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Thread: Honey Bees

  1. #11
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  2. #12
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    I'm just in my first year of beekeeping so I have a lot to learn. I do remember from the course I took that bees can deal with cold better than we would expect. I think the condensation or dampness in the hive combined with cold tempts is what gets them and they need a little air flow to keep the hive dry.

  3. #13
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    I'll have to talk to some local BeeK's. I can't imagine that they buy new every year...
    Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day!
    Light a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

    Cat's are food... not friends!

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  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by belew View Post
    I'm just in my first year of beekeeping so I have a lot to learn. I do remember from the course I took that bees can deal with cold better than we would expect. I think the condensation or dampness in the hive combined with cold tempts is what gets them and they need a little air flow to keep the hive dry.
    yep, that's what i read as well. sad pictures of the little buggers all huddled up and froze solid.

    ST find a local club and dive head first. i cobbled together a stand and moved the hive today. i need to finish cleaning up the other box i have, so the can get busy. i may have to feed them through the winter. not a big deal, just break into some 'preps'. i was also thinking about taking a frame or 2 from what i already have going and see if the will boost them along.
    "Ya need a hug, or a twinkee? Wait..forget the twinkie". - Dropy

    "I'll be in my bunk" Jayne Cobb

    'Catch, sauté, and release...' Sniper-T

    'Always smile... it makes people wonder what the fuck you are thinking!' Sniper-T

    Body Armor is not bullet proof, it is only bullet resistant.* Learn to become strictly a head hunter.*

    'All I really needed was a hug'............ Domeguy

  5. #15
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    first tools of the trade. 2 smokers (some days i just need a little smoke) a hive tool (for separating boxes and lifting frames), paint scraper (too help with said hive tool and scraping propolis), yes a spatula (easier way to remove Burr Comb, explain in a bit) and a torch lighter for lighting the smokers. the round hole is a lid for the feeder top. you screw a 1 qt. mason jar with your sugar water or honey water mixture. the one that is in it now is solid, it comes out and other has small holes in it. the other hive i have a door feeder for it. i went semi-fancy on the roof and can't use a feeder top. bees don't care as long as they can eat.



    first order of the was to adjust a few things. i didn't like the 1st. brood box that i had, so i went and cherry picked a better one. (no pic,sorry) here is 1 o the better boxes. i am kinda picky about what i want to look at in my backyard.



    what i did was moved the new colony to a brood box and added 2 frames of brood from my other hive and 1 frame of honey. this picture you can see the brood and some capped honey. the reason for this, is too jump start them. gives them something to do and shows the 'new queen' where she should be. i know what your thinking, 'won't they kill the emerging bees?' nope. you can do this with bees that aren't 'related', like adopting a puppy from the shelter. they will take them in and raise them. they are mostly worker bees or drones (males), in that case they will kill them this time of year.



    just brood.

    Last edited by robsdak; 09-24-2014 at 03:56 AM.
    "Ya need a hug, or a twinkee? Wait..forget the twinkie". - Dropy

    "I'll be in my bunk" Jayne Cobb

    'Catch, sauté, and release...' Sniper-T

    'Always smile... it makes people wonder what the fuck you are thinking!' Sniper-T

    Body Armor is not bullet proof, it is only bullet resistant.* Learn to become strictly a head hunter.*

    'All I really needed was a hug'............ Domeguy

  6. #16
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    and capped honey. both sides are full.



    this one is for effect. look close and you can see the flying around. pretty neat. i would guess there were 1000-1500 bees in the air from both hives. they are a split from my 1st colony.



    here they are moving from the 'old rental' into their 'new condo'. takes a little bit for everyone to head that way. but they get there. the reason they are so easy to move, is there is nothing for them in the old box. i have moved their belongings for them.

    "Ya need a hug, or a twinkee? Wait..forget the twinkie". - Dropy

    "I'll be in my bunk" Jayne Cobb

    'Catch, sauté, and release...' Sniper-T

    'Always smile... it makes people wonder what the fuck you are thinking!' Sniper-T

    Body Armor is not bullet proof, it is only bullet resistant.* Learn to become strictly a head hunter.*

    'All I really needed was a hug'............ Domeguy

  7. #17
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    this is the old box, the stragglers will find their way home before dark. little known fact-bees don't fly at night. something about not having batteries small enough for their lights.



    this is the method of watering i use. it kinda helps keep them out of the neighbors pool. notice the glass rocks, that's to keep them from drowning. the surface tension is enough grab and hold them. so they need something too land on.



    yes, i had my jacket on. moving this many bees and breaking into the other hive, it was needed. this happened after everything was done. i went out to put away everything and caught a bee between me and the scraper handle. not to bad, only stings for a few minutes. MAN UP! MAN UP! there are no tears in beekeeping.

    "Ya need a hug, or a twinkee? Wait..forget the twinkie". - Dropy

    "I'll be in my bunk" Jayne Cobb

    'Catch, sauté, and release...' Sniper-T

    'Always smile... it makes people wonder what the fuck you are thinking!' Sniper-T

    Body Armor is not bullet proof, it is only bullet resistant.* Learn to become strictly a head hunter.*

    'All I really needed was a hug'............ Domeguy

  8. #18
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    now here is where i explain Burr Comb. while i had the other hive apart, i decided to do some house cleaning. i did find the supersedure cell (queen cell) where the new queen came from. my picture didn't take well. this is what they look like. they are bigger than the others.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_b..._honey_bee.JPG

    burr comb. it's when bees think there is a space violation and they turn to creative engineering. just filling gaps that are too big. you just scrape it out and toss it. you can keep it and make balms, candles and such, since i only had 1 hive i didn't mess with it. i do keep some on hand for repairs in my TBH. easy to melt and put the comb back together.


    "Ya need a hug, or a twinkee? Wait..forget the twinkie". - Dropy

    "I'll be in my bunk" Jayne Cobb

    'Catch, sauté, and release...' Sniper-T

    'Always smile... it makes people wonder what the fuck you are thinking!' Sniper-T

    Body Armor is not bullet proof, it is only bullet resistant.* Learn to become strictly a head hunter.*

    'All I really needed was a hug'............ Domeguy

  9. #19
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    this is a picture from inside my TBH. notice the comb in the bottom of the picture, it was on a top bar, the heat got to it and it broke free. when it does that, the workers will make and move the honey back up to another bar. what i am planning on doing is making a couple bars with Plasticell. it's a plastic foundation covered with wax that makes it easier for the beek to spin out the honey. so the bees don't have to remake the honey comb after the harvest. i do take honey from the top bar hive a lot, i leave that for them to feast upon when they need it.



    this is the top bar with some capped honey and some open cells. notice that there are no brood cells? they keep the rearing business in the brood box in the front.



    this is the Modified Top Bar Hive, it has a brood box in front. i think i have this picture earlier in the thread.



    this is some more of the top bars.



    "Ya need a hug, or a twinkee? Wait..forget the twinkie". - Dropy

    "I'll be in my bunk" Jayne Cobb

    'Catch, sauté, and release...' Sniper-T

    'Always smile... it makes people wonder what the fuck you are thinking!' Sniper-T

    Body Armor is not bullet proof, it is only bullet resistant.* Learn to become strictly a head hunter.*

    'All I really needed was a hug'............ Domeguy

  10. #20
    RIP, brother. We are diminshed.
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    ***update***

    the day after the move, everybody is happy. pic 1-2 i put feeders on today. a door feeder for the old hive and a top feeder for the new hive. if the new one were unhappy, they would have left by now. now i will watch the feeders and see how long it take to go through a qt. of 2-1 sugar syrup. 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. i mixed 3 C. water to 6 C .white sugar made 1 2/3 qt.





    i had a few stop by and say thanks. this i caught a picture of eating sugar water from my hand. i told you guys 'puppies'.


    - - - Updated - - -

    helo, is this thread helping you? just curious.
    "Ya need a hug, or a twinkee? Wait..forget the twinkie". - Dropy

    "I'll be in my bunk" Jayne Cobb

    'Catch, sauté, and release...' Sniper-T

    'Always smile... it makes people wonder what the fuck you are thinking!' Sniper-T

    Body Armor is not bullet proof, it is only bullet resistant.* Learn to become strictly a head hunter.*

    'All I really needed was a hug'............ Domeguy

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