The Treatment-Free Beekeepers' Forum

moebees

Glad someone has a flow. Our bees can't even fly. Highs in the 30's and rain.

moebees

Herndon wrote:@moebees makes sense to me too. I’ll try the spatula idea too. Have not tried that yet for crash and strain. I appreciate all your help!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Watch this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAFCiSXGg2I

moebees

I can't really answer your question because I don't have experience with that much extra wax. What you show in the picture is too much.

moebees

Without room in your apiary and more equipment there isn't much you can do. Otherwise you could make a whole bunch of splits. The 15 cell one sounds like it was getting ready to swarm. You probably should have found the queen and removed her because they will still swarm.

moebees

@moebees- Thanks! Did not think to measure the honeycomb. Interesting that it is about the same size. Why did you choose the green frames vs. foundationless when cell size is comparable? I don't use any support my deep frames so they get pretty heavy when full of honey. I also have no desire to hav...

moebees

If you use foundation less frames the bees naturally build drone cell size in supers. I am going to use all plastic green frames in my supers this year.

moebees

Give it a try Herndon. I bet you will notice a difference especially in the summer. Allot less bearding. My bees never beard on the polystyrene hives.
Make sure you let us know how it works for you.

I don't get the bee barrel.

moebees

Yes that answers my question, I was pretty sure that was the case but wanted to double check

Great.

Have you got your bees yet?

moebees

Here’s a novice question what’s the difference between the small and large bars Are you talking about the width of the bars? Did it come with two different widths? If that is what you are referring to, the 1.25 inch wide bars go in the brood nest and wider bars go in the honey storage area because ...

moebees

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1992

New thread.

moebees

Hey Herdon, Yes I have heard of the Apimaye hive and looked into it a couple of years ago. I'm not sure how available at that time. I have not tried them or now anyone who has. What turned me off about them is that they seemed too complicated with many moving parts and not very amenable to making mo...

moebees

I read some of Ed’s book. Interesting stuff. Im a natural product guy. I just cant bring myself to make the poly leap. I do see the value to higher insulation though. Maybe you can start a thread in other hive types? I guess we did get off topic a bit. I was just answering the questions I was asked...

moebees

Sorry I can't help you. Maybe one of the moderators can. I check the the stay logged in box so I never have to log in.

moebees

I don't follow. How are you able to post if you are not logged in?

moebees

Glad someone had a mild winter. Nice report Dusty. Sounds like you are off to a good start.

moebees

Welcome to the forum.

moebees

Hey Moe. Did you use poly hives? I looked into it but was concerned with moisture build up and long term durability. Yes I use them. Neither of those two concerns are an issue. They are very durable and I have seen no moisture issues. Check the link I posted above and read the Constructive Beekeepi...

moebees

Any thoughts between Beemax, Paradise and Lyson? I have yet to see a brand shootout online. Rob Overton (the guy who runs the beevac.com site I posted the link above) prefers the Beemax. He uses both 10 frame and he overwinters in the 6 frame nuc. I have never tried the Beemax. The reason I have ne...

moebees

The advantages of polystyrene over insulating a wood box (especially a box that wasn't designed and built to be insulated from the beginning) are that it is high R value while being very light, it is a single unit versus something attached so probably more durable and easier to work with. It is also...

moebees

Generally I think we usually have entrances too large. Feral colonies get by with very small openings and bees seem to prefer smaller openings. I think the bearding issue is independent of the entrances. Bearding comes from lack of insulation and hives set in sun. If you want to reduce bearding insu...

moebees

I know what you mean. I have been waiting for decent weather but it never seems to come. Hopefully soon.

moebees

Great report. Thanks for the update. Sounds like you are making allot of progress.

moebees

Was able to check on the hives today and of my 3 remaining colonies one looks really strong, one weak but hopefully will make it, and one is probably a goner. There are a few bees remaining but they are dwindling down pretty low. It is a little hard to tell exactly because it still is only warm enou...

moebees

Do you guys need more moderators to go through it? I tried to volunteer back when Solomon asks for them but wasn't selected.

moebees

With all the problems and dissatisfaction with facebook I am wondering when we will see the migration over here from the Treatment Free Group over there? Probably not going to happen is my guess.

moebees

Sam Droege whom I quote in my signature was on the Organic View vlog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHs4dfGPQCM

moebees

Memory is incredibly important to a foraging insect like honey bees. Obviously. So that is part of their normal survival adaptation. Anything in the environment (like neonicotinoids) that disrupts memory of course has a negative impact on their survival. The researchers in the video seemed to emphas...

moebees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDadnBWXyrQ

moebees

I agree with DustyMunky. But you only need it in the brood chamber. In the honey supers you can use foundationless or large cell foundation. I am using green frame drone comb in the honey supers. And speaking of drone comb, if you have all PF frames I would add one or two (depending on how many boxe...

moebees

Welcome Caleb. Feral bees in parts of Arkansas are really good for treatment free. You might also try and get some queens from Frost Apiaries in Dardanelle AR.

moebees

Welcome to the forum and good luck with the tbh!

moebees

Is it 1 1/4 spacing throughout the hive or just the brood area that is needed?

Just the brood nest. Honey supers can be wider.

moebees

Hey Dusty,

Are your Old Sol queens Caucasians or the survivor queens they sell? One of my surviving hives is an Old Sol Caucasian queen I got last year. I plan to get a few more this year if I can.

moebees

GregV said: PS: I am planning to play with the brood breaks/late nucs per the Mel Disselkoen, I think that is an excellent idea. Make as many end of June/early July splits as possible. They will be the survivors that become full hives the next year. You can also do August splits if you bring in outs...

moebees

GregV wrote:

Have 2 out of 11 surviving.
Both are queens from Nordak.

So none of your caught swarms survived?

moebees

Glad to hear it Mb.

moebees

Got close to 60 degrees today and I made the rounds checking on hives. The good news is I have 3 hives alive and in pretty good shape. Plenty of bees and I added sugar cakes even tho I think they have plenty of honey left. To review. I began last year with 6 packages, caught one swarm, did some spli...

moebees

If you move them that short a distance in one step you will still have foragers returning to the old spot the next day. So the decision on whether to transfer to the new hive or move the old hive and then transfer should be based on which are the easiest to move with bees in them. One way to avoid t...

moebees

Meanwhile we are still buried under at least a foot of snow.

moebees

This is a video from Australia showing open feeding of pollen substitute. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKdw4VDxo44 These beekeepers are very happy with the results. Since it is Australia you probably won't be able to find the same supplement but at the end of the video they show the label and you...

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