🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[drstratton]

Just finished the frames & filled the supers.

Nuc hive #2: 2nd super installed on August 21, 2025.
Frames were were checkerboarded. Rubbed wax, rubbed and heated wax.

Swarm hive: 2nd super installed on August 23, 2025.
Frames were installed with 4 rubbed & heated wax in the center, with two frames of rubbed wax on either side.

Package Hive: 2nd super installed on August 23, 2025.
Frames were installed with 4 rubbed wax in the center, with two frames of rubbed & heated wax on either side.

I hypothesize that the rubbed and heated frames will be preferred as the wax is more even.

The reason I gave the box with the 4 rubbed and heated frames in the center to the swarm hive, is because these girls have drawn some wonky comb. I'm hoping they will do a better job with the R&H frames. That being said, the wonky comb might be because of heavier wax in different places on the foundations.

I can't wait to see what they do with what I've given them.

My sister in law calls me a bee nerd, maybe she's a little correct in that...lol

 

[Apis mellifera]

Yeah, I'd have to learn a lot more about it. Just thought it was interesting.

There will be a lot of beekeepers that won't want to feed their bees GMO feed and customers who won't want to buy honey from bees fed GMOs thinking it will affect honey. I don't feed subs anyway.

 

[drstratton]

There will be a lot of beekeepers that won't want to feed their bees GMO feed and customers who won't want to buy honey from bees fed GMOs thinking it will affect honey. I don't feed subs anyway.

I need to read that article closer. I actually only skimmed over it. I just haven't had the time today. I definitely don't want GMO's either. Now, if it was something natural, then I might be interested.

 

[drstratton]

Well, I finally got a chance to look that article over again...how did I miss the first paragraph..by engineering yeast... where was my brain...it certainly wasn't catching and retaining anything it was reading...lol

 

[drstratton]

The bees are definitely bringing in nectar from the buckwheat. Our friend who also keeps bees told us it gives off a very strong smell, he said you'll wonder what died...lol. It's not that bad yet, curious to see if it gets that strong.

 

[drstratton]

Mite drop count so far.

Nuc hive #1: 3
Nuc hive #2: 7, not surprising
Package hive: 2
Swarm hive: 4, a little surprised

So glad we are treating. We won't be able to treat again until Wednesday as we are going camping with our family. Unless we come home early because the littles don't do well...lol

I picked up foam board from the dollar store and cut it to size to fit into the slots my husband cut into the screened bottom boards. We removed the foam boards as it's going to be triple digits while we're gone. I'm sure there will be more mites dropping that we won't see.

It's amazing the amount of debris you find.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Well, I finally got a chance to look that article over again...how did I miss the first paragraph..by engineering yeast... where was my brain...it certainly wasn't catching and retaining anything it was reading...lol

Large beekeeping outfits that have to fill pollination contracts, almonds for example, will definitely use it. Colonies are graded by the amount of brood frames. The problem I see is after the contracts are over and they break hives up to produce nucs for sale will they notify buyers? Probably not.

 

[drstratton]

Large beekeeping outfits that have to fill pollination contracts, almonds for example, will definitely use it. Colonies are graded by the amount of brood frames. The problem I see is after the contracts are over and they break hives up to produce nucs for sale will they notify buyers? Probably not.

You're probably correct in that.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Finally! Nice window for the Formic Pro treatment and to my surprise 3 out of 4 mediums wall to wall and capped, 4th about 60%. I'll let them finish it and extract for spring feed. I know, OK for consumption when using FP. Not Good enough scooter, it's a chemical, it's a food product, not for human consumption! Kinda quirky I am. The 3 deeps were also wall to wall, large numbers of bees DW is working on pic that I will post soon? Strange season this year.

 

[Sally PB]

We'll be checking on our bees this Friday. Cool, nice, dry. It would be really cool if we got 6 frames of honey again... That equaled 10 quart jars last time.