CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
Some beautiful frames this year. That's $120 of honey right there
Beekeeping
- Thread starter LittleBittyBigJohn
- Start date
Some beautiful frames this year. That's $120 of honey right there
RobertEH
Silver Member
New keeper here. This is year 4 and I had my first successful overwinter last year. I am going into this winter with 3 hives. I had a modest harvest this season (10 frames - I also left 10 frames for each hive for overwinter food).
Last winter I used a "hot hive" set up with 2 inch foam panels surrounding the hive and a quilt box for moisture control.
This year I am repeating the foam panels and adding a candy board below the quilt boards. I built the candy boards last month and filled them yesterday. I plan on putting them on and adding the insulation next week as temps are about to get close to freezing at night. the "stove pipes" in the photo are just blocks to keep the center open for air flow to the quilt box and will be removed before installing next week.
Last years insulated hive - this year I will have the bottom panel directly under the bottom board rather than hidden under the stand, and I will be removing the top cover in lieu of an oversized foam panel.
Last winter I used a "hot hive" set up with 2 inch foam panels surrounding the hive and a quilt box for moisture control.
This year I am repeating the foam panels and adding a candy board below the quilt boards. I built the candy boards last month and filled them yesterday. I plan on putting them on and adding the insulation next week as temps are about to get close to freezing at night. the "stove pipes" in the photo are just blocks to keep the center open for air flow to the quilt box and will be removed before installing next week.
Last years insulated hive - this year I will have the bottom panel directly under the bottom board rather than hidden under the stand, and I will be removing the top cover in lieu of an oversized foam panel.
CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
Insulation helps A LOT, plus we leave 35 pounds of honey per hive
forgeblast
Elite Member
how is the bear situation? do your run electric fence?
CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
Extracted 150 pounds of honey today. The buckwheat wasn't noticeable in the honey really, so next year I'm planting phacelia, which has a much greater nectar carrying capacity. We will see how that affects honey flow
Hello, lilbittybigjohn. BEFORE keeping bees, find out what pests kill hives, ie varoa mite, american foul brood, etc. In New Zealand american foul brood means the bees are gassed and the hive burn to prevent further contamination.
Other things in no particular order, honey is HEAVY. look at 1/2 or 3/4 depth boxes.
Bees WILL glue EVERYTHING togather.
Bees will leave a "bee space"(8mm) and fill extra space with burr comb in any gap.
Old jute sacking makes good smoke.
Learn to recognise queeen cells and inspect and destroy or you will have smarms leaving the hive.
In New Zealand we generally have hives on pallets, but will still put a 2' square of plywood in front of the entrance to stop the grass blocking the entrance.
To catch a swarm on a low branch, get a large cardboard box,(bees don't suffocate) and give a sharp shake to dislodge the swarm from the branch into the box(hold directly under the swarm) or cut the branch (if small enough) and take the branch with the swarm. At the new hive lay a newspaper or plywood in front of the hive and shake the swarm onto the newspaper and usually they will just walk into the hive( include some frames that have had brood in them as the smell makes the hive more inviting). Bees will move into an old hive quite readilly as it is less work. (BUT if the old bees were killed by disease then the new swarm will be infected).
Watching a swarm walk into a hive in both surreal and facinating.
Good Luck
Other things in no particular order, honey is HEAVY. look at 1/2 or 3/4 depth boxes.
Bees WILL glue EVERYTHING togather.
Bees will leave a "bee space"(8mm) and fill extra space with burr comb in any gap.
Old jute sacking makes good smoke.
Learn to recognise queeen cells and inspect and destroy or you will have smarms leaving the hive.
In New Zealand we generally have hives on pallets, but will still put a 2' square of plywood in front of the entrance to stop the grass blocking the entrance.
To catch a swarm on a low branch, get a large cardboard box,(bees don't suffocate) and give a sharp shake to dislodge the swarm from the branch into the box(hold directly under the swarm) or cut the branch (if small enough) and take the branch with the swarm. At the new hive lay a newspaper or plywood in front of the hive and shake the swarm onto the newspaper and usually they will just walk into the hive( include some frames that have had brood in them as the smell makes the hive more inviting). Bees will move into an old hive quite readilly as it is less work. (BUT if the old bees were killed by disease then the new swarm will be infected).
Watching a swarm walk into a hive in both surreal and facinating.
Good Luck
CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
OP
LittleBittyBigJohn
Platinum Member
- Joined
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- Central Arkansas
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Yummo!
RobertEH
Silver Member
That is dark honey! What nectar flow produced that do you think?
Knotweed flows have produced dark honey like that for me.
Knotweed flows have produced dark honey like that for me.