Search found 506 matches
- Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:17 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
I'm very happy. I'm itching for some good weather to dig into them a bit. Food store situations can change quickly. Also waiting for the ground to firm up so I can drive in and clean up some of the deadouts. Maybe this week? Lousy weather on the horizon.
- Sun Apr 01, 2018 5:10 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
So I believe my numbers are 44 (I forgot to include another 4 for 4 early nucs at another location) compared to 35 last year. This in spite of drought, skunks and bears and selling 7 nucs.
- Sun Apr 01, 2018 5:04 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
After a long time I thought I would post and update. This is essentially a duplicate of my post on beesource First the bad news. Late nucs I started in August were a disaster. 5 of 17. They were under alot of robbing pressure during a severe drought. The middling nucs were devastated by skunks at on...
- Wed Oct 04, 2017 2:19 pm
- Forum: Nucleus Hives
- Topic: Is 5 over 5 better than 10 wide
- Replies: 7
- Views: 932
Re: Is 5 over 5 better than 10 wide
One of the advantages of a 5 over 5 is that that you can put them side by side and they can share each others heat. Also one can add smaller bits of new space to new colonies starting out.
As a minimum I winter nucs in groups of 2 side by side.
As a minimum I winter nucs in groups of 2 side by side.
- Tue Oct 03, 2017 4:10 pm
- Forum: Nucleus Hives
- Topic: Do nucs save any winter stores?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1602
Re: Do nucs save any winter stores?
I just talked to a a beekeeper I sold a nuc too and a couple of queens to. We had a very dry summer so I told him that he should feed at the beginning of August as he had to get some comb built. I had another look at the beginning of September and his hives had made no progress. He began feeding wit...
- Tue Sep 19, 2017 3:47 pm
- Forum: Nucleus Hives
- Topic: Do nucs save any winter stores?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1602
Re: Do nucs save any winter stores?
The one had some capped honey when I started them. The other had very little and has begun to store a bit. I was trying to simulate a flow by feeding but that didn't seem to work. We do seem to have a pretty good flow now so we will see. I just don't know what to do if they don't have any comb goin...
- Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:07 pm
- Forum: Introductions
- Topic: From Central Massachusetts
- Replies: 7
- Views: 463
Re: From Central Massachusetts
Welcome.
Investment in a table saw would allow you to make much of your own equipment reducing costs and would be handy for other projects. I use lots of scrap wood.
I use all mediums and allows maximum flexibility. Really useful with only a few hives.
Investment in a table saw would allow you to make much of your own equipment reducing costs and would be handy for other projects. I use lots of scrap wood.
I use all mediums and allows maximum flexibility. Really useful with only a few hives.
- Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:04 pm
- Forum: Nucleus Hives
- Topic: Do nucs save any winter stores?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1602
Re: Do nucs save any winter stores?
Are they storing any honey on the comb they have? If not maybe the flow rate needs to be improved till you see a little stored and they feel like they have some excess to make a little comb. My nucs seem to make comb with little hesitation as soon as there is some flow. I run all mediums. I start sm...
- Wed Sep 13, 2017 3:10 pm
- Forum: Nucleus Hives
- Topic: Do nucs save any winter stores?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1602
Re: Do nucs save any winter stores?
Likely not enough though. I would feed and make sure they are up to weight. I monitor the weight quite closely and do not wait for the fall flow. If you wait too long you will run out of good weather to feed.
- Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:33 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
I've had my first bear incidents this year. One was in an urban setting where I had placed 6 nucs. A bear got into 2 of them. I moved them the next day, lost one queen. The second was at a country location. A large bear got in and ate 2 (maybe 3) hives. I haven't gotten into the 3rd one yet to see i...
- Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:53 pm
- Forum: Nucleus Hives
- Topic: Do nucs save any winter stores?
- Replies: 27
- Views: 1602
Re: Do nucs save any winter stores?
Depends on the nucs, how old the nucs are and the year. Have had some that had lots of honey going into fall. Others I have fed. This year is really dry and I will feed almost all of them. The big hives have enough food on them that I will be able to put into winter configuration with enough food fo...
- Sun Aug 20, 2017 2:27 pm
- Forum: Comb
- Topic: 1 1/4 frames
- Replies: 45
- Views: 2647
Re: 1 1/4 frames
All my frames are 1 1/4 medium. I use the same frames in the honey supers but space them out so there is 7 in a 8 frame box etc. I can take an extracted honey frame and shove them together to reestablish the 1 1/4 spacing. The wax is soft and the bees can rework it to get their spacing back in a bro...
- Tue Aug 15, 2017 7:04 am
- Forum: Comb
- Topic: 1 1/4 frames
- Replies: 45
- Views: 2647
Re: 1 1/4 frames
My home made 1 1/4 frames have top bars of 3/4 inch. The bees fill out with comb and make the bee space they want.
In the brood nest they maintain the 1 1/4 spacing. I use plastic frames to keep things under control where they are storing honey.
In the brood nest they maintain the 1 1/4 spacing. I use plastic frames to keep things under control where they are storing honey.
- Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:20 pm
- Forum: Treatment-Free Bees and Equipment For Sale
- Topic: 2017 treatment free queens for sale
- Replies: 2
- Views: 590
Re: 2017 treatment free queens for sale
Good to see some of your queens available Michael.
- Thu Aug 03, 2017 3:20 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: Swarm absconds and abandons brood
- Replies: 5
- Views: 839
Re: Swarm absconds and abandons brood
The hive has issues of some sort. I might just let them go.
- Wed Aug 02, 2017 3:00 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Expansion plan
- Replies: 5
- Views: 469
Re: Expansion plan
It sort of depends on where you got your bees from. You could have problems if your bees have no TF pedigree. In that case getting nucs going with queens purchased from either TF keepers with some history, or a breeding program that takes mites seriously may be a good thing. But you are late. The la...
- Wed Jul 19, 2017 4:10 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
Sounds good Greg
I haven't chased any swarms for a couple of years, but they are sure handy for resources to build up initially.
I haven't chased any swarms for a couple of years, but they are sure handy for resources to build up initially.
- Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:08 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
Anyway, I arrived and the entire front of the hive was covered with bees. Lots of honey not all capped in the top 3 boxes. I added another 2 boxes. Hopefully they get back to work. I getting kind of desperate having enough space left for the queen to lay because of all the honey. never saw a storin...
- Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:40 am
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
So I visited my mentee and delivered a couple of queens for a side by side nuc set up. I have a 2 queen set up, side by side in a square dadant setup, all medium boxes. Bottom 2 layers have 6 frame boxes, then excluders, then 12 frame boxes. I had 3 of them, for a total of 5 medium boxes of square d...
- Tue Jun 27, 2017 2:27 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
Before the heat spell ( 35°C-40°C ) the last week I harvested some surplus out of 9 combs to make some place for laying. I left two combs of capped honey at least on both sides for insulation. Next week there should be nice weather to check. I was not opening because I did not want to disturb the b...
- Tue Jun 27, 2017 2:25 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
So I took a few boxes off that monster setup. Not all capped so I just gave some boxes to other hives. Took a couple boxes home. Should have some capped cells to place soon. In other news, of 16 queen cells I placed June 6th, 14 have queens, 13 laying, one looks about to lay. Really pleased with the...
- Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:38 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
I was going to replace a queen of a hive that was having trouble with chalkbrood. I opened them up and the pile of mummies on the bottom board was gone. They just may be getting it under control after a supercedure last year. They overwintered in a tiny cluster and are now in 5 boxes. Spotted the qu...
- Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:21 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
I've never experienced anything quite like it. There must be a solid 120 pounds fo capped honey on it. Alfalfa is just starting to bloom, and if last year was any indication, July and half of August is a honey flow. I might get another 120 pounds from that hive. A few other hives there need some mor...
- Fri Jun 23, 2017 7:22 am
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
I put a snelgrove board on one of my more promising first year hives. I gave the queen 2 boxes of empty freshly extracted comb, had 2 boxes of brood above the snelgrove board, and had 6 boxes of honey between them (8 frame boxes) for a montrous hive 10 medium boxes high. My leaning tower of pisa. I ...
- Thu Jun 15, 2017 3:45 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
I've had that happen. Getting better with more attention to detail as I do my manipulations. The worse is when you have to do things in a hurry and some steps have to be missed. The risk of transferring the queen when you don't want to is great. I won't do this with an important queen.
- Wed Jun 14, 2017 4:20 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
So a small update. From the 35 hives I had coming out of spring, I have sold 7 nucs, and have about 40 nucs that are coming online with queens that are just beginning to lay or have queen cells. I expect to place another 15 or so cells next week. That spring queen rearing poses problems with poor we...
- Wed Jun 14, 2017 3:54 pm
- Forum: Honeybee Genetics
- Topic: Developing Local Climate Adaptation
- Replies: 48
- Views: 3418
Re: Developing Local Climate Adaptation
I've noticed a substantial shift in the 3 years I have been bee keeping and raising mostly my own queens. On the productive robust side of things I've seen a real upside. Just the energy of some of the bees has gone up substantially. On the other side, I have one hive on the edge of mean. They don't...
- Sat Jun 10, 2017 4:23 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
Sold a couple more nucs. A more experienced bee keeper dipping his toe into the TF game. He was very happy with what he saw. Nice queen, 6 frames with brood, an excellent laying pattern, they had already built 2 beautiful frames of foundationless comb laid up with some open brood. He was well prepar...
- Tue Jun 06, 2017 2:41 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
Sold a couple more, will have a couple more sold on Saturday. New owners are very happy with them. As a little bonus, they have already drawn a full frame of foundationless worker comb filled with eggs and young larvae. A beautiful sight to see.
- Mon Jun 05, 2017 5:35 am
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
So I had a minor milestone. I sold my first 3 nucs queened by daughters of my most successful colonies.
- Mon Jun 05, 2017 5:32 am
- Forum: Honeybee Genetics
- Topic: Mite Biting Potential
- Replies: 17
- Views: 932
Re: Mite Biting Potential
Nice work Nordak!
Looks promising.
Looks promising.
- Thu Jun 01, 2017 3:53 pm
- Forum: Honeybee Genetics
- Topic: Saskatraz Queens
- Replies: 4
- Views: 583
Re: Saskatraz Queens
Yes, I had 4 of them. 2 survived their 2nd winter, but the line kind of dwindled after that. But the genetics is still in my yard and I have some strong grand daughters from them. I don't regret getting them. Its a program that takes mites seriously and I may get more once I get a better handle on w...
- Mon May 29, 2017 5:50 am
- Forum: Outside the US
- Topic: Turkey
- Replies: 28
- Views: 2491
Re: Turkey
Could it be supercedure?
In that case I've seen a queen and her daughter in the same hive.
In that case I've seen a queen and her daughter in the same hive.
- Sat May 27, 2017 4:12 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
So I went out to my Heffley site. I have a few mating nucs set up there. Queens are about to start laying so went through them. 4 were trying to raise their own queens so I removed them combined the nurse bees and remaining brood at one mating nuc site. Instant cell builder. I gave them a frame with...
- Thu May 25, 2017 3:04 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
- Replies: 429
- Views: 26135
Re: What's the Buzz in the Beeyard?
That's not a good sight to see. We poison everything around us and ourselves. One of the reasons I've gone TF.
- Thu May 25, 2017 3:00 pm
- Forum: Basic Beekeeping
- Topic: Another hive goes queenless
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1702
Re: Another hive goes queenless
Yes nucs are totally useful. My first spring nucs are just coming on line. I haven't seen eggs yet, but any day now. I saw a young queen running around in what I thought was a failure. I was going to use them for a cell builder, but was totally thwarted by queen rightness. I'm sure at least one will...
- Mon May 22, 2017 5:56 am
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
I think that is when you go looking for queens, any queens, not just one but a couple for a couple of nucs. Keep the bees going until you get the queens you want. With just one package I think you need to get them as backup. I'm in a real good location for queen rearing. I'm in a rain shadow. From h...
- Sat May 20, 2017 4:33 pm
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
I have 23 mating nucs that I am waiting for laying queens. The question is with the not great weather, how many queen cells made it and how many will be successful with mating flights. I've checked 2 so far. Both had queens emerge, saw one virgin. We are getting decent queen flying weather just in t...
- Sat May 20, 2017 6:02 am
- Forum: Expansion Model Beekeeping
- Topic: Is your expansion successful?
- Replies: 310
- Views: 19349
Re: Is your expansion successful?
So I just had my little apiary inspected. My bees are looking pretty good according to the inspector, and I have an official permit to sell bees. We did some mite counts and they were pretty good. I had a strong overwintered nuc with 0.67 % (just added a 5th medium box) Another boomer had 2.5 so som...
- Thu May 18, 2017 4:42 am
- Forum: Outside the US
- Topic: Turkey
- Replies: 28
- Views: 2491
Re: Turkey
I think it is time for an update because I could not post anything since February, when I stated my hive count as 4. But one of nucs lost its queen at the beginning of March so I went into spring with 3. When I gave a frame of brood to this queenless nuc I was worried because March is seen to early...