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Posted: 5/21/2017 4:15:16 PM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
So...out of curiosity....why did you go ahead and cut out the supercedure cell? I wonder if I should let things ride? Let the hive make its own queen, let it mate? This will make for a weak hive if I do this. |
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Posted: 5/21/2017 5:12:33 PM EDT
[#2]
New page?
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Posted: 5/21/2017 5:21:12 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#3]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FrankSymptoms:
Habit I guess. I wasn't more than 25% into my hive, and was still looking for brood. It wasn't a full cell, just a downward-facing cell, really fat, like they'll make. I wonder if I should let things ride? Let the hive make its own queen, let it mate? This will make for a weak hive if I do this. There are a lot of possibilities here. 1-The queen you installed was unacceptable to the hive and they killed her immediately OR something happened to her, she was injured, and died. 2-As you suggested, She said, "Ima blow this popsicle stand," took part of the hive and left with them. 3-She laid some eggs, they were using one of those eggs to make a new queen (though normally they would make more than one, if they had resources to do so) then something happened to her or she left 4-There are eggs you may not be seeing. That is not a criticism. Eggs are hard to see, and it's very, VERY common for new beekeepers to believe they don't have eggs, when there are some present. There may NOT be. But there could be. 5-The queen never laid any viable eggs in that hive, and therefore the queen cup/cell you cut out has nothing in it. *IF* the queen did not lay any viable eggs, there is nothing for that hive to use to make a new queen, so that's not an option for you. 6-Any number of other things might be happening which are too myriad to list here, and hell, some of them I don't know. So...When exactly did you install--how many days ago? It is a good lesson, though, what has happened here. When you go into a hive, unless you already know the condition of the hive and what your plan is for them based on that condition, INSPECT THE ENTIRE HIVE BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION. If the queen cell was built out beyond a queen cup, that means there was an egg in there, probably (not always, but it's a fair bet). So if you had known the condition of the entire hive before you decided what to do, you might have chosen to leave that queen cell in there and see if they capped it, and what happened. The bottom line is that you've got a weak hive NOW, even if you don't wait to see what they're going to do. In truth, I would be very tempted, given the trouble with this hive, to combine it with your strong one, clean out that box, and start another from a nuc in there. I would like to know what CE, Dux, and some of the other experienced beekeepers will say about this. |
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Posted: 5/21/2017 6:18:00 PM EDT
[#4]
So...When exactly did you install--how many days ago? 4-There are eggs you may not be seeing. That is not a criticism. Eggs are hard to see, and it's very, VERY common for new beekeepers to believe they don't have eggs, when there are some present. There may NOT be. But there could be. Kitties, you should rename this thread "The Agony and the Ecstasy." |
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Posted: 5/21/2017 7:03:17 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
Well, I think it's possible that the hive WAS making its own queen. There are a lot of possibilities here. 1-The queen you installed was unacceptable to the hive and they killed her immediately OR something happened to her, she was injured, and died. 2-As you suggested, She said, "Ima blow this popsicle stand," took part of the hive and left with them. 3-She laid some eggs, they were using one of those eggs to make a new queen (though normally they would make more than one, if they had resources to do so) then something happened to her or she left 4-There are eggs you may not be seeing. That is not a criticism. Eggs are hard to see, and it's very, VERY common for new beekeepers to believe they don't have eggs, when there are some present. There may NOT be. But there could be. 5-The queen never laid any viable eggs in that hive, and therefore the queen cup/cell you cut out has nothing in it. *IF* the queen did not lay any viable eggs, there is nothing for that hive to use to make a new queen, so that's not an option for you. 6-Any number of other things might be happening which are too myriad to list here, and hell, some of them I don't know. So...When exactly did you install--how many days ago? It is a good lesson, though, what has happened here. When you go into a hive, unless you already know the condition of the hive and what your plan is for them based on that condition, INSPECT THE ENTIRE HIVE BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION. If the queen cell was built out beyond a queen cup, that means there was an egg in there, probably (not always, but it's a fair bet). So if you had known the condition of the entire hive before you decided what to do, you might have chosen to leave that queen cell in there and see if they capped it, and what happened. The bottom line is that you've got a weak hive NOW, even if you don't wait to see what they're going to do. In truth, I would be very tempted, given the trouble with this hive, to combine it with your strong one, clean out that box, and start another from a nuc in there. I would like to know what CE, Dux, and some of the other experienced beekeepers will say about this. |
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Posted: 5/21/2017 10:46:34 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FrankSymptoms:
I looked at the calendar. I got her on the 7th, pulled the "hard" plug from her cage and put a marshmallow in the hole... she'd have chewed her way out in a day or so... I saw her cage was empty on the 15th and assumed she was out doing her thing. Did you not actually wait those days? |
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Posted: 5/22/2017 12:07:40 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
When you got her, you said you were going to wait five days before pulling the cork and putting in the marshmallow (I *think* that's what I remember you saying. I remember because I thought that was a long time). Did you not actually wait those days? |
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USA
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Posted: 5/22/2017 12:48:14 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Krombompulos_Michael]
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
Not greedy. Following my mentor around doing cutouts and catching swarms was the most fun I had as a beekeeper. It's exciting, and it's really a fun challenge to a-try to get them to stay and b-see what comes of the swarms you catch. the first beekeepers, after all, must have been doing exactly what you are doing. Isn't that cool? Bees haven't changed much, I'm guessing, so what you do to manage your bees is better only because we understand a little more about bees. So buying a package or splitting a hive..yeah, yeah, yeah, that's nice. But catching a swarm and starting from scratch? You're doing exactly the same thing beekeepers have been doing for as long as people have kept bees. Which goes back to ancient Egypt and even further. I think that's way cool.  Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
Originally Posted By 1811guy:
The bonus was that I have several deeps with comb and honey that I was able to reuse in my new hives - enough that I won't have to feed them. It helped with the packages immensely - both are thriving with excellent brood patterns. I think it also helped to keep the swarms in their new homes. They already have honey available, so it is a good enticement for them to stay. It has been a week since I captured them and all looks well. I will pop them open next week to check on comb building and to make sure the queens are laying. These were the first swarms I was able to capture. I must admit it has been the most satisfying thing I have done with beekeeping since I started 5 years ago. I feel like I won the lottery. I have another trap set up - hoping for a third. I know that sounds greedy, but dang it has been fun to get the swarms. Following my mentor around doing cutouts and catching swarms was the most fun I had as a beekeeper. It's exciting, and it's really a fun challenge to a-try to get them to stay and b-see what comes of the swarms you catch. the first beekeepers, after all, must have been doing exactly what you are doing. Isn't that cool? Bees haven't changed much, I'm guessing, so what you do to manage your bees is better only because we understand a little more about bees. So buying a package or splitting a hive..yeah, yeah, yeah, that's nice. But catching a swarm and starting from scratch? You're doing exactly the same thing beekeepers have been doing for as long as people have kept bees. Which goes back to ancient Egypt and even further. I think that's way cool. Both of my packages have chalk brood, nothing severe though. I have seen it before and am not worried. It happens whenever we have had a really wet, cool spring. Once temps are up an humidity drops it will clear right up. Both still have good brood patterns and most of the larvae are maturing and hatching without issues. I have learned that some things that may be alarming at first, are good indicators of the general well being of the hive. For example: *Seeing dead bees in the snow during winter - the bees in the snow were just ones that went on a cleansing flight and didn't make it back. Evidence that the cluster is alive and well. *Chalk brood mummies outside the hive - this indicates that the queen is alive and laying and that the colony is strong enough to remove the defective brood. Also shows a good hygienic trait. Chalk brood happens, but it is usually due to environmental factors. Some claim it is because of a weak queen, but one of my most successful hives (overwintered 4 years and always had bumper crops of honey) had chalk brood in the spring. The queen in that hive was very strong. *A few dead bees outside the hive - the mortician bees are doing there job and removing old field bees that finally lived their lifespan. Also evidence of a healthy hive. A weak hive won't remove dead bees and just let them pile up under the frames. |
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Posted: 5/22/2017 1:45:14 PM EDT
[#9]
Originally Posted By 1811guy:
Interesting perspective, I never thought of it that way. Both swarms have been in their hives for 2 weeks now. They must have taken to it right away because I have capped brood in both hives. Both of my packages have chalk brood, nothing severe though. I have seen it before and am not worried. It happens whenever we have had a really wet, cool spring. Once temps are up an humidity drops it will clear right up. Both still have good brood patterns and most of the larvae are maturing and hatching without issues. I have learned that some things that may be alarming at first, are good indicators of the general well being of the hive. For example: *Seeing dead bees in the snow during winter - the bees in the snow were just ones that went on a cleansing flight and didn't make it back. Evidence that the cluster is alive and well. *Chalk brood mummies outside the hive - this indicates that the queen is alive and laying and that the colony is strong enough to remove the defective brood. Also shows a good hygienic trait. Chalk brood happens, but it is usually due to environmental factors. Some claim it is because of a weak queen, but one of my most successful hives (overwintered 4 years and always had bumper crops of honey) had chalk brood in the spring. The queen in that hive was very strong. *A few dead bees outside the hive - the mortician bees are doing there job and removing old field bees that finally lived their lifespan. Also evidence of a healthy hive. A weak hive won't remove dead bees and just let them pile up under the frames. Set it off as well as prematurely reversing brood boxes. Dead bees outside of the hive during the winter can also be some bees that have reached the end of their life cycles. I have also seen them dive bomb into the snow. My theory is that when they come out of the hive on a sunny day and there is snow in the ground, some of them get confused as it is just as bright on the ground as it is in the sky. This causes them to fly downward into the bright snow and because of the cold, they can't get up to get back into the hive. Just a theory but I have seen it happen pretty frequently. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/23/2017 4:46:43 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
Your new packages having chalk brood is also a symptom of not having enough nurse bees to cover brood. I don't think it has anything to do with having a "weak queen". Besides it being a symptom of not having enough nurse bees it is also environmental as you pointed out. Cool wet spring will Set it off as well as prematurely reversing brood boxes. Dead bees outside of the hive during the winter can also be some bees that have reached the end of their life cycles. I have also seen them dive bomb into the snow. My theory is that when they come out of the hive on a sunny day and there is snow in the ground, some of them get confused as it is just as bright on the ground as it is in the sky. This causes them to fly downward into the bright snow and because of the cold, they can't get up to get back into the hive. Just a theory but I have seen it happen pretty frequently. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
Originally Posted By 1811guy:
Interesting perspective, I never thought of it that way. Both swarms have been in their hives for 2 weeks now. They must have taken to it right away because I have capped brood in both hives. Both of my packages have chalk brood, nothing severe though. I have seen it before and am not worried. It happens whenever we have had a really wet, cool spring. Once temps are up an humidity drops it will clear right up. Both still have good brood patterns and most of the larvae are maturing and hatching without issues. I have learned that some things that may be alarming at first, are good indicators of the general well being of the hive. For example: *Seeing dead bees in the snow during winter - the bees in the snow were just ones that went on a cleansing flight and didn't make it back. Evidence that the cluster is alive and well. *Chalk brood mummies outside the hive - this indicates that the queen is alive and laying and that the colony is strong enough to remove the defective brood. Also shows a good hygienic trait. Chalk brood happens, but it is usually due to environmental factors. Some claim it is because of a weak queen, but one of my most successful hives (overwintered 4 years and always had bumper crops of honey) had chalk brood in the spring. The queen in that hive was very strong. *A few dead bees outside the hive - the mortician bees are doing there job and removing old field bees that finally lived their lifespan. Also evidence of a healthy hive. A weak hive won't remove dead bees and just let them pile up under the frames. Set it off as well as prematurely reversing brood boxes. Dead bees outside of the hive during the winter can also be some bees that have reached the end of their life cycles. I have also seen them dive bomb into the snow. My theory is that when they come out of the hive on a sunny day and there is snow in the ground, some of them get confused as it is just as bright on the ground as it is in the sky. This causes them to fly downward into the bright snow and because of the cold, they can't get up to get back into the hive. Just a theory but I have seen it happen pretty frequently. I like your theory on winter bees. In any case, I look at it as evidence that the bees in the hive are alive. Hives that are dead don't exhibit such activity. |
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Posted: 5/23/2017 10:01:52 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 1811guy:
Good point on the nurse bees. Nothing really to do there except make sure they are fed and can get their numbers up. Fortunately chalk brood isn't as serious a threat to a hive as foul brood or other diseases. I like your theory on winter bees. In any case, I look at it as evidence that the bees in the hive are alive. Hives that are dead don't exhibit such activity. |
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Posted: 5/23/2017 10:19:03 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
Chalk brood as well as Chilled Brood may be avoided by having your hives insulated and not taking it off too early. It is also imperative to have adequate ventilation and food to support a healthy colony. 
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Posted: 5/23/2017 10:53:43 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
Well, I think it's possible that the hive WAS making its own queen. There are a lot of possibilities here. 1-The queen you installed was unacceptable to the hive and they killed her immediately OR something happened to her, she was injured, and died. 2-As you suggested, She said, "Ima blow this popsicle stand," took part of the hive and left with them. 3-She laid some eggs, they were using one of those eggs to make a new queen (though normally they would make more than one, if they had resources to do so) then something happened to her or she left 4-There are eggs you may not be seeing. That is not a criticism. Eggs are hard to see, and it's very, VERY common for new beekeepers to believe they don't have eggs, when there are some present. There may NOT be. But there could be. 5-The queen never laid any viable eggs in that hive, and therefore the queen cup/cell you cut out has nothing in it. *IF* the queen did not lay any viable eggs, there is nothing for that hive to use to make a new queen, so that's not an option for you. 6-Any number of other things might be happening which are too myriad to list here, and hell, some of them I don't know. So...When exactly did you install--how many days ago? It is a good lesson, though, what has happened here. When you go into a hive, unless you already know the condition of the hive and what your plan is for them based on that condition, INSPECT THE ENTIRE HIVE BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION. If the queen cell was built out beyond a queen cup, that means there was an egg in there, probably (not always, but it's a fair bet). So if you had known the condition of the entire hive before you decided what to do, you might have chosen to leave that queen cell in there and see if they capped it, and what happened. The bottom line is that you've got a weak hive NOW, even if you don't wait to see what they're going to do. In truth, I would be very tempted, given the trouble with this hive, to combine it with your strong one, clean out that box, and start another from a nuc in there. I would like to know what CE, Dux, and some of the other experienced beekeepers will say about this. |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 5/24/2017 2:23:39 AM EDT
[#14]
Jackpot!
Caught another swarm. A real whopper: 
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Posted: 5/24/2017 9:55:11 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By scorpionmain:
Jackpot! Caught another swarm. A real whopper: https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18620433_10213134408944202_1143143527700699289_n.jpg?oh=aac278a4c626651a3ab730cf2324f782&oe=59AE9583 https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18664409_10213134408024179_7507313398081412349_n.jpg?oh=bd7851164a521696568842ef77c680ee&oe=599F82FC https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18664384_10213134410024229_1303042088548204305_n.jpg?oh=7b76f346f6da3479d41f3646a95ca591&oe=59A371BA 
That looks like a 4 lb swarm at least! 
Did you get the queen safe and sound, you think? |
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Posted: 5/24/2017 9:58:00 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DUX4LIFE:
Personally I don't like to combine hives. Was the queen supplier reputable? was she a laying queen or a virgin? If she was not bred yet it will take another 10 days or so to start laying. locally we provide unbred queens to each other WHEN WE ARE IN A PINCH and need a queen like yesterday. But we go into it knowing that she is not a laying queen. Also I had a friend that bought a "LAYING" queen that had deformed wing disease. kind of a joke since bees with this disease can't fly so she couldn't have gone on her mating flights meaning she wasn't a LAYING queen. Not a reputable seller. He got two queens at once, from what I understand, from same supplier. The one was rocking along immediately, and the one in the problem hive....did not solve the problem. |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 5/24/2017 10:12:01 PM EDT
[#17]
Got her. Gonna let them settle, draw comb, and let her lay a bit before moving them to a full sized hive. |
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Posted: 5/24/2017 10:40:05 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By scorpionmain:
Got her. Gonna let them settle, draw comb, and let her lay a bit before moving them to a full sized hive. 
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Posted: 5/25/2017 11:09:33 AM EDT
[#19]
Holy cow! The pine needles are fast and hot! Lighting the smoker is usually the first thing we do, not any more. We ended up putting two bunches of green grass on top of it and it was fine. A little weak towards the end, but we just need to plan differently. Been sick this week, missed two days of work with some sort of flu-like illness, so I didn't do a full inspection this week. I really just wanted to fill the feeder. The feeder is in the top brood box and they emptied it, but they didn't build any comb up there. Looking down from the top box, they're all still down in the lower box working.
Not really worried, they might be filling in the frame that I added when I pulled the feeder out to put in the top box. I have an empty box at my other location, just open and available in case a swarm comes in. I took the feeder out a couple of weeks ago because they were draining it so fast. Now I have cockroaches moving in. I guess they're eating the wax. I pulled the cover out yesterday, pulled out all the frames. I need to wash the whole thing out and start over. I expected ants, I expected wasps, never did I expect to deal with roaches. |
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Posted: 5/25/2017 12:57:34 PM EDT
[#20]
I also got an assortment of selfies from my cameraman.
 Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 5/25/2017 1:36:29 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By joemama74:
I also got an assortment of selfies from my cameraman. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/166748/j1-216229.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/166748/j2-216230.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/166748/j3-216231.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/166748/j5-216232.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/166748/j6-216234.JPG
Those are awesome! |
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Posted: 5/26/2017 4:04:13 PM EDT
[#22]
SHE'S ALIIIIIVE!
I opened the old hive today and found larvae (which look like small white mealy worms, lying on their side) and capped brood cells (lightly-domed)! I guess my aging eyes just missed the eggs in the cells; they are pretty small, small enough to pass through the eye of most needles. Anyway... I found larvae and cells on 4 combs, enough to satisfy me that the new queen is alive and doing her queeny thing. Lots of honey and immature honey, too! I think I'll get a few combs harvested this year! The new hive is thriving too, with larva and capped brood in evidence. (I don't remove all the bars unless I have good reason; I think that too much inspection may be a bad thing.) So, as I pointed out before... it's a pastime with lots of ups and downs! |
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Posted: 5/27/2017 12:30:09 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FrankSymptoms:
SHE'S ALIIIIIVE! I opened the old hive today and found larvae (which look like small white mealy worms, lying on their side) and capped brood cells (lightly-domed)! I guess my aging eyes just missed the eggs in the cells; they are pretty small, small enough to pass through the eye of most needles. Anyway... I found larvae and cells on 4 combs, enough to satisfy me that the new queen is alive and doing her queeny thing. Lots of honey and immature honey, too! I think I'll get a few combs harvested this year! The new hive is thriving too, with larva and capped brood in evidence. (I don't remove all the bars unless I have good reason; I think that too much inspection may be a bad thing.) So, as I pointed out before... it's a pastime with lots of ups and downs! Two of the most challenging parts of learning beekeeping are 1-identifying an unmarked queen, and 2-seeing eggs. You are not the first and you won't be the last to have missed these things.
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Posted: 5/27/2017 9:17:00 AM EDT
[#24]
When a queen can no longer lay eggs, new queens become responsible for mating and laying honey bee eggs. Honey bee eggs measure 1 to 1.5 mm long, about half the size of a single grain of rice. When the queen lays her eggs, she moves through the comb, closely examining each cell before laying her eggs. Yep we' re happy now. HobbitWife is ecstatic! She can't wait for more honey! (I trimmed some burr and crossover comb last week and we extracted the honey from it. MUCH better than store bought!) |
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Posted: 5/27/2017 10:20:02 AM EDT
[#25]
That moment when two hives have made swarm cells, but attached them to both the bottom of the top deep and the top of the bottom deep.
Ripped some of them open when I opened the hives 
Looks like I'm doing splits today, hopefully before the rain gets here. |
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Posted: 5/27/2017 4:16:09 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By HitmanMonkey:
That moment when two hives have made swarm cells, but attached them to both the bottom of the top deep and the top of the bottom deep. Ripped some of them open when I opened the hives
Looks like I'm doing splits today, hopefully before the rain gets here. |
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Posted: 5/27/2017 4:31:12 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
Aww... you still have some intact queen cells? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
Originally Posted By HitmanMonkey:
That moment when two hives have made swarm cells, but attached them to both the bottom of the top deep and the top of the bottom deep. Ripped some of them open when I opened the hives
Looks like I'm doing splits today, hopefully before the rain gets here. |
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Posted: 5/27/2017 8:05:51 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By HitmanMonkey:
I'm pretty sure there are. They were getting kind of wild with the construction. Did you get the splits done? Rain just finally starting here. Been threatening all day. It's a full-on thunderstorm here. |
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Posted: 5/27/2017 8:43:14 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
You'll move eggs anyway, so they can likely make another. Did you get the splits done? Rain just finally starting here. Been threatening all day. It's a full-on thunderstorm here. |
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Posted: 5/30/2017 10:10:30 AM EDT
[#30]
I need to make this short. Bees swarmed in and made a hive in a cinder clock wall. They aren't from my hive, but they're about 100 yards away from my hive near my employees. I can't tear the blocks out. Thinking about drilling the blocks, pumping in one of those honey robber substances to get them out. What's the best way to capture them?
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Posted: 5/30/2017 7:05:20 PM EDT
[#31]
How big is the opening?
Can you get to them with a bee vac? |
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Posted: 5/30/2017 11:11:27 PM EDT
[#32]
No. Opening is tiny.
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Posted: 5/31/2017 8:33:40 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By joemama74:
No. Opening is tiny. |
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Posted: 5/31/2017 12:24:56 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
I would do some research on doing a trap-out. |
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Posted: 5/31/2017 3:01:01 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
If that means setting a hive over the hole and getting them to move into it, that's what I was gonna suggest too. Never heard that term before. |
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Posted: 6/1/2017 12:40:01 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
Yes, that is what it means. You can use a "cone" that forces them into the "bait hive" when they come out but prevents them from going back into the parent colony. Joemama, if the hive moves, little by little, into the external hive via this cone, the queen will eventually go too. |
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Posted: 6/1/2017 11:50:20 AM EDT
[#37]
I'm gonna put a cone on it today. Been too busy this week, had to buy the wife a new jeep, it's the last week of school, etc. I'll see how the cone goes. I've got some bee removal spray coming along in the mail with some more frames for a nuc box I built. I may give it a few days with the cone, then drill into it.
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Posted: 6/1/2017 7:59:40 PM EDT
[#38]
Had a swarm today and they always, ALWAYS seem to go just high enough that I can't reach them. I ended up using an old technique called "Tanging" and it actually worked. Basically you bang metal objects like a rake in a wheelbarrow and it simulates the sound of a storm coming. It seemed to have worked as the bees came down and went into the box.
Lesson of the day: you don't know unless you try. 
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Posted: 6/1/2017 8:00:43 PM EDT
[#39]
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Posted: 6/2/2017 10:03:02 AM EDT
[#40]
CE, that is cool! How did they find the box?
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Posted: 6/5/2017 5:43:34 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FrankSymptoms:
CE, that is cool! How did they find the box? The sheet is an important part of it. I think it helps them notice the hive, but I'm not sure about that. My mentor never put anything in the hive but a piece of old comb. And beyond banging on the metal objects, he would use his hive tool to tap on the box in a steady rhythm. Sometimes he had me do the rhythmic tapping, while he beat on the pans. They'd come down, land on the sheet, and march into the hive. Things that make you go "hmmmmm..." 
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Posted: 6/5/2017 7:12:30 PM EDT
[#42]
Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
Originally Posted By FrankSymptoms:
CE, that is cool! How did they find the box? The sheet is an important part of it. I think it helps them notice the hive, but I'm not sure about that. My mentor never put anything in the hive but a piece of old comb. And beyond banging on the metal objects, he would use his hive tool to tap on the box in a steady rhythm. Sometimes he had me do the rhythmic tapping, while he beat on the pans. They'd come down, land on the sheet, and march into the hive. Things that make you go "hmmmmm..." 
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Posted: 6/5/2017 7:16:05 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cuttingedge]
[#43]
From what I have read, this method works as the vibration from the noise makes them think a storm is approaching. I am unsure if that is true but hey, it worked twice...
The rest of my hives have all been split except the production hives. I have been very busy with the bees for the last few weeks concentrating on rearing queens and making splits. I now have 30 colonies and am starting to sell nucleus hives and a few queens. 
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Posted: 6/6/2017 10:34:08 AM EDT
[#44]
Has anybody heard from DUX? I have not seen him post in a while. I purchased a few of the Mann Lake Mini Mating Nucs to try this season for getting some mated queens. Has anyone used them? They seem to have some advantages but I will report back in a month or two with how I like them.
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Posted: 6/6/2017 3:20:37 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Krombompulos_Michael]
[#45]
Just finished hive inspections yesterday. My package bees are doing well; good brood patterns, chalk brood is clearing up, and they are filling up comb fast.
It has been a month since I captured my swarms so I checked them as well. Both were pretty large swarms, so when I caught them, I placed them in three deeps along with some frames of honey just to make sure they stayed. Both are doing well, queens are laying. One of the swarm colonies has brood in all three boxes and lots of it. In fact, I have never seen a hive with that much brood before. Looks like a pretty prolific queen. I will definitely have to keep an eye on that hive next spring and do my split as soon as weather allows. Cuttingedge - wish I had your problem with the swarms. What a jackpot, I'm, jealous. |
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Posted: 6/6/2017 4:37:07 PM EDT
[#46]
And another one today!
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Posted: 6/7/2017 8:44:32 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
This worked for this particular swarm. I had three more yesterday and I tried it again. It worked to capture one of them but not the other two. I was able to reach the second one from my bucket loader and place them into a Nuc box. The sheet helps them walk as the grass is tall and they have trouble walking. Anything to make it easier helps. I had swarm traps out but they didn't seem interested in them. I hung a few more of a different style yesterday so we will see how it goes. Here is a cool photo of yesterday's. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/294057/image-223909.jpg I've seen a swarm break off like that if the queen lands and sits for a while and leaves her scent in a spot. ETA: And as to walking in...it's interesting, isn't it? They don't FLY to the hive. They go to the ground and walk in. It's weird. |
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Posted: 6/7/2017 8:48:36 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
Has anybody heard from DUX? I have not seen him post in a while. I purchased a few of the Mann Lake Mini Mating Nucs to try this season for getting some mated queens. Has anyone used them? They seem to have some advantages but I will report back in a month or two with how I like them. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/294057/image-224337.jpg Guessing he's just busy as we all are this time of year. Of course I have not used those mating nucs, and don't know anyone who has as far as I am aware, but will be interested in how it goes for you. |
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Posted: 6/7/2017 8:50:26 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cuttingedge:
And another one today! https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/294057/image-224560.jpg https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/294057/image-224562.jpg And did you make thunder to capture this one? |
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Posted: 6/8/2017 10:19:00 PM EDT
[#50]
Impressive,
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