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

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Wanted to see what people's opinions are on the electric uncapping knife verse other tools. Thinking about getting one for my husband for Christmas (sorry I know its way too early to say that word). Information on the Internet talks about serrated knifes are better, planers and/or combs - now I'm really confused.

Oh by the way - it will be our first time to extract honey.

Sandee
 
I have used electric uncapping knives at several other beekeepers and have found that some of them are difficult to control the temp causing burning of the wax. The only time I use an "uncapping fork" is to uncap cells I can't get with the knife.

We only have 8 hives and we use a serrated knife which I dip into hot water when needed. They work well for us. I pick up like new serrated carving knives at yard sales for .25 or .50 ~ many of them are unused wedding gifts!
 
Quote:
yep. this winter you will most likely have to supplement their feed a little (remember that they can get hydration from sugar syrup, which doesn't freeze as easily as pure water). but, when they make it through their first winter, you can breathe a lot easier!

I'm thinking very seriously about not supplemental feeding. I'll have to give it some thought, but I'm trying to develop bees that function much like in the wild. Wild bees do not get supplemental feed and I would suppose many of them may die of starvation. And some may live to reproduce more of the kind of bees that survive in tough conditions....these are the bees I most want to promote and keep.


I may wind up losing the whole hive...which is an accepted risk for me and I will slog on with my experiment in finding hardier bees than the ones people are now tending. I want survivors on my place...be it bees, chickens or sheep. Keep the best and let the rest go...eventually you have only the best.

I'm willing to devote money and time to this kind of husbandry as it pays off in the long run and creates a more sustainable creature...which is something the world really needs.

I see too many pampered animals that allow weaker specimens to carry on their genetics(sheep, goats, bees, cattle, dogs, cats, chickens, etc.)...in the wild this is not usually the case and that is for a reason. Survival of a species depends on the strongest surviving, not the weakest.

Like to add , with the wild bees, nobody robs there hives. If you remove honey and they can't replace the store in time for winter, not the hives fault. Depend on weather and etc. In that case they need fed.
Most strong hives do built a surplus.
 
I checked my hive this week...just a cursory glance inside but I need to really suit up and examine it more closely. I doubt my hive will last the winter. We've had severe drought all spring and summer and they barely have any honey made. They also seem to have the same amount of bees with which I started...who knows? They might have swarmed or something. I need to really examine the hive and see if I can find the queen or any brood, etc.

For now, they have very limited honey stores and a small colony. I will feed this winter but I doubt if this hive will see spring.
 
Quote:
I'm thinking very seriously about not supplemental feeding. I'll have to give it some thought, but I'm trying to develop bees that function much like in the wild. Wild bees do not get supplemental feed and I would suppose many of them may die of starvation. And some may live to reproduce more of the kind of bees that survive in tough conditions....these are the bees I most want to promote and keep.


I may wind up losing the whole hive...which is an accepted risk for me and I will slog on with my experiment in finding hardier bees than the ones people are now tending. I want survivors on my place...be it bees, chickens or sheep. Keep the best and let the rest go...eventually you have only the best.

I'm willing to devote money and time to this kind of husbandry as it pays off in the long run and creates a more sustainable creature...which is something the world really needs.




I see too many pampered animals that allow weaker specimens to carry on their genetics(sheep, goats, bees, cattle, dogs, cats, chickens, etc.)...in the wild this is not usually the case and that is for a reason. Survival of a species depends on the strongest surviving, not the weakest.

Like to add , with the wild bees, nobody robs there hives. If you remove honey and they can't replace the store in time for winter, not the hives fault. Depend on weather and etc. In that case they need fed.
Most strong hives do built a surplus.

I think that given that this is a wild-captured hive that MAY not have had enough time to build up enough honey to support them through the winter, you owe it to them to give them some sugar water to get them through the winter. Next year is a different story!! BTW you are NOT allowed to take any honey next summer, unless it is clear that the bees have enough for the winter!!
 
Fantastic thread!

My husband and I are wanting to get into beekeeping for the honey and for pollination of our orchard and garden.

I found this on craigslist, is this a decent deal? Should we consider this?
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/grd/1999398318.html

We have books that people recommended here on order.

Thanks for your thoughts.
smile.png
 
The price is about right but you should perhaps get a lil better one seeing you buy all ten.

My main question would be what were they treated with/for?

I never treat, but that's a whole nother topic right there.



...JP
 

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