrive as compared to other systems then we will have an answer. Only time will tell, all the observations will add to a pool of bee knowledge and we will have had fun seeing.
A

[Vernon]

The approximate volume of comb in my failed Perone hive is 32 liters.

Last year my successful Perone hive probably went into Winter with even less volume, yet by mid-Spring it housed more bees than I've ever seen in a Lanstroth hive.