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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 Offline
trapper
DakotaBoy  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670
ND
Originally Posted by Northof50
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] #7584934
05/16/22 12:24 PM
05/16/22 12:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
I'm sure the beekeeper would rather have them out of sight of the road but getting in and getting out, especially when the ground could be soft, takes priority.


[Linked Image]
Re: How's Your Bee's [Re: yukonjeff] #7584939
05/16/22 12:30 PM
05/16/22 12:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
The beekeeper may also have a few dozen different yards scattered out every few miles so it may be like long line trapping. Positioned for get in get your work done and on to the next one.

Some of these guys run hive counts into the thousands and you might have a certain manipulation like requeening with cells where you got a very narrow window to get it done.

It's the stationary keepers that have the luxury of putting yards on the back side of things bur even they have to consider access.


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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 Offline
trapper
DakotaBoy  Offline
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
P
Providence Farm Offline
trapper
Providence Farm  Offline
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P

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: yukonjeff] #7585090
05/16/22 06:33 PM
05/16/22 06:33 PM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,955
Northern Mn
rick olson Offline
trapper
rick olson  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,955
Northern Mn
The bee's are coming back nightly from California since last Tuesday 30 more semi's to go,Dandelions are out plums will be blossoming by the end of the week.Hope it starts to dry up here the farmer's have not been able to start planting anything yet too wet and they are forecasting rain for Thursday,hope it misses us.

Re: How's Your Bee's [Re: yukonjeff] #7585094
05/16/22 06:40 PM
05/16/22 06:40 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,790
M.T.V. Alaska
Y
yukonjeff Offline OP
trapper
yukonjeff  Offline OP
trapper
Y

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,790
M.T.V. Alaska
I lost my four hives this winter shrews were the culprit. Had a lot of headless bees and it stressed the rest.
I put mouse screens but a little late as I wanted to leave the summer bees vacate rather than die in the hive.
We also had a very wet cool summer and they didn’t build up as good as they should have.

I split two double queen packages April 16 th so I have four hives again.
Hope they are doing good will see when I get back to do a inspection.

Re: How's Your Bee's [Re: yukonjeff] #7585122
05/16/22 07:34 PM
05/16/22 07:34 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,384
WI
B
BvrRetriever Offline
trapper
BvrRetriever  Offline
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Posts: 1,384
WI
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.

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
P
Providence Farm Offline
trapper
Providence Farm  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,866
Indiana
Originally Posted by BvrRetriever
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] #7585188
05/16/22 09:32 PM
05/16/22 09:32 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,384
WI
B
BvrRetriever Offline
trapper
BvrRetriever  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,384
WI
I left an 1/8 gap between the top board and top. I also left a bottom and top exit. The tar paper was wrapped loose and more for a sunlight/heat attraction than anything. Idk but it was the method of a major bee keeper in the area at the time. Anymore, I’d send them south for the winter or forget it all together.

Re: How's Your Bee's [Re: yukonjeff] #7585201
05/16/22 10:05 PM
05/16/22 10:05 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,091
Washington State
H
humptulips Offline
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humptulips  Offline
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H

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,091
Washington State
I've lost 8 out of 32. This has been the coolest wettest spring I can remember. Anywhere near normal weather at least a couple of those 8 would have made it. I'm still feeding as it seems to rain every day.

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 Offline
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T-Rex  Offline
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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
N
Northof50 Offline
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Northof50  Offline
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N

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: yukonjeff] #7585385
05/17/22 08:27 AM
05/17/22 08:27 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
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.


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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
M
mike mason Offline
trapper
mike mason  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,893
new york
Originally Posted by BvrRetriever
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.
B
Bigbrownie Offline
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Bigbrownie  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,122
Pa.
Originally Posted by warrior
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.

[Linked Image]

She got these off a post a couple hours ago…

[Linked Image]

Re: How's Your Bee's [Re: yukonjeff] #7619193
07/04/22 02:59 PM
07/04/22 02:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,790
M.T.V. Alaska
Y
yukonjeff Offline OP
trapper
yukonjeff  Offline OP
trapper
Y

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,790
M.T.V. Alaska
Thats a big swarm she has on the branch !

Re: How's Your Bee's [Re: yukonjeff] #7619194
07/04/22 03:00 PM
07/04/22 03:00 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,790
M.T.V. Alaska
Y
yukonjeff Offline OP
trapper
yukonjeff  Offline OP
trapper
Y

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,790
M.T.V. Alaska
A short video of my bee yard.


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 Online content
trapper
Turtledale  Online Content
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
M
Marathon Offline
trapper
Marathon  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,477
PA
Nice view yukonjeff

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