Pbee 1,256 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 I saw my first Passion vine hoppers in Titirangi (West Auckland) this morning on Passion fruit and on Strawberries. Anybody else seen them yet? Link to post Share on other sites
Philbee 4,675 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Been looking on the Toot but none so far in Taupo Link to post Share on other sites
Kirsty 38 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Yip - they arrived here in Swanson/Ranui West Auckland just yesterday. Will be doing last harvest here tomorrow weather permitting. Link to post Share on other sites
Derek 1,358 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Yip - they arrived here in Swanson/Ranui West Auckland just yesterday. Will be doing last harvest here tomorrow weather permitting. Not seen any out this neck of the Waitakeres yet... (further out and higher up than Swanui) which is good news... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
yesbut 6,232 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Yip - they arrived here in Swanson/Ranui West Auckland just yesterday. Will be doing last harvest here tomorrow weather permitting. Wait for the pedants to jump on me, but tutu honeydew is not particularly high on bees' yummy list. If there's plenty of floral nectar still around......The regulations are drafted by public health officials who work off worst case scenarios. Passion vine hopper populations build from spring to a potentially dangerous level by mid summer. The regulations make no compensation for seasonal or geographical variations. Righto they say, Kaitaia may have a high level of hoppers by the the first week of January so we'll make everyone in the country take their last harvest by 31 December. Meanwhile here in Nelson, there probably won't be a hopper around until February. Last year I didn't see any. Link to post Share on other sites
Kirsty 38 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Thanks yesbut. Yes still loads of floral nectar around,,but also within range of Tutu as well....and i work for those nobs who drafted the regulations so i better play ball huh. Last thing i want is to end up like the coromandel sod who ignored the regs & made several people seriously sick a few years back. Chances are slim i know, but for me its not worth the risk with just small home harvests not being blended with others. (and not worth my job given who i work for either). 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor Gillbanks 6,846 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Thanks yesbut. Yes still loads of floral nectar around,,but also within range of Tutu as well....and i work for those nobs who drafted the regulations so i better play ball huh. Last thing i want is to end up like the coromandel sod who ignored the regs & made several people seriously sick a few years back. Chances are slim i know, but for me its not worth the risk with just small home harvests not being blended with others. (and not worth my job given who i work for either). It is simple. Take the honey off when you want to, date does not matter. Except after 1 jan then have the honey tested. Simple and not very expensive. I test mine and every year it has been less the 0.02%. If you are concerned - do not take comb honey. If I only took honey off before 1 Jan then I would not get any honey. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Pbee 1,256 Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 It is simple. Take the honey off when you want to, date does not matter. Except after 1 jan then have the honey tested. Simple and not very expensive. I test mine and every year it has been less the 0.02%. If you are concerned - do not take comb honey.If I only took honey off before 1 Jan then I would not get any honey. Where do you get it tested, how long does it take and what is the cost, please? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Stockley 3,417 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Where do you get it tested, how long does it take and what is the cost, please? Looks like the Auckland Beekeepers Club could sort you out. Tutin Testing. Who's Doing it and How Much? Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor Gillbanks 6,846 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Where do you get it tested, how long does it take and what is the cost, please? I had mine tested by Analytica. three of us sent away 3 samples for a composite test. Total cost was $126.50 Therefore cost per individual was $42.17. I think cost was $90.00 for test then $10.00 for each composite post (maximum 10) (they mix the pots). So pretty cheap really. Link to post Share on other sites
Bron 2,780 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Recommend analytica, they are awesome, you can composite up to 10 samples I think. We've been using them for a couple of years and they forced the price down. They provide really good service. Link to post Share on other sites
yesbut 6,232 Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 It's cheaper for the hobbyist to taste test their own. Sensibly of course. Link to post Share on other sites
Derek 1,358 Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 @Pbee we're seeing hoppers now, probably about a week since first one was spotted. Not huge numbers up here yet. Link to post Share on other sites
Pbee 1,256 Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 @Pbee we're seeing hoppers now, probably about a week since first one was spotted. Not huge numbers up here yet. Thanks foe the thumbs up! Was going to come up today but 'melted' instead! 33°C today! :confused: Link to post Share on other sites
Kneeride 19 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Saw some last week, about 6, Manurewa area Auckland. No honeydew and not sure what plant they were on Link to post Share on other sites
dean bristow 76 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Saw some last week, about 6, Manurewa area Auckland. No honeydew and not sure what plant they were on Marijuanna Link to post Share on other sites
Pbee 1,256 Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 Marijuanna Now if bees milk dem hoppers, that would make some 'interesting' honey! :rofl: Link to post Share on other sites
phattycar 486 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Hoppers at my place for about the last week. Tauranga/Lower Kaimais. Have one sitting inside my bedroom window at the moment lol. Link to post Share on other sites
Sil29er 284 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Some of our bees have been spotted "licking" dahlia leaves. Not in the flowers, the leaves. I can only assume there is honeydew from passionleaf hoppers, or afids, or something.... The ant population has increased, surely due to the availability of the sweet poo.... Link to post Share on other sites
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