Re: Keeping bees

NHGardener on 5/15/2016, 10:03 am

I'm surprised, camprn. My bees have been a little behind with all the rain and cold we've had lately.

Well, you could turn that frown upside down and make a bunch of new nucs!

Did they run out of brood space? I've been doing a lot of checkerboarding, bringing any nectar frames up to the next box and replacing with empty frames, as well as swapping the bottom boxes every time it seems they're not using the bottom so much. But mine haven't built up as quickly as I expected them to. Trying to keep weekly tabs on them tho.

P.S. - Just reading back thru the thread, I wonder if the February pollen patties had anything to do with it.

**camprn** on 5/15/2016, 10:10 am

Iheard loud piping coming from the hive, so I knew there was trouble before I even lifted the lid. I made 3 nucs, because that is all the equipment i had on hand. Iremoved all open q cells and because I couldn't find the queen I left one capped cell. If it warms up a bit today I will go look for the queen, and if I find her I'll use the double screen and hope for no swarming.

**camprn** on 5/15/2016, 10:13 am

Feb pollen patties I put in for building the Colony for tree bloom. Russians are notoriously slow to build up in spring. There is still plenty of room, but these Russians are prone to swarming as well. On almost every inspection I remove q cups. All season long.

**sanderson** on 5/16/2016, 3:07 am

Came across this tonight. Haven't seen the report any where else. Concord is a fairy hot area of No Cal but I'm still surprised they reached this latitude.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/swarm-of-aggressive-bees-attack-california-town/ar-BBt5rrP?li=BBnb7Kz

NHGardener on 5/16/2016, 3:47 am

I saw that reported. It seems the beekeeper decided to move the hive. Unfortunately no one told the bees that were out foraging. So when they came back, their home was gone and they were disoriented.

**camprn** on 7/13/2016, 3:17 pm

[url=https://servimg.com/view/15094922/631] Keeping bees - Page 36 20160712

**camprn** on 7/13/2016, 3:17 pm

Stooped phone. I'll fix the pics later.

CapeCoddess on 10/27/2016, 4:29 pm

Question for the bee keepers:
Why is some 'raw' honey clear and some 'raw' honey cloudy (not crystalized)?
Keeping bees - Page 36 2636062189

CC

**camprn** on 10/28/2016, 12:09 pm

@CapeCoddess wrote:Question for the bee keepers:
Why is some 'raw' honey clear and some 'raw' honey cloudy (not crystalized)?

CC

Cloudy Raw, unfiltered liquid honey could just mean there are crystals that are small and forming, or pollen grains, or wax debris.... etc.

**sanderson** on 2/16/2017, 2:23 am

This may be a little too soon to ask how everyone's hive over-wintered. How accurate is this article? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/10/believe-it-or-not-the-bees-are-doing-just-fine/?postshare=1821487218338798&tid=ss_fb-bottom&utm_term=.9750062fa053

**camprn** on 2/16/2017, 7:05 am

The WP article title is a misnomer. All pollinators and bees in particular are in trouble.
2015-2016 survey results.
https://beeinformed.org/2016/03/31/national-colony-loss-and-management-2015-2016-survey-preview/

**sanderson** on 2/16/2017, 1:57 pm

Thanks, Camp.

**camprn** on 4/15/2017, 9:41 am

Keene NH. I had 50% loss this past winter. ( lost 2 out of 4). One had been struggling on and off two years with chalkbrood. One had a high mite load late in the season last year.

The girls are now bringing in nectar and I put my first super on.

**sanderson** on 4/16/2017, 2:45 am

So, you're happy with the two healthy hives, and not unexpectedly disappointed with the other two? Hope that made sense. Embarassed

**sanderson** on 5/17/2017, 2:13 am

Chop shop for stolen bees. http://www.41nbc.com/2017/05/15/authorities-id-russian-suspect-in-great-california-bee-heist/

**camprn** on 5/17/2017, 6:19 am

There is nothing at the link

Is this what you posted Sanderson?
http://kmph-kfre.com/news/local/nearly-a-million-dollars-in-stolen-bees-rounded-up-in-fresno-county

**sanderson** on 5/17/2017, 4:38 pm

Thank you posting a link that still works. This is an abbreviated version, not mentioning how the boxes were stacked all over a warehouse and looked like a chop shop for bee hives.

IrishDigger on 5/21/2017, 3:47 am

Thanks for the interesting topic.

My favourites are Stringy Bark, Leatherwood from Tasmania and Manuka from New Zealand. Smile

Cheers.

countrynaturals on 5/6/2018, 6:37 pm

I'm working my way through this fascinating topic. Today, I checked the new land for vetch, but found lots of clover, insdead. Boy, do I have a lot to learn!
Keeping bees - Page 36 Bees-c10

countrynaturals on 5/6/2018, 7:05 pm

@llama momma wrote:I am lamenting the fact I will never have my own honey bees. The thought of childhood bee stings still gives me the chills. Local bee keepers will continue to get my business. Btw you guys and gals are brave.

I'm with you, LM. I'm gonna try to find someone to joint venture with. We'll supply the land and they can do the rest. Razz

**Turan** on 5/6/2018, 7:25 pm

@countrynaturals wrote:
@llama momma wrote:I am lamenting the fact I will never have my own honey bees. The thought of childhood bee stings still gives me the chills. Local bee keepers will continue to get my business. Btw you guys and gals are brave.
I'm with you, LM. I'm gonna try to find someone to joint venture with. We'll supply the land and they can do the rest.

That is what a couple friends of mine do here. It works well for them. Some bigger bee people will lease sites as well.

countrynaturals on 5/6/2018, 7:40 pm

@CindiLou wrote:
On a separate note for all you bee keepers. Your bees may become more valuable. I just read that they believe bee venom can have a positive affect on HIV.

Kay

I read about that. Also bee stings are supposed to be good for M.S. Don't know if I am ready to try that. But at least I know the darn stings will be good for something.

And arthritis. Cool

countrynaturals on 5/6/2018, 8:52 pm

@countrynaturals wrote:I'm working my way through this fascinating topic. Today, I checked the new land for vetch, but found lots of clover, insdead. Boy, do I have a lot to learn!

I think I'm in the wrong thread. Embarassed

I've gone through 10 pages and haven't found anything about bee gardening, what we shouldn't mow now in case the bees need it (vetch?), etc. I think I need to search for "wild bees" or maybe "local bees." This is all fascinating, but way more than I can take on. Shocked

**sanderson** on 5/8/2018, 3:11 am

This thread was about bee keeping, not bee gardening. I have Binged "flowers for bees" and found some interesting sites.

countrynaturals on 5/8/2018, 11:27 am

@sanderson wrote:This thread was about bee keeping, not bee gardening. I have Binged "flowers for bees" and found some interesting sites.

Yup, I figured that out about 11 pages in (slow learner, here Embarassed

). Actually, I plan on trying to find some professionals to come in and work it for me, so I need an educatation anyway. study

I also binged bee gardens and flowers. WOW! Keeping bees - Page 36 2636062189

I was worried about mowing down the vetch, but it appears to be past it, with no bees to be seen there, and now the clover is blooming, so that's where all the action is, and that's safely tucked away from where the mowers need to work. Keeping bees - Page 36 43549

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