Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: fingertrapper]
#6177050
03/04/18 12:57 AM
03/04/18 12:57 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
KS2, first question the answer is that I wait until I see pollen coming in on workers and then close at night and move to a bee yard. Second question is related. They will be in a deep hive body box, so once they are in their new location it is just a matter of switching boxes. The old frames in the box serve multiple purposes, one of which is to help them stay straight. They might not, so I open them a couple of days after moving and check that they have not cross combed. At that time I will replace empty frames with drawn comb if I have them and if not, new frames with foundation. On your last question I would either try a trap out or wait and see if they cast a swarm. Collecting a swarm is different than catching a swarm, IMO. If you want to catch one they cast, going further away is better than close. I prefer at least a half mile.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: gregh]
#6177055
03/04/18 01:00 AM
03/04/18 01:00 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
On the subject of swarm traps, higher might be better but I set all of mine chest high. They are easier to set and check for me. I had 17 swarms last year that did not mind them being chest high. You are correct. I put mine at eye level for me which is 6 feet, give or take. But I like up on a flat roof if one is around. They don't have to be high, it probably helps, and it definitely doesn't hurt. Top of a wood fencepost works fine too. Just don't set them on the ground.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: fingertrapper]
#6177057
03/04/18 01:04 AM
03/04/18 01:04 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
Oh, KS2, if you get supers use two boxes per trap. Studies have shown that most swarms will pass on a super sized cavity. A deep box is more appropriately sized for their needs. Again, others might catch them with smaller boxes, but why go small when research shows us the average size preferred?
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: fingertrapper]
#6177090
03/04/18 02:28 AM
03/04/18 02:28 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,103 Washington State
humptulips
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,103
Washington State
|
On the subject of swarm traps, higher might be better but I set all of mine chest high. They are easier to set and check for me. I had 17 swarms last year that did not mind them being chest high. You are correct. I put mine at eye level for me which is 6 feet, give or take. But I like up on a flat roof if one is around. They don't have to be high, it probably helps, and it definitely doesn't hurt. Top of a wood fencepost works fine too. Just don't set them on the ground. I would like to set them on a stump but they are too visible to two legged varmints so Most end up getting set on the ground. Still I get swarms.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: fingertrapper]
#6177218
03/04/18 09:49 AM
03/04/18 09:49 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
Tulips, I hear what you are saying. Up off the ground is best, but bees will move into any cavity they like. So if setting on the ground is ideal in your situation obviously it works for you.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: newfox1]
#6177221
03/04/18 09:51 AM
03/04/18 09:51 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
we have top bar warre hives,anybody else use these. I have only run langs. On the scale of hives I want to run, plus what their intended use is for me means that the industry standard is what I need to use.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: yukonjeff]
#6177226
03/04/18 09:54 AM
03/04/18 09:54 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
My first hive went queenless and had a laying worker and nothing but drone brood, It turned into a mite hotel. I would not of put those bees in a good hive, mostly drones anyway.
I have one hive still alive for now and living on sugar bricks and two nucs I have yet to check but I fear they are gone. Have two packages coming in Late April, love to shake me some bee's
In this situation a shake out is the best option. You can keep the workers and get rid of all the drones in the capped larva stage, thus eliminating the mites. But, you have to catch it early enough. Good luck on your remaining hives
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: coonbeaverrat]
#6177229
03/04/18 09:58 AM
03/04/18 09:58 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
For laying workers, I say workers because if there is one there are usually other in the same hive. They don't decide to become laying workers. This happens when the pheromones of the queen is no longer present in the hive. The ovaries in worker bees enlarge and become active. However she is only laying drone eggs. A good way to solve the problem is to stack the hive body containing the laying work on top of a hive with a queen. Place screen wire between the two hives and make sure the hive on top and the hive on bottom both have their own entrance to get in and out. Leave them this way for 2-3 weeks. The pheromones from the hive with the true queen will drift up through the hive with the laying workers causing their ovaries to shrink and egg production stop. Once again she is just a worker. After 2-3 weeks check for eggs in the laying worker box and if none are found remove the screen wire from between the two hives. The bees will combine together fine because they all have the smell of the same queen on them. Good information and advice. What you are describing is correct and the method works. Me personally, I don't have the time or patience for this method. I also have enough hives to have options and can more easily force them into the method I want to do and usually get the outcome I want. If all you have is a couple of hives you must be more cautious as not to destroy the one you have right.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
Re: All things bees and beekeeping...
[Re: fingertrapper]
#6177838
03/04/18 07:34 PM
03/04/18 07:34 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328 North Carolina
fingertrapper
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,328
North Carolina
|
Nice swarms Bud!
I lost two more weak ones this week during our cold snap. They couldn't cover the brood and succumbed to the cold.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.
|
|
|
|
|