BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • What have you done today bee-related?

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #4967  by Patrick
 09 Oct 2019, 08:07
Japey Edge wrote:Cheers TWG - I ended up chucking everything I'd gathered, which wasn't much but still a waste of the bees' resources and my time. A lesson learned.
...[/quo

Well done Jazz, definitely the right thing to do. You just don’t know. The sensitivity of some folk to trace contamination is not worth the chance.

I am impressed that the lady gets her beeswax tested, she obviously takes making cosmetics seriously. I wonder the level the lab sets the detection threshold?
 #4969  by NigelP
 09 Oct 2019, 08:46
Japey Edge wrote:
09 Oct 2019, 07:31
Also another 4 weeks on the big colony's Apitraz treatment so no doubt that will be super fun to take out too...
Just do it Jazz, don't worry too much about the weather, the colder the better as bees less active. Just don't mess about and suggest a pair of pliers as they can stick the strips quite hard to the frames.
 #4970  by NigelP
 09 Oct 2019, 08:51
thewoodgatherer wrote:
08 Oct 2019, 23:04

I was speaking to a lady at the market I sell my honey at and she has to get her wax analysed to prove it is free of insecticide and that's for cosmetics.
Not sure if she isn't having you on there TWG. I provide bees wax to a couple of people who make cosmetics and skin care lotions. They need to get the final product tested but not the original wax....and as far as I k now they don't test for pesticide residues, more for allergic reaction type things. Quite expensive as well which is why we supply them bees wax and don't sell cosmetics.
 #4972  by NigelP
 09 Oct 2019, 08:59
Lost one nuc and one hive so far...unmated queens (or they got lost on their late mating flights). Had marked both down as keep an eye on and as there was no brood and no queens seen at last inspection....Now getting robbed had an investigation. No brood and no stores in either and very few bees. So threw what was left out and let them find new homes or not as the case may be. Dipelled the frames and stuck away for the winter.
 #4975  by thewoodgatherer
 09 Oct 2019, 13:07
NigelP wrote:
thewoodgatherer wrote:
08 Oct 2019, 23:04

I was speaking to a lady at the market I sell my honey at and she has to get her wax analysed to prove it is free of insecticide and that's for cosmetics.
Not sure if she isn't having you on there TWG. I provide bees wax to a couple of people who make cosmetics and skin care lotions. They need to get the final product tested but not the original wax....and as far as I k now they don't test for pesticide residues, more for allergic reaction type things. Quite expensive as well which is why we supply them bees wax and don't sell cosmetics.
I think she mentioned the council had requested it and that it had cost her £60 per test but I will see her next month and get some clarification, another lady opposite who makes wraps was listening in and didn't comment so who knows.
 #4978  by Chrisbarlow
 09 Oct 2019, 16:19
Ermm... Testing beeswax, that's interesting, I suspect there will be all sorts of chemical residue in there. Some from treatments you put on and some from the foundation you use.

I do think £60 is a bargain price for a test though. I would have thought it would be much more expensive
 #4981  by NigelP
 09 Oct 2019, 16:54
thewoodgatherer wrote:
09 Oct 2019, 13:07

I think she mentioned the council had requested it and that it had cost her £60 per test but I will see her next month and get some clarification, another lady opposite who makes wraps was listening in and didn't comment so who knows.
I'd be very interested to know. what the wax is being tested for...
My understanding from the beeswax cosmetic people is only the final products need appraisal and this costs around £160 per product.
As for the beeswax wraps person....very thin ice ....are the dyes in the cloth shes uses food standard/water soluble etc. It's a minefield.
  • 1
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 301