The Honey Factory

[itsasmallfarm]

Even though a lot of this discussion goes over my head, I feel like I'm learning, just hanging out here. There is more to keeping bees than I would ever have guessed. Kind of like chickens, only they don't sit on your lap and get petted.

@WannaBeHillBilly, I'm really sorry about your package. Hoping the make it, somehow.

well to be fair you can pet your bees, not sure if its a good idea but you could in theory haha

 

[R2elk]

well to be fair you can pet your bees, not sure if its a good idea but you could in theory haha

Just don't hug them. That will elicit a sting response.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Troy took a real beating in 20-21, he bought packages to replace his deadouts. Do you know what bees he has now?

Troy still has 6 breeder lines that survived that hard year he had to treat for mites. He requeened anything that had to be brought in to get him back up to full production that year.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Even though a lot of this discussion goes over my head, I feel like I'm learning, just hanging out here. There is more to keeping bees than I would ever have guessed. Kind of like chickens, only they don't sit on your lap and get petted.

@WannaBeHillBilly, I'm really sorry about your package. Hoping the make it, somehow.

What is stopping you from having your bees sit in your lap and pet the queen?

I am in contact with somebody from Dadant who told me to send them pictures of the package and the shipping label. If there are more than two inches of dead bees at the bottom they will ship a replacement…
Great Procedure! How do i take pictures of something i don't have?

 

[SheaLoner]

What is stopping you from having your bees sit in your lap and pet the queen?

I am in contact with somebody from Dadant who told me to send them pictures of the package and the shipping label. If there are more than two inches of dead bees at the bottom they will ship a replacement…
Great Procedure! How do i take pictures of something i don't have?

Tracking says they showed up this morning! Good luck!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I got my bees and most of them are still alive!!!
Need to gear up, install them and verify that the queen is doing fine.
Update later...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

So, finally i have time to write an update! - Of course the Postal-Service notified me during my Monday Morning start-up conference call. I picked up the bees during my lunch-break and installed them asap.
To my surprise their new home seemed already occupied by a rogue hive, but it turned out that were just some robber bees going after the comb and the honey.
So here's the bees right after their arrival at their new home:

They still had ½ of their Syrup in the can, which i filled into one of my home made syrup feeders and placed inside a honey super:

Usually i use larger ½ gallon feeders, but somehow i am out of hive boxes and the larger feeders don't fit into the honey-super…

The transfer from the package into the hive was a bit "bumpy", those were the most aggressive Italian bees ever. I assume they were just hangry. Minor issue with the queen: All her attendance bees were dead and their bodies were blocking the marshmallow plug, so i removed the cork on the other side of the queen-box and hope that the bees have already accepted their new queen after a full week of being with her.
Pollen-patty is thawing and will be installed later.

Thank you USPS for delivering the bees in such a good condition!

This is such a great service from the Postal Service, as well as the chick-delivery service! - When i tell my friends in Europe that you can order duxlings, chicks and bees via mail they simply don't believe me.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Update on the bees: They are all alive and well, despite the terrible weather we had since Monday night. I finally managed to give them ½ pollen patty today. They will get the other half once the humidity has eased up a bit.
They have finished their syrup, so this evening i need to brew some new potion for them. Or maybe i will try something new and make a candy-board.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Don't make a candy board. You are warm enough to be feeding 1:1 syrup. Hot tap water and sugar, shake well and let sit for 5 minutes. Voila! Syrup. Old milk jugs and a funnel. Pour in 4 lbs bag of sugar and add the hot tap water. Fill 3/4 way to shake well then top it off.

 

[Sally PB]

The bee club meeting last night was very informative. Anyone know Charlotte Hubbard? She was the speaker. (Not the Charlotte Hubbard who writes the Amish book series.) Very engaging speaker!

Now we have a better idea of what to look for when we open the hive, probably this weekend/early next week when it warms up.