Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: My bees are gone  (Read 4423 times)

Online Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12421
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #20 on: June 03, 2018, 09:51:47 pm »
Even though you don't plan on keeping bees, will you remain a member on our forum?

I don't plan on quitting the forum.  I am going to have to learn all over again to be successful in FL with bees.  I am going to have to pay more attention to the posts from the south and less from the north.  Back to being a newbie you might say.  I wasn't much more than that to begin with.

Glad to hear that... I feel  certain that you will do very well. Once you are reestablished and settled with your new home,  I bet it won't be long before you are back in the bee business !!  Wishing you and your family the best !! 
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #21 on: June 03, 2018, 10:10:39 pm »
Thanks a lot Ben.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline iddee

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 10853
  • Gender: Male
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #22 on: June 03, 2018, 10:27:38 pm »
""I wasn't much more than that to begin with.""

Whatta ya mean "wasn't"?   :wink:   

Just cause you're moving south doesn't mean I'm cutting you any slack.   :cheesy:
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline beepro

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 596
  • Gender: Male
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #23 on: June 04, 2018, 03:28:10 am »
You don't have to find a bee partner to start again 2 hives.  Start small and see what drones you
have when making splits in your local area.   If they are mean bees then hook up with the local
bee club to source their gentle bees to keep.   It is still doable and not completely over yet. 

Also, next time you are close to a hive, whether or not you are the hive inspector, put on a full vented
bee suit.   This way you don't have to run away and cut your head or other body part.   Remember, a veil is better than
having nothing on!  Rule #1 of beekeeping from now on.

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #24 on: June 04, 2018, 08:54:38 am »
Also, next time you are close to a hive, whether or not you are the hive inspector, put on a full vented
bee suit.
I wasn't next to the hive.  The beekeeper covered in bees with a veil on walked over to me.  He never gave it a thought what he was doing.  I don't think I will ever wear a full suit.
If it is one thing I have learned it is hard for a backyard beek to stay small.  If you try to stay at just 2 hives there will be times of being bee less or times you have 4 hives.  I built up to 4 hives of all medium equipment.  So 24 boxes and nearly 200 frames.  That is probably what you are going to need to maintain 2-3 hives.  At least that is what I had to do.  Maybe I can learn a new way to just keep two hives.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline Dallasbeek

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2526
  • Gender: Male
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #25 on: June 04, 2018, 07:26:06 pm »
It's an opportunity to learn a new way, like top bar hives.  With a tbh, you only expose part of the hive at a time, so you don't have the whole bunch coming at you at once.  I have a TBH body and bars almost ready to go when I get another swarm.  Looking forward to trying that.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #26 on: June 04, 2018, 09:00:44 pm »
I see two groups of beekeepers with TBH's  Those that are micro managers and want to control the bees and those that want very little interaction with the bees.  I am in between.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline Dallasbeek

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2526
  • Gender: Male
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #27 on: June 04, 2018, 09:28:33 pm »
That may be a good place to be. :cool:
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #28 on: June 05, 2018, 11:57:08 am »
Most of the people with nice bees in AHB areas are not buying queens, but they are also not afraid to requeen with queens from their nicer hives.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Online Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12421
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #29 on: June 05, 2018, 09:37:49 pm »
Most of the people with nice bees in AHB areas are not buying queens, but they are also not afraid to requeen with queens from their nicer hives.

Michael, educate  me 😁.  The people in AHB areas are not buying nice queens, this brings a question. If the virgin queens from these  nice hives mate with AHB drones, what will the results from the mated queen be. They will definitely be a cross but which way will they go? Sometimes nice, and sometimes mean? Or some other answer? Thanks Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #30 on: June 06, 2018, 08:52:39 am »
The only vicious bees I find are F1 crosses.  AHB that I have seen in New Mexico, Arizona, the Virgin Islands etc. have bee workable.  It's the F1 crosses with European bees that are unworkable.  Breeding from the local bees that are nice is the best way I've seen to avoid unworkable bees.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin