Beekeeping

[ponytug]

I was very surprised reading that you should put a screen over a Mason Bee "hotel", while they are hibernating, so woodpeckers don't eat them. WE HAVE SERIOUS ISSUES WITH WOOD PECKERS 'ROUND HERE. I think my BIL has ill will towards me. He gave us his used little Bambeco house, but left out the Bamboo straws. Spent two hours making holes in untreated wood blocks to made my own. Then I looked up what a new one would cost with the straws..... $12.... He must be laughing at me right about now.

View attachment 860053

Straw diameters matter to certain bee species, and influence things like *** ratios, and success rates of emergence.

The impact of nest tube dimensions on reproduction parameters in a cavity nesting solitary bee, Osmia bicornis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) - Apidologie

Recent declines of bee populations have led to great interest in preserving bee species and fuel efforts to develop solitary species for pollination purposes. Xylophilous solitary bees can be easily reared in artificial nests tubes for commercial agricultural as well as wild plant pollination...

link.springer.com

All the best,

Peter

 

[Bugsvert]

This beekeeping thread is fascinating – it's like a hive mind of knowledge! Starting a beehive sounds like a rewarding experience, but it also seems like a big responsibility. Especially for beginners – there's a lot to learn about keeping these fuzzy little pollinators happy and healthy. Finding a mentor or joining a local beekeeping association seems like a smart way to hit the ground running.

Speaking of resources, have any of you checked out www.mklibrary.com? They have a massive collection of beekeeping info, from beginner guides to troubleshooting hive problems.

 

[EddieWalker]

My wife put out her hummingbird feeders last weekend, and before they showed up, the bees hit the feeders. We've never seen this before, so it was a big surprise for us.

She is calling them Western Bees. I have no idea.

She said that they must be really hungry, so she put out a bowl of sugar water out for them with a small sponge in the middle of the water. Since then, the bees have calmed down and disappeared.

 

[Hughman]

We had some swarming near the corner of the house this weekend. Noticed a crack under the deck they were interested in. I finally dropped the ceiling in the basement yesterday and found this. Local bee keeper is coming Monday to relocate.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

My wife put out her hummingbird feeders last weekend, and before they showed up, the bees hit the feeders. We've never seen this before, so it was a big surprise for us.

She is calling them Western Bees. I have no idea.

She said that they must be really hungry, so she put out a bowl of sugar water out for them with a small sponge in the middle of the water. Since then, the bees have calmed down and disappeared.

View attachment 860688

I can't tell how zoomed in that picture is. They look like big honey bees to me. I would put up your feeders for a week or two when that happens. Once the bees know that where the feeder is they will not stop coming. Hopefully if you take them down for a while they will find a better spot to feed and forget about yours...

Foragers whole job in life is to carry as much nectar or pollen back to the hive as they can carry. During a dearth (a time where there is no nectar or pollen to be found) they will really pile up on any source of sugar or protein. I would advise against feeding them.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

We had some swarming near the corner of the house this weekend. Noticed a crack under the deck they were interested in. I finally dropped the ceiling in the basement yesterday and found this. Local bee keeper is coming Monday to relocate.

That's really cool! Although probably not to you since they are in your house...

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Finding swarms is fun!

 

[Offroadtek]

Another good FREE resource is The Practical Beekeeper, Beekeeping Naturally, Bush Bees, by Michael Bush .

My wife wanted to get into bees so I built a couple topbar hives for her early last summer. Danged if she didn't catch a wild swarm the first week. She got another colony from a friend to put in the other hive. Looks like they both survived the winter. It is amazing how much stronger wild bees are than bought bees.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Another good FREE resource is The Practical Beekeeper, Beekeeping Naturally, Bush Bees, by Michael Bush .

My wife wanted to get into bees so I built a couple topbar hives for her early last summer. Danged if she didn't catch a wild swarm the first week. She got another colony from a friend to put in the other hive. Looks like they both survived the winter. It is amazing how much stronger wild bees are than bought bees.

That is a fact. Farmed, fed and chemically treated bees don't seem to carry the genetics it takes to be prolific, without a lot of human intervention. That describes 99% of the colonies being "kept". I've found the less hard I work at keeping them alive, the more colonies survive.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Checking on my largest colony today. They are over-flowing the box. They swarm every year, so they may be a good candidate to split. Not uncommon to see 10 queen cells in there this time of year. I wish I had 20 colonies like them

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Last week I took this small starter hive to the apiary in case I wanted to do a split. I didn't see the amount of larvae and eggs Id like to see, so I didn't.
Instead I filled it with drawn frames and dark comb to see if I could get some bees to move in.

This week the wife said she saw quite a lot of activity at the entrance, so she was curious about what may be going on. I've been out of town for a few days.

The wife just sent me this photo. Something happened today. I think I know what hive it was that swarmed. I'll be able to confirm it tomorrow when I'm home, because the numbers will be much lower in that colony.

If it is who I think it is... I'm excited. They are a wild bunch I got from a cutout three years ago, and they just explode every spring. Triple the size of any colony I've ever kept.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Just got a call for a swarm in a homeowners bush. May go grab that one before sunset. Swarmageddon is on! I just landed on my way in from NYC, the wife is loading the supplies, and we may get them rehomed by dark.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Swarm in the box!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

What a blessed week. So I placed that box in the apiary 5 days ago for a potential split, but decided against. So, I put some Swarm Commander in it, 14 frames and left it. Yup, confirmed tonight it is full of bees.

Then got the call for the other swarm while at 36000' enroute from NYC.

Also, wife said a widdow maker fell from a tree near the hives this past week in high winds. I was always worried it would topple a hive if it came down... Damn thing is 16' long and 8-10" in diameter. Well, we came close. Such a blessed week!!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

A couple photos of these beauties.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Ladies are in the apiary and re-orienting!

One will be named Hayden Hive (after the family that found them). And the other Legacy Hive... Because at this time I have three colonies that have all come from my first cutout, one that I did three years ago, and they are all booming. Definitely want to keep propagating those genetics.

These are 14 frame hives, which will probably suit these swarms just fine for their first year. I'll move them to permanent, double walled hives prior to winter.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

My buckwheat field from last year looks amazing, too bad I want to plant phacelia there. I'd have a helluva free buckwheat stand this year. It just doesn't produce the nectar I had anticipated.

 

[ponytug]

My buckwheat field from last year looks amazing, too bad I want to plant phacelia there. I'd have a helluva free buckwheat stand this year. It just doesn't produce the nectar I had anticipated.

What kind of phacelia? tanacetifolia? We used to plant borage on the edge of garden to attract bees, and it was always crawling with lots of different species.

All the best,

Peter

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Yes, Phacelia tanacetifolia. I tilled the 1 acre field tonight so I can get it planted tomorrow. Broadcast, drag in, and cultipack.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Hopefully I can get this in the ground today.