A BEE thread....for those interested in beekeeping.

[Egghead_Jr]

That depends on if I treat for mites or not. Tried past three years treatment free. Started this spring with no hives left....treating again and will use Oxalic.

No difference with mediums to deeps. Basically people use two deeps for brood and that is same size as three mediums, after that it's all mediums for supers anyway. This far North folks use a medium on top of the two deeps, call that the complete hive. I do the same, Italians will brood up to middle three or four frames of my 4th box. I can still collect honey of outside frames in 4th box then put them back wet to be filled for winter. Put the rest of suppers in stacks wet for bees to clean up before I store them.

You'll still need foundation on the frames you use for honey surplus unless you don't plan to spin them.

 

[Leahs Mom]

The first time around I'm going to use crush and strain. If I have lots in the future, I think I know someone I can borrow a spinner from. I've seen some people use the hand cranked spinners with foundationless if used gently with great success. I may try that to see what happens.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

It'll break no question unless you put wire supports in the open frames. Have a chance of medium frames not busting out if gentle but then you don't get as much honey, usually but one then clog up your strainers....ugh. Think plastic foundation for the surplus frames. So much easier to spin out then store after bees clean them up.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Curious if anyone uses robbing screens to preempt robbing. Going to be away the first wk of Sept. and I'm concerned about yellow jackets since they seem to come out late Aug - Sept. here. You always see them around the drive in windows at the fast food places

I know we've had some around our property before in past years but I didn't have bees then.

Anyhow...if you use robbing screens please comment. I'm concerned that it will be havoc for them trying to figure it out.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If you don't think your hive(s) are of full strength then reduce the entrance with a piece of wood. Otherwise they are perfectly able to protect themselves when full sized hive, two deeps or three mediums full.

The bigger worry is when you are growing out a hive for winter and have full strength hives nearby. As soon as there is a dearth they will rob out a weak hive in days. Reduce entrances of weaker hives late August before the clover or whatever else wains. Golden Rod and Aster make for our late season but there is a few week dearth, I should say more of a reluctance to move to Golden Rod. That's when you see massive robbing and loose young/weak hives. Still hot our but you've got to reduce entrance to 3 inches or less.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm more concerned with wasps and yellow jackets when they appear.

I did put on a screen even though the hive seems strong. I'm observing to see if they adjust. Planning on giving them a few days with it.

As a matter of course my entrance is only open about 2" and has been all season. Thinking in terms of a bee tree and how small the entrances are. They seem to have done well with it all season and have remained strong.

I guess I just need to see what things look like come yellow jacket season. I hated the idea of leaving for a week and finding out that they've been decimated by them.

 

[CLSranch]

Leah's mom. While your gone if your still reading BYC I wouldn't worry about the yellow jackets. And your bee's should've long acclimated to the screen since 8-6.

 

[CLSranch]

And sorry to be so late (actually useless at this point).

 

[CLSranch]

2 packages coming soon. April 8-12 ship date.

How did every1's bee's over winter?

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

Dh mentioned getting bees for the farm. My ONLY concern is getting stung. Every time I get stung the reaction is worse. So I have the usual "getting stung" questions and concerns

Hi damummis, there are two types of bee keepers, those that have been stung and those who will be stung. Don't know a single bee keeper that doesn't eventually suffer a bee sting.
That being said, a good beekeeper minimizes the possibility of getting stung with the correct equipment and knowing how to handle the bees appropriately.
My husband and I have been beekeepers for over 6 years; we still always keep a antihistamine at hand, and long time ago a doctor recommended that even when your reaction to a bee sting is mild you should take the antihistamine so the body won't eventually react badly to it.

For people who would like to have bees and not get stung ever, you'd have to live in Latin America, in the Yucatan Peninsula or Guatemala, because we have a local bee that lives in the jungle and can be tecnified that called the Melipona bee.