The Honey Factory

[R2elk]

A couple of minutes of observation showed that the Saskatraz are the ones stealing the fines from the neighbor's chicken feed.

One of my bees met me as I was heading home from the mailbox a 1/2 mile from where the hives are.

The tiny native mustard plants have started to bloom today.

 

[duluthralphie]

A couple of minutes of observation showed that the Saskatraz are the ones stealing the fines from the neighbor's chicken feed.

One of my bees met me as I was heading home from the mailbox a 1/2 mile from where the hives are.

The tiny native mustard plants have started to bloom today.

You really are a Southie! Blooms in March. Wow

 

[R2elk]

You really are a Southie! Blooms in March. Wow

If you want to call this a bloom.

 

[R2elk]

You really are a Southie! Blooms in March. Wow

I do have tomatoes in bloom but they are in my living room.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have an Easter lily in bloom!!

 

[jerryse]

42 here . I put pollen patties in my hives today . Having few days where they can fly lately and in near future . Made the patties from bee pro myself . I bet that Lilly is indoors .

 

[duluthralphie]

Mother Nature is being a tad cruel.

https://wjon.com/strong-mid-week-storm-is-possible-in-minnesota/

This is terrible timing I have two packages of bees coming.

I have done some research online into old studies on heating beehives. There is a consensus that it does not pay and may cause more problems than it solves over the entire winter.


However, there are many studies showing that can help in the spring by starting earlier egg laying and brood development.

Also in the fall it can extend the last hatch to help build up numbers going into the winter.

Here in the land of 9 month winters I need the help.

Heat in the hive appears to help less than heating the hive body itself. Heat tape was the method of heat one researcher used.

I have my own plans. I will try to make a YouTube of what I am doing.

I will be attaching a chick heat pad directly to the north wall of the hive. Covering it with insulation and covering three of the sides with insulation.

I will have my ventilation on the south side. This should allow for a cooler area if the bees need it.

I hope with the addition of protein Pattie’s and honey filled frames I will have a jump on bee production.

After I finish my you tube tape you should understand my attempt and tear it apart.


I do have a mite question. I plan to vigorously fight mites this year. Does anyone have a suggestion for when I free my package?

I do not want to piss the bees off to the point they leave me. But I want to kill and mites.

I have unhandled hopsguard, Formica pro and oxalic acid and a vaporizer. I also have powdered sugar to force them to groom the mites away.


I assume whatever I do should wait few days until the bees have set up housekeeping to prevent them absconding.

Any ideas or suggestions, and know I reserve the right to accept or ignore any and all.


Thanks

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

You are 100% correct. Now, how did a marked queen get into an empty hive last fall?
View attachment 3036498

Psst! It's the bee fairy.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Mother Nature is being a tad cruel.

https://wjon.com/strong-mid-week-storm-is-possible-in-minnesota/

This is terrible timing I have two packages of bees coming.

I have done some research online into old studies on heating beehives. There is a consensus that it does not pay and may cause more problems than it solves over the entire winter.


However, there are many studies showing that can help in the spring by starting earlier egg laying and brood development.

Also in the fall it can extend the last hatch to help build up numbers going into the winter.

Here in the land of 9 month winters I need the help.

Heat in the hive appears to help less than heating the hive body itself. Heat tape was the method of heat one researcher used.

I have my own plans. I will try to make a YouTube of what I am doing.

I will be attaching a chick heat pad directly to the north wall of the hive. Covering it with insulation and covering three of the sides with insulation.

I will have my ventilation on the south side. This should allow for a cooler area if the bees need it.

I hope with the addition of protein Pattie’s and honey filled frames I will have a jump on bee production.

After I finish my you tube tape you should understand my attempt and tear it apart.


I do have a mite question. I plan to vigorously fight mites this year. Does anyone have a suggestion for when I free my package?

I do not want to piss the bees off to the point they leave me. But I want to kill and mites.

I have unhandled hopsguard, Formica pro and oxalic acid and a vaporizer. I also have powdered sugar to force them to groom the mites away.


I assume whatever I do should wait few days until the bees have set up housekeeping to prevent them absconding.

Any ideas or suggestions, and know I reserve the right to accept or ignore any and all.


Thanks

You reserve the right to ignore me. I would use hopguard because it's organic and can go on when honey is on.

I've only treated a new package once and then the rest of the times I forget.
I think the treatments would mask the pheromone smells of the new queen they need to release... I don't want problems either.
What kind of bees are you getting btw?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

@duluthralphie A lot of dairies are going out of business, you may be able to find something like this. We have some, we call them calf igloos, lol.
They work great on the hives if you can weigh them down because they are heavy but we have lots of straight winds and haven't been able to use them the last couple years in the new location.
https://polydome.com/services/calf-huts/?msclkid=ef18f700ae0111ec8fe25dc3c0cd4d8f