Bee keeping

[Life is Good!]

After successfully being a small-cell treatment free beekeeper for 2 full years, my hives got robbed out and killed just before the end of the fall season here in IL. (One hive died in the worst winter ever, one hive survived and we split it. Both hives were doing amazing all summer and early fall - lots of stores, lots of bees, great brood patterns.....it was lovely!)

We'd gone away for a long weekend, came home and the hive was dead, hornets had moved in and yellow jackets were trying to get at the last of the honey stores.

I've never seen something as sad as this ever. Full hives, all dead, after a really bad attack from solid black feral bees, hornets and yellow jackets combined. At least that's what I found dead in the bottom of the hives.

So, I've got two empty hives sitting staring at me in the apiary.

What's a beek to do?!

Order new bees!

C'mon spring!

 

[rancher hicks]

I was looking to buy honey at the market yesterday but some of it was crystalizing and other had dirty labels. I wish folks who sell would realize what a turn off that is.

Here they're charging $7-8 a pound. Though I passed and will buy it in the store rather than stuff that looks old.

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

I never mind if the stuff is crystalizing...honey doesn't ever really "go bad"....

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:
That's true, scientists found honey 2-3 thousand years old in the pyramids it was still good, crystallized but still good. they were hoping to find some pollen from extinct plants in it.

 

[rancher hicks]

I am aware that honey doesn't go bad, but if I'm paying I want fresh honey, not stuff that has been sitting around for a while.

I've considered getting bees but they seem like a bit of trouble and expense. I figure I'd use about 12-15 pounds a year. I've seen it on CL for $5 a pound. At the market it's $7-8.

What should I expect from a second year hive?

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

Quote: WOW! That's cool! Wouldn't that be interesting....

 

[Life is Good!]

I am aware that honey doesn't go bad, but if I'm paying I want fresh honey, not stuff that has been sitting around for a while.

I've considered getting bees but they seem like a bit of trouble and expense. I figure I'd use about 12-15 pounds a year. I've seen it on CL for $5 a pound. At the market it's $7-8.

What should I expect from a second year hive?

I've had fresh honey crystallize in the jar in a week - if the temps, humidity, and honey are *just* right....there's no stopping the crystals from forming.

As for dirty labels....yeah, that's hard too. Darn stuff is SO sticky and gets absolutely EVERYWHERE when you're bottling.....it's hard to keep anything sterile and clean! I always bottle as carefully as possible, close lids, wash outsides of jars (especially the bottoms), THEN stick the label on the next day, when all is dry. It's a challenge.

What to expect from a second year hive? Depends on the hive, the queen, your management and the goal. Is it to produce honey? Then you'll manage one way. Is it to promote healthy bees? Then you don't take honey except in the spring, once the flow is on. And you leave them their honey as their winter food. My neighbor extracts 70+lbs of honey every early fall from each of her hives....and feeds sugar substitute all fall/winter. I extract about 25lbs honey in the spring and leave them some stores to continue their build-up/expansion and winter survival. She treats chemically. I don't. She has large cell bees (5.4). I have small cell bees (4.9) Her bees have varroa. Mine don't. Just different styles - no one right way or another....just what the goal is.

 

[rancher hicks]

So I got the movie "More than Honey" and it was very interesting. I didn't know there were Black Bees for honey, nor that Australia didn't have Varroa mites. I do hope they're very careful to keep them out.

It's not likely I'll get bees since I'm older and there is quite the investment. Not just the hive, but other things. Who would tend to them when I'm dead and gone?

I did find a guy near by who sells honey for $5 a pound. Which is good. I try to buy local and support my immediate neighbors. I will see how he keeps his bees.

They really are tiny livestock aren't they?

 

[Life is Good!]

They really are tiny livestock aren't they?

As God intended them to be!

 

[rancher hicks]

As God intended them to be!

Well now I don't know what he intended but they've become that anyhow. I was sort of making a joke. Towns might ban them you know. Making to much buzzing noise and all. Good thing they don't bark.