Yep, have done that before. I will do that on my next inspection, just got too hot last time out.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Beekeepers
- Thread starter Austin
- Start date
Roktoy829
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2020
- Member Number
- 2229
- Messages
- 115
Here in Alabama, we have been in a drought since May. So hot i just let the bees keep their honey. The golden rod is starting to bloom.
I will check them in a few days. It's just been too hot and I know they are pissy. I added a jar of water to one and the damn things wanted to attack.
I will check them in a few days. It's just been too hot and I know they are pissy. I added a jar of water to one and the damn things wanted to attack.
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
Honey pull today. Got two full supers to process.
WaterH
Well-known member
How come nothing looks wet?
the bees encapsulate the honey in cells.
You use a hot knife to decap the cells, then spin the honey out of the racks.
Roktoy829
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2020
- Member Number
- 2229
- Messages
- 115
To add to what 87 said. The uncapped honey still has water in it. You could rob it also, but need to heat up to cook the water out. Once you do that, you cook off all the good properties for allergies.
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
We don't spin the frames with nectar which is what looks wet, only frames with capped honey. We'll save the nectar frames to feed them first thing in the spring.
Thefishguy77
Part time dumbass
Ok so long time no check in. Not sure where I left off. But I had 1 Nuc not make the summer and 1 went bonkers with multiple swarms then going queenless and then pulling a new queen. Anyways my 1 remaining hive has 1 deep damn near solid with capped honey and the bottom deep is about 50% honey with brood frames. Currently they are set up with entrance reducers and an inner and top cover.
Not sure what else to do for wintering them got a feeling this winter will be a hard one so should look into feeding them sugar or anything this winter? I have heard anything from making sugar paddies to just putting down some wax paper on to of the frames and pouring white sugar on it when its not balls cold out during the winter. Zero idea if any of that is good or bad or needed.
Did a mite check a month ago and came up with none. Not sure if that’s accurate of just a newb fucking up.
Ideas or advice is appreciated. Odds of being above 60 degrees for more than a day or 2 in a row until April is low so they are basically done for the winter.
Not sure what else to do for wintering them got a feeling this winter will be a hard one so should look into feeding them sugar or anything this winter? I have heard anything from making sugar paddies to just putting down some wax paper on to of the frames and pouring white sugar on it when its not balls cold out during the winter. Zero idea if any of that is good or bad or needed.
Did a mite check a month ago and came up with none. Not sure if that’s accurate of just a newb fucking up.
Ideas or advice is appreciated. Odds of being above 60 degrees for more than a day or 2 in a row until April is low so they are basically done for the winter.
Thefishguy77
Part time dumbass
Shit forgot the original reason I pulled up this thread. I have a deep of frames full of comb but no resources. Any real reason to not scrape it off and melt it down for candles and shit?
Keep that empty comb, it is one of the best resources to keep in your arsenal. Freeze it and store it for the winter. Use it in the spring to help weaker hives, it gives them a place to store rather than spending a bunch of time building places to store.
Beware of wax moths, I bought a 7 cubic foot freezer chest to store frames in over the winter to keep wax moth from destroying. You can also spray the frames and comb with xentauri which also kills wax moth larvae but does not affect the bees. You can also check out wax moth balls (not the same as moth balls you buy at walmart) so do some research.
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
Agreed, keep any drawn out frames and put them out next year, makes honey production so much faster for them.
As far as winterizing, dunno what's best, we're still learning. We have one 8 frame hive, which being odd size, we are doing a dry sugar feeder. The other hives get candy boards, 25lbs of Suger packed in a board.
This year all 7 gives are getting two straw boxes on top, first one stays all winter and is the barrier, top one gets the straw switched out a few times depending on how much moisture is frozen into it. I'll post pics. We're doing all this next weekend, probably our last 45* day till spring.
I'm also going to wrap them, haven't decided on tar paper or foam/foil.
As far as winterizing, dunno what's best, we're still learning. We have one 8 frame hive, which being odd size, we are doing a dry sugar feeder. The other hives get candy boards, 25lbs of Suger packed in a board.
This year all 7 gives are getting two straw boxes on top, first one stays all winter and is the barrier, top one gets the straw switched out a few times depending on how much moisture is frozen into it. I'll post pics. We're doing all this next weekend, probably our last 45* day till spring.
I'm also going to wrap them, haven't decided on tar paper or foam/foil.
Some lady by the name of Laurie Miller from Washington State has a recipe for making sugar patties?
Was told to google Miller compound honey bees...
All I've got-
Whistlepig
Member
Pony_Driver
Red Skull Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Member Number
- 1362
- Messages
- 2,173
Wish I had known. Fuckers killed a hive of mine this year.
Wax moth don't kill hives, they are opportunistic and will invade a weak hive and decimate it. A healthy hive can fend them off. Your bees either absconded or they succumbed to mites or something else or they just didn't like the living conditions and left. It happens.
I hate them, varroa mites and small hive beetles.
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
On the ones possible, yes. Got a couple that the previous owner made bases with a set opening.
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
It's a 3" opening, and they survived last winter with no candy boards, or hive prep for winter.
I've heard a lot of different theories on opening size, really not sure what to think, that's why we are trying several different ones.
I've heard a lot of different theories on opening size, really not sure what to think, that's why we are trying several different ones.
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
We don't have rodent issues, it's the cold draft that comes into play.
ANGELO
Red Numb Skull
We want to get into beekeeping. There's millions of bees flying around my property already.
We don't know anything about it though, would a cheap starter Amazon kit work ?
We don't know anything about it though, would a cheap starter Amazon kit work ?
Wheelin66bronco
Pure Blood
I have no input on beekeeping in Florida. I wouldn't buy that kit, you won't need all of it.
I'd find a local person to mentor you, and they can steer you in the right direction of parts/tools you'll need.
I'd find a local person to mentor you, and they can steer you in the right direction of parts/tools you'll need.
Thefishguy77
Part time dumbass
This. Even though my mentor went MIA. The knowledge from talking to a local person is worth it. Also if you have that many bees set a swarm trap up.
Roktoy829
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2020
- Member Number
- 2229
- Messages
- 115
Which is why i was surprised not to see the entrance a smaller size.
But there is more then one way with them.
But there is more then one way with them.
~Tampa Bay Beekeeping
~Fla. Beekeepers Association
Find one on fagbook or Google... Pretty sure the club member(s) will mentor & steer you in right direction. Hope this helps, info from a former local honey farmer who moved down to Lakeland area-
Just took the wife and kid to the AZ Honeybee Festival and the City of Phoenix had a booth set up there. Discovered that our yard meets the criteria to keep an urban hive, which has me seriously thinking about this now because we consume lots of honey.
We have probably 3,000 sq. ft. in our backyard with 15+ fruit trees and lots of flowers year round. It’s not huge, but the only requirement is I keep the hive 5’ away from the property lines, so I think maybe putting one in a back corner would work.
My biggest concern is I have an almost 2 year old son who runs around the yard like a crazy child part of the day. Obviously I don’t want some aggro bees getting in his way. Am I retarded for even considering this? My wife sure thinks go
Also scored this pot of gold today. This mesquite honey is by far my favorite, fawking delicious!
We have probably 3,000 sq. ft. in our backyard with 15+ fruit trees and lots of flowers year round. It’s not huge, but the only requirement is I keep the hive 5’ away from the property lines, so I think maybe putting one in a back corner would work.
My biggest concern is I have an almost 2 year old son who runs around the yard like a crazy child part of the day. Obviously I don’t want some aggro bees getting in his way. Am I retarded for even considering this? My wife sure thinks go
Also scored this pot of gold today. This mesquite honey is by far my favorite, fawking delicious!
Good call, I will have to do some more research for sure. From my understanding, pretty much all bees in AZ have been Africanized at this point.
We always have bees in our yard (regular honey bees and shit loads of leaf cutter) and they’ve never been a problem, but of course they’ll be more protective near their home. Leaf cutter bees are awesome and very relaxed, wish those bastards made honey lol.