Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Kris5902]

@Kris5902 I think I'm reaching the limits of my English which does not include technical bee terminology but I'll try to answer. I hope google translate allows us both to understand each other !
First I will say that my partner is the bee keeper and the knowledgeable one of us, I only assist him. If it can help convince your aunt, I have strong reactions to bee stings : we kept that under control for years with an antibiotic onguent ( for which I need a prescription) and antihistamine medication. We always have an adrenaline shot available just in case. But a few years ago we learned that high heat applied for 10 minutes just after a sting does miracle ( blow-dryer or cigarette) and this has been a life changer for me.

Now to your questions. What happened with this particular hive we were told by a professional bee keeper is supposedly not possible, so my story should be taken with caution. We had a first swarm leave the hive at the beginning of may which we caught. Then maybe ten days later I found a second swarm from that hive and we caught it again. We thought it was a secondary swarm except that a few days later my partner opened the initial hive and it was empty. What we thought was the secondary swarm, was actually the whole hive gone. It had left behind frames full of brood and some honey and yes there were queen cups.
So we didn't leave the empty hive there because it would have been plundered very fast by other hives. We took both swarms at a friend's place where we also keep bees, 20 km away.

We torch them because of wax moth ? Or honeycomb moth, not sure what the term is ! We have varroa but I don't think torching makes any difference as it lives on the bees.

For the frames what we like to do is keep frames that have been already built by bees before, either in colonies we have lost, or in upper chambers (? Not sure google translate is correct there). We will put three of those and the rest will be empty frames. We don't like artificial starters made from wax that we don't know the ingredients of.
My partner has been keeping bees for 8 years now and has been making a lot of mistakes, we still make some regularly. It's not easy keeping bees where we live, old people who have done it for years say it was a lot easier before.

Apologies for any strange terms and for having being so long .

This made wonderful sense! Wax moths… from what I have read/learned are also nasty little things. We have them and small hive beetles in North America, and ants and rodents pose problems too. I was just wondering about the varroa as the torches came up while discussing mites so… it has been Many years since I was looking into beekeeping, and with the level of irrational fear gave up on it until I either move or the Aunt steps away from the farming more. Language barrier wise, the only thing google didn’t translate perfectly is “upper chambers” in North America we call them “honey supers” which probably makes even less sense once translated! I love that you are frameless or using your own comb, I think that is much better than the started frames. I was looking into Top Bar style hives originally for many of the same reasons you give, and wondering if when I lived in the city I could somehow disguise the hives by choosing a less traditional looking one to get away with it. Thanks for sharing this!

 

[featherhead007]

This made wonderful sense! Wax moths… from what I have read/learned are also nasty little things. We have them and small hive beetles in North America, and ants and rodents pose problems too. I was just wondering about the varroa as the torches came up while discussing mites so… it has been Many years since I was looking into beekeeping, and with the level of irrational fear gave up on it until I either move or the Aunt steps away from the farming more. Language barrier wise, the only thing google didn’t translate perfectly is “upper chambers” in North America we call them “honey supers” which probably makes even less sense once translated! I love that you are frameless or using your own comb, I think that is much better than the started frames. I was looking into Top Bar style hives originally for many of the same reasons you give, and wondering if when I lived in the city I could somehow disguise the hives by choosing a less traditional looking one to get away with it. Thanks for sharing this!

Beekeeping is one thing, but bee-sneaking? I say, hey go for it!

 

[bgmathteach]

Beekeeping is one thing, but bee-sneaking? I say, hey go for it!

Bee sneakers? I thought they went barefoot?

 

[featherhead007]

Just imagine how bee-Sneaking works. Every bee that enters or exits the hive, must show proper identification. None of them will be using their real name. They will be sent out on secret missions to gather nectar.

 

[featherhead007]

Bee sneakers? I thought they went barefoot?

I’m sure that some do go beefoot. I know that my chickens wear ReBox, Box, Box!

 

[bgmathteach]

dEaR LuLu,
I"m da mYsteRy ChicKie. You on beaKbooK? LooKIng, Can'T FiNd YoU

BaD rEcPtIon HerE BeaKbOoK eAsIer

OH; FriDay tAx:

 

[featherhead007]

Bee-Sneaking: I don’t mean to wax philosophical, but it’s possibly poetic: (to bee or not to bee, isn’t that hard of a question). If I am giving you hives, just tell me anytime, to buzz off !

 

[featherhead007]

 

[Ponypoor]

I am loving this conversation. I have always wanted bees (even before I wanted chickens) but I have always been too intimidated because it seems like a lot to learn and a lot I can do wrong!
Also, I gather they produce an enormous amount of honey and I really only use a very little honey.
A lot of people around me keep bees so local honey is easy to find. I think many of their bees visit me because I have a pollinator friendly environment - I am always seeing honey bees on my plants.
I am still a bit overwhelmed by trying to keep my chickens alive so I think I will still wait on bees. Oh, and I would need an even more potent electric fence because of the bears!

I am desperate for bees here, to help pollinate my fruit trees

 

[Ponypoor]

Bee-Sneaking: I don’t mean to wax philosophical, but it’s possibly poetic: (to bee or not to bee, isn’t that hard of a question). If I am giving you hives, just tell me anytime, to buzz off !

Alex - bee-hive yourself!