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

[CherMoz]

Looks good!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Check these out - very interesting and seem like the style would be easy to work with. Like opening a kitchen cupboard!

So... Maybe we'll see some folks repurposing kitchen cupboards

http://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/the-slovenian-beehive-arrives-in-the-us/

 

[mamahmendez]

No, no! I meant I had researched using the old comb. I've not heard one comment in all that research about the bait boxes attracting wasps. Not even a little side warning about it and I watched a lot of vids, read a lot of how-tos and not a word about wasps. I'd say "no worries".

Guess what I saw today? All over the peach trees, along with many other kinds of bees...I've never seen so many varieties on one tree!

Can you see her?

Small, dark honeybees all over that tree....could be I might have a chance to bait in some of those bees, huh? Gotta get that hive built....

Here's a pic of how neatly these frames are going to fit down into this little upcycled hive body....just need to build me a ledge in there to hold my frames.

Hope to work on this thing tomorrow and get it mostly scrapped together and painted. I still need to get my frames and some bait material after that.

Looks great so far. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Check these out - very interesting and seem like the style would be easy to work with. Like opening a kitchen cupboard!

So... Maybe we'll see some folks repurposing kitchen cupboards

http://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/the-slovenian-beehive-arrives-in-the-us/

Awesome! I repurposed base cabinets into a brooder. Maybe I can repurpose some more into a hive.
I don't know why I didn't think of making my own hive. I mean, bees have lived forever outside of a box and in nature. DUH! I hope someone makes something like this.

Well, the bees were right, we had a HUGE storm here last night. I transferred them from their Nuc to their hive with no problems tonight. I am still new at this; this was my first time working with a hive other than a class I took. I accidentally killed a bee with my hive tool. Other than that all else was successful. Now they do bee things; I check on them in 4 days to make sure there are eggs and the queen is laying.

Anyone else waiting on or transferring Nucs? I gotta tell you, the Nuc was definitely an easy way to get started. I am collecting comb to place in our empty hive box. Maybe someone will move in.

 

[noble]

Our beehives are ready. We made this VERY simple and easy stand. I can't wait for Wed to pick up our Nuc. (We are actually going to have to take the top section off of hive for a while but looks great for the photo op!)

so cool

 

[noble]

We just picked up our first Nuc today.  We will likely be getting a second later in Summer.  It is so exciting. 

* TIP - Important for Pick Up I Didn't Know About
I asked our Apiary when the best time to transfer our bees from the Nuc to the Hive would be (even though they gave me info on that with my hive).  But, the "pamphlet" doesn't cover WEATHER!!!!
We are expecting scattered thunderstorms tonight.  Therefore, the Apiary advised me to place my Nuc in the location the hive is, open the bottom hole and leave it tonight.  The told me to transfer the bees to the hive in the morning.  They said the bees would be more relaxed because of the changing weather patterns they were currently sensing.  I knew that bees sensed weather changes but I didn't realize they would effect them so much and so far in advance.  It is 80 degrees, sunny and windy here with NO clouds in the sky.  We are following the advise of the Apiary.  They said they noticed the bees change temperament today from last night  I can't wait to get to know our hive a little better so that I can read the weather patterns and temperament changes. 

I will be ALWAYS checking the weather before going to our hives in the future.  Simply things like this can make it that much easier for everyone and thing during feeding, hive checks, and harvesting.

I will post pics of hives and Nuc transfer later.  I am very happy with the Apiary we ordered from and how our bees are behaving now.  They are just peacefully flying in a out of their nuc.  We can hear them buzzing what seems to be calmly in there!

NO is that New Orleans? Where did u get the nuc from?

 

[noble]

out of 3 wild harvested hives 2 are doing fantastic. One I think is queen less. First time bee novice.
Can't order new queen till mid April. Anyone know if they will last that long without a queen?

 

[noble]

This is the small hive.

they semi fill three frames of bees. Thy have been making honey like crazy.

 

[noble]

this is other hive. All so small but with good queen and laying well. Workers building new comb.

 

[rebrascora]

I can see some drone brood n the "queenless" colony which suggests she is either failing and unable to lay fertile eggs or you have a laying worker. This happens when there is no brood or queen pheromone in the hive to supress the workers from developing ovaries. It is very difficult to requeen a laying worker colony as they often kill the new queen, but they are doomed without one as the workers can only produce drones ad they are small ones anyway, because they are developed in worker cells. The colony needs workers to exist, so they eventually die out. Yes they will be producing honey because they have very little brood to rear... which eat up the nectar and pollen they forage.
The best thing to do is to tip/hake all the bees out of the hive and off the comb 40- 50 feet away and put a new hive box on the old site to catch the returning bees. At dusk, tip the bees from that box onto a ramp leading up to the other weak but queen right hive and hopefully they will integrate and make that one stronger.

When you tip them (I usually tip them onto an old sheet so that you can see them) the laying worker(s) will not be able to fly back to the hive, so the remaining bees that return to the old hive location are safe to give to another colony..... you don't want to risk the laying workers getting into the other hive, which is why you tip them out away from the hive first.

 

[Lapeerian]

out of 3 wild harvested hives 2 are doing fantastic. One I think is queen less. First time bee novice.
Can't order new queen till mid April. Anyone know if they will last that long without a queen?

They will only last as long as the lifespan of the current bees and brood.

Be certain they are in fact queenless, check in a few days to see if there is any new uncapped brood. You may be able to steal a frame of brood from each of the strong hives to keep them going, just remember it makes the strong hives weaker. Best case scenario would be to find a swarm queen cell started in one of the strong hives. Or the queenless hive may use some of the new uncapped brood to create their own. Depends on the weather in your area also. Here in NY there won't be any new mated queens yet, as there are no drones available to mate with. So a new queen wouldn't help here.
Just went to the Geneva Bee Conference last weekend, lots of good info. In a situation like this, they also recommended combining weak hives so you don't ruin your strong hives. This was more important during fall for winter prep.
You are so close to April too. Check any local beekeepers or clubs, someone may have new queens available quicker.