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

[Leahs Mom]

@Beekissed

Just wondering if you're getting any activity on your hive this spring.

 

[CLSranch]

Allergies is an important issue. It's noted that bee family children have ten times the chance of being allergic to bee venom than the average population. The reason for this is we coddle our children. I'm not being facetious. The body needs to be in balance or allergies develop- the proteins from bees are carried into the house where everyone is exposed and if not balanced by venom will lead to an imbalance and allergic reaction when too high of bee proteins are in the body and a person is finally stung.

Beekeeping families are learning this and keep beekeeping clothes and boots separate from home and ensure if young children are aiding or around hives that they get stung a few times a year. Mike Palmer goes as far as suggesting monthly sting treatments during the beekeeping season as a countermeasure for children. Those of us tending hives certainly get enough of both. On the flip side allergies can start from massive one time stings and not enough protein in the body. So be sure to be suited up if your opening the hives for the first time this spring!

Very interesting and informative.
I'm new to bee's and kids (well of my own.) But am known not to coddle. Thanks for the info.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Here's a short video with Mike talking about it some, if memory serves me his daughter gained an allergy and this is him restating what the doctor told him:

From there go on and check out all his videos and presentations. Very informative and innovative fella.

 

[RollTideChicken]

Hello all!
Can anyone recommend a place to buy mason and leafcutter bees?
Oh and I live in Alabama...
Thanks!

 

[noble]

My hive came in this week. Looks like the windowed version was purchased for me, which is fun because I will be able to see into the hives to check for obvious problems without opening them. It also came with a smoker, a veil, a bee brush, gloves and a hive tool. So I'm pretty much all set! Just gotta assemble the hive itself. The hive also came with exact piece dimensions and instructions for building the hive so I can build extra boxes whenever I need. Very excited!

that is awesome, we put observation window's in 3 of our hives . I wish we would have done them all. You are going to have so much fun

 

[noble]

@noble

That's really interesting. I'm wondering if there is much migratory beekeeping in your area (bees pollenating early crops....fruit or nuts perhaps) that would cause so many swarms to be looking for homes in February, although I imagine your climate is almost sub tropical compared to the temperate climate I am used to....swarms here don't emerge until May-June.
I also wonder if they have evolved to recognise trailers as a good potential home rather than hollow trees etc Trailers obviously provide a beneficial environment for them in your climate and bees recognise their home by sight, so it would make sense that they would recognise a trailer as a good potential home when they are out scouting for a new one. I wonder if there is any basis for a new hive design based on the construction of trailers.

After hurricane Katrina a lot of the trailer s were abandoned, and a lot of tree's were damaged by the storm and standing water. We have a lot of orange groves here. And a lot of the farmers have hives, funny thing is no one around here collet's the bee's. I spoke to a man in Alabama about them when we started last year. None of the local community clubs in New Orleans ever answered me back.

 

[CLSranch]

I live in NE OK. Cold winter down to 0 not for long though. It's in the 80's now 50's, 60's for the low. I have not seen 1 honey bee yet out and about this year.
The wood bees have started getting active, the wasp and yellow jackets have been active. I had a colony in a tree in my back yard that i'm guessing didn't make it. But shouldn't one of their swarms from last years be out and about by now. One neighbor has had several flowers bloom and go away already.
I was hoping to start feeding the feral bee's after 1st sign of them with hopes of catching a swarm. Is anybody else not seeing bee's?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Put in a package of TF bees in the top bar on Saturday. I didn't think we were going to get bees this year but decided at the spur of the moment to go ahead and order.

Last year was the first attempt and it appeared to me that the queen was not healthy and late in the season the hive was robbed.

Hoping for better this year. These bees are from a better source than previously.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Inspected the new hives this weekend. One seemed off to a bad start so looked into the bottom box; starting hives with two mediums. Was nodda in there, no eggs or brood. Before combining with another hive looked in the top box and there the brood and queen was. Odd, had nearly filled the bottom box with comb and only had a few in top. Sure enough, she decided to start on top and ran out of comb, didn't move down. Took a frame of open comb one side and partial nectar and pollen other filled with nurse bees from another hive and put it next to her small brood nest. That should do the trick. I'll rotate boxes if she doesn't move down by next weekend.

This is the queen I removed from cage as they didn't finish releasing her. Cork was broken so removed the screen staples. She was there then a slip of tool and flip of screen and she was gone. One jumpy queen. On inspection had my boy suited up in his birthday present of full beek outfit. When I found the queen showed him then before putting frame back asked about it. You need another look, I said. As I looked back to locate, flipped frame and looked more, sides, flipped....she is one jumpy queen. Must have jumped the few inches back into the hive on me again.

Apple blossoms are still coming, later varieties starting to bloom and earliest bloomers are dropping petals. Fields are still ablaze in yellow, dandelions are starting to turn to seed. The season starts late in the Northern mountains and will be going by all too quick. Probably see clover by mid June then wild raspberries boom. It goes by all to quick. Can only hope for a better fall flow of golden rod. Many beeks in this area lost hives to starvation over winter. Fall flow was drought and people rely on it for winter stores when taking late August honey. I fed sugar water but relied on rigid insulation. Didn't work for me, had wet hives this spring. Definitely building "quilt" boxes this year.

 

[0wen]

Hello,

Anyone keep bees in AZ Hives ("Slovenian Beehives/Houses")? Placing 1 or 2 of these next Spring - out of curiosity more than anything, and just seeing if there is any experience with them here. Beehive options seem to have exploded the past few years (even if some of them are just reinventing the wheel and all).. Flow Hives, 'Eco Bee Boxes', AZ hives, etc.. No real interest in the other 2 (Flow, Eco) but it is what it is. Likely good for bees, or at least bee awareness and such..