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OT: Anyone Keep Bees

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  • kl8ton
    kl8ton Posts: 5,429
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    @billt01

    pm sent
    Large, Medium, MiniMax, & 22, and 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
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  • pasoegg
    pasoegg Posts: 447
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    amazing you hardly see bees in the yard anymore....we had apple trees growing up and they were everywhere....amazing what those little fella's do for us and what it has taken for us to understand there place in the food chain....thanks for all the folks that keep and nurture bees and sell there honey for beer and medicinal purposes!!!

    "it is never too early to drink, but it may be too early to be seen drinking"

    Winston-Salem, NC

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  • EggMcMic
    EggMcMic Posts: 340
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    I kept them for a while but due to job changes I got rid of my hives. Still have an extractor in my attic... It was fun, relatively easy and for the most part I enjoyed it. Got stung a few times, but not much.
    EggMcMcc
    Central Illinois
    First L BGE July 2016, RecTec, Traeger, Weber, Campchef
    Second BGE, a MMX, February 2017
    Third BGE, another large, May, 2017
    Added another griddle (BassPro) December 2017
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  • Dave in Florida
    Dave in Florida Posts: 1,157
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    @SamIAm2....That is Webbs on 520.  I just bought 10 acres east of there in Christmas,FL.  Expecting to start expanding our bee business soon.  I tried Tupelo honey for the first time from a local guy on Hwy 46 east of I-95.  It comes from the Florida Panhandle area.  It is the only honey that will not crystallize.     
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
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  • Dave in Florida
    Dave in Florida Posts: 1,157
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    Sea2Ski said:
    Oh - If you order bees, I will guarantee as soon as they get to the post office you will get a call. As in immediately when they get there. One time the guy calling said he had a pickup truck and offered to leave right that moment and deliver them to my house.
    That is TRUTH right there.  We ordered a package once and they rang the phone off the hook until we answered to come get them.  Like someone said start with 5 frame nucs. They are already established as a colony and are easier to introduce them to a new hive box.
      
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,143
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    We’re ready for the swarm!!
    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,143
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    Put some sugar water in a deep Next to a cherry tree that’s getting hit hard by bees. Trying to get them to just move in. :)

    anyone have a favorite online online supplier for equipment?




    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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     Looks good! I have around 20 hives. I have been keeping hives for around 5 years, it is a lot of fun and can be overwhelming at times.  We sell honey at the end of the driveway on the honor system, swmbo takes so to her work as sells to coworkers there. I make a lot of mead and different wines with honey.
     The best part of keeping bees (besides the honey) is you never stop learning and there is many different ways to keep bees. It is said that if you ask two beekeepers the same question they will give you three different answers.
     As mentioned before Varroa mites are a major concern. Like anything else there are many ways to treat them but in reality you will probably need a multipronged attack strategy.
     Hive beetles are easier to get with traps and such, plus you can see them, make sure your hives are in direct sunlight, that seems to help, healthy strong hives should not really have hive beetle problems.
     

    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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    Also it is important to remember Bees are visual flyers, they have your yard and surrounding area memorized, this means if you move your hive say to the other corner of your yard they will never be able to find it.  They will fly out to forage and come back to where the hive previously was.  There is a rule that goes something like move a hive either 3 feet or 3 miles. Something like that, so if you want to move it, do it slowly each day.
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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    I order most of my boxes and hardware from Kelley bee keeping, they have multiple grades of brood boxes and that can save you money. I like Brushy mountain for some stuff. 
     If you like wearing baseball caps get the domed hood, it will go over your hat and when you unzip it, you can toss it back like a hoodie. the veils with helmet and rimed hats are a pain in the butt once you take them off, also the rim blocks your vision if your looking up, which you will do when catching swarms!
     While i am at it, if you wear pants you really only need the inspectors jacket, the whole bee suit overalls is kind of unnecessary.   
     
     Hopefully not to much information!
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    No but it's probably just a matter of time with the group I run around with. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Givengold3
    Givengold3 Posts: 77
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    I've been keeping bees for several years.  It's a moderate expense at start-up, not much in maintenance.  I made one batch of mead.  We are giving a jar of honey to each guest at our daughter's wedding in July.  It's a fascinating hobby that really doesn't take a whole lot of time.  It's good to have a calm demeanor when working with them. 
    Concord, CA
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  • CTMike
    CTMike Posts: 3,247
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    Thanks for all the input folks. Unfortunately due to a schedule change at work I was unable to get started this year - shooting for next year. 
    MMBGE / Large BGE / XL BGE (Craigslist Find) / SF30x80 cabinet trailer - "Ol' Mortimer" / Outdoor kitchen in progress.  

    RECOVERING BUBBLEHEAD
    Southeastern CT. 
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,357
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    https://www.honeyflow.com/

    Are these the real deal?

    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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    Those are real, I have never seen one or know any other beekeepers who have used one. 
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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    I guess the advantage is you don’t have to disassemble the hive and disturb the bees, however that’s exactly what you should be doing, scouting for disease, mites, queenlessness.
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • kweitz
    kweitz Posts: 305
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    Excellent segment on Joshua Johnson’s “1A” program, on NPR this morning. Most excellent program. I’m sure those interested can listen from the NPR web site. 

    Charles Town, West-by-God Virginia

    Sazco large Casa-Q

    Large BGE

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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    kweitz said:
    Excellent segment on Joshua Johnson’s “1A” program, on NPR this morning. Most excellent program. I’m sure those interested can listen from the NPR web site. 
    It really was. I recommend it to all.

    https://the1a.org/audio/#/shows/2018-03-27/pollinator-judgement-day/113931/@00:00
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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,143
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    Eggcelsior said:
    kweitz said:
    Excellent segment on Joshua Johnson’s “1A” program, on NPR this morning. Most excellent program. I’m sure those interested can listen from the NPR web site. 
    It really was. I recommend it to all.

    https://the1a.org/audio/#/shows/2018-03-27/pollinator-judgement-day/113931/@00:00
    Just came here to post the link, myself..

    if there are any beekeepers around the triad N.C. area, reach out — I’m putting hives together and could use the support! :)

    https://the1a.org/audio/#/shows/2018-03-27/pollinator-judgement-day/113931/@00:00
    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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     Here is a list of NC bee inspectors
    https://www.ncbeekeepers.org/resources/apiary-inspection-program

     Here in Ohio you have to register your hive locations with the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
      Depending on what your doing, a county bee inspector will come out once or twice a year and inspect your hives. This is really cool because if you can catch him or her you can talk about disease trends and treatments plus they are a great resource if you have any questions. I text or call mine when I see something weird or need help.
     Also another advantage and this may not apply to you but your hive locations are registered with the state and if anyone is going to apply pesticides to a area around your hive (crop dusting for example) they are required to notify you in advance.
     
     
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,143
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    Didn’t even get stung!!!

    the hiventure BEGINS! :)

     get stung!! 
    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,143
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    Pretty cool.. just split my first hive. Put an Italian queen in and drove it to a friends moms house a ways away. 
    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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    Cool! Getting pretty late in the year for splits... make sure they have a second brood box full of honey going into winter, though you probably can get away with less down there 
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • ArvadaMan
    ArvadaMan Posts: 260
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    I do not have time to keep bees.  Keeping the family going takes too much time for now.

    instead,  we have grown lamb’s ear and cosmos in the front yard for years.

    We see many many bees a day and it is low maintenance.  At the end of season,  the gold finches come in and eat some of the seeds as well.

    Low maintenance and helps the local bee population.
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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,143
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    We now have an 8 frame double deep box that is THRIVING. Was requeened  with an Italian last fall. We’ll never go with a different variety she’s been amazing. 

    The ten frame absconded. Barely a been in there. Double deep as well. 

    So - with tonight being the last night in the 30s, hopefully, I cracked both hives open and did some major work. 

    No sign of pest or disease in either. Not even a beetle. 

    Basically I checkerboarded lightly drawn frames, switched some frames of brood and nectar between both hives, reversed the deeps so bottoms are now on top, and moved the QUEEN from the 8 frame to the 10 frame. 

    Your basic  side by side checkerboard reversal walk away split. 

    If all all goes well, we’ll have a new queen in the 8 frame with the old queens genetics in less than two weeks. Two more weeks for mating flight and new brood. We’ll see. 

    Also added a queen excluder and a honey super to the 8 frame. Asking a lot of that hive. But it was ROLLING. Perhaps this will discourage any swarming, as well. 

    Good luck, bees and beeks!!
    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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     did you do a varroa mite check? 
     
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,663
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    Also if you do a split like that it is a good idea to move the “new hive” to a different location or the bees will just fly back to the old hive. Hopefully I am helping you may already know this! 
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    Bees...you guys have a hive mentality.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,143
    edited March 2019
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    alaskanassasin said:
    Also if you do a split like that it is a good idea to move the “new hive” to a different location or the bees will just fly back to the old hive. Hopefully I am helping you may already know this! 
    Mite check is by looking closely, as well as any telltale signs in the brood. Nothing detected - and I ran IPM organic essential oil treatment all
    last year. The theory is that really helped me out. 

    if i were to run more aggressive mite prevention, now is the time.  Especially before the April nectar flow. 

    Yes, flying bees will return to the original box. Important to move nurse bees with the queen. Side by side walk away splits are a slower-than-requeening way to split, and I get my guaranteed genetic strength from the queen I want. 

    Edited to add —.... hopefully....
    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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