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

[Egghead_Jr]

Oh, and if your just starting out you may want to think on 8 frame boxes. It makes a big difference if your moving a full deep. I'm getting older and started with 8 frame and now am moving to all mediums too. Still nervous about the all mediums this far North but I like bee keeping and want to do it in golden years too...

 

[iokra]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I see you are in VT, kind of the same weather as I have in NY at my location. Are you ever ordering packaged bees? If you do what is the best month to do it. I actually end up ordering the packaged bees at the end of March. They are having the VSH queen and I am driving to get them in MA at Autumn farm. I am now afraid that I might have ordered them too soon. I hear bees don't take the syrup unless its over 50F. Of course I would feed the bee parties and fondant but would that be sufficient considering that there is basically still no source of pollen at the end of March? Also, in your experience should I use frames with foundation or without? Thank you very much again for your advise.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You probably want to change the pick up date to mid April unless your in southern NY. I'm on the Canadian border and mid to late April is package time here. Southern part of state first of April is probably OK maybe even March. Ask your local beekeepers. Must be a local forum or association you can join for climate specific questions like that. I'm a member of VBA, Vermont Beekeepers Assoc. I'm sure every state has one or more of those. They wont build comb unless they have a nectar source- sugar water does that and the inside of box will be warmer than outside. It just seems early to me for package but again your neighbors will know.

 

[iokra]

You probably want to change the pick up date to mid April unless your in southern NY. I'm on the Canadian border and mid to late April is package time here. Southern part of state first of April is probably OK maybe even March. Ask your local beekeepers. Must be a local forum or association you can join for climate specific questions like that. I'm a member of VBA, Vermont Beekeepers Assoc. I'm sure every state has one or more of those. They wont build comb unless they have a nectar source- sugar water does that and the inside of box will be warmer than outside. It just seems early to me for package but again your neighbors will know.

Thank you ver much

 

[Lapeerian]

I am eager to get into beekeeping this year. I ordered today two Langstroth bee hives and I am due to receive them in March. I am planning on getting two 3LB bee boxes with a marked Queen. I am in Westchester, NY and from what I read it is better to get the bees locally, but my searches did not get me anywhere. Any suggestions where I could order them from? Also, does anybody know if there is any advantage of having a VSH Queen when it comes to Varroa mites infestation? Or what would be the benefit (if any) of having a VSH queen? 

Betterbee is in Greenwich? Eastern, NY. I got to look up the place we got our additional Nucs from last spring in central NY, they set up at NYC market as well.
ETA: Natures Way Farm is where we got them. They winter in South Carolina unfortunately, but do have VSH available. Hubby checked on them all last warm spell in January and everyone was still alive so far.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Thank you ver much

I should be clearer on the warmer inside of box thing. What I was intending to say was an internal sugar water dispenser will work but wouldn't use a front feeder. There are frame size, two frame wide, feeder troughs that fit right in the box where it's warm and they will be moving around come spring but not making many flights or take sugar water from entrance feeders. Or a top feeder that fits under the cover not one that is on top of cover where water will be cool from spring temps. Again, can't stress enough about joining a local to your area bee association for area specific issues or climate. For instance we had a drought come fall that ruined the golden rod flow just as it was kicking in. VBA members were good about bringing up the topic and urging people to feed sugar water due to the lack of fall flow. Little heads up like that from experienced beekeepers in your area can save your hives.

 

[iokra]

Thank you again for the reply. I have tried in wain to find a local beekeeping association and I am flabergasted to not have found one in Westchester county. There use to be one but their website has not been updated since 2015 and they did not reply to my emails so I guess they are not operating anymore. I have purchased the frame feeder for inside the hive and I will place it on the very end (right?) and i will most likely use a top feeder as well just to make sure they don't run out. No way I will ever use an entrance feeder, just based on what I read. I would also like to feed in the beginning some poles patties. Would you be able to recommend what and where to buy them from? There seem to be so many on the market and I am not sure I understand what the difference between them is. Also do you think, when I install my bees I should have in my brood frames that are empty so they can draw their own comb or frames with the pre waxed comb on them. I'll grately appreciate any input.

 

[Lapeerian]

Thank you again for the reply. I have tried in wain to find a local beekeeping association and I am flabergasted to not have found one in Westchester county. There use to be one but their website has not been updated since 2015 and they did not reply to my emails so I guess they are not operating anymore. I have purchased the frame feeder for inside the hive and I will place it on the very end (right?) and i will most likely use a top feeder as well just to make sure they don't run out. No way I will ever use an entrance feeder, just based on what I read. I would also like to feed in the beginning some poles patties. Would you be able to recommend what and where to buy them from? There seem to be so many on the market and I am not sure I understand what the difference between them is. Also do you think, when I install my bees I should have in my brood frames that are empty so they can draw their own comb or frames with the pre waxed comb on them. I'll grately appreciate any input. 

http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/PI/Beekeeping_Club_Contacts.pdf
There is an Empire State Honey Producers Association also.
Brushy Mountain Bee Supply has a webinar series of beginner beekeeper classes. Hubby took those when we were getting started, good but they push their products for sale, not always necessarily needed. Betterbee has in person classes.
We have a good local club, very active and informative. Southern Tier Beekeepers Association. You can follow any number of the groups and businesses on Facebook if you are on there, always glean information. Like chickens, everyone does it different and you will find many conflicting. Best book was Beekeeping for Dummies.
If you are getting package bees, I would say give them started frames, they currently have nothing to start with. Nucs at least have some frames of brood and honey to work with.
Summer and winter pollen patties have varied amounts of proteins and sugars based on the seasonal needs.

 

[iokra]

http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/PI/Beekeeping_Club_Contacts.pdf
There is an Empire State Honey Producers Association also.
Brushy Mountain Bee Supply has a webinar series of beginner beekeeper classes. Hubby took those when we were getting started, good but they push their products for sale, not always necessarily needed. Betterbee has in person classes.
We have a good local club, very active and informative. Southern Tier Beekeepers Association. You can follow any number of the groups and businesses on Facebook if you are on there, always glean information. Like chickens, everyone does it different and you will find many conflicting. Best book was Beekeeping for Dummies.
If you are getting package bees, I would say give them started frames, they currently have nothing to start with. Nucs at least have some frames of brood and honey to work with.
Summer and winter pollen patties have varied amounts of proteins and sugars based on the seasonal needs.

After checking out some of the web sites you mentioned I was able to find a map with the beekeeping associations and was thrilled to find a beekeeping association that is only about 30 miles from my home. It is CT not NY, so probably thats why I missed it initially. I will join all their classes and workshops and I think I will also get the frames with the foundation. Thank you very much.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Thank you again for the reply. I have tried in wain to find a local beekeeping association and I am flabergasted to not have found one in Westchester county. There use to be one but their website has not been updated since 2015 and they did not reply to my emails so I guess they are not operating anymore. I have purchased the frame feeder for inside the hive and I will place it on the very end (right?) and i will most likely use a top feeder as well just to make sure they don't run out. No way I will ever use an entrance feeder, just based on what I read. I would also like to feed in the beginning some poles patties. Would you be able to recommend what and where to buy them from? There seem to be so many on the market and I am not sure I understand what the difference between them is. Also do you think, when I install my bees I should have in my brood frames that are empty so they can draw their own comb or frames with the pre waxed comb on them. I'll grately appreciate any input.

I make my own patties. You can use any of the powdered substitutes and mix with sugar water to form the patty. I use brewers yeast and soy flour common recipe with a touch of vitamin C added. Good for brood rearing in spring. You wont need it until they've built comb as there is no brood, they need the sugar water for that or a good flow of nectar going on. First big flow is dandelion. Overwintered bees will gather pollen from the maple trees to start brood rearing long before the dandies are grown.

https://honeybeesuite.com/feeding-bees/dry-pollen-substitute/ This is the recipe I use.

You really only need one feeder per hive. Once they get a good start you don't need to feed anymore unless stores are not sufficient pre winter or your taking their honey and replacing with sugar water mid fall. I'm a fan of the frame feeders, pour more in as needed then take it out when they don't need it anymore and replace with frames.