There are lots more bee people here: www.beemaster.com
A BEE thread....for those interested in beekeeping.
- Thread starter Beekissed
- Start date
Quote:
Me again (thebritt)
A friend of mine, who is extremely knowledgeable in all things bees, came out to our place to help me with an initial spring inspection. Turns out, SS and wife did not do anything to over-winter the bees; one hive survived but is weak. There's a localized queen (which is fine), and the remaining hive is active, but "weak" (a couple queen cells, quite a few brood cells w/larvae, but very little food inside). It's down to one box w/2 levels. Things are starting to bloom like crazy around here (N.Ca. coast), esp pear and other early fruit trees. QUESTION: Should I feed now (friend suggests I do to get them off to a strong start), and if so, HOW?
1. I read in "Dummies Guide to Bee Keeping" that the best way to feed is through a "top box"(could be wrong on the name of the thing, but I guess it goes under the top cover of the hive. Can one just buy this feeder contraption?
2. Same book - read that feeder jars attract unruly pests and competitors for the food, and possibly robbers. True?
3. How is the best way to obtain the best bee food? The book says there should be vitamins and minerals and supplements added. Not just sugar water.
Thanks for any input. I'm almost completely bee-illiterate, and can use all the help I can get!
Yes, feed them. You need a hivetop feeder or a division board feeder (the latter goes inside, replacing a frame). You can buy feeders from any bee supply house. I'm e-mailing you a pdf with suppliers listed. You should also locate your local bee association, you can look here to find it. A local mentor will be in better shape to assess what is going on with those hives.
Me again (thebritt)
A friend of mine, who is extremely knowledgeable in all things bees, came out to our place to help me with an initial spring inspection. Turns out, SS and wife did not do anything to over-winter the bees; one hive survived but is weak. There's a localized queen (which is fine), and the remaining hive is active, but "weak" (a couple queen cells, quite a few brood cells w/larvae, but very little food inside). It's down to one box w/2 levels. Things are starting to bloom like crazy around here (N.Ca. coast), esp pear and other early fruit trees. QUESTION: Should I feed now (friend suggests I do to get them off to a strong start), and if so, HOW?
1. I read in "Dummies Guide to Bee Keeping" that the best way to feed is through a "top box"(could be wrong on the name of the thing, but I guess it goes under the top cover of the hive. Can one just buy this feeder contraption?
2. Same book - read that feeder jars attract unruly pests and competitors for the food, and possibly robbers. True?
3. How is the best way to obtain the best bee food? The book says there should be vitamins and minerals and supplements added. Not just sugar water.
Thanks for any input. I'm almost completely bee-illiterate, and can use all the help I can get!
Yes, feed them. You need a hivetop feeder or a division board feeder (the latter goes inside, replacing a frame). You can buy feeders from any bee supply house. I'm e-mailing you a pdf with suppliers listed. You should also locate your local bee association, you can look here to find it. A local mentor will be in better shape to assess what is going on with those hives.
Quote:
You can keep hives on your roof top if you like. You don't need much space, the bees will work the area fine. 1.5 miles is easy normal range, 3 miles not even that difficult for bees to work. There even have been some that foraged 6 miles, but you would never be able to take honey from them.
Unless the tree will be cut down forget trying to remove the colony from the tree, won't happen.
Put out at least two swarm traps, one say 50' from the tree & another say 75 yards from the tree. If they cast swarms (and healthy colonies do) you can catch swarms in your trap and there you go, a new colony or two with the genetics from the tree hive.
...JP
You can keep hives on your roof top if you like. You don't need much space, the bees will work the area fine. 1.5 miles is easy normal range, 3 miles not even that difficult for bees to work. There even have been some that foraged 6 miles, but you would never be able to take honey from them.
Unless the tree will be cut down forget trying to remove the colony from the tree, won't happen.
Put out at least two swarm traps, one say 50' from the tree & another say 75 yards from the tree. If they cast swarms (and healthy colonies do) you can catch swarms in your trap and there you go, a new colony or two with the genetics from the tree hive.
...JP
Quote:
You could make a TBH that would accept standard frames that you could extract. Sort of like a long hive. http://www.bushfarms.com/beeshorizontalhives.htm
...JP
You could make a TBH that would accept standard frames that you could extract. Sort of like a long hive. http://www.bushfarms.com/beeshorizontalhives.htm
...JP
I have a friend who left me a message this afternoon that she has a swarm in her apricot tree. She isn't home right now so she doesn't know if they are still there, but hopefully they stay until morning when I can go get them! Here's hoping!
ETA: I went over tonight to leave my hive box so that they will hopefully they will go into the box if they take it in their minds to fly off early in the morning. My friend took these pictures:
ETA: I went over tonight to leave my hive box so that they will hopefully they will go into the box if they take it in their minds to fly off early in the morning. My friend took these pictures:
Last edited:
- Mar 22, 2009
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Wow, how cool, Potterwatch! Keep us posted!
Woohoo! Sucess! Here are some pictures from our swarm capture today (it was my first time and my friend's second time).
Checking out the swarm to figure out the best way to get at it:
Sprayed them with sugar water and then brushed and shook them into the box:
We didn't get the whole swarm, but by the time we got about 2/3 of them, the ones that were left were flying everywhere so we left them and plan to go back tonight if they reform their ball and get them. Here we are after taking the box back to my house and putting them in the hive:
Gently brushing wayward bees into the hive so we can put on the top:
They didn't all want to leave the box so we set it next to the hive to let the rest go in on their own.
We went to the post office and when we came back less than 30mins later, they had all moved into the hive. It will be close to dark before we get back there tonight to see if we can get the rest of them, but I will try to get more pictures at that point. We didn't have any stings to either of us or the spectators that were less than 20ft away. Hurray for bees!
Checking out the swarm to figure out the best way to get at it:
Sprayed them with sugar water and then brushed and shook them into the box:
We didn't get the whole swarm, but by the time we got about 2/3 of them, the ones that were left were flying everywhere so we left them and plan to go back tonight if they reform their ball and get them. Here we are after taking the box back to my house and putting them in the hive:
Gently brushing wayward bees into the hive so we can put on the top:
They didn't all want to leave the box so we set it next to the hive to let the rest go in on their own.
We went to the post office and when we came back less than 30mins later, they had all moved into the hive. It will be close to dark before we get back there tonight to see if we can get the rest of them, but I will try to get more pictures at that point. We didn't have any stings to either of us or the spectators that were less than 20ft away. Hurray for bees!
Wow! Those pictures are awesome!
I recently just got offered a bunch of equipment for pretty cheap. Is there anything I should ask about or look for before committing to buy?
I guess the only other concern is that I don't remember ever being stung by a bee, but I don't have any known allergies anyway.. so hopefully, I'm not!
I recently just got offered a bunch of equipment for pretty cheap. Is there anything I should ask about or look for before committing to buy?
I guess the only other concern is that I don't remember ever being stung by a bee, but I don't have any known allergies anyway.. so hopefully, I'm not!
- Thread starter
- #180
Excellent pics!!! Thank you so much for adding them to this thread! Anyone else would like to post pics of beekeeping procedures, please do so! A pic is worth a thousand, they say. I love to actually SEE what folks are talking about.
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