User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 1:06:33 AM EDT
Thought I'd share yesterday's adventure in newbee bee keeping. I don't claim any kind of expertise except that I got them housed without being stung but the video does show the packaging and one means of getting the bees into the hive, although most often I've seen them shaken/poured.
Because I was distracted by the bees and the videographer, I missed a couple of important points, such as the cans being full of bee food, which is mostly sugar water, and keeps the bees full durig shipment, and that that boxes contain the queens, and are closed with a piece of honey that the bees will eat through in a day or so, allowing the queen to escape into the hive and get busy. Fair warning: The video has fake porn music, Emerson knives and plenty of bee puns. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXwsNN3nsO8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a40HVCLjqlk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfj7mOp4lQs |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 2:59:53 AM EDT
[#1]
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 8:08:11 AM EDT
[Last Edit: TimJ]
[#2]
That was realy cool, thanks for taking the time to videotape that....
I'm trying to talk a friend of mine into keeping bees (he has a small apple orchard). Your videographers commentary was hysterical. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 8:13:45 AM EDT
[Last Edit: PA22-400]
[#3]
speakers off –– check
now clicking –– brb Barbara, it looks like you had a lot of fun. What keeps the bees from letting the queen out during shipping? |
|
|
|
TX, USA
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 8:41:35 AM EDT
[#4]
Originally Posted By TimJ:
That was realy cool, thanks for taking the time to videotape that.... I'm trying to talk a friend of mine into keeping bees (he has a small apple orchard). Your videographers commentary was hysterical. Now if he can just hold the camera upright. My neck is still sore from turning my head sideways to watch the second vid. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 9:18:03 AM EDT
[Last Edit: PA22-400]
[#5]
Originally Posted By shooter_gregg:
Originally Posted By TimJ:
That was realy cool, thanks for taking the time to videotape that.... I'm trying to talk a friend of mine into keeping bees (he has a small apple orchard). Your videographers commentary was hysterical. Now if he can just hold the camera upright. My neck is still sore from turning my head sideways to watch the second vid. I hadn't made coffee yet, so my view was a bit sideways. I had abnormal difficulties with the vid 
ETA I meant to say "I had NO abnormal difficulties with the vid" note to self––let coffee kick in before posting |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 9:40:42 AM EDT
[#6]
Sorry, that's my fault. I got it unedited and don't know how to flip it around. I turned my laptop on its side. Problem solved!
This is the videographer. 
www.michigantrainer.com The queen's cage is plugged with a piece of candy. In a day or so, the bees eat through it and release the queen into the hive. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 10:20:47 AM EDT
[#7]
Nice work Barb. You have reestablished a critical part of the food chain.
I figured out who the narrator is in about 10 seconds. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 2:59:45 PM EDT
[#8]
Cool videos. Thanks for sharing. Keep us updated on the progress.
|
|
|
|
USA
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 7:52:22 PM EDT
[#9]
Neat, thanks for sharing. TT
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 8:47:36 PM EDT
[#10]
Interesting.
Knowing nothing about raising bees, I gotta ask if there's a profit to be made there, or if it's just honey for personal use? Kinda looks like a bit of work. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 10:30:20 PM EDT
[#11]
Barbara, lose the screwdriver and use your hive tool. It's a much better pry-bar. Best of luck with your beekeeping.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 10:32:50 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Barbara]
[#12]
I don't think you can really make a profit on a few hives. I hope to make back what I spent on them, but I got them for several reasons: To help keep the population up, to help my various trees and plants, to get some honey and maybe be able to sell a little bit and because they're just pretty cool.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/30/2010 10:51:09 PM EDT
[#13]
Thanks for the info, Barbara.
I'm kinda thinking about retiring, and always looking for ways to live better and cheaper. Good luck with the bees. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/31/2010 1:39:28 AM EDT
[#14]
I had a nice hive going. Then Katrina came along. Hive got tossed around and they were a bit upset. Not too much of a problem though. Then rita came along a few weeks later and they got tossed around again. This time they were PISSED. When I put the hive back up, they let me know they were a bit mad. Two days later, they were all gone. I miss my bees
|
|
|
|
OH, USA
|
Posted: 5/31/2010 8:43:32 AM EDT
[#15]
I was sitting on the front porch the other day when a swarm came across the front yard. I called the wife and daughter to come watch. They were a little freaked out. I guess the were relocating to a another area. It was an amazing thing to see.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/31/2010 12:08:06 PM EDT
[#16]
My neck is sore from having me head turned 90 degrees to watch. 
I've been watching a guy down the road try his hand with bees for the last three years. The first year, it looked like he had 15 or so hives. Last year, he was down to 7-8 and this year he's got 2-3. 
I never catch him outside when driving by to ask, but I'm guessing he's having big problems. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/31/2010 12:12:22 PM EDT
[#17]
Originally Posted By Waldo:
My neck is sore from having me head turned 90 degrees to watch.
I've been watching a guy down the road try his hand with bees for the last three years. The first year, it looked like he had 15 or so hives. Last year, he was down to 7-8 and this year he's got 2-3.
I never catch him outside when driving by to ask, but I'm guessing he's having big problems. I realize that you don't have the answer about your neighbor, but could diseases or parasites be common issues in your area? |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/31/2010 3:53:49 PM EDT
[#18]
Originally Posted By Waldo:
My neck is sore from having me head turned 90 degrees to watch.
I've been watching a guy down the road try his hand with bees for the last three years. The first year, it looked like he had 15 or so hives. Last year, he was down to 7-8 and this year he's got 2-3.
I never catch him outside when driving by to ask, but I'm guessing he's having big problems. Same around my neck of the woods. The guy near me says thousands are dying off every year, guess the government didn't lie about something. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/31/2010 6:39:19 PM EDT
[#19]
Sorry again about the video. If I knew how to fix it, I would.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/31/2010 9:24:15 PM EDT
[#20]
Cool. After muting it, I really enjoyed it.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/1/2010 8:12:55 PM EDT
[#21]
Not only does he have your back but he can shoot pictures too.
 Keep us posted.
|
|
|
|
NC, USA
|
Posted: 6/1/2010 8:28:21 PM EDT
[#22]
Barb, I didn't see you do it but maybe you did- did you take the cork out of the queen cage so the workers can let her out? Or do those cages not have the candy covered during shipping?
Good luck with the bees. I am at 5 hives now and want to get about 4 more. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/1/2010 9:11:41 PM EDT
[#23]
Yep, cork was taken care of.
Bees seem to be doing ok. When I looked at them the other day, the queens weren't quite out but they had started building comb. I'm going to check it again on Friday, hopefully the queen is out and getting busy.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/1/2010 9:13:00 PM EDT
[#24]
Originally Posted By mj1angier:
Barb, I didn't see you do it but maybe you did- did you take the cork out of the queen cage so the workers can let her out? Or do those cages not have the candy covered during shipping? Good luck with the bees. I am at 5 hives now and want to get about 4 more. Do you sell the honey retail or sell it to a reseller or do something else with it? With a few gallons, I'm probably just going to sell a little locally and give it to family members for Christmas, etc. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/2/2010 2:57:07 PM EDT
[#25]
Very interesting, thanks for posting the videos.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/2/2010 4:26:41 PM EDT
[#26]
What's the ballpark amount of honey you can get from one hive?
Then again, maybe you need to hives to get honey. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/2/2010 5:39:45 PM EDT
[#27]
Steve sounds more and more like a muppet every time I hear him. A big, hairy, knuckledragging muppet.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/3/2010 1:03:27 AM EDT
[#28]
Originally Posted By Backstop:
What's the ballpark amount of honey you can get from one hive? Then again, maybe you need to hives to get honey. Well I got 110 pounds off one hive this spring. The average in 2008 or 2009 in MS was near or over 90 pounds a hive. My other hives...did much worse, but I had split them to expand my "apiary" I had 3 in february, I have 7 hives now. Expect at least 50 pounds a hive per year. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/3/2010 1:29:40 AM EDT
[#29]
Originally Posted By mcooper:
Expect at least 50 pounds a hive per year. Holy cow, I had no idea. Thanks for the info. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/3/2010 3:45:13 AM EDT
[#30]
Originally Posted By SFENDER:
Cool. After muting it, I really enjoyed it. Me too, those were great videos Barbara-thank you for sharing them I wish there was a way to have heard more about the tasks you were performing without having to listen to Steve's socially stunted commentary. It was fascinating to watch you transfer the queen and her workers to their new home.
Good luck with your new hobby-I hope your bees thrive
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/16/2010 11:53:39 AM EDT
[#31]
Originally Posted By Barbara:
Thought I'd share yesterday's adventure in newbee bee keeping. I don't claim any kind of expertise except that I got them housed without being stung but the video does show the packaging and one means of getting the bees into the hive, although most often I've seen them shaken/poured. Because I was distracted by the bees and the videographer, I missed a couple of important points, such as the cans being full of bee food, which is mostly sugar water, and keeps the bees full durig shipment, and that that boxes contain the queens, and are closed with a piece of honey that the bees will eat through in a day or so, allowing the queen to escape into the hive and get busy. Fair warning: The video has fake porn music, Emerson knives and plenty of bee puns. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXwsNN3nsO8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a40HVCLjqlk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfj7mOp4lQs You did a truly magnificent job of installing those packages! I'm VERY impressed.
One tiny suggestion––some night before the hives get too heavy you might wish to move one of the hives a little farther from the other (or turn them slightly so the entrances aren't parallel). The alternative is to paint a different color (or design like a diamond) above the entrance. If not, you will get significant "drifting" from one hive to the other. This means one hive (usually the one to the west, if they are facing east/west) will gain field bees from the other, making one extra strong, but one (often fatally) weak.
I am amazed at how calm and deliberate you were––like a veteran beekeeper. As I said, I'm VERY impressed!
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/16/2010 1:01:19 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Backstop]
[#32]
Originally Posted By thebeekeeper1:
The alternative is to paint a different color (or design like a diamond) above the entrance. If not, you will get significant "drifting" from one hive to the other. Wait. Bees can discern colors and shapes? |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/16/2010 1:08:15 PM EDT
[#33]
Originally Posted By Backstop:
Originally Posted By thebeekeeper1:
The alternative is to paint a different color (or design like a diamond) above the entrance. If not, you will get significant "drifting" from one hive to the other. Wait. Bees can discern colors and shapes? Oh yes. During this time of the year you will usually see a few bees flying in gentle circles near the front of the hive. They are young bees, getting ready to hit the fields, memorizing the appearance of their home. If the two hives are identical, and closely spaced, you will get drifting, which is not good.
Bees see red and yellow very well (think flowers), blue not so much. Black sends them into a fury, as their normal enemies are skunks and bears. They don't seem to see white, hence the white of bee suits. Beekeepers often paint the front (only) of their hives different (light) colors, or put a circle or diamond or "X" on them, in order for the bees to find the correct home. During most of the year the guard bees won't allow bees from other colonies to enter (during a dearth of nectar they will attempt to rob from other colonies), but during the height of the season (May––July) they will let interlopers enter without noticing. Beginners often put several colonies in a row, and the entrance always faces south, so the westernmost colonies will gain bees and the ones to the east will eventually die off. This is easily avoided, hence my admonition.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/16/2010 1:46:04 PM EDT
[#34]
I never knew.
Interesting, and thanks. Do you have to process the honey in some way to make it edible? Or does it go from hive to jar to mouth? |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/16/2010 1:53:20 PM EDT
[#35]
Originally Posted By Backstop:
I never knew. Interesting, and thanks. Do you have to process the honey in some way to make it edible? Or does it go from hive to jar to mouth? The best stuff ("raw honey") goes from comb to extractor, through cheese cloth, into a jar, onto a biscuit, into your mouth. Honey that is to be sold commercially is always pasteurized (heated to 130-150*F) in order to slow the granulation process. Nothing is ever added or taken from honey, and heating is the only "processing" though that is not legally considered to be processing. You must not let it get to 160* or it will scorch and be ruined. A minimum throughout the batch of 130* is necessary in order to liquify all the crystals. Granulated honey is NOT "ruined" or "spoiled" and is easy brought back to liquid form by heating. Store it at room temp (80* is best) and DO NOT REFRIGERATE, as that speeds the granulation process. Freezing is good too, but only for long term. The ideal temp for granulation to occur is around 45*, so you want it above or below that at all times.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/16/2010 1:59:01 PM EDT
[#36]
Neat - and thanks again.
This just may be a viable retirement activity for me. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/19/2010 9:21:55 PM EDT
[#37]
I appear to have lost a queen. One hive is full of brood, the other now has none.
Its been three weeks. The queen was a live but has somehow died or whatever in the past couple of weeks. I'll order one on Monday but its later in the season. Think the hive will make it? I'll take your advice on differentiating the hives. Maybe at this point, its a good thing they don't know which is which? I don't know anyone who keeps bees here and the local bee club is difficult to track down and seems to actually only have meetings once every several months. |
|
|
|
IL, USA
|
Posted: 6/19/2010 10:10:22 PM EDT
[#38]
Originally Posted By Barbara:
I appear to have lost a queen. One hive is full of brood, the other now has none. Its been three weeks. The queen was a live but has somehow died or whatever in the past couple of weeks. I'll order one on Monday but its later in the season. Think the hive will make it? I'll take your advice on differentiating the hives. Maybe at this point, its a good thing they don't know which is which? I don't know anyone who keeps bees here and the local bee club is difficult to track down and seems to actually only have meetings once every several months. As a last ditch effort you may have to take a frame of brood from the strong hive and place it into the weak hive. They may be able to hatch a queen out of it. I have never done this but have heard of it. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/20/2010 10:48:46 PM EDT
[#39]
Originally Posted By DUX4LIFE:
Originally Posted By Barbara:
I appear to have lost a queen. One hive is full of brood, the other now has none. Its been three weeks. The queen was a live but has somehow died or whatever in the past couple of weeks. I'll order one on Monday but its later in the season. Think the hive will make it? I'll take your advice on differentiating the hives. Maybe at this point, its a good thing they don't know which is which? I don't know anyone who keeps bees here and the local bee club is difficult to track down and seems to actually only have meetings once every several months. As a last ditch effort you may have to take a frame of brood from the strong hive and place it into the weak hive. They may be able to hatch a queen out of it. I have never done this but have heard of it. Not brood––you must have a frame with eggs which are <3 days old. Barbara, this is an "advanced beekeeper" technique, but you can save the other hive by locating the area where the queen is laying eggs, then GENTLY moving her elsewhere, and putting that frame in the queenless hive. They will usually raise a new queen and have a chance to make a go. Good luck––and please let us know.
Oh, if the other hive is doing well you can move a frame a sealed brood at the same time, as this will boost their numbers. Don't do it to the detriment of the "good" colony, but if they are good and strong, and can therefore afford to lose a few thousand bees, it will greatly help the weak one.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/20/2010 11:39:05 PM EDT
[#40]
OK, so bees can discern colors and shapes - thereby identifying which hive they should go in to.
But how do they know the hive with a red triangle on it is their home, and not the one with the blue square? What makes it their home? Don't even know enough about it to ask an intelligent question...  ...so not sure if that makes sense.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/21/2010 12:03:31 AM EDT
[Last Edit: thebeekeeper1]
[#41]
Originally Posted By Backstop:
OK, so bees can discern colors and shapes - thereby identifying which hive they should go in to. But how do they know the hive with a red triangle on it is their home, and not the one with the blue square? What makes it their home? Don't even know enough about it to ask an intelligent question... ...so not sure if that makes sense.In the afternoon you will see a number of bees flying in circles in front of the hive, but near it––kind of like "rolling" a few inches in front of the entrance and face of the hive. They are young bees, getting ready to hit the field, memorizing the appearance of their home colony.
Fascination with the bees is what makes a beekeeper. 
ETA: Forgot to mention, the smell of each colony is unique too. Guard bees will challenge and smell (with their antenni) each bee as it attempts to enter the colony. Interlopers are ruthlessly attacked, home bees are allowed entry. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/21/2010 4:43:19 AM EDT
[#42]
wow, I've always loved bees but didnt know half that stuff about them. Thanks for sharing all!
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/21/2010 6:26:08 AM EDT
[#43]
Hm..I'd gone ahead and ordered a new queen. I hope that was the right thing to do. I'm concerned that if she's been dead a while the other bees are going to start dying off from old age before new ones are hatched. If I can get someone to help me next weekend, I'll off set one hive and make some sort of change the appearance of the strong hive. Does that make sense? If I make changes to the weak one, I'm afraid it will confuse the remaining bees.
The weak hive is to the East of the other one. What would you suggest? Moving it backwards or turning it slightly or something else? Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/21/2010 8:00:14 AM EDT
[Last Edit: thebeekeeper1]
[#44]
Originally Posted By Barbara:
Hm..I'd gone ahead and ordered a new queen. I hope that was the right thing to do. I'm concerned that if she's been dead a while the other bees are going to start dying off from old age before new ones are hatched. If I can get someone to help me next weekend, I'll off set one hive and make some sort of change the appearance of the strong hive. Does that make sense? If I make changes to the weak one, I'm afraid it will confuse the remaining bees. The weak hive is to the East of the other one. What would you suggest? Moving it backwards or turning it slightly or something else? Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it. Ordering a queen is a good thing, as it takes 14 days to raise one, so you should be in business sooner. It's just a little bit expensive, but otherwise GOOD.
I would move either one of the hives several feet––it's easily done at night, and then you put some grass in the entrance, which causes them to check the location and relearn it. Just set up your stand in the new location and then have you and a helper gently raise the hive from the sides and quickly place it at the new location. Pull some grass, and place it on the alighting board and go to bed.
ETA: Follow the directions for installing the new queen––remove the plug covering the candy, poke a tiny hole in the candy to hasten her freedom, hang from the top of the frames using a matchstick. Close the hive and leave it for three days. Check for eggs (and empty box) in three days. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/21/2010 11:58:36 AM EDT
[#45]
Freaking amazing.
Thanks to Barbara and TBK1. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2010 7:42:14 PM EDT
[#46]
Well, we'll see. I put the new queen cage in and at the same time, stole a frame of brood from the other hive since this one is looking very thin. I haven't moved the hives yet..I will at least paint part of one of them this weekend.
Wish them luck. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2010 7:51:05 PM EDT
[#47]
You should paint one with an AR boltface, the other with an AK boltface.
Let's see how smart they really are. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2010 7:51:05 PM EDT
[#48]
Originally Posted By platz2:
Steve sounds more and more like a muppet every time I hear him. A big, hairy, knuckledragging muppet. Heh..Steve is unique, but despite all the smack talk, he's my best friend in the whole world. And he cooks good.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2010 7:52:13 PM EDT
[#49]
Originally Posted By Backstop:
You should paint one with an AR boltface, the other with an AK boltface. Let's see how smart they really are.
I might have to do something along those lines.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2010 11:07:38 PM EDT
[#50]
Originally Posted By Barbara:
Originally Posted By Backstop:
You should paint one with an AR boltface, the other with an AK boltface. Let's see how smart they really are.
I might have to do something along those lines.
Here's what's easy––go out shortly after dark, making sure there's no dew on yet. Take a can of any color spray paint (except white, of course), and take a brown paper bag, or similar. Hold the bag over the entrance to keep overspray mist from entering, and paint a big dot on the side of the hive above the entrance. Then pull and put grass over the entrance. In the morning they will reorient as they remove the grass.
|
|
|
|
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
