Beekeeping

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I probably need to do the same. I split mine too aggressively last year and ended up loosing several because of their populations being too low.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I probably need to do the same. I split mine too aggressively last year and ended up loosing several because of their populations being too low.

Also reading a new book on queen rearing. I have a couple standout colonies that I have had for years and years who have never been fed or treated and they fill the hive consistently. I'd love to make some queens with their DNA.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Getting into the shop today to finish repairs on a couple hives. I've got (5) empties ready to deploy. Seven swarm traps to hang, two 14 frame starter hives ready to go, and 35 more extra deep frames to assemble.

 

[RobertEH]

I just had an epiphany after looking at your photos!

Last year I was hit big time with wax moths. The destroyed 30 of my spare drawn out frames and filled them with nasty writhing larva and slik - it actually initiated my gag reflex trying to clean them up. I just tossed them they were so bad.

I see you store your frames in plastic bins. Love that idea. I was trying to seal up my supers and storing them that way but the moths found a way in. Currently they are being stored in heavy weight plastic trash bags but those are hard to completely seal and are prone to being ripped.

(I do freeze the frames for 10 days prior to storing them over the winter, and again prior to using them)

 

[RobertEH]

What is this on your stands?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The gabled

roofs on these hives are nice, but if the wind is just right, I've had them lift, open, and flip the hives. So, I'm retrofitting all of them with a latch. Especially since I'm starting to keep bees miles away.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I just had an epiphany after looking at your photos!

Last year I was hit big time with wax moths. The destroyed 30 of my spare drawn out frames and filled them with nasty writhing larva and slik - it actually initiated my gag reflex trying to clean them up. I just tossed them they were so bad.

I see you store your frames in plastic bins. Love that idea. I was trying to seal up my supers and storing them that way but the moths found a way in. Currently they are being stored in heavy weight plastic trash bags but those are hard to completely seal and are prone to being ripped.

(I do freeze the frames for 10 days prior to storing them over the winter, and again prior to using them)

Yes, we freeze for 48 hours min, then store in plastic tubs in the barn over winter. Works like a charm. Never had wax moth infest them.

The stuff on the stand was a little ring of waterproof grease to dissuade ants from crawling up on a couple colonies then they were weak

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I also have 11 honey frames in one of those tubs to feed back this spring. Those were frozen, before storing.

 

[RobertEH]

Yes, we freeze for 48 hours min, then store in plastic tubs in the barn over winter. Works like a charm. Never had wax moth infest them.

The stuff on the stand was a little ring of waterproof grease to dissuade ants from crawling up on a couple colonies then they were weak

Good deal, thanks!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Finished up 30+ frames today, and fed back some crystalized honey that I diluted to syrup.

I'll wire the frames and prime with foundation next week.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

We have had a few day warm spell here. I checked on my ladies and I only have 1 living hive... Sad day.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We have had a few day warm spell here. I checked on my ladies and I only have 1 living hive... Sad day.

Oh damn. How many went into winter? All of ours survived again. I’ve had a colony that has always been a poor honey producer and slow to build up in the spring... Last year they filled the box with honey, and thus far this spring are coming on strong. Must have been requested last year, and they are benefitting from that.

We have been through three winters in the Layens hives, no feed and no varroa treatment, not lost a hive yet. My wife’s uncle, who told me this type of beekeeping would not work, lost 7 of 11 this winter.

I’ll stop short of making claims as to why we have had the success we have had. I will say that conventional wisdom has thus far been proven wrong.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

There were 7 going into winter. I had split way to aggressively last year and I feel confident that they starved out due to not being able to build resources because of low populations. I didn't take much honey last summer but I didn't realize the situation was that dire. Also I did not spend the time with them I needed to because of building our house. If I had, I probably could have saved at least some of them. Life is all about learning opportunities I guess. This year will still probably be a little busy getting the yard and shop how I want them. Right now my bee goal for the year is to get 4-5 hives strong enough to make it through winter '24-'25.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Bees are very busy, and loving the crocus.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Getting some European wax foundation strips on the new frames for swarm traps!

 

[EddieWalker]

We started watching The Incredible Pol Farm Show, where Dr Pol's son is building a 350 acre farm. It's a fun show where they do stuff that I never thought of, and other things that I would never do, but they are doing it, and I'm enjoying watching it.

One of the things we just watched was their bee hives. Since we don't know anything about raising bees, it's interesting to watch what others are doing. They opened their hives up and found them to be almost empty. They where also full of ants.

Do ants bother bees? What about fire ants? If so, how do you keep them out?

They put out sugar water to feed the bees. Does this work? Should you feed the bees?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We started watching The Incredible Pol Farm Show, where Dr Pol's son is building a 350 acre farm. It's a fun show where they do stuff that I never thought of, and other things that I would never do, but they are doing it, and I'm enjoying watching it.

One of the things we just watched was their bee hives. Since we don't know anything about raising bees, it's interesting to watch what others are doing. They opened their hives up and found them to be almost empty. They where also full of ants.

Do ants bother bees? What about fire ants? If so, how do you keep them out?

They put out sugar water to feed the bees. Does this work? Should you feed the bees?

I know Doc Pol. My brother had him and his camera crew thrown off our property. They showed up to film some filler material and never asked permission. He was our vet for years back in the 80s.

About bees. Feeding sugar is commonplace, but it’s only needed for an established colony, if the beekeeper took too much honey. Bees will store 2-3x what they need to survive. God didn’t create them to be fed by humans. Sugar also does not have the same nutritional properties as nectar.

Bees naturally live in dead trees. Full of ants and critters. A healthy colony will defend itself against all pests… a weak and dying colony cannot. Sounds like he isn’t being very successful in his endeavor.

Sounds like he has prescribed to the industrial beekeeping philosophy. It values profit over bee health.

 

[EddieWalker]

Having watched how they build fences, it's obvious that the good doctor isn't as knowledgeable as he pretends. But I enjoy his shows because he shows stuff that I've never seen before.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Dad was a beekeeper, and for many years the local bee inspector for the county. I did not take it up, but he has many empty boxes in storage.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Bees were WILD today. On of those girls has full pollen buckets. Swarm traps go up next week!