Honey Bees

[fishin coyote]

TT,
I’ll give you my thoughts on what I’d do but I’m sure someone else would do it differently.

1- ditch the patty and feed syrup. I’ve only ever used patties as late winter/early spring supplements
2- Tough to say as it depends on your local nectar sources and are your frames drawn out with comb, here the spring season is winding down and I’d feed as much as they would take to build up to 2 full deeps of bees.
3- Nucs are typically 5 deep frames so I’d start with 1 box and check them every week and not add any more boxes until they had 8 of 10 frames covered in bees.

I don’t like to give them anymore space than they need as it’s harder for them to defend against pests aka moths, beetles and ants.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Sound advice^^^^

The pollen patty in the heat of summer will invite small hive beetles

Wax moths love empty comb in dark ,empty boxes

bill

 

[Troubles Trees]

TT,
I’ll give you my thoughts on what I’d do but I’m sure someone else would do it differently.

1- ditch the patty and feed syrup. I’ve only ever used patties as late winter/early spring supplements
2- Tough to say as it depends on your local nectar sources and are your frames drawn out with comb, here the spring season is winding down and I’d feed as much as they would take to build up to 2 full deeps of bees.
3- Nucs are typically 5 deep frames so I’d start with 1 box and check them every week and not add any more boxes until they had 8 of 10 frames covered in bees.

I don’t like to give them anymore space than they need as it’s harder for them to defend against pests aka moths, beetles and ants.

Great input so thank you FC and TD!
Any of the comb that was still in there was black so I burned it and replaced it with new frames, basically starting like it’s a brand new box. It was 5 frames, I never wear my hat and suit and I rarely get stung. I got nailed 6 times in the face so I had to stop to put my suit on lol
I checked this morning and they were very active going in and out so I think I’m good. I have a bunch of stuff flowering now so I think they have plenty to start with.

I bought some patties from Mann Lake and will wait till late winter to use those.

I’ll have to get syrup, how do you use the syrup? I saw a few different feeders, one looked like you pull a frame and insert it. I might as well buy this stuff and learn how to use it. Really need a local store that sells this stuff, ML is quick to deliver but I still have to wait.

 

[fishin coyote]

How to make a mason jar feeder​

You will need a spare empty deep box to surround these feeders if you use quart jars.

1. Take the flat portion of the two-piece lid and use a small finish nail to make 6 to 8 small punctures in it, punching from the inside of the lid towards the outside. Make the holes with just the tip of the nail, not driving it through to the shank.
2. Fill the jar with syrup and install the reassembled lid tightly.
3. Turn the jar over to test the seal and see how fast the holes weep syrup. After a vacuum has formed, the jars should stop dripping and allow the bees to collect syrup in a controlled way from underneath the upside down jar. Keep the jars upside down after testing the seals to maintain the vacuum.
4. Set the jar on top of the frames, inside the empty box. You can have more than one jar dispensing syrup at the same time. It is helpful to set them up on short pieces of furring strips to allow the bees to reach the entire lid area.
5. Replace the inner cover and the hive top.

With both of these feeders, it’s important to cover the notch in the rim of the inner cover with bee-proof screening to prevent robbers from entering the hive and having direct access to the syrup.

 

[fishin coyote]

I copied this from the net. When I feed like this I usually put it over the hole in the inner cover.
Make your own syrup 2 cups of water per pound of sugar.

 

[fishin coyote]

Picked up swarm 6 & 7 this week. Must have just missed #7 flying in. I was looking at the blooms on some gray twig dogwoods next to my front yard and could hear bee but didn’t see any on the shrubs. Looked over by my garden and could see them fly around the swarm trap. Took this picture of some of the ladies fanning the front entrance so the rest of them could find their way in

 

[H20fwler]

I’ll have to get syrup, how do you use the syrup? I saw a few different feeders, one looked like you pull a frame and insert it. I might as well buy this stuff and learn how to use it. Really need a local store that sells this stuff, ML is quick to deliver but I still have to wait.

I use a baby chicken waterer, just add some stones in drinking tray part so bees don't fall in and drown. I put it on top of the hive I want to feed, seems to work.

 

[Barndog56]

We have an Intex above ground pool with a saltwater system that creates chlorine from the salt in the water. Our neighbor has a couple of hives with a small pond they use for water. But most days there are 5-10 bees drinking from our pool most of the day. They leave us alone.

Today there were about 200 bees drinking from the pool all day. Many of them accidentally get into the water and drown. I started paying attention to their exit this afternoon and noticed they're going in the opposite direction from our neighbor. It turns out the farm 1/4 mile down and across the road put out 9 stacks of hives for pollinating their crop, which I think is cucumber. They have not put out any water for them.

I have a 50 gallon horse tub I'm not using. I figure I'll fill it half full of the salt water and place it under their travel route in a closer spot on my property.

Is there anything else I can do to deter them from using our pool?

 

[Troubles Trees]

You could put up a sign that says "NO misBeehaving" next to your pool but I don't think that would work :) Sounds like you are on the right track, I'm told honeybees will travel up to 5 miles for water but wherever the closest source is, it becomes THE source for water.

 

[Troubles Trees]

What do you guys use for mite treatment? I eat my honey so I would prefer organic over chemical but it needs to work.

Also do you treat for mites regularly or check the hive and treat when numbers get high?

 

[Smokegobbler]

What do you guys use for mite treatment? I eat my honey so I would prefer organic over chemical but it needs to work.

Also do you treat for mites regularly or check the hive and treat when numbers get high?

I use Apiguard. It's easy to use, effective and natural (organic). Do a single treatment in late spring/early summer (before super placement), and a back to back treatment during August. Each treatment takes 10 to 14 days.

 

[fishin coyote]

I don’t treat mine, not a fan of trying to kill a bug on a bug. I think we’re better off letting the bees and mites figure it out between themselves

 

[Troubles Trees]

So I found a local beekeeper, she only has about 5 years under her belt but sells honey and managed to not have a hive lost yet. We’ve been messaging a lot but I had no pics or anything to know what she looked like. Yesterday she asks me if I can help her cut a hive out of someone’s house. So this morning I met her at her house

Ya know when you shoot a buck, and you think it’s a Booner, but ground shrinkage is a thing and it isn’t a Booner at all? This was the exact opposite of that

So anyway I go up the extension ladder and cut away a chunk of facia only to find the hive is inside the wall and out of reach. So I go inside and cut a hole in his sheet rock and we removed the hive.




I’m not sure if I mentioned this but she’s 5’ 9” tall, brown eyes, 120 pounds and shhhhmokin!

 

[SwampCat]

Even schmokin hot helper wouldnt get me to do a cut out on a 100 degree day. I would be passin out - and not because of a hot bee keeper.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Even schmokin hot helper wouldnt get me to do a cut out on a 100 degree day. I would be passin out - and not because of a hot bee keeper.

It was only 80° today but the hive was in the attic he turned into a bedroom so it was sweltering hot inside the suit! It’s possible my heart rate was elevated by the aggravated bees swarming the room

 

[fishin coyote]

Pulled supers yesterday and extracted today looks to be around 175 - 200 lbs off of 5 hives. I’ve done better but still pretty happy considering these are all swarms from mid May/June time frame.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I pulled what I could last week as well. Got 2 quarts and 9 pint jars full. Not a lot, I think there was probably more honey a couple of months ago. However, with the drought the last couple of months I think the colonies have been consuming some. The 3 larger, active hives we had since Spring are packed full of bees. So lack of workers was not an issue. I took the easy stuff and left the rest for the bees. I didn't take any honey last year and only had one super size colony make it through the Winter. I will be honest I am probably not the best bee keeper, but I can't be a full time "babysitter" they either need to step up or hit the road. LOL

 

[TreeDaddy]

I pulled what I could last week as well. Got 2 quarts and 9 pint jars full. Not a lot, I think there was probably more honey a couple of months ago. However, with the drought the last couple of months I think the colonies have been consuming some. The 3 larger, active hives we had since Spring are packed full of bees. So lack of workers was not an issue. I took the easy stuff and left the rest for the bees. I didn't take any honey last year and only had one super size colony make it through the Winter. I will be honest I am probably not the best bee keeper, but I can't be a full time "babysitter" they either need to step up or hit the road. LOL

"Bees need beekeepers like fish need bicycles"

I believe Michael Bush said that

bill

 

[Turkey Creek]

"Bees need beekeepers like fish need bicycles"

I believe Michael Bush said that

bill

I agree to some extent. Have read and watched Mr. Bush's stuff. Obviously bees have been making it on their own since the day they were created. I would like to get more production out of ours, but that production is going to have to be of their own initiative! LOL

 

[Mozark]

Finally got a little bit of sunshine and warmth, good to see some girls out flying.