🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[5Australorpasaures]

Thank you so much! That really helps a lot! I didn't know about the free catalogs. Bonus!

Look for a beekeeper, they are always happy to talk about their bees and what is involved, or club within driving distance. The State usually has a State Apiarist you can contact, they will list apiaries and what services they provide. I'm fortunate in that anything I might need, bees or equipment is within an hour drive. The only thing I need is frames, foundation and medications as I make everything else which can save you a lot of money.

 

[drstratton]

We had intended to only place a super today, then I remembered we had a drone frame that needed to be pulled as shown above.

Inspection went well, the bees were mostly calm. I was a little concerned after getting buzzed off earlier...lol

We saw lots of bees, eggs, larvae, capped brood, nectar, bee bread and capped honey in the deep boxes. We are very pleased with the amount of honey in the deep boxes as the double deeps are what we will leave them with over winter. Supplemented with candy boards.

We have also decided to add another super to the package and swarm hives. Just need to put some frames together and add wax. I think I will also expand my experiment. Maybe splitting 4 & 4 in one and checkerboarding in the other.

 

[Sally PB]

@CraziChknLady, another way to learn is to find a beekeeper and ask if you can observe or help with hive duties or honey harvest. Even not knowing anything, you can be helpful, just by being another set of hands. Get your own jacket/veil/gloves (unless they say they have some you can wear), and listen to what they tell you. Just running the smoker or holding a frame can be helpful.

The more time you spend around a beehive, the more comfortable you will be when you get your own.