The Wally-Gee Bee Journey 🐝

[Apis mellifera]

Is there anything I need to do to get it ready? I did scrape off some propolis/wax and repaint the exterior with a couple coats of white to "make it pretty."

Lots of beekeepers use them, they're good feeders. You may have some bees drown in it but not enough to worry about. Before you use the feeder give it a test and fill it with water to make sure there's no big leaks.

 

[Sally PB]

Lots of beekeepers use them, they're good feeders. You may have some bees drown in it but not enough to worry about. Before you use the feeder give it a test and fill it with water to make sure there's no big leaks.

I just saw this same set up in a Mann Lake catalog. It was for using bags. Has anyone used Ziploc bags this way?

 

[Apis mellifera]

I just saw this same set up in a Mann Lake catalog. It was for using bags. Has anyone used Ziploc bags this way?

What you see in the Mann Lake catalog is just baggies ($1.50) on top of the frames. What some beekeepers do is place a medium or shallow box on top of the hive and then place the ziploc bags on top of the frames. They take a razor blade and cut an X on the bag, bees will crawl up and feed from the bag. I dont care for it. The feeder you have is in the Dadant catalog, to me it's a much better way to feed. You can't move the bags off of the hive without spilling it to check on the bees.

 

[WallyG74]

I hope to give a good update with pics when I open the hive to check on progress. I got one problem. You can’t operate a phone with gloves on and NO ONE in my family is willing to risk it for the biscuit. Maybe start a video recording and quickly get my gloves on? Maybe someone can pass on a few ideas !

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I hope to give a good update with pics when I open the hive to check on progress. I got one problem. You can’t operate a phone with gloves on and NO ONE in my family is willing to risk it for the biscuit. Maybe start a video recording and quickly get my gloves on? Maybe someone can pass on a few ideas !

Can you use your nose to tap the screen through the mesh?

 

[Sally PB]

The feeder you have is in the Dadant catalog, to me it's a much better way to feed. You can't move the bags off of the hive without spilling it to check on the bees.

Thank you!

 

[WallyG74]

Can you use your nose to tap the screen through the mesh?

It’s fairly thick. I would think not.

 

[WallyG74]

My friend truly is the Bee Whisperer. He left a couple swarm traps in the back of his truck and caught this swarm while at work. He had to take this out of his truck.

 

[Sally PB]

...thinking if it would ever be possible for me to catch a swarm... someday...

Tomorrow, I'm going over to my "bee guy's" house to help him install a package of bees. I doubt I'll be anything other than a pair of hands. But I jumped on the chance to help and learn.

 

[Sally PB]

Today, DH and I helped my bee mentor install packages of bees. The guy's granddaughter and her boyfriend were there. He had 5 packages, there were 5 of us, and we each did a package. It was a really interesting experience.

The first 4 packages were Buckfast. The last was Italian. The Buckfast were very calm (my impression, anyway). We did the Italian last, and they were even more calm.

I was amazed at how calm I was, too.