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Newscutter
Member
My wife is the beekeeper-to-BEE, I'm just the labor and "venture capitalist". We are prepping two hives for nucs that are expected on April 9th. We have a Flowhive but, on the recommendation of our local mentors, are waiting until the second year to deploy it-- first year will be two traditional hives. Today I'll start the painting the exterior of the boxes (too harsh here to leave them natural or only cleared, as much as we'd like to). Don't have a real question per se, but just wanted to chime in so I don't forget this thread is here-- all your posts are so exciting to newBEEs like us!
Here's to a (I HOPE!) a great Spring!
When we got our supplies: Tesla Pittsburgh on Twitter
He was QUITE amazed that we got 2 pallets worth of hives/frames/etc into our "regular car".
Here's to a (I HOPE!) a great Spring!
When we got our supplies: Tesla Pittsburgh on Twitter
He was QUITE amazed that we got 2 pallets worth of hives/frames/etc into our "regular car".
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My SO is allergic to bee stings and was told another one could kill her. She hasn't been stung in over 30 years, but got stung several times when she was a kid. She's also terrified of anything bee-like because every time she got stung she claimed she was just minding her own business.
I'd love to keep honey bees, but probably never will. I do have mason bees, but very few hatched out this year and none of the local places have many to buy. What few were available were extremely expensive. I wonder what happened to them last year?
This is a weird spring in the Northwest. We had a warm spell in early February and what did hatch of my mason bees from last year hatched out then, but there were few flowers out then and I suspect a lot of them just died. Then it got cold again and it's been raining almost every day for the last month. Last year I saw a lot of wild honey bees around by early March, but this year I haven't seen any, though the bumble bees were out early this year.
We have talked about getting some acreage some day and if we do, I'm going to push for some honey bees out on the corner of the property well away from the house.
I'd love to keep honey bees, but probably never will. I do have mason bees, but very few hatched out this year and none of the local places have many to buy. What few were available were extremely expensive. I wonder what happened to them last year?
This is a weird spring in the Northwest. We had a warm spell in early February and what did hatch of my mason bees from last year hatched out then, but there were few flowers out then and I suspect a lot of them just died. Then it got cold again and it's been raining almost every day for the last month. Last year I saw a lot of wild honey bees around by early March, but this year I haven't seen any, though the bumble bees were out early this year.
We have talked about getting some acreage some day and if we do, I'm going to push for some honey bees out on the corner of the property well away from the house.
Hi.
Future bee keeper here. I'll be my first hive in a few weeks.
I am thinking of putting it at the back end of my property. I then got to thinking of how close I would be able to go to the hive while mowing the lawn on a riding lawn mower. Any advice ? My guess is that the bees won't like the vibrations. Assuming the hive is not agitated and is acting normally, how close can you get to the hive with a lawn mower or other loud equipment.
Thanks.
p.s. I read that the free-flow hives have problems regulating temperature due to the plastic combs..anyone experience this?
Future bee keeper here. I'll be my first hive in a few weeks.
I am thinking of putting it at the back end of my property. I then got to thinking of how close I would be able to go to the hive while mowing the lawn on a riding lawn mower. Any advice ? My guess is that the bees won't like the vibrations. Assuming the hive is not agitated and is acting normally, how close can you get to the hive with a lawn mower or other loud equipment.
Thanks.
p.s. I read that the free-flow hives have problems regulating temperature due to the plastic combs..anyone experience this?
I do not think the bees will be bothered by the noise or vibrations of your riding mower. I bet you can pass within 5 feet and they won't care.
I do not know what a "free flow hive" is. Explain?
I do not know what a "free flow hive" is. Explain?
I can usually mow around the hives without too much of a problem, but they do get agitated by the vibrations and noise if you spend a lot of time there. My recommendation is that you mow behind the hives and aside the hives, and save a single pass across the front of the hives for the very end.
I've been stung by some angry bees after spending too much time cutting around them (although earlier in the day I worked in the hives too, so they wanted to be left alone).
I've been stung by some angry bees after spending too much time cutting around them (although earlier in the day I worked in the hives too, so they wanted to be left alone).
Thanks for the answers. I have enough space at the end of my yard to just do one pass in front of the hive with the lawnmower.
A free flow hive (from what I understand) is where you can get bee honey just by turning a tap. You no longer need to remove the combs to get to the honey. Here is their site It may be called just a flow hive. I'll be getting a regular hive.
A free flow hive (from what I understand) is where you can get bee honey just by turning a tap. You no longer need to remove the combs to get to the honey. Here is their site It may be called just a flow hive. I'll be getting a regular hive.
Okay, a "Flow Hive" made by the Australian company. Got it. I have looked into those, Very interesting, but don't have one yet, just have a typical Langstroth hive. My first one, got it going two months ago. Doing well so far...
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
After last year's drought (and dearth of nectar), I've spent some time planting wildflowers on two unimproved acres.
I may have overestimated the amount of seed I needed ...
(Also added a temporary shade over the hives, since last year it was so hot that the bees were bearding every day for hours. Hopefully this will help them with hive temp management.)
I may have overestimated the amount of seed I needed ...
(Also added a temporary shade over the hives, since last year it was so hot that the bees were bearding every day for hours. Hopefully this will help them with hive temp management.)
Beautiful flowers!
I have bad news. I went into winter with 10 hives (down from 13 last summer). Only 1 survived.
Two died of starvation, the rest didn't make it for some unknown reason. In the rest of them, very small (40-50) bee clusters were found dead in the top super on frames full of good honey.
No signs of the usual suspects (varroa, FB, etc.).
My fellow local beekeepers and I suspect a virus that was obtained from a packaged bee supplier. Three of us bought packages of bees from the same supplier and all three of us suffered 80%+ losses by January. Other beekeepers who didn't buy from this supplier did just fine.
In the past 3 days, my wife and I captured a couple of swarms. We have 10 nuc's on order and will be installing them within the next week.
I have bad news. I went into winter with 10 hives (down from 13 last summer). Only 1 survived.
Two died of starvation, the rest didn't make it for some unknown reason. In the rest of them, very small (40-50) bee clusters were found dead in the top super on frames full of good honey.
No signs of the usual suspects (varroa, FB, etc.).
My fellow local beekeepers and I suspect a virus that was obtained from a packaged bee supplier. Three of us bought packages of bees from the same supplier and all three of us suffered 80%+ losses by January. Other beekeepers who didn't buy from this supplier did just fine.
In the past 3 days, my wife and I captured a couple of swarms. We have 10 nuc's on order and will be installing them within the next week.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
So sorry
.I lost two of five due to starvation. I've been really focused on putting in plants that flower different times of year. The drought situation here is just not good. I've replaced one of the ones lost with a captured swarm & have a nuc on order to pick up end of this month.
I'm sure you realize that your picture of "completely capped" comb is that of brood not honey. Don't harvest that!
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
Actually, no. It's 100% honey (with the exception of a piece of gravel that found its way into the tray). I do know what brood looks likeI'm sure you realize that your picture of "completely capped" comb is that of brood not honey. Don't harvest that!
. Looking at the pic, I can see why you think a couple cells had eggs at the bottom, but no. This wasn't brood. All of my colonies "float" their wax on top of the honey, giving it that "wet" look that we're all used to. But I've heard of some bees that don't - they leave a little bit of air in between the cap and the honey. It appears Bonnie has those genetics in her colony.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
I don't think I've seen a wet-looking frame. Maybe the bees in NorCal just do it differently? Hard to say.All of my colonies "float" their wax on top of the honey, giving it that "wet" look that we're all used to. But I've heard of some bees that don't - they leave a little bit of air in between the cap and the honey. It appears Bonnie has those genetics in her colony.
But all the queens are locally-bred.In any case, clearly honey out of the frame. Nary a larvae to be seen.
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