Bee farming

[JB4310]

This colony collapse disorder took out half of my friends hives in the last 2-3 years. Especially over the winter, I guess it's normal to loose a percentage of hives in the winter but CCD has been decimating bee colonies worldwide.
Don't know if it's slowing down or still getting worse.

He told be the hives will produce a heartier bee designed to last through winter months, the summer bees die off?


Learn about CCD - Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder : National Agricultural Library

JB.

 

[First one]

This is a good book, The Beekeeper's Handbook (Third Edition) alot of nice illustrations .

 

[20 20]

I am curious as to the mite issues, some say treat the bees, others say let it be. I don't care for chemicals, but also don't want to start something that I may kill without having knowledge.

 

[NorTracNY]

20_20,
I'm actually taking free beginner bee classes right now from a very strong club in Western NY. The classes are great. I'll be receiving my bees in about 2 months.
From the club here, there is NO concern about CCD. At last nights class on pests and diseases, it wasn't even brought up! Someone asked the question afterwards about it. No local beekeeper in the club had ever had seen a case of it. There were some cases of absconding though. CCD appears to be largely a case of stress with the bees. There is some "contagious" aspect though.
As for treating for the Varroa mites, most of the members avoid chemicals. Some do dust with sugar, but it was clear that a strong colony will handle the mites on their own. It was also made clear that ALL colonies will have some mites.
For your location, be aware of bears and protecting the hives from them. In one night they can decimate an apiary.

 

[20 20]

Thanks NorTracNY, I missed out on a free class . You are also correct about our bears they don't seem to care much what people think

question for you that is off topic, do you own a NorTrac machine?

 

[dcyrilc]

Thanks NorTracNY, I missed out on a free class . You are also correct about our bears they don't seem to care much what people think

One thing to be aware of with your bears is that they will be after the bees not the honey. Bears actually eat the bees.

 

[dsquared]

I locate my hives in full sun, and facing southeast (if possible). As mentioned before, you don't want them sleeping in. As far as the questions about mite treatments, I quit treating three years ago. I buy queens from a local queen breeder (he is 100 miles from me in PA) and requeen my colonies with his queens (or their offspring when one of my colonies swarm). I've been lucky (for far, knock wood, make the sign of the cross) and haven't lost any colonies to mites since I stopped treating.

As I mentioned, it's a lot more difficult than when I started out 20+ years ago but I still enjoy it, especially this time of year when I'm assembling equipment, watching the maple trees getting ready to bloom and dreaming about the d@mn snow melting away.

 

[Jstpssng]

Hey, thanks for asking this question. I'm hoping to start a hive next year, and this thread has proved educational. I have a friend downstate from me who keeps 2 hives; he says the only problem he's ever had was when he bought bees with mites. I've gotten a lot of helpful hints from him. He raises Russian bees, and has also mentioned the hassles of getting them through the mail.

The blueberry grower next door to me dropped off several hives last year; to keep bears away he puts out electric tape, similar to what you see in horse pastures. The fence was run by a cell filled with "D" cell batteries, and were there for several weeks without incident.

 

[dave1949]

Here is a link to a place that sells different, odd looking hives.

Gold Star Honeybees - Home of the Gold Star Top Bar Hive

Have no idea if good or bad. Just ran across it in the Maine Org. Farmers newspaper.
Dave.

 

[GOLD STAR]

Hello Tractor Folks --
I don't own a tractor, though I've long had a hankering for a Kubota - not sure why, maybe it's the color...

Anyway - I wanted to say hello and thanks to the person who posted about Gold Star's top bar hives - they are "odd" looking - on purpose! and they are intended to be as natural as possible - to help promote healthy bees.

It's important that we return to a method of farming that supports bees - migratory pollination is certainly having its difficulties with keeping bees alive while being transported around the country to mono-crops, so it's nice to see Gold Star's products mentioned here.


-- Christy Hemenway
GOLD STAR HONEYBEES
207-449-1121
Gold Star Honeybees - Home of the Gold Star Top Bar Hive

 

[20 20]

Hey folks I'll try this a again. I just wrote a bunch just to have the site kick me out{arrgh!!!} Thanks for the info,
Dave1949 that hive is looks very interesting . Now my brain is going to have to think {hahaha}

Jstpssng, I was wondering how an electric fence may work against my land owners{bears}.

Gold Star, welcome to the site, I'll probably have questions for you

 

[forgeblast]

After seeing gold stars hives i became real interested in that design.

http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_67/815000/815182/3/print/How_to_build_a_TBH.pdf

also check out The Barefoot Beekeeper
I didnt realize there were so many different ways to keep bees. I though there way only the box type bee hives.
After checking out those sites i may start a bee hive this summer.....
after i finish the chicken coop, plant the garden, cut firewood, etc...lol one more project.

 

[dcyrilc]

Hey folks I'll try this a again. I just wrote a bunch just to have the site kick me out{arrgh!!!} Thanks for the info,
Dave1949 that hive is looks very interesting . Now my brain is going to have to think {hahaha}

Jstpssng, I was wondering how an electric fence may work against my land owners{bears}.

Gold Star, welcome to the site, I'll probably have questions for you

When our local bee club places hives in the mountians for the fire weed flow, they use battery powered electric fencing to keep the bears at bay. My understanding is that the only times they have had a problem, they have also found the battery or the charger to be dead. Hence, no active fence. They have never found the fence down or hives destirbed with a working battery and charger.

 

[heehaw]

just for info: in our area, if you want your hives to build up an be ready for the honey flow, its time to feed them some sugar water: 2 parts sugar to one part water: makes the queen start laying a lot more.
heehaw

 

[20 20]

Just wanted to update folks; My wife and I went to a bee class sat, it was very interesting. They didn't really know much about the TBH{top bar hive}. I did learn quite a bit which will come in handy. I also ordered a nuc of bees that should come be here in a few weeks. I also bought lumber to build a TBH. When I get it done I'll try to get some pictures.

Thanks again for all the info and ideas :thumbsup:

 

[dave1949]

Thanks for the update and good for you 20_20. Hope it goes well for you.

Just recently read the commercial bees continue to go downhill. Rural folks should all get into keeping a hive probably.
Dave.

 

[Mousefield]

Good luck with your new bees, there are sure needed for pollination purposes and that yummy :licking: honey to boot.
Just read a few weeks ago that about 90% of the bee colonies on our 12,000 sq mile island have died off. :confused2: Could be mites but no one seems to really know.

 

[20 20]

Hi Dave1949 and Mousefield. The instructor told us one of the reason for bee die off up here last year was starvation. With all of the rain and bad weather the bees could not get the food they needed.

I also saw a news clip on how many of the chemicals being used may be causing issue's with the bees natural immune system. There seems to be a very fine line on what and how many products{chemicals} should be used. This will be one of our hardest struggles, I'm sure????? One side says to use chemicals while the other say's no chemicals. I am going to try and go as natural as possible, let nature do what it has done for millions of years. I don't care for chemicals and if at all possible rather not use them. I think another problem in my area may be the hard winters. I will have to make sure the little guys and gals are wraped and warm through the tough winter months.

 

[dave1949]

Hi Dave1949 and Mousefield. The instructor told us one of the reason for bee die off up here last year was starvation. With all of the rain and bad weather the bees could not get the food they needed.

I also saw a news clip on how many of the chemicals being used may be causing issue's with the bees natural immune system. There seems to be a very fine line on what and how many products{chemicals} should be used. This will be one of our hardest struggles, I'm sure????? One side says to use chemicals while the other say's no chemicals. I am going to try and go as natural as possible, let nature do what it has done for millions of years. I don't care for chemicals and if at all possible rather not use them. I think another problem in my area may be the hard winters. I will have to make sure the little guys and gals are wraped and warm through the tough winter months.

Well, that makes sense now that you say it. Everything around us that is fruit and flower bearing did poorly last year. Blackberries, elderberry, wild flowers were all pretty anemic last summer. Garden was poor, stuff didn't ripen. I thought it was a pretty good year for hardwood tree growth, probably from the extra moisture and no heat stress.

Let us know how your new project goes every now and then please.
Dave.

 

[dave1949]

20 20
Any update on your bee project? I thought about this thread yesterday. I was outside surrounded by white and red clover on a nice sunny day and could only see 3 bees. Years ago there would have so many you could hear a constant background buzz.
Dave.