I do both. I'll do random checks on my bees with an alcohol wash in late summer. Typically, I already know what the numbers will be but I do it anyways out of curiosity. Whether they test high or low will determine how hard I go after them but they all have mites all the time.
Honey Bees
- Thread starter Peeps
- Start date
fishin coyote
5 year old buck +
We’re not the only ones who like maple syrup 
Great looking swarm traps, im jealous! Any swarms yet?
TreeDaddy
5 year old buck +
TreeDaddy
5 year old buck +
fishin coyote
5 year old buck +
I got home today from FIL’s memorial service and as I’m getting the SxS out to start planting the rest of my shrubs I heard the unmistakable sound of bees swarming. Walked up to the hives and watched this bunch pour out of a hive and land on the side of this maple. Called a friend and borrowed his bee vac, hour later they were back in a hive. Earliest I’ve ever had a hive swarm, luckily I was able to get them back.
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Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Installed a couple of new packages today. Moved a couple of hives from the house to the farm. They have never seemed to thrive here at the house, and always die out. Wondering if they dont end up poisoned from neighbors spraying insecticides. Seems like in our subdivision there is lots of forage available.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Checked another hive today that I had seen bees going in and out of this spring. I noticed they were not bringing any pollen into the hive which is typically never a good sign this time of year. Not alot of bees when I opened it up today, the hive was booming as we went into winter last fall. Plenty of honey stores still remaining, but no queen, and the workers had started laying eggs. I will let them meet their demise at least they are busy pollinating, inadvertently right now. Pretty sure they hadnt swarmed plenty of room, no empty queen cells and the weather hasnt been very conducive to that either. I think I have pretty well resigned myself to just buying as many packages as I want (can afford) to each Spring. I dont have the time or willingness to invest more in trying to get them through the winter at this time in my life, maybe someday if I ever retire I will try to get more out of a hive.
For you folks who buy packages (I have never bought a package) - will you get harvestable honey from them the first year?
TreeDaddy
5 year old buck +
I am interested to hear
I have never bought a package either
As I understand , Sellers shake a bunch of bees into a box and add a caged queen
I would guess the answer to be "No"
Tell me where I'm wrong
bill
fishin coyote
5 year old buck +
Sometimes you’ll get a fall harvest from a package and sometimes not. I think it all depends on the queen and the conditions of the season. My 1st ever package did great and I got about 60# from them. The next year I may have gotten 20# from 3 packages
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Yea its hit and miss with packages and honey production. How soon can you get them, how early a flower is in bloom that allows for nectar and pollen gathering, etc. I do put our packages onto drawn frames from the previous season that speeds up the process a bit. Takes a lot of nectar to drawn out frames of honey comb. Plus you can give them some capped honey from previous years and a frame with some pollen, that bumps the speed a bit as well.
Spike_Horn_Shooter
5 year old buck +
Spike_Horn_Shooter
5 year old buck +
Thought you guys that keep bees at your camps / remote locations with bear problems might like this.
I loved keeping bees…they really are one of the only creatures on a farm that can pay their way. It’s too bad they just kept winter killing. Even with treatments, feedings and leaving pounds of honey on the hives.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Yes on the frames, I use the supplied nails on the bodies. I treat all joints with the Gorilla Glue that reacts with moisture to kick it off just prior to stapling or nailing. Cant say that I have ever had a connection fail thus far.
Merle Hawggard
5 year old buck +
Ran up on this swarm yesterday, but since it was only about 20' from our yard, I'm sure its one of ours anyway. We did catch our 2nd swarm in a swarm trap though.
Only starting around here after a cool wet spring.
Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
Only starting around here after a cool wet spring.
Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
