The Honey Factory

[duluthralphie]

I have decided no more Saskatraz.

They do not fly enough. They seem to make enough honey just for the day.

My other two hives are making huge amounts and have a ton of capped honey. The Saskatraz have none.

The hive is loaded with bees, I saw the queen today. And no one is doing any work.... on my honey.

I will discuss the other two tomorrow if I remember.

 

[R2elk]

Looked like the Saskatraz had a hatch today as the entrance was jammed with bees coming and going.

I was not impressed with the Saskatraz that I had last year. This batch is far out performing those. I will see how the year goes before I decide which way I will go with them. If they don't survive the winter, I will not give them another try.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've heard the Saskatraz are not that productive but tried one this spring as they've been breeding them for nearly 10 more years since that review. Packages are way overpriced for them and really only got the Saskatraz queen because the supplier ran out of Carniolans.

For mite control I recommend using Oxalic Acid. It's highly effective and dirt cheap if purchased as Wood Bleach crystals from your local hardware store. Vaporizers cost some but you can pick up a high ampres vaporizor on Amazon for 60-70 dollars if you read specs carefully.

My own attempt at a hive to produce 200lbs of honey this year was a failure. Had an incredibly strong hive come through our long winter. The popular thought is don't even bother attempting to keep a hive in spring that large- do a split. Well, it is possible to get them not to swarm but I failed. Instead of working suppers they prepped to swarm. Was three deep boxes full, pulled few frames of brood and opened up space to draw foundation and lay. Didn't work. By the time I had a chance to deal with it virgin queens had emerged and the laying queen stopped laying to slim down for flight. It's currently in four separate boxes, three of which have surviving queen cells. I'll get there tomorrow to try and figure out which box the virgin ended up in and find the old queen by her laying again. Depending what I find will dictate how much will get combined again. It's been five days since the tear down.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Getting my bees tomorrow. Just got the two hive boxes. Suit and gear today. Got someone to show me how to raise them

 

[duluthralphie]

I went into mine today.

Italians and Russians are doing great. The Canooks are not doing so great.

I gave the Canadians a honey super. They need it.

I straightened out a mess in the italians. I think they Will do okay now. I removed a gob of mutated comb.

The Russians are amazing. They filled the super I gave them 10 days ago. It had some brood. Maybe one side of a frame out of ten. It was disorganized. From my mess. But looks good now.

all the frames have new comb and are 90% full of honey. I almost stole a frame, because we are out of honey, but decided to wait a week. There was a little not covered. Most of it is on real beeswax foundation so I can have cut comb honey.

I added another medium to them. I was going to add queen excluder but will wait a week with it.

The honey looked so tasty.

 

[R2elk]

I went into mine today.

Italians and Russians are doing great. The Canooks are not doing so great.

I gave the Canadians a honey super. They need it.

I straightened out a mess in the italians. I think they Will do okay now. I removed a gob of mutated comb.

View attachment 2712657View attachment 2712658

The Russians are amazing. They filled the super I gave them 10 days ago. It had some brood. Maybe one side of a frame out of ten. It was disorganized. From my mess. But looks good now.

all the frames have new comb and are 90% full of honey. I almost stole a frame, because we are out of honey, but decided to wait a week. There was a little not covered. Most of it is on real beeswax foundation so I can have cut comb honey.

I added another medium to them. I was going to add queen excluder but will wait a week with it.

The honey looked so tasty.

If you don't want the queen laying in a super, always put the excluder on before you put the super on.

 

[duluthralphie]

If you don't want the queen laying in a super, always put the excluder on before you put the super on.

I am hoping she lays some up there, then put the super on. That way the workers will be use to going threw it tending the bees.

Last year they refused to cross threw it. The brood will hatch in a couple weeks and they can add honey into those cells then.

 

[R2elk]

I am hoping she lays some up there, then put the super on. That way the workers will be use to going threw it tending the bees.

Last year they refused to cross threw it. The brood will hatch in a couple weeks and they can add honey into those cells then.

I have never had that problem.

You never want brood in a super that is intended for honey harvest. Been there, done that. Not good.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have never had that problem.

You never want brood in a super that is intended for honey harvest. Been there, done that. Not good.

I have a little there now. But I wanted to wait to put the excluder in, mainly because it’s hotter than hades and I forgot to bring the excluder out with me.

 

[duluthralphie]

Have any of you tried this: