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

[Beekissed]

Well, cancelled the order with Weavers and bought a package of Italians from Drapers...should be shipped around May 25,26. A little later than I would have liked but still within a good time....should be a good nectar flow starting then around here.

Drapers was a little cheaper than Weavers but not much.

I am praying that all goes well and I have a working hive by this summer!

 

[PotterWatch]

I am painting my hive today I hope!

 

[heritagebirds]

My hive parts arrived yesterday!

Bees arrive April 17th...

 

[deerman]

Quote:
I got Dads old hives , and one thing He alway made sure , DON'T remove to much honey in late fall. The bees keep the inside of the hive warm.

One thing for newbe to remember, honey bees are not like other bees if they get cold they DIE reason they need honey for over winter.

Dad show me a thing, he place few honey bees and wasp in the freeze(in a jar), it killed the honey bees, the wasp started flying when they warmed up.

Never open a hive in the winter, bees will fly for a short time ,but will die if below freezing.....

 

[deerman]

Quote:

never understand people taking so much honey, that the bees starve over the winter, A strong hive will produce more quicker in the spring, than a weak hive which lost so many to starvation.

 

[heritagebirds]

We also have another problem in our area when the bees simply won't go to the other side of a frame for honey during winter. There have been alot of bee losses in this area due to that...full frames of honey, just too far to go in the cold.

 

[Lunawriter]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to start beekeeping this spring as well. I've built a top-bar hive from wood and after seeing those half barrel hives posted about in this thread, I'm thinking of making a couple of those, too! I'm hoping to catch a swarm and have myself on a couple of swarm lists. We'll see how that goes. I haven't ordered any bees so if I don't catch one I guess I'll have to wait until next year. My fingers are crossed!

 

[Reinbeau]

Quote:
We have had the same issues, always a warm spell followed by a hard, cold drop. It's so frusrating to find them 2" from the honey!

 

[deerman]

Quote:
We have had the same issues, always a warm spell followed by a hard, cold drop. It's so frusrating to find them 2" from the honey!

Dad would stack bales of straw on side of hives, to keep the winter wind off the hives. We can get bad winters ,but nothing like you guys. Sound like they froze, and not starved.

 

[Beekissed]

Do most of you all paint your hives white? Any other colors or designs?

I am building a hive out of a blue barrel but I don't want these bright blue things sticking out like a sore thumb in my yard....am thinking I will paint them a sage, or woodland, green.

Are there any colors NOT recommended for hive colors?