Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Mike! Holy crap - been a long time! Who knew you were a bee keeper!

Was concerned about the bees rejecting the queen initially, but I found her in three of the first four inspections I did. She's marked with a yellow dot on her back, so I know it's her.

Thanks for the info on how cells are reused.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Simply amazing Vin! Please keep the pics and vids coming. It's wicked pissa!:D

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

I find this thread very entertaining and can't wait for the updates. Good stuff, Vin.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Vin- good to hear they all like her, keep the photos coming and when some honey is ready, I'd love to try it.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Hey Vin. Great shots of your frames. Your queen is really laying a nice brood pattern, and she's really phat to boot. :D

What I find fascinating is how quickly the bees get their house in order, from drawing comb, to gathering pollen and nectar, and raising brood.

I had a swarm come and take residence in an empty three box hive two weeks ago. Checked on their progress Sunday, and they had already filled two boxes with honey!! Timing is everything I guess. In our location we were in the middle of a tulip poplar, and locust bloom when they arrived. Seems they know what to do and when to do it, and the girls got me three times in my hands. Felt great!

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Who needs guns when you have bees!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEteC_M1154

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Then you have dipshits like this:


Man facing 10 felony charges after allegedly stealing thousands of bee hives



Police believe Tveretinov stole around $875,000 worth of bees



A California man has been arrested on 10 felony counts of possession of stolen property this week after cops say he stole thousands of bee hives worth nearly $1 million.
Pavel Tveretinov was booked into the Fresno County Jail on Monday by sheriff's deputies who allege the Sacramento man stole hives from California as well as other states over the last few years.
Investigators also believe that, in addition to keeping some of the bees himself, the 51-year-old sent some of the approximately 2,500 stolen hives to farms in multiple states, where renters paid him fees in exchange for the borrowed pollinators.


All told, police believe Tveretinov stole around $875,000 worth of bees over the last three years.
Tveretinov was initially booked into the Madera County Jail with a bail of $10,000 in April. He later posted the necessary bond and was released.
"[Investigators] found stolen bee hives at two other locations in Fresno County," the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Facebook. "It is believed Tveretinov is responsible for stealing these hives during the last three years from various parts of California. He would then redistribute them to different places in California, as well as other states, and collect money for the rental of the hives."


All of the charges against Tveretinov are related to the allegations he stole beehives.
His bail was set at $67,500.
The hives that police say they've recovered belong to Buzz Beekeeping of Springfield, Mo. The company, like many other out-of-state beekeepers, contract with California growers to help with the pollination of their crops.
Almond trees are most popular for this service in the Central Valley.
Detectives have contacted several owners of the hives and made arrangements to return them.


One victim traveled all the way from Montana to collect his bee boxes. That man, beekeeper Lloyd Cunniff, told KGPE-TV he was all but financially ruined when his bees vanished from a California orchard in 488 beehives he had taken to California to pollinate almond trees.
Cops say this remains an ongoing investigation and detectives continue to work to identify other victims and return their property to them.




https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...s-of-bee-hives

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

I have a blackberry plant in my garden and its humming with bees now. There are regular size bees but also a few huge ones. What's the difference (obviously the size!), different breed?

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

My guess is different types of bees.

In my yard, I see bumble bees, carpenter bees, and yellow jackets in addition to my honey bees.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Can we get the honey bees to kill them all by mid-July? :D

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Well, Tom, I just read this article, seems there are some cockroaches that might well pollenate flowers, you could raise those then have them fight the bees, winner takes all.

link to story

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Way to bring us all down, Adam! Cockroaches! Reall??

:)

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Well I am in FL and it's pollen related!

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Interesting article on bee population and the little tidbit that every three bites of food, van Engelsdorp said, is directly or indirectly pollinated by honeybees, who pollinate about $15 billion worth of U.S. crops each year. Almonds, for instance, are completely reliant on honeybee pollination.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...are/348418001/

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Been a couple weeks since I put the second brood box on, and I wanted to check the progress on it. You can see in the video below that the girls are busy working on the frames, but I was a little concerned to see the uneven comb that's being built. Look at the blob of comb creeping up between the second & third frames. That shouldn't really be happening with the types of frames I'm using. They should be drawing out comb from the frame instead of building free form.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4288/3...4153064b_z.jpg


My concern turned to a bit of panic when I tried to lift the top box off in order to inspect the bottom box. The bees had attached comb between the frames in the two boxes, and as I lifted the top box, frames from the bottom box started to pull up with it. A little sample of what I'm talking about in the video below.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4217/3...8034a272_z.jpg


This isn't a situation I was prepared for; nor was it one that I had even heard about. Placed a call to a bee keeper in the area, and he was able to talk me off the cliff.

My basic issue was one of frame spacing. The ten frames in the box need to be packed tightly together. I had inadvertently left some space, and the bees did what bees do when confronted with open space: they filled it.

The remedy was fairly involved, and unfortunately was very much a two person job that didn't allow for photos & video. Basically, Grace tilted the second hive box slightly so I could get a hive tool in to push the frame in the bottom box down, breaking the comb as I did so. Once I negotiated that over each of the affected frames, the top box lifted easily off of the hive. Then while Grace applied copious amounts of smoke to both me & the bees, I scraped the broken comb from the top of the frames in the bottom box to dissuade the bees from recreating that situation.

Once the bottom box was cleaned up, I worked on breaking up the free form comb in the top box to the extent where it allowed me to pack the frames closer together. Now wholly sure that part worked, but I'll do another check in a couple weeks and report back on the progress.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Hope you have it fixed, Vin. I don't want pissed off bees in July. :D

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Pissed off or not, the bees will find you, Tom! :)

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

I will fear not the bees. I will embrace them. Figuratively, of course. :r

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Vin looking good! That comb up top is such a beautiful pure white, that'll be packed with honey before you know it (maybe even before July). Don't fret over the attached combs and free form, like your other keeper friend said, too much space. You may want to get a very wide thin metal putty scraper to fit the width of the hive. You can make a tool too with some dowels and piano wire in place of the scraper. If propulous abounds they'll likely rebuild between the boxes again. As far as the free form comb, if it really is a pest, just cut it and rubberband or string into empty frames. I like the string because the workers will chew it and remove it once all the comb is reattached to the frame. They are pretty smart typically and after a few corrections to them, they'll learn to do it your way so the comb doesn't continue to get disturbed.

How's the queen doing? Any queen cells yet in the bottom box? Also is your queen still relaying eggs in the hatched brood comb? If you find some cells before hatching you might be able to split off a small group into a second hive if you were daring enough! :noon

Be happy you didn't get a flow hive if you ever were thinking of it, there seems to be an issue where queens are passing their queen separator and laying brood in the mechanical comb meant for honey and rendering it an overly expensive plastic frame. :r

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Love the pants in the socks. I remember wearing mine like that in middle school. Vin looks like you are bringing it back. :tu

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Definitely beats having bees up your pants!!!

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Unless it's Samantha Bees!

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Friends of mine just started beekeeping in CT. I don't need another hobby but I might just cave. Hives look great Vin!

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Unexpected (nice swarm) guests arrived in a two box hive last week, and today was the first chance I had to inspect them. What I didn't realize was the the top box was missing 3 frames, and the bees did what bees do which is fill empty space with comb. The picture below shows three combs attaches to the inner cover which makes a big mess if not attended to. I had to cut out the comb and try to attach it to an empty frame. Bees don't appreciate their homes being renovated.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4198/3...1d9f8e86_t.jpgP1000306 by MarkE77, on Flickr

Hey Vin, real beekeepers wear shorts and flip-flops. :D


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4267/3...321b3822_t.jpgP1000310 by MarkE77, on Flickr


Ruberbanding comb to an empty frame


https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4253/3...c7111705_t.jpgP1000358 by MarkE77, on Flickr

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

You be the man, Mark!

We have a local friend who occasionally gives us honey from his hives. No clover so his seems "heavier" than yours.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Did a hive inspection last night to see how the second box of frames are progressing.

Results:

• Disappointed the bees haven't built out more comb in the second box. It's about 50% full -- which isn't yet full enough to add a honey super (and finally have a shot at collecting some honey for myself).

• Applied a mite treatment. Basically a cotton pad soaked in a formic acid solution. Formic acid is a naturally occurring acid that vaporizes when heated and is an effective control against Varroa mites which are a particular nemesis to the bees. The acid is mostly safe for the bees, and is naturally found in honey anyway, so the application of it doesn't affect the honey's safety or flavor.
  
  As the hive box warms each day, the formic acid in the pad will vaporize and work its way through the hive. Will leave this on for about a week then remove.

• Grace took a stinger to an ungloved hand while snapping the pic below. :banger

Will be going back in next week to remove the formic acid pad and further check on the progress of the build.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4259/3...39963065_z.jpg

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Seems like Grace is the "decoy target" keeping you safe...

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

I think he's put some bee pheromones in her hand lotion or something.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

I'm willing to bet that stinger is the first thing Grace has had stuck inside her that she could actually feel since she started dating you.
:sl

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

:D

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Dom, I sooo wanted to go there but didn't. Thank you for that!:r:r:r

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Words hurt, you know.
:(

Besides, all of my previous girlfriends have said it's not the size of the wand, it's the magic it creates. Then they'd usually break up with me.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

:lr

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Grace got the stinger, but Vin got the shocker.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Jeff Foxworthy:
"It's not the size of the boat, it's the motion of the ocean. But it takes a long, long time to get to England in a rowboat!"

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Wow Just Wow!!

Sorry Grace took it in the hand.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

hehehehehe

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

The bees keep teaching me lessons. Today's was "Take Your Damn Time, Boy!"

You'll recall I placed a couple of formic acid pads in the hive about a week ago. The pads are supposed to be left in for about a week, and with loads of thunderstorms forecast for the next few days, Grace and I decided we'd remove the pads this morning before we went to work.

This should have been a quick in and out:

> Smoke the hive
> Remove the cover and top board
> Remove the top deep box
> Grab the formic pads
> Reassemble the hive

All was going well until I went to remove the top deep box. Instead of checking to make sure the bees hadn't attached comb between the boxes, I just lifted straight up. I ended up pulling a frame from the bottom box out due to some comb the bees had built between the boxes. The frame fell on to it's side (though fortunately still in the hive), and when it did a veritable cloud of bees exploded from the hive.

I still had the top box in my hands when they started stinging me ... nothing to do but take it while I gently set the box down and slowly back away from the ruckus I had stirred up.


This pic was taken about ten minutes afterwards. I wanted to give the bees some time to settle down before trying to reassemble the hive. The stuff that looks like mud pouring over the top and from beneath the hive box are actually masses of bees. When the situation first happened, you could barely see the front of the hive because of all the bees on it.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4286/3...ec76c10a_z.jpg

Not all that clear, but this is a closer view of the bee mass ...
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4204/3...f0be33c0_z.jpg

So here's what two in the gut, three in the arm and one in the hand taught me: SLOW DOWN. TAKE YOUR TIME. CHECK & DOUBLE CHECK.

Life lesson courtesy of the bees.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

how hard was grace laughing?....ear-to-ear smile here! :D

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Love learning bee lessons vicariously through somebody else, thanks for taking one for the team Vin! :r

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Bzzzz! Dang :sl. Adolf"s meat tenderizer works well on stings.:2

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Good judgement comes from experience and most experience comes from bad judgement. We'll turn you into a consultant yet!

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Holy sh!t Vin. Glad you are not allergic to bee stings.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Vin - here is a new business opportunity.

Bee, wasp venom shortage could be dangerous for those with allergies

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/27/health...rtage-partner/

Time to purchase a bee milking stool.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/06/27...at-hive-heist/

Or you could rent your bees out in CA, of course you need tons of little bee-gps rigs.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

I love the smell of alarm pheromones in the morning. -(P

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4104/3...7b21ce79_z.jpg

And that's what three in the arm looks like. Doesn't hurt, but man does it itch.

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

Vin that looks fun! so what's the count because we know the bees are winning

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

I got nothing..I mean, I should have a witty comment with that pic...but..I got nothing...:confused:

Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping
 

3 in the arm beats 1 in the rectum. Glad you (and they) are pretty ok. :)