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Posted: 1/27/2016 11:52:01 PM EDT
[#1]
Another question.
We have a massive spider problem on our property. Every quarter we have a pest control company come spray around the foundation. Do I have to find another solution so the bees don't die? I read in one of the books that you can confine them to the hive for a day? Is that safe to do in the middle of summer? |
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Posted: 1/28/2016 1:32:35 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Another question. We have a massive spider problem on our property. Every quarter we have a pest control company come spray around the foundation. Do I have to find another solution so the bees don't die? I read in one of the books that you can confine them to the hive for a day? Is that safe to do in the middle of summer? I think it depends on what they're spraying with. Some chemicals are really specific now instead of blasting everything that moves, but from what I understand a lot of pest control still uses a "if it crawls it dies" approach. I'm not sure what my approach would be but some things you need to consider are... Are they just spraying the ground and the actual structure? Or are they spraying plants? If they're not spraying where the bees are, and it's not a chemical that will go airborne easily, it may never be near enough to the bees to cause trouble. Yes, you can stop your bees up in the hive. I've never closed off my entrances in the heat of the summer during the daytime, but as long as you provide adequate ventilation I'm guessing that might be okay. They're really efficient at temperature control in the hive as long as they can move air through.Some of the other beekeepers might chime in on this. Generally when you do this, you wait until they're all in the evening before, and close the hive so they can't get out while spraying, etc, is going on, then don't let them out until the trouble is past. |
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Posted: 1/28/2016 7:57:23 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I think it depends on what they're spraying with. Some chemicals are really specific now instead of blasting everything that moves, but from what I understand a lot of pest control still uses a "if it crawls it dies" approach. I'm not sure what my approach would be but some things you need to consider are... Are they just spraying the ground and the actual structure? Or are they spraying plants? If they're not spraying where the bees are, and it's not a chemical that will go airborne easily, it may never be near enough to the bees to cause trouble. Yes, you can stop your bees up in the hive. I've never closed off my entrances in the heat of the summer during the daytime, but as long as you provide adequate ventilation I'm guessing that might be okay. They're really efficient at temperature control in the hive as long as they can move air through.Some of the other beekeepers might chime in on this. Generally when you do this, you wait until they're all in the evening before, and close the hive so they can't get out while spraying, etc, is going on, then don't let them out until the trouble is past. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Another question. We have a massive spider problem on our property. Every quarter we have a pest control company come spray around the foundation. Do I have to find another solution so the bees don't die? I read in one of the books that you can confine them to the hive for a day? Is that safe to do in the middle of summer? I think it depends on what they're spraying with. Some chemicals are really specific now instead of blasting everything that moves, but from what I understand a lot of pest control still uses a "if it crawls it dies" approach. I'm not sure what my approach would be but some things you need to consider are... Are they just spraying the ground and the actual structure? Or are they spraying plants? If they're not spraying where the bees are, and it's not a chemical that will go airborne easily, it may never be near enough to the bees to cause trouble. Yes, you can stop your bees up in the hive. I've never closed off my entrances in the heat of the summer during the daytime, but as long as you provide adequate ventilation I'm guessing that might be okay. They're really efficient at temperature control in the hive as long as they can move air through.Some of the other beekeepers might chime in on this. Generally when you do this, you wait until they're all in the evening before, and close the hive so they can't get out while spraying, etc, is going on, then don't let them out until the trouble is past. I agree with KWS' post above. The key is specific, targeted use of an insecticide confined to only the problem area. Also - use it only where honeybees will not forage or gather water (don't spray on flower or near any standing or fresh water sources. For spiders - I'd start with denying them the food, dark and undisturbed shelter they prefer. Idf you do that - you will reduce your issue considerably. Pesticide shouldn't be your first resort. It should be the last after everything else has been tried. Generally - spiders don't come in at the soil line. Remember: Spiders need constant food sources (insects) to live. Cut off their food source and they will disappear. |
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Posted: 1/28/2016 8:05:39 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Got through the thread, couple of questions. Do you use a queen excluder? Why or why not? Thoughts on in hive feeders that replace a frame? I'm in a pretty dry climate and have read that I can go with a solid bottom instead of a screened. Thoughts? Other than the weight, any reason not to use deep boxes for honey supers? That would keep all my parts the same size. Placing an order for bees today. 2.5# of Carnelians will be available for pickup on April 2.  I only use a queen excluder when they have enough drawn comb to support the hive + expansion room just before the main nectar season - so I can reserve some for harvest. I should also mention that when a hive booms - I use an Imrie shim entrance. If there is an excluder placed, the Imrie shim goes just above it. I don't feed - except to start a hive. I haven't tried frame feeders. I use screened bottom in the heat to support air flow and a count board to watch for pest most other times. As KWS noted, deeps are crazy heavy when full. Don't underestimate the PIA factor when checking hives. When that weight is high up on the stack - it sucks. |
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Posted: 1/29/2016 10:21:35 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I only use a queen excluder when they have enough drawn comb to support the hive + expansion room just before the main nectar season - so I can reserve some for harvest. I should also mention that when a hive booms - I use an Imrie shim entrance. If there is an excluder placed, the Imrie shim goes just above it. I don't feed - except to start a hive. I haven't tried frame feeders. I use screened bottom in the heat to support air flow and a count board to watch for pest most other times. As KWS noted, deeps are crazy heavy when full. Don't underestimate the PIA factor when checking hives. When that weight is high up on the stack - it sucks. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Got through the thread, couple of questions. Do you use a queen excluder? Why or why not? Thoughts on in hive feeders that replace a frame? I'm in a pretty dry climate and have read that I can go with a solid bottom instead of a screened. Thoughts? Other than the weight, any reason not to use deep boxes for honey supers? That would keep all my parts the same size. Placing an order for bees today. 2.5# of Carnelians will be available for pickup on April 2. I only use a queen excluder when they have enough drawn comb to support the hive + expansion room just before the main nectar season - so I can reserve some for harvest. I should also mention that when a hive booms - I use an Imrie shim entrance. If there is an excluder placed, the Imrie shim goes just above it. I don't feed - except to start a hive. I haven't tried frame feeders. I use screened bottom in the heat to support air flow and a count board to watch for pest most other times. As KWS noted, deeps are crazy heavy when full. Don't underestimate the PIA factor when checking hives. When that weight is high up on the stack - it sucks. Good advice with the Queen Excluder. My mentor said the same thing. Let them start to draw out the honey super before using an excluder. I ended up not using it on one of my hives and they drew out and filled the super much faster. As far as using deeps for honey supers, yes they will be heavy. A Medium or "Illinois Super" is heavy enough. I am however going to use a deep super on one hive so that I have frames of honey to distribute to my Nucs for overwintering if the need arises. |
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Posted: 2/3/2016 2:13:21 AM EDT
[#6]
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38368661&nid=148&title=dead-or-alive-infrared-cameras-reveal-health-of-beehives-during-winter&s_cid=queue-7
State Ag Dept offering free infrared inspections of beehive during the winter. |
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Posted: 2/3/2016 11:10:55 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38368661&nid=148&title=dead-or-alive-infrared-cameras-reveal-health-of-beehives-during-winter&s_cid=queue-7 State Ag Dept offering free infrared inspections of beehive during the winter. One more reason to buy your own thermal optic! |
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Posted: 6/30/2019 10:19:22 AM EDT
[#8]
Very cool thread, very nice pics.
Might I suggest that you move them to Imgur to get rid of the watermarks? |
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Posted: 6/30/2019 10:32:23 AM EDT
[#9]
Awesome. Thanks all.
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Posted: 6/30/2019 5:12:02 PM EDT
[#10]
What a cool thread.
Thanks. |
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Posted: 7/1/2019 9:47:34 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
One more reason to buy your own thermal optic! Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38368661&nid=148&title=dead-or-alive-infrared-cameras-reveal-health-of-beehives-during-winter&s_cid=queue-7 State Ag Dept offering free infrared inspections of beehive during the winter. |
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Posted: 7/1/2019 11:56:52 PM EDT
[#12]
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread so far!
I finally took the plunge last summer when I was gifted a hive of bees from my brother in California. They over-wintered ok here in a three medium Langstroth, and I did a walk-away split in the end of April. I smoked from the top to drive the queen down, moved the bottom box with the old queen a couple of feet away, dumped in a bunch of extra new workers, made sure they had a few full frames of honey and some capped brood, and let that be. The other two boxes I left together after verifying that they had eggs to make a new queen, along with more capped brood and honey. Then it rained. And rained. And rained. It rained a ton more than usual for here during April and May. Conditions were finally right today (a break at work, warm, sunny, and minimal wind), so I finally took a peek inside both hives. I was most gratified to see lots of fresh comb with honey being put up, and nice frames with solid blocks of capped brood. I am a happy beekeeper today! Edit- my notes said split was end of April. |
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Posted: 7/2/2019 12:01:46 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread so far! I finally took the plunge last summer when I was gifted a hive of bees from my brother in California. They over-wintered ok here in a three medium Langstroth, and I did a walk-away split in the beginning of April. I smoked from the top to drive the queen down, moved the bottom box with the old queen a couple of feet away, dumped in a bunch of extra new workers, made sure they had a few full frames of honey and some capped brood, and let that be. The other two boxes I left together after verifying that they had eggs to make a new queen, along with more capped brood and honey. Then it rained. And rained. And rained. It rained a ton more than usual for here during April and May. Conditions were finally right today (a break at work, warm, sunny, and minimal wind), so I finally took a peek inside both hives. I was most gratified to see lots of fresh comb with honey being put up, and nice frames with solid blocks of capped brood. I am a happy beekeeper today! |
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