The Treatment-Free Beekeepers' Forum

GregV

Yea, this time of the year all the nucs should be strong 40 liter colonies being able to fend for themselves IF there is a flow available. This is my program anyway. I had one straggler nuc (I just could not get the queen mated in time - my fault there; bad configuration). Gave up on them and combin...

GregV

Nice but like you say it's a two man job and I only have one man. :) A matter of personal circumstances (like everything else in this life). I knew it would be heavy, but I got a 17-year old helper and more are on the way. BTW, a man and a wife team works too (it is not the raw weight, really; that...

GregV

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GregV

Finally finished and deployed a deep 20-framer. Excellent rig all way around. Can be run in 20/10x10/15x5 configurations. The only consideration - the deployment is a 2-men job. This is not a migratory rig but rather "leave it and forget it" type equipment (classic, old European style). Th...

GregV

Well, I have to say, I am pleased with at least some. Since this topic was posted, I already had to upgrade one my nuc from 7 frames to 10 frames. The thing was packed with both honey and the bees, and they started building combs outside and filling them too with nectar. :shock: PS: this is one of t...

GregV

Before you get too deep into this, be aware of the energy profiles of different structures (homes or hives, all the same). https://sites.google.com/site/lowenergyhome/architectur Then see what fits your local climate profile better. As as homesteader, you'd be interested in energy efficiency of your...

GregV

C# Dev: There are many discussions on this forum under the "hives". One thing to consider if you are being a "freelancer" and have freedom that way - do consider being at least partially compatible to the "standard Lang equipment". I am being a "freelancer" my...

GregV

Hello, I'm Dan. I'm a software engineer and wanna be homesteader. So far I've got a couple garden beds, a few fruit trees (not yet fruiting/flowering) and a bunch of chickens. Next year I hope to add bees if funds and time allow. My adventures on You Tube the last week or so have led me to decide o...

GregV

All in all - if there are no spare empty combs, not much you can do. If your bees only cover two frames, not much you can do either. Spare workforce is just not there to do foraging and building. You have to do something drastic to double the nuc population, like right now (this is mid-September in ...

GregV

Well, IF the queens are laying AND the queens are worth keeping (e.g. Nordak's queens), I would try to winter through. First, forget this comb-building thing - ain't gonna happen (UNLESS it is a swarm - a swarm will build no matter the season). The entire project setup is not good up front (late sta...

GregV

It seems we have good flow with the goldenrod at the moment. The weather has been great. Last 1-2 weeks now my backyard smells as ... don't know....... lots and lots of fermented pollen? sweaty socks? Something of the sort. Hopefully, the nucs will take care of themselves into the winter with all th...

GregV

I don't even bother plugging my smoker. Just lay it side-ways (horizontally, that is) while doing the after-project cleanup. That effectively cuts off the normal air flow in it an chokes the burning quickly. Works 90% of the time. 10% of the time - it is not horizontal enough and keeps smoking (you ...

GregV

Strapped together medium Lang frames measure the same as Ukranian frame (90 degree turned Dadant) and work like this.
Foundation-less setup using a stick-guide.

GregV

This kind of free combs bees built in a vertical log trap. This is just using a stick guide on a top bar and short end bars to prevent wall attachments. The comb is now transferred into my more permanent hive, being fully compatible by dimensions. This example also shows that given a chance, they wo...

GregV

So now the trapping season is over, a quick resume. "Log" traps (about 50 liters): Both my "log" traps worked the best - both scored a swarm. Easy setup on ground - so much for all the talks of climbing the trees. A good trap does not require tree climbing - as simple at that. I ...

GregV

.... Also wondering what you mean by "priming ", your traps? I assume you mean having bees in them previously or using old comb and rubbing it inside the trap. Anything else you would do, I like the idea of using nucs that had bees in them this year. Unfortunately that won't help me for t...

GregV

Dr. Leo Sharashkin forwarded me the PDF version of the same article (just nicer to look at and pics included too).

GregV

Here from a guy who is pretty good at it: Proximity to swarming colonies — it surely helps to know the location of bee trees and bee yards. But do not put the trap too close to the existing colony. Winston (The Biology of the Honey Bee) cites studies suggesting the good range from several hundred fe...

GregV

..Greg, I think that it is very normal for nucs made up throughout spring and early summer, that have not been fed, to be pretty light at this time of the year, at-least in my area of Western North Carolina. With wingstem, goldenrod and asters in-bloom in my area the next three weeks will help to i...

GregV

....So if the box is still on the hive and it's cross combed, how would I cut out a frame at a time? Also how would I do that and observe the mixed-in brood before I had the frame out? The problem I had was I couldn't see in the frames and I couldn't remove them one at a time since the cross comb p...

GregV

Late yesterday I stopped by one of my yards. These hives are standing in woods, just between trees, in shade. The bees are flying in and out on very steep trajectories into clearings between the trees. I have very small or no landing boards on these hives. It is after 6pm; temperature about 60F (15C...

GregV

A nuc is in an unnatural position already .... True also; something to think about. Though, regardless how I go them all they are all strong in workforce at this and could bring lots of nectar. So I think they should. OK; meanwhile, I may prepare few frame feeders, just in case anyway. If comes to ...

GregV

At the same time I do not want to feed them any liquids (goes against the philosophy, but I also have no time to run around with the feeders). ......so the real choice is to feed or not......... Well, like MB pointed out - readily available food will move some of the nucs into just more brooding (n...

GregV

Yes I agree about the "decisions" with Michael (I like that section in the book). It is about personal traits, hive by hive/queen by queen. So, this is one reason I would like to avoid feeding liquids to not mess with their "decision making" ways. Poor decision makers should just...

GregV

So this is August 31st here. I have very good and strong nuc section on hand (6 nucs; 40 liter hive each; bee density is high or very high; brood is wall to wall or approaching it). You can see my nuc hives in the "bait hive" section. I posted pics of bait/nuc hives - all the same (tall, v...

GregV

HMF is not toxic to the point of making sick on the spot, I believe (hence I keep drinking my coffee and eating prunes that are also high in HMF; I should stop, but I just don't... :D ). It is just one of those things that if used persistently may eventually do harm. Anyway, people may google just a...

GregV

While Michael's advice should work technically, it has one issue to be aware - heated honey is no longer good for either bees or people to consume. This is not even about taste/aroma. Heated honey is, essentially, toxic. Here is what one of my local TF beekeeper friends writes: "........try goo...

GregV

Decided to expand the using empty super(s) for cleanup... Keep in mind, you are free to add 2-3-4- any number of empty supers. Add as many as are needed so to fit the stuff inside. This is only a temporary feature. The point here is - you just want to create a bee-proof area where only a single hive...

GregV

Well, you decided to go the "commercial route" per an advice and work with an entire super - pull it off and work on a table (not comb by comb). Then this also means you should purge the entire super by some commercial means and do it quickly and efficiently - a blower or a "bee-gone&...

GregV

.... I've read putting it back in the empty, messy, super isn't useful, they could make crooked comb again and don't really want the old wax anyway? Thanks! Do exactly that. That is the way to do it, if at all possible, so to prevent any massive robbing/fighting set off. :) However, put any junk th...

GregV

Hence, I operate by statistical likelihoods for something to happen, not by facts. BRILLIANT! In order to have facts you should go on site directly and investigate. Until then, it is all interpretations based on probabilities of this and that. But fine, I take "brilliant" as a compliment....

GregV

Look, neither I or you know much about this case. Hence, I operate by statistical likelihoods for something to happen, not by facts. What I do know is early-August in upper Midwest is a bit too early to for the mite load to dangerously peak just yet, *in general* (and PMS, consequently, also). This ...

GregV

I'm wondering how long ago the previous inspection was? The bees on the bottom board look like they have been dead for some time. The dead emerging brood with tongues out would fit with PMS. No stores is not diagnostic because they were probably robbed. PMS in mid-August and so abrupt? Keep in mind...

GregV

Looking for help diagnosing a dead hive. ............ My first inclination is that they starved. Any other thoughts? Starved in mid-August? Not reasonable. Even in a dearth situation now in Ohio/upper Midwest (I am in WI) should be enough income to sustain afloat. Late bloom is already kicking up. ...

GregV

I have a colony with a virgin queen that I have seen. Is it safe to assume that once she starts laying that mating flights are complete? The reason I ask is that I need to move the colony and I don't want to move it until she's done mating. Thanks. I say so. If she is laying and stable at that - mo...

GregV

"VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS FROM BEEKEEPING" (By R.Krell; ISBN 92-5-103819-8).
Freely downloadable book in PDF format.

http://www.hunter-valley-amateur-beekee ... ping.-.pdf

GregV

This is an interview/conversation between Tom Seeley and Leo Sharashkin I found while googling stuff (not a book, but unsure where to drop it off).
A worthwhile lunch-time read:
https://m.facebook.com/abcbees/posts/1025522620841341

GregV

So this all just reiterates the point of queen to become productive does take time. Much more time than the "bee math" might suggest. PS: I have a similar nuc on hand right now; they have been in a "re-queen" mode for, like 1-2 months by now; the initial new queen emerged but got...

GregV

Late last night I was correcting the mess they created on foundation-less "northern style" top bars that I use widely. Along the way documented how well the stick-and-staple guides work. See attached. I am pleased with this very low tech way while reviewing all the things people are doing....

GregV

Greg, Your experience sounds similar to my own when using 1.25" bars. For simplicity sake, I decided 1.5" was the way to go... Yep, Jeff. I recall you mentioned this. So, in fact, at the moment, I ended up with the same mix of 1.25/1.5 bars all over. It is pretty unpractical to keep them ...

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