Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: Northof50]
#7584909
05/16/22 11:21 AM
05/16/22 11:21 AM
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670 ND
DakotaBoy
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670
ND
|
Warrior got it with the ease access with a rear loaded fork lift on their trucks to move the hives. Seasonal adjustments to follow the nectar flow.
you cant fix dumb I understand wanting to place the hives strategically. Are more worker bees produced throughout the season? I'd think driving a half mile down the adjacent gravel road and offloading the hives there would probably produce about the same, but with a potentially lower kill rate? I think of it like trapping I guess....do we trap coyote and fox next to busy highways and expect them to still be alive or even there at our next check?
"Pretty cocky for a starving pilgrim!" "An elk don't know how many legs a horse has!"
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: yukonjeff]
#7584965
05/16/22 01:39 PM
05/16/22 01:39 PM
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670 ND
DakotaBoy
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670
ND
|
Thanks for the explanation warrior!
"Pretty cocky for a starving pilgrim!" "An elk don't know how many legs a horse has!"
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: yukonjeff]
#7585079
05/16/22 06:13 PM
05/16/22 06:13 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,866 Indiana
Providence Farm
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,866
Indiana
|
Well I have had 100% survival for 2 winters now. First year with 2 hives 2nd on 4 hives. But I lost the first two when I lost my queens and had laying workers. I dumped them after no luck correcting it. It was a good lesson on keeping up with hive inspections.
I went into winter with 4 good hives last winter. Most in 2 8fram deeps one in an 8 Fram and 2 small suppers full. All got candy boards and 3% Pollen patties. After the lesson from the year before I keep up with inspections About two weeks ago I was about ready to quit. I had no queens and 2 with some queen cells. One hive had appeared to nearly swarm its self ou having 9 hatched queen cells in it few workers no queen and a Tom of drones. But I caught some queens hatching and put the virgan queens where there were none. Put 3 capped queen cells in queen cages in the top of a queen right hive above a queen excluder in hope the nurse bees will tend to them when they hatch and I will have a few extras if I need them in the next week. I made my first split, added a few more swarms, and got my first hive off my farm. I'm currently at 7 hives with bees on 3 swarm traps that need to be hived. I only have one empty hive so two of them will go to a friend unless I end up needing to combine some of my struggling hives or buy some more boxes. I need to treat for mites this week,hopefully my honey suppers are capped and I can spin them out while they are off for treating. ( will be my first harvest on honey)
I went from ready to quit to so excited I'm ready to call off work so I can get to checking my bees sooner. But that's pointless since the new queens probably are not going to be laying yet.
What's everyone's record keeping system. I starting to have a hard time remembering where each is and what's going on with them by the time I'm done. What about storage for extra equipment, like buit out frames. I left two hives worth in the box's on end so sun would get in and hopefully keep wax mouths out. No wax moths but the mice made nest between the frames destroying some wax and mud dobbers mad some frames not attractive to bees.
Last edited by Providence Farm; 05/16/22 06:16 PM.
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: BvrRetriever]
#7585145
05/16/22 08:16 PM
05/16/22 08:16 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,866 Indiana
Providence Farm
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,866
Indiana
|
My experience with over wintering bees was not good. I fed heavily and treated for mites ahead of winter. I insulated the hives and wrapped in tar paper. The first winter I carried over half the hives. The second winter, they all died. Sealing them to well can cause moisture build up and when it drips on them it will frees and kill them. I'm further south than you but always put a few pennies stacked on the 2 front corners under the top to alow air coming in the entrants to vent out the top front. Also I pit a small box full of dry pine shavings above the candy boards. I think that and the sugar in the candy board absorb a lot of moisture.. Just a few quick thought form a new inexperienced bee keeper so may not be of any value?
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: yukonjeff]
#7585209
05/16/22 10:18 PM
05/16/22 10:18 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,475 WI>>>MN >>>WI
T-Rex
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,475
WI>>>MN >>>WI
|
You can do whatever you want all winter, but if the spring bears decide to have at them, it's all in vane.
Let's go Minnesota DNR!
Man who mistake shillelagh for fairy wand; see pixie dust, also.
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: yukonjeff]
#7585214
05/16/22 10:30 PM
05/16/22 10:30 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,120 Manitoba
Northof50
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,120
Manitoba
|
Can they even get into some of those yards in Minn with all the wet weather we have been having ?
We can not move the colonies between provinces in Canada. At least the Salix willows are still in pollen stage for them to feed on
Last edited by Northof50; 07/04/22 04:31 PM. Reason: word filter
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: BvrRetriever]
#7585634
05/17/22 03:51 PM
05/17/22 03:51 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,893 new york
mike mason
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,893
new york
|
My experience with over wintering bees was not good. I fed heavily and treated for mites ahead of winter. I insulated the hives and wrapped in tar paper. The first winter I carried over half the hives. The second winter, they all died. Never wrapped my hives. I would drill a 5/8' hole in top box for ventilation and flight exit if bottom board was plugged w/dead bees.
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: warrior]
#7585686
05/17/22 06:20 PM
05/17/22 06:20 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,122 Pa.
Bigbrownie
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,122
Pa.
|
Strange hearing y'all speak of just coming out of winter when our main spring flow is just now coming to an end. Pretty much done for the year unless you go north for sourwood or south for cotton or tallow. Here in Pa, there’s lots of honey to be made yet. Clover is a big summer source, Japanese Knotweed ( mid August ), and the biggie …goldenrod in September. I’ve seen hives make more honey in September than they did the rest of the season combined. While I’ve been at camp, the All Purpose Wife has been getting swarms for me. She got these off a post a couple hours ago…
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: yukonjeff]
#7619221
07/04/22 03:54 PM
07/04/22 03:54 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,217 W NY
Turtledale
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,217
W NY
|
Nice YJ, those bees sure do have a great view.
NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
|
|
|
Re: How's Your Bee's
[Re: yukonjeff]
#7619222
07/04/22 03:56 PM
07/04/22 03:56 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,477 PA
Marathon
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,477
PA
|
|
|
|
|
|