Re: Keeping bees

NHGardener 7/15/2013, 9:09 am

Ireland, according to his website.

Interesting. I do much of that - use all mediums, no excluders, am starting to use foundationless frames, and it's a good idea as he recommends to sandwich foundationless in between foundation frames. I never thought about adding a box above the bottom brood box tho, that's a good idea, for next spring.

To remember his technique, I will think sandwiches.

Just recently I was pulling full honey frames out of the 2nd super (above bottom) and swapping them, in order to try to avoid honey boundedness in the brood area. It would have made more sense to just stick a new super in #2 position. The queen may end up in super #3 but I assume she can move down, right?

**camprn** 7/15/2013, 9:33 am

Yes, as long as there is no excluder, she may move throughout the hive. I have to pull honey today, it is so dang hot already. Not good for working all covered up, very good for extracting. NHG, did you ever get an extractor?

I went to Betterbee Field Day on Saturday, heard some very informative talks by Mike Palmer of French Hill Apiaries in St. Albans, Vermont, on making nucs and some incredibly depressing information from Maryann Frazier of Penn State about pesticides including neonics, fungicides, herbicides and the formulation inert ingredients, their lethal and sublethal levels, all of which affect the pollinators.

NHGardener 7/15/2013, 10:04 am

My high hopes for extraction were dashed by the 2 tiny clusters that came out of winter, which ended up being combined into one and re-queened with a Russian about 3 weeks ago.

This year I'm focusing on bringing 2 healthy hives thru the winter, so I'm not planning on taking any honey, first they have to get built up.

So I guess hot weather helps the honey to extract more easily?

Also, I talked to someone who doesn't use extractors, they just crush the comb. if I ever get surplus honey, I might try that method. This is year #2 so it's time to start taking old comb off anyway.

Edit: I'd faint in a bee suit today. Ouch!

**camprn** 7/15/2013, 10:18 am

Yes, if the honey is warm it flows so much easier. Last week I did some crush and strain from some left over autumn honey. It didn't end up as clear as the extracted honey. I need to use a finer mesh strainer if I am going to do that again. I am still doing some foundationless, but I have really encouraged more drawing with foundation this year. Also crush and strain is a waste of comb that the bees will need to rebuild.
Good luck with your Russian queen. I have so many queen troubles this year. Where did you get her?

NHGardener 7/15/2013, 10:34 am

camprn, it was a group order, but I can find out the source if you want. I believe it was from Maine, but it may have been upstate NY.

The thing I like tho about crushing comb (or just cutting it out) is that it lessens the chance pesticides will be stored in the comb, which as you pointed out, is a terrible problem. I figure this way, at least it may minimize their exposure some. Staggered, like every other frame with foundation sheets (or foundationless). I think I'll start marking mine, 50% will go every year, I'll mark them odd and even for odd and even # years.

The other thing I like about the foundationless idea (which I'm hoping will work here, I have to use a level and see if the hives are level enough) is they get to make the smaller comb size, which might help against mites, I hear. Anything that even might help, I'm for.

**camprn** 7/15/2013, 11:11 am

Yeah, I tried a lot of foundationless last year, and they LOVE making drone comb. One reason I switched back to mostly foundation. Michael Bush says if you just let the bees go about their merry way, eventually they will make smaller cells, but in my area the flow lapsed and they didn't get around to doing that. no flow, no drawing comb.

**camprn** 7/16/2013, 2:26 pm

Went to one of the beeyards this morning. Got there late, after 9 am. It was already 75F and +80% humidity. Left the yard at 1pm, T: 95*. I was absolutely soaked when I got in the car. The girls are behind on honey making because of the 3+ weeks of crappy rainy weather.

So glad to be home. Keeping bees - Page 16 Fansmiley

NHGardener 7/16/2013, 5:09 pm

camprn - were you suited up? ouch! And was there enough honey for you to take some? Interesting that they were behind - I'm sure this hasn't been an easy summer on them. Like the garden, I'm not going anywhere near my hives until next week.

**camprn** 7/16/2013, 6:24 pm

NHGardener wrote:camprn - were you suited up? ouch! And was there enough honey for you to take some? Interesting that they were behind - I'm sure this hasn't been an easy summer on them. Like the garden, I'm not going anywhere near my hives until next week.

I have an alexander veil. I went to the thrift shop and bought a white, lightweight, LS buttondown ladies shirt and that is working quite well. I wear my leather gauntlet gloves because I have a few hives who have some vigorous guard bees. What a Face

There was some honey, but I will let them finish capping more of each of the frames before I pull them.

**camprn** 7/17/2013, 5:29 pm

I hope the honey is ready. It's wicked hot outside today. Keeping bees - Page 16 64803_10

Took 12 medium frames off this hive, then I had to quit, I was getting sick from the heat.

Keeping bees - Page 16 15615410

NHGardener 7/17/2013, 6:23 pm

Beautiful! Are you making cut comb out of that?

**camprn** 7/17/2013, 6:25 pm

NHGardener wrote:Beautiful! Are you making cut comb out of that?

Sadly no, this is a wired frame.

NHGardener 7/17/2013, 6:37 pm

Another good reason for foundationless. Smile

**camprn** 7/17/2013, 6:44 pm

NHGardener wrote:Another good reason for foundationless.

I do have a few frames that will be honeycomb, for the fair and gifts, but for the most part I have found few folks here in the US that prefer it to extracted honey. I personally LOVE HONEYCOMB!
It's really good with bleu cheese and almonds or crackers... drooling

NHGardener 7/17/2013, 8:06 pm

At the last bee club meeting, they mentioned to keep propolis in a jar in the cabinet for sore throats - they swear chewing propolis takes away a sore throat.

**camprn** 7/17/2013, 8:54 pm

NHGardener wrote:At the last bee club meeting, they mentioned to keep propolis in a jar in the cabinet for sore throats - they swear chewing propolis takes away a sore throat.

Yeah, it's good stuff. I was thinking about putting on a propolis trap to collect some. I know a guy who will buy it too. It's pretty easy to make a tincture as well, which wont stick to your teeth.

NHGardener 7/17/2013, 9:44 pm

They said there's quite the commercial demand for propolis, as well as for white comb.

**camprn** 7/23/2013, 9:17 pm

See through bears!
Keeping bees - Page 16 1014166_10200807601647209_2019304132_n

**sanderson** 7/24/2013, 2:27 am

Camp, Yours?? If so, I. Am. Impressed!

**camprn** 7/24/2013, 6:44 am

sanderson wrote:Camp, Yours?? If so, I. Am. Impressed!

yes, this is the honey I pulled off one hive on 7/17. See previous page. I have to say I'm impressed too. Good girls. Keeping bees - Page 16 2636062189

NHG and Cindi, how are your bees doing these days?

**RoOsTeR** 7/24/2013, 7:00 am

Awesome camp Keeping bees - Page 16 2636062189

NHGardener 7/24/2013, 8:07 am

Nice, camprn! Who's been able to check bees in this weather? Today I go in there. There's been very little activity in front of the hive I've been trying to build up, swapped 2 honey frames and 1 capped brood in there 2 weeks ago, after having requeened with the Russian, so this ought to be interesting.

CindiLou 7/25/2013, 6:13 pm

NHGardener wrote:Those are beautiful photos, CindiLou. What kind of camera is that?

Sorry..was off on vacation. I snapped that photo with my little Samsung ST66. Just a $100 camera I keep in my pocket. I don't like to drag the big one around to much lol..

CindiLou 7/25/2013, 6:55 pm

I HAD to get out to the ladies today. We got 4.2 inches of rain in 2 hours on Sunday and the rain is coming in tonight.It has been in the 90s last week. So I had been putting it off. I didn't get out the smoker because I knew I was only gonna look at the outside frames this time
Good thing I was prepared to add a super!
Pretty honey!
This is #10 frame on the inside. The outside is having comb built. Comb being built #1 frame on inside.

Keeping bees - Page 16 Rssam_11

Number 5 super now on!
Keeping bees - Page 16 Rssam_12

Then the neighbor keep me busy with a 20 min talk about my bees. He is really looking forward to some honey lol.

NHGardener 7/26/2013, 7:49 am

Beautiful honey, Cindilou! What are those arrows on the frame tops?

I don't use a smoker. It was more trouble than it was worth. It was hard to get lit, stay lit, and then it would kick in and I could barely breathe for all the smoke when at the hives, plus I probably barbequed bees my first year. Now I just suit up completely, sweat, but they can't get to me.

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