Beekeepers

[Thefishguy77]

Set out a box with used frames in it and see if they'll come and land, putting a pheromone lure in it may help as well.
It's a whole lot cheaper than buying a package of bees.

Aaron Z

I have 2 boxes out with used frames as traps. Moving 1 a lot closer as well as making 2-3 more today. This was our first real swarming weather. I am still hoping to catch other bees as well.

 

[Roktoy829]

Wife opened her hive last night. Happy we still have bees. Found someone through work who is local who might be willing to mentor her a bit. Anyway, here are a couple pics.

You maybe ready to add a honey super. If you just have foundation, give some sugar water and let them draw it out.

 

[Santa]

You maybe ready to add a honey super. If you just have foundation, give some sugar water and let them draw it out.

I have no idea what any of that means other than the sugar water. We have 3 boxes stacked now. I think two medium and one shallow. This was more for pollinating the garden than honey, although if we do get honey I'm sure my wife and kids will love it. I really am not a fan. Gimme straight sugar

 

[aczlan]

I have no idea what any of that means other than the sugar water. We have 3 boxes stacked now. I think two medium and one shallow. This was more for pollinating the garden than honey, although if we do get honey I'm sure my wife and kids will love it. I really am not a fan. Gimme straight sugar

A super is what you are calling a box, usually a hive will have 2 deep boxes for the queen to lay in and 1-3 shallow ones on top for them to put honey into.
Foundation is the wax in the middle of the wood frame that the bees use as the base for their honeycomb.
Drawing it out is when they make the wax honeycomb on the foundation for them to put honey into.

Aaron Z

 

[Wheelin66bronco]

Our hive didn't make it over winter. I think I insulated it to well, and not enough ventilation, inside was wet and moldy this spring. Picked up two nuc's last weekend. One Cornelian, one Italian. Been feeding them as nothing is blooming here yet and it's still snowing off and on. You can see both red boxes in the picture.

 

[Pony_Driver]

Wife opened her hive last night. Happy we still have bees. Found someone through work who is local who might be willing to mentor her a bit. Anyway, here are a couple pics.

She really ought to pull those frames and clean the burr comb off. Once they get crowded or pack it in like that they are more likely to swarm.

 

[Thefishguy77]

Buddy let me hang a swarm trap at his place. Holds 4 deep frames and it twice the height of a normal deep box. Put some old frames with some of this years burr comb on them for sent. Facing southeast

 

[Roktoy829]

Santa , Pony explained it perfectly.

They appear to running out room. They will leave your ass, like a crack whore after stealing all your money.

 

[Thefishguy77]

Well my schedule/weather has sucked ass since they swarmed. I seriously haven’t had time to work them at all let alone take a look. My damn fault for not making the time, another lesson learned.

I walk out this morning and I can hear them already. I look over and see a fair amount in the air but he front of the box is covered. I throw on my jacket grab the smoker and smoke them back in the hive and the airborne ones followed them back in so I assumed the queen hadn’t left. Called my bee guy and explained the situation to him. Well he asked if I had added a 2nd deep yet and I said no as last I worked them they still had 2 frames empty in both directions.
He said thats your only prayer they want room but once they get the mind to swarm they usually cant be stopped. Well my other deeps got turned into swarm traps because they needed some rot damage. So I stacked 2 honey suppers on and filled it with deep frames. Smoked them some more and then left he smoker under the hive while I got my tools to work the 2nd hive since I suspected the same.
Came back with 2 more honey supers and a set of deep frames and the 1st hive was calm. I removed the smoker and started on the 2nd hive.

Well the 2nd hive was much like the first. This time because I wasn’t in a massive hurry I cleaned the inner cover and got a bit of comb and honey. Westher is going to blow ass for the next few days but my bee guy is meeting me at his shop tomorrow so I can get 2 proper deep boxes.

For the moment I have calm happy bees with rain within an hour. I aint fucking with them till the next window.

 

[OHV Wildcat]

Our hive didn't make it over winter. I think I insulated it to well, and not enough ventilation, inside was wet and moldy this spring. Picked up two nuc's last weekend. One Cornelian, one Italian. Been feeding them as nothing is blooming here yet and it's still snowing off and on. You can see both red boxes in the picture.

Holy shit, what a place!

 

[Paragon]

saw where California has classified bees as endangered fish

Bees are ‘fish’ under Calif. Endangered Species Act – state court

Bumblebees are eligible for protection as endangered or threatened “fish” under California law, a state appeals court held in a win for environmental groups and the state’s Fish and Game Commission.

www.reuters.com

 

[Wheelin66bronco]

Holy shit, what a place!

Thanks, I've only got 2.5acres but we like it! Got super lucky finding this for sale 6 yrs ago when prices were reasonable.

 

[Wheelin66bronco]

Just did a hive inspection on both our hives. Cornelian hive is ready for a few supers and may be ready to split also. Italian hive is doing good, just not quite as far along as the Cornelian.

 

[Thefishguy77]

Ok, chanced a weather window today to fully work the hives. I got through the Swarmy one and found multiple queen cells on the bottom of the frames, both capped and un capped. I removed them all. I also assumed one of the reasons they were swarming was they were full and the weather just hasn’t worked with my schedule. Hive 1, purple base and the swarmy one, had 2 empty frames on 1 side a 1.5 on the other. Hive 2, pinkish and uneventful, was full to the sides with no queen cells, lots of brood and a several frames full of capped honey. I stacked deeps on both because I am afraid I may miss a weather window next week with kids sports. Also heard a swarm moving over head today. Will be checking my traps a lot. Fingers crossed for free bees

 

[WaterH]

Thanks, I've only got 2.5acres but we like it! Got super lucky finding this for sale 6 yrs ago when prices were reasonable.

I just got back from Montana (work) and your place looks like the same terrain. (Except he didn’t have the big mountains in the back.) Very nice. This guy I was working for said it was a 100 miles to a Walmart. Is that what it’s like there?

 

[Thefishguy77]

Ok so talking to a fellow bee keeper on the east side of the state she said her mentor has told her once you see a hood capped queen cell, try to find the active wueen and move her and like 5 frames to a new box. Apparently the original hive will raise the new queen just fine and you split your hive. I was actually contemplating doing this but with me weather window I didnt see her right away so I scrapped the cells clean.

Any thoughts on this. My pollen season is about a month shorther than hers on the east side of the mountains.

 

[Wheelin66bronco]

I just got back from Montana (work) and your place looks like the same terrain. (Except he didn’t have the big mountains in the back.) Very nice. This guy I was working for said it was a 100 miles to a Walmart. Is that what it’s like there?

Idaho Falls is the closest at 75+/-, so ya. Same for all big box stores.

 

[rockota]

Ok so talking to a fellow bee keeper on the east side of the state she said her mentor has told her once you see a hood capped queen cell, try to find the active wueen and move her and like 5 frames to a new box. Apparently the original hive will raise the new queen just fine and you split your hive. I was actually contemplating doing this but with me weather window I didnt see her right away so I scrapped the cells clean.

Any thoughts on this. My pollen season is about a month shorther than hers on the east side of the mountains.

I’ve read the same…

 

[Pony_Driver]

Ok so talking to a fellow bee keeper on the east side of the state she said her mentor has told her once you see a hood capped queen cell, try to find the active wueen and move her and like 5 frames to a new box. Apparently the original hive will raise the new queen just fine and you split your hive. I was actually contemplating doing this but with me weather window I didnt see her right away so I scrapped the cells clean.

Any thoughts on this. My pollen season is about a month shorther than hers on the east side of the mountains.

Correct. They want to swarm so move them before they do. I've heard once they cap they're out within the day FWIW. It's not something you can wait on.

 

[Thefishguy77]

Ok, even though I just haphazardly went through them the other day when I added a deep. I made today a work the bees day. The swarming hive is first. I am worried about what looking like moisture on the inside. Staining? On the left hand side?

After the empty top deep is removed. Right 3 frames are mostly empty. Pictures will be from right to left front and back respectively.

And now back together.

 

[Thefishguy77]

2nd hive pink base.

 

[Thefishguy77]

 

[rockota]

Something I’ve never seen before…

Two hives, 3’ apart.

Hive 1: very small beard. NBD.

Hive 2: beard is a full 3-supers tall, and on two sides.

Hive 2 has probable 2x population and healthier.



Added a small 1/8” shim to the top and removed the reducer for now. Since it’s going to be near 100 all week, going to try to rig up some shade…

Also, hive 1 hasn’t been capping honey consistently. Pulled one frame and ~15% was honey, dripping. Going to call an apiary for an inspection

 

[Santa]

Added a small 1/8” shim to the top and removed the reducer for now. Since it’s going to be near 100 all week, going to try to rig up some shade…

Not sure on location, but I argue with my wife about shade regularly. I spent 20 years in the Sacramento Valley where it regularly hit 90 to 100+. The hives were always out, in the fields, no shade. Maybe a bit of shade in the nut and fruit orchards, but not the row crops.

Maybe I'm delusional and they moved them before it got that hot, but I swear I remember seeing them out there.

Either way, I don't let my wife shade the bees when we've gotten warm here. Little fuckers need to take care of me, not the other way around

 

[rockota]

Not sure on location, but I argue with my wife about shade regularly. I spent 20 years in the Sacramento Valley where it regularly hit 90 to 100+. The hives were always out, in the fields, no shade. Maybe a bit of shade in the nut and fruit orchards, but not the row crops.

Maybe I'm delusional and they moved them before it got that hot, but I swear I remember seeing them out there.

Either way, I don't let my wife shade the bees when we've gotten warm here. Little fuckers need to take care of me, not the other way around

I have no argument against your points. I find it fascinating how different two hives are when 3’ away from each other.

If I can find a “free” patio umbrella, I’ll rig up some shade for hive 2. If not, Darwin

 

[woods]

Love to do this but not enough room and the bears would make quick work of everything.

Love reading about it though.

 

[Criscfer]

We don't offer any shade to ours at 6000 ft in Co. They are in full sun, and we have already hit 100 and 99 this week.
We have put vent screens and shims in to increase the airflow, but they fill them with propolis. They don't seem to appreciate the drafts.

 

[rockota]

Love to do this but not enough room and the bears would make quick work of everything.

Love reading about it though.

Do it. Some electrical fence will keep the bears out.

Buddy of mine moved 2 hives from Tn to co… built a platform for the hives and put electrical fence around the platform.

It can be done… make it happen

 

[woods]

Do it. Some electrical fence will keep the bears out.

Buddy of mine moved 2 hives from Tn to co… built a platform for the hives and put electrical fence around the platform.

It can be done… make it happen

My yard, and I'm not kidding here, is about 110 sqft. I don't even know why I own a mower. Its too close and the hive box thingers would have to be in the woods. Or butt up against the house. Guy about a mile down the road has them, but he's got a full acre of cut grass.

 

[Pony_Driver]

My yard, and I'm not kidding here, is about 110 sqft. I don't even know why I own a mower. Its too close and the hive box thingers would have to be in the woods. Or butt up against the house. Guy about a mile down the road has them, but he's got a full acre of cut grass.

I moved mine from the wood line to right next to my house so they would get sun and help keep the small hive beetles at bay. It can be done.