What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today?

[animal]

borax or boric acid ... mixed with sugar water or jelly ... will kill far more ants than you'll ever see. It kills slowly and they take it back to the nest.

[The15thMember]

I went out for a peek and didn't see any ants but the front door is blocked with bees.

Interesting. What are your temps like? I am just wondering if they are hot or cold. Or maybe they are blocking an intruder.

[Terri Yaki]

I went out for a peek and didn't see any ants but the front door is blocked with bees.

Interesting. What are your temps like? I am just wondering if they are hot or cold. Or maybe they are blocking an intruder.

It looks like it was about 86 yesterday, about 75 when I took that picture and down to about 62 last night. That group was mostly gone with a few stragglers still out by 0500 when I got up this morning

[Terri Yaki]

My hives have that side door that I can open and look in at the outer frame. My nuc was five frames in the middle with three empty frames to one side and two empty frames on the other side. The side with two empty frames is the side that the port is on. I have looked in there every couple of days and there was nothing going on but today it was pretty full of workers. I didn't have my bee jacket on so I didn't spend much time looking in there. That being their first day in there, there wasn't anything to see anyway.

Then around 1630, the hive got real quiet out front for some reason and it seemed odd to me. I opened the port on the top box where they syrup is being served and everything looked normal in there. Then...suddenly...an orientation class beegan and bees came pouring out the entrance like water over Niagara Falls. I saw a couple of them on the grass trying their best to get back in the air but based on what I saw, it's not happening. I looked at their wings and they did not look deformed. Given the number of students in the class, I figure two or three that can't fly is probably not excessive.

I caught what I suspect was an SHB crawling on the outside of the hive. It was a flat black beetle about 1/8", maybe 3/16" in diameter. My ant trap isn't catching a lot of ants but it got a few. I moved it to another spot that was seeing more activity so I'll see what tomorrow brings. And tomorrow, I make my second inspection. I'm going to try to look hard for mites and beetles this time around.

[The15thMember]

I'm going to try to look hard for mites and beetles this time around.

At your stage of the game, I wouldn't expect to see any mites, if you are just going to be looking with your naked eye at bees' backs.  Seeing mites riding on bees is usually a sign of an advanced infestation.  You may have a few mites in there, but as they can also hide on the underside of bees, and during much of their life cycle they are in the capped brood, you shouldn't see any, just based on the probabilities.  A sugar roll or alcohol wash could turn up one or two, but I would be concerned if I saw more than 1 mite if I was you.

[Terri Yaki]

My second hive inspection 2 1/2 weeks after obtaining my nuc. I thought I would see more comb built out but they are alive, healthy and growing.

Part I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r0ZqszslfY

And Part II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M2pt4IpQsk

[The15thMember]

I don't know, I probably would have given them the second box.  The fact that the brood frames were very full and they were building burr comb indicates to me they want to expand the brood nest.  Bees are sometimes slow to build on the outer frames, especially if they don't want to put brood there, and if the flow isn't really cranking yet, they just may not be inclined to build out more honey frames, but they might like some more room for babies.

If your flow has started, it's perfectly fine to remove their food, but be sure they keep drawing.  A nuc is behind and really needs to build up, and if the flow isn't strong enough to make them draw, you may want to put the feed on them again, at least until they have maybe 2 boxes drawn (or the flow really turns on).  That's what I would do anyway.   

I wouldn't worry too much about seeing eggs if I saw the queen.  It's nice to see both, but one or the other is fine in my book.  Also, it can be a good proactive measure to smoke again when you kill a couple of bees.  That will keep their alarm pheromone from being smelled by the rest of the colony.  I will usually just smoke their bodies to hide the evidence.    

Oh man, that first taste of your own honey!!  It's never as good as when you are eating it off the hive tool.     

[Terri Yaki]

OK, thanks for the review. I can add that box easily enough. They have quit taking the syrup for a few days now and I figured that meant it was time to take it off. I'll check with my locals and see what, if anything is flowing. I  do have a big tulip poplar in my front yard and I heard that they are good for the bees and it looks like it is starting to flower. One other thing I forgot to ask about...one of the syrup jars had some black mold in it. Not much, but there was some just the same. How big of an issue is that for them?

[The15thMember]

One other thing I forgot to ask about...one of the syrup jars had some black mold in it. Not much, but there was some just the same. How big of an issue is that for them?

I wouldn't be too worried about it personally.  I might change out the syrup, just so it doesn't get out of hand, but mold is really not that big of a deal for bees.  They can even clean it up without any trouble, since their respiratory systems are so different from ours.  I will store 1:1 syrup in the fridge to help it to last longer.  2:1 will be fine at room temp.   

[.30WCF]

[mention]Terri Yaki [/mention]It wont hurt to wash those jars out. I don?t like mold, I think the bees quit taking it as fast when it starts to mold.

I also find that if they arnt building out the outside frames, I can take the first frame you pulled out (frame 2) and flip it and put it to the wall so the drawn side is against the wall, and insert frame 1 in between 2 and 3. That hive is young yet, but in a week or two I might move some frames around. Also, if you add a new box in a week or two, they will move up and draw that out. You can move the new comb into the center of the brood below, pushing the frames out and move the edge frames to the top box.

That hive tool looks like a lot of work the way you?re tugging on frames. I like the larger j hook tools. They have a heel that you can pry the frames up with. And when spreading frames I insert the bit between the frames and twist. It also has a long enough handle to give the leverage needed to go between the end frame and hive body and move all ten frames at once from side to side to compress them against the opposing wall, the. Pry between the other wall to center the stack.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Terri Yaki]

My mentor had a chance to review my video last night and he has reiterated most everything that yous have told me. We have a rainy weekend coming in with one beautiful day today so I'm going back in and switch frames around, add another box and put the syrup back in. I have an extra set of jars and replace the old with fresh and wash them to prevent growth of molds but apparently, something didn't work right this time. Is there any detriment to using dish soap to clean them? Will any residue be harmful to the bees? I need to figure out how to get my hands in there to get a good cleaning action.

The hive tool is homemade from a picture that 15thmember had posted and I'm giving it a try. My mentor has the larger tool as you described and I see one advantage for the smaller one so far. I can keep it in my hand the whole time and not have to put it down, then have to figure out where I left it. I wasn't really struggling with it too bad just yet but they haven't really applied the glue yet either. But then, I haven't finessed the using of the tool yet and my handling of it will improve. I do, however, like that step on the back to use as leverage and will probably make one on this tool.

Thanks for the review and input. I do appreciate it. And when my mentor's thoughts match yours, I feel good about the direction.

[.30WCF]

You might get some frowney faces for switching frames around, but be reasonable about it. I do it all the time. Moving foundation to make comb is fine. Putting a pollen or honey frame in the middle of the brood box wouldn?t serve any purpose.

You?ll get proficient at whatever tool you get used to.

Some mild soap like Dawn should be fine. Try dropping a sponge in the jar and using a handle from the ladle or spatula to scrub it around the bottom and sides. My hands don?t fit in a wide mouth jar either.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The15thMember]

Is there any detriment to using dish soap to clean them? Will any residue be harmful to the bees? I need to figure out how to get my hands in there to get a good cleaning action.

I usually just run jars through the dishwasher, but there is no problem using soap.  Just rinse them good.

The hive tool is homemade from a picture that 15thmember had posted and I'm giving it a try. My mentor has the larger tool as you described and I see one advantage for the smaller one so far. I can keep it in my hand the whole time and not have to put it down, then have to figure out where I left it. I wasn't really struggling with it too bad just yet but they haven't really applied the glue yet either. But then, I haven't finessed the using of the tool yet and my handling of it will improve. I do, however, like that step on the back to use as leverage and will probably make one on this tool.

I do also have a standard 8 in. tool (without a J hook), and I use that for cracking boxes, moving all the frames back and forth as a single unit, and for cleaning boxes.  I use the small tool for all individual frame manipulations.

You might get some frowney faces for switching frames around, but be reasonable about it. I do it all the time. Moving foundation to make comb is fine. Putting a pollen or honey frame in the middle of the brood box wouldn?t serve any purpose.

Moving frames around is completely allowed, it's one of the benefits to the moveable frame hive.  Just always be sure you know why you are moving a frame, and that you are doing it at a time when the bees are strong enough to adjust to the change.  Moving things around in the brood nest is far more stressful on them than just moving frames of stores around though, since the care of the babies is more critical and time-sensitive than the care of the honey or pollen.  If someone took the food out of your pantry and put it somewhere else in your house, it would be annoying, but you'd manage alright.  If someone put your baby somewhere else without telling you, you'd be a lot more stressed out.  

[Terri Yaki]

And the changes were made as advised. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to say it but third time in the hive and no stings yet.

[The15thMember]

It took me a while to get stung while inspecting too.  Little hives are always nice and friendly, since they don't have the beepower to have lots of people standing around on guard duty.  Plus everyone is happy when there is food coming in. 

[The15thMember]

I had a hive acting very overheated yesterday, bearding and fanning heavily, so I quick slapped a box of partially drawn blanks on them to give them some breathing room.  I got stung on the wrist for my trouble. 

[Bill Murray]

So this isnt really bee yard, but we did an event this weekend and had 2 new items. Honey sticks and pre-purchased honey candies. They were both a hit. It thoroughly amazed me the draw. I actually started giving the candies out to all the kids passing by. That got the kids interested in the observation hive, then the parents, then they tasted the honey, purchase complete. I dont know just found the whole thing a little strange. Never noticed how many people just walk right by without ever looking. Food for thought.

[Caashenb]

I needed to be in the yard today but unfortunately it  has been way to wet.

[Terri Yaki]

Cold rain here today and so far, all is quiet in the apiary. My neighbor was over yesterday and he went through is swarm pictures. They're all from late May and early June so we're expecting that to be when they come around again. Sadly, his hive is dying a slow death. He was considering just putting everything away until next year but it looks like I've talked him out of that.

[beesnweeds]

So this isnt really bee yard, but we did an event this weekend and had 2 new items. Honey sticks and pre-purchased honey candies. They were both a hit. It thoroughly amazed me the draw. I actually started giving the candies out to all the kids passing by. That got the kids interested in the observation hive, then the parents, then they tasted the honey, purchase complete. I dont know just found the whole thing a little strange. Never noticed how many people just walk right by without ever looking. Food for thought.

Thats great!! I volunteer to work our bee club's booth during the fair.  Honey candy, honey, comb, and an observation hive really draw people in.  We always sell out of members honey by the last day of the fair.  It's a lot of fun to talk to the public and answer questions.  Some people are truly scared of insects and dont know the difference between a fly, a yellow jacket, and a honeybee and dont want to know.  I respect that.  They walk by and have zero interest.  The thing about fairs is people will go with friends, family, coworkers, etc. so you get to see the different reactions.  A few protective parents really dont want their kids near the table out of fear of allergies/bees or having to purchase something, they spent enough money already on the kids!