Honey Bees

[H20fwler]

Just curious why you dont filter straight from the extractor

We don’t either, we just fill straight to five gallon buckets then strain later when we fill jars.

 

[fishin coyote]

SwampCat,
I use to but it takes longer and you’re constantly cleaning the sieve out. I went to 5 gallon paint strainers and never looked back. I put the filter on a bucket with 2inch holes in the bottom it sits inside of a 6 gallon bucket with a couple of spacers to keep it up higher in the bucket. I can strain 5 gallons at a time, so as the 1st bucket is going through the strainer I’m filling the others up. Typically I’m extracting by myself so since I have to do it all, anything that saves time or makes the process easier is going to get done. Plus it’s easier to strain later while enjoying a cold beverage or two.

H2, Do you bottle it all right away?

 

[SwampCat]

I use a filter stand that holds the bottom of the filter up even with the top of the bucket. I might have to scrape the bottom of the filter with a spoon 3/4’s way through or swap filters, but some also run full five gallon bucket through without stopping. I run into five gallon buckets with no honey gate - with the exception of one or two gated buckets for immediately filling bottles. I like to keep bulk in non gated five gallon buckets if you have to warm in case sugar starts to form. Water will intrude backward through a honey gate if submersed in warm water

 

[TreeDaddy]

Same as above , but bottle "as I go" all in one session

bill

 

[SwampCat]

I also sell some five gallon buckets and honey is much easier - for me- to store until needed in five gallon buckets compared to individual smaller containers

 

[fishin coyote]

I don’t botte it anymore at extraction unless there’s less than a 1/2 bucket left when I’m done straining. Like SwampCat it’s easier to store and re-liquefy in 5 gallon buckets. I currently have 9 or 10 buckets in my garage which would equal around 170 quart jars or more.

 

[Mozark]

Set out a few things for the girls to clean up, this morning. Nice to see a little bit of activity after the cold spell.

 

[Mozark]

Took a hive to a neighbors property a year ago to help with pollination, checked on it today. Hive is pretty light and needing some chow, but doing good.

 

[Mozark]

Not as good here at the house, two of four hives are toast. One looks like maybe its lost the queen before winter, they didn't make it very far. Sucks to loose them, but there is a lot of resources left to help other hives and spring swarms.

 

[fishin coyote]

At this moment I know I’ve lost 5 of 7 so far. I’m pretty sure the other 2 are still alive by the snow melt on the lid. It’s supposed to get in the 50’s here this week so I’ll pop the lids and add some frames from the die outs if needed

 

[TreeDaddy]

10 of 10 boiling over with bees

queens starting to lay and some brood ,pollen noted ... honey stores in good shape...

all hives very defensive for some reason.. Bee suit wasnt bee tight and the little witches lit my ass up ( and my golden retriever)

will make splits when i see drone brood a little later this spring

swarm traps will be out late february

bill

 

[rtaylor]

I tried Apivar this year for mite treatment and what a mistake. I've lost 30% of my colonies. Yesterday my active colonies got a small pollen patty so hopefully they will brood up early and I can make early splits.

 

[fishin coyote]

Unfortunately I’m down to one. I lifted the back of the hive and it felt pretty light so I popped the lid and they were all in the top box and inner cover. So I added a full medium from one of the dead outs. Hopefully that extra 40-50 lbs of honey get them through the next month.

 

[Mozark]

Another hive dead, no queen or brood. Not enough bees left to cover the brood if I gave them some.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Caught the first swarm this weekend

Seems early, but redbuds,dogwoods,plums,crabs ,and pears in full bloom

bill

 

[Fryguy]

My hives had a lot of activity today. Bringing in some pollen, I assume from maples? Pretty early for northern Ohio. Happy they made it through the winter.

 

[H20fwler]

I thought we had lost one of the hives over winter but it looks like it was just way thinned down.
So far all the girls seem OK, hopefully they get through the temp swings of spring and we can split a couple of hives by summer.

 

[Merle Hawggard]

Only lost 1 hive over winter. The rest are very strong, Chuck has been making splits. I have 6 swarm traps out with plans for several more.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

 

[TreeDaddy]

^^^^^^^ looks like promising spots for swarms

fence line and unique tree

Ive had success with similar locations

I have a couple of spots where I have caught swarms the last 3 Years.

bill

 

[fishin coyote]

We had a pretty decent day last week so I should have seen some activity around my last survivor but there was nothing, popped the lid and saw they didn’t make it. Oh the joys of beekeeping. I’ll get my swarm traps out and hopefully have some success.