The Honey Factory

[TheDandyLion]

Checked the swarm I caught this year , 2 full boxes of brood, frames all fully covered, and 1 full box of honey. I think they are on track for having enough stores for winter.

Very happy with this swarm so far. These are very dark bees. Not the calmest when you are working in the hive. But they calm down quick once closed back up. I'm pleased with their progress so far.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Nope.

In Hive #1 honey super we have: empty drawn comb in center 4 frames. The outer 4 (new) frames are bare. Very few bees up there.

In Hive #2 we have: The same thing except there is a nice pattern of capped brood in one frame and LOTS of bees up there. We looked in the brood box below and there's capped brood in the center 4 frames and nothing in the outer 4. (8 frame hives)

Both hives have QEs. No honey except a bit around the brood.

The goldenrod is just starting to bloom in the field.

Hey, maybe my neighbor will lose interest and want her money back when I tell her that there will be no honey for the second year.

Supposedly, we went into beekeeping "together." She put up $282 (half the cost of the used hive we bought, half the cost of the nuc.) Except hubby and I have put another $800-$1000 ish into the venture. And done 100% of the maintenance and upkeep. She has never even looked into the hive.

If you have an experienced/successful keeper near you ask them to have a look at your hives. If you are in a dearth bees will pull back on drawing comb. My spring NUK colony pulled back, started back up when I supplied the 1:1 syrup. As far as your Partner, maybe offer to buy her out as there seems to be no real interest on her part. Money and time, water under the bridge, not an enviable position. Supposed to be relaxing not a source of stress.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Checked the swarm I caught this year , 2 full boxes of brood, frames all fully covered, and 1 full box of honey. I think they are on track for having enough stores for winter.

Very happy with this swarm so far. These are very dark bees. Not the calmest when you are working in the hive. But they calm down quick once closed back up. I'm pleased with their progress so far.

Ours are also doing well, both right now have the deeps packed and working on the mediums. If they can fill 2 mediums each I'm stealing one from each. The fall honey here has a nice heat where the spring flow is sweet and mild. Bees are exiting the hives like bullets. Area in front of the hives is filled with their comings and goings, gotta love it!

 

[TheDandyLion]

Ours are also doing well, both right now have the deeps packed and working on the mediums. If they can fill 2 mediums each I'm stealing one from each. The fall honey here has a nice heat where the spring flow is sweet and mild. Bees are exiting the hives like bullets. Area in front of the hives is filled with their comings and goings, gotta love it!

I was just thinking yesterday that I might be able to steal a little if the goldenrod comes in heavy. I certainly wasn't expecting to pull any their first year.... I'm waiting for that telltale gym socks turned butterscotch smell

 

[Apis mellifera]

Both hives have QEs.

If there is brood above the QE in #2 it needs to be removed so the queen can move down, and the workers can backfill.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I was just thinking yesterday that I might be able to steal a little if the goldenrod comes in heavy. I certainly wasn't expecting to pull any their first year.... I'm waiting for that telltale gym socks turned butterscotch smell

We were able to take a medium from our NUC last fall and left them with 90lbs, came through the winter strong. They only travel roughly 75/100 yds for the Goldenrod and there's lots of it. Doing the 2 wk hive check this Tuesday to get an idea where they stand.

 

[Sally PB]

As far as your Partner, maybe offer to buy her out as there seems to be no real interest on her part.

I asked her, and she didn't want the money back. She said, "I just don't know how hands-on you want us to be." This was over the phone, so I couldn't get any visual clues. She was also at the airport, picking up her husband, so not the best time to talk. She hasn't returned calls/texts at times, so I took the opportunity to ask when I had her on the phone.

If there is no honey this year, I'm going to give her the $$$ back. If that hive dies, I'll give her the money back.

I think she wants to say she's a beekeeper. And wants honey too, of course.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I asked her, and she didn't want the money back. She said, "I just don't know how hands-on you want us to be." This was over the phone, so I couldn't get any visual clues. She was also at the airport, picking up her husband, so not the best time to talk. She hasn't returned calls/texts at times, so I took the opportunity to ask when I had her on the phone.

If there is no honey this year, I'm going to give her the $$$ back. If that hive dies, I'll give her the money back.

I think she wants to say she's a beekeeper. And wants honey too, of course.

Sounds like the children's story "The Little Red Hen"! Best of Luck.

 

[Sally PB]

Yeah, it does!

She's busy. I get it. She home schools 3 boys, and she and hubby work at/partly own(?) a martial arts gym. He also works from home, I think.

But if this colony dies this winter, well, that will solve the problem. (Not hoping for that, of course!) Here's your money, I'll give you some honey if/when we have some. Go get your own hive and bees and muddle through if you are truly interested. (I'll bet she doesn't/isn't.)

 

[WallyG74]

Yeah, it does!

She's busy. I get it. She home schools 3 boys, and she and hubby work at/partly own(?) a martial arts gym. He also works from home, I think.

But if this colony dies this winter, well, that will solve the problem. (Not hoping for that, of course!) Here's your money, I'll give you some honey if/when we have some. Go get your own hive and bees and muddle through if you are truly interested. (I'll bet she doesn't/isn't.)

But it sounded like such a cool idea! Oh dang… there’s work involved???