The Honey Factory

[BirdsBeesTrees]

It's expected here any time after Sept. 1.

My husband's family all moved here from Montana, they had snow in June I think this or last year. I said, aren't you glad we don't live there!

 

[R2elk]

My husband's family all moved here from Montana, they had snow in June I think this or last year. I said, aren't you glad we don't live there!

I will take the weather here over the heat and humidity in warmer places. It was in the mountains but i have been snowed on on the 4th of July. I also had to wear a winter coat for the 4th of July rodeo that year.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I will take the weather here over the heat and humidity in warmer places. It was in the mountains but i have been snowed on on the 4th of July. I also had to wear a winter coat for the 4th of July rodeo that year.

I understand that totally. I'm always itching to get my garden in, and being able to use my hose to water all my birds so I want spring to come as early as it can.
We got some deadly heat this summer. Our greatest losses with cows/ calves is in the winter, birds die more in the summer.

 

[duluthralphie]

The Italians are going to have a bad night. I will be opening there hive to the weather. It might freeze. Hopefully hypothermia will set in.

 

[jerryse]

The Italians are going to have a bad night. I will be opening there hive to the weather. It might freeze. Hopefully hypothermia will set in.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

is that a real possibility that they might all just fly away and not come back?

Usually when you buy the bees they give you frames with larvae, if they have that it's very unlikely that they'll leave.

 

[R2elk]

Usually when you buy the bees they give you frames with larvae, if they have that it's very unlikely that they'll leave.

If you buy packages, there are no frames and no larva.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

About the hole. I had it set for the small entrance, but he said to turn it to the larger one because there are no other bees around.

He said if I had another hive or if there was one close I would use the small door so they could defend it easier.

Does that make sense?

Does the block ever get removed completely?

If your queen bee doesn't have larvae, she might be tempted to leave, there are entrances made specially so that only worker bees can exit (that way you can guarantee that the queen will have to stay and start laying eggs).
And yes, when the flowering season has started, then you will have to open the entrance completely.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

If you buy packages, there are no frames and no larva.

Ok, here in Mexico it's quite rare that anyone will sell you bees without at least 2 frames with larvae and 2 with honey (just guarantees that you'll definitely have them stay in their new home).
Pheromones could help, I think in the US they do sell it commercially so you can treat at least the lid with it, since the bees are already inside.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

oxalic acid vaporization / oxalic acid drench. Very effective inexpensive mite treatment.

Personally we've controlled mite infestation with incredible success by smoking them with lavander branches flowers or Eucaliptus leaves and branches; the mites will fall off and die quite quickly. Years ago we sort of researched that the mite problem wasn't very bad in France and Australia, checked out and the oils in lavander and Eucaliptus effectively kill mites. So whenever we check the bees we always use lavander or eucalyptus; the bees even seem to like it.