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

[redhen]

To all you beekeepers..
Theres show on tonight at 10pm EST... on channel planet green..
its called The last beekeeper..
ia a documentary (i think) all about bees and the diseases they are now facing and what will happen to us if the bees die,,,
I may watch it..it looks pretty interesting.
Just wanted to let you all know...

 

[cheraboo]

That sounds like a good program. I wish we had cable

 

[Reinbeau]

I've seen it. It was ok, somewhat depressing - being a commercial beek is a difficult way to make a living, to support a family - I found it rather sad.

 

[wing it]

Quote:

 

[Beekissed]

Okay, folks, I installed a package into my top bar hive on Thursday morning and followed all the directions. They said wait for 3-4 days before checking to see if the queen has been released by the workers and to see if they are drawing out any comb.

When I installed them and for the next day they were very quietly humming, so low that I couldn't hear it unless I was right up on the hive. A few bees could be seen on occasion flying from the entrance but the hive was still quiet.

Today I will be checking into the hive but I've been seeing a lone bee here and there on the clover and in the yard, but not many. Right now there are many bees swarming around the hive and the sound inside is a louder humming....could they be intending to swarm? I will be feeding them more when I open the hive this evening....could they be needing more food even though the honey flow should be good around here right now?

Would they swarm without their queen? Is the louder humming a sign that she has been released and the bees are now working?

 

[IN-farmgirl]

They need 1:1 sugar syrup since it takes a lot of honey to make the wax (I have heard 7 pound of honey equals 1 pound of wax). The bees will be working diligently to build the wax comb for the brood and honey stores. Keep offering sugar syrup until they no longer take it. Some say that might not be until around July 4, depending on where you live. I doubt your bees are intending to swarm...they are just working very hard to build up their hive and colony.

 

[JP33]

Quote:
All is most likely as it should be. As mentioned give them feed until they decide not to take it, which they won't if they find adequate resources to draw comb/make honey from.

Swarming is a decision the colony makes. The queen would leave with the swarm. It is possible for a colony to leave without the queen, especially if she is caged or can't fly (wing clipped, etc...) They come back though, when they realize she is not with them.

I have seen this first hand, on numerous occassions.


...JP

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

An old friend of mine has been posting like crazy about his recent bee-haviors.

He started out with removing bees (nests, swarms, etc.) from peep's houses and soon moved into raising colonies. Now he gets paid to remove the bees and paid to establish the colonies somewhere else. He also keeps his own hives and sells the honey. Pretty fun to see his updates and I'm glad they aren't just getting killed.

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you so much! I didn't get a chance to peek in the hive tonight as I had to attend my son's graduation but I will tomorrow night. I will definitely give them food until they no longer need it....such a relief to know that I haven't screwed up too much already!

I could just imagine waiting all this time for bees and seeing them wave good-bye as they lift off over the orchard, departing for parts unknown......

 

[Beekissed]

I finally got up the nerve to look in the hive and only managed to smoke a little before my smudge burned out. When I moved the bars to one side, bees fell off in bunches...looks like they had formed a chain and were drawing comb.

They had not managed to release the queen, so I let her out of her box. The bees were very gentle and didn't attempt to attack me. They had eaten everything I had given them, so I filled another feeder and placed it in the hive.

I need a few more bars to completely seal the top of this hive so that the bees will only have to protect the two smaller entrances...my fault for not having the hive completed before they came. Too many irons in the fire!

Now that they have their queen I expect they will be more aggressive when next checked. I'm so glad they are drawing comb and I hope they stay!