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

[sgtmom52]

Julie, That was fascinating! The bees that are interacting with her as she's hatching...do you think there is some purpose, or are they just bumping into her randomly?

Honey bees constantly touch each other to spread pheromones throughout the hive.

 

[sgtmom52]

I checked the hives here at the house today and found we have at least 4 supers filled with honey that are ready or almost ready to extract. We plan on harvesting those that are ready next week. Still have 12 more hives to check. I know there will be more supers ready.

Capped and ready for harvest


This one should be ready soon


Natural comb being drawn for chunk honey

 

[sgtmom52]

In these pictures you can see the stages of worker honey bee development from eggs to larva to capped brood.

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

I checked the hives here at the house today and found we have at least 4 supers filled with honey that are ready or almost ready to extract. We plan on harvesting those that are ready next week. Still have 12 more hives to check. I know there will be more supers ready.

Capped and ready for harvest


This one should be ready soon


Natural comb being drawn for chunk honey

Great pictures! I want bees badly, and have already taken a preliminary beekeeping class at a local co-op, but I'm going to have to wait until next summer (after I get my chickens this summer

).

 

[Happy Chooks]

Great video and pictures Julie! Thanks for sharing!

My bees are almost done capping the first super and I have a 2nd super on top that they are starting to draw out. When the first super is done, should I reverse the supers until I'm ready to extract? Or leave them be?

 

[sgtmom52]

Great video and pictures Julie! Thanks for sharing!

My bees are almost done capping the first super and I have a 2nd super on top that they are starting to draw out. When the first super is done, should I reverse the supers until I'm ready to extract? Or leave them be?

I think it is personal choice ~ I usually keep putting the empty supers on top. We have a couple of hives with 3 to 4 supers on and plan to do a spring harvest next week. The rest we will harvest later in the summer.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Thanks. Someone told me that the bees would not cross capped honey to get to an empty super. I just wanted to verify that is not correct.

We are borrowing an extractor, but I need to purchase the rest of the supplies before I can extract.

 

[1muttsfan]

Excellent video and photos - thanks for posting them

 

[tmoore8595]

Thanks. Someone told me that the bees would not cross capped honey to get to an empty super. I just wanted to verify that is not correct.

The queen will not cross honey to lay eggs.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
That makes sense. She can't get up there anyway because I have a queen excluder.