🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[N F C]

We inadvertently discovered a product that easily cleans up propolis. (I will work up an explanation of what that is, for those just learning and make another post).

I definitely fall in the "just learning" part of this thread You know what would be awesome...if you'd write up an article for the Member Pages with common beekeeping terms/phrases and include some of your photos. That would be a great reference tool to have!

 

[drstratton]

I definitely fall in the "just learning" part of this thread You know what would be awesome...if you'd write up an article for the Member Pages with common beekeeping terms/phrases and include some of your photos. That would be a great reference tool to have!

I would love to do that Debby!
It's all so fascinating.

 

[N F C]

I would love to do that Debby!
It's all so fascinating.

You should, you have a clear writing style and your pictures are great for illustrating. I did a very quick search in the Member pages and can't see where something like that already exists. (And even if it does, no harm in adding yours!)

 

[drstratton]

You should, you have a clear writing style and your pictures are great for illustrating. I did a very quick search in the Member pages and can't see where something like that already exists. (And even if it does, no harm in adding yours!)

Wow, thank you Debby, I've never thought of myself as any type of writer. I just love to share.
Do you think a synopsis of what I've written?
Now I'm a little nervous...lol
Maybe label it:
Basic Beekeeping and Terminology?

 

[Apis mellifera]

I believe the use of the green drone frames has paid off.

Nice. Do you pull them when capped and freeze them?

 

[drstratton]

Nice. Do you pull them when capped and freeze them?

Yes, freeze for 3 days. I let them warm up before I add them back to the hive. Then you just put the whole thing back in. The bees will clean out the drones and any varroa and then they are ready for the queen to lay again.

I shared a video in an earlier post of how I'd like to use the drone frames next year. Here it is.

Sadly, I took someones suggestion of just feeding it to my chickens, so that's what I did with the first frame. Not thinking of what a waste of wax it would be.

The only plus to that was it seemed to benefit one of my girls. She had been slowing down, not eating well and I was becoming worried about her. She thoroughly enjoyed the drone brood, including wax. After that, she really perked up, started eating better and even running to see me. Coincidence, maybe.

 

[Sally PB]

They will be so happy when the buckwheat starts to bloom.

I'm planting buckwheat in the empty spots in my garden. It sprouts quickly, and has big-ish leaves right away, so it shades out weeds. (It doesn't fix nitrogen.) It will die with the first frost, so it won't become invasive.

And, the bees like it! I'll be planting some next spring as well.

 

[Sally PB]

I might have missed it... what did you find that cleans off propolis?

 

[drstratton]

I might have missed it... what did you find that cleans off propolis?

Sorry, I removed that post. I shared it in a fb group and it was very controversial.

Denatured alcohol.
Some are opposed to the fact that some of the brands use man-made chemicals.

I will continue to use it on my tools and then wipe them off with 99% alcohol and then wash them down with soap and water.

I just dont want to lead someone down the wrong path. I probably should have edited the post with that new information.

I was amazed at how well it worked. Some suggested a heat gun and another said she uses washing soda and a drop of dish soap as a surfactant.

 

[drstratton]

I'm planting buckwheat in the empty spots in my garden. It sprouts quickly, and has big-ish leaves right away, so it shades out weeds. (It doesn't fix nitrogen.) It will die with the first frost, so it won't become invasive.

And, the bees like it! I'll be planting some next spring as well.

Nice.
The field near us should start blooming in about 6 weeks.