BeeFest 2023

[BeeMaster2]

Hive inspection and separating Altmiller split hives.

[BeeMaster2]

Taffy oaks doing a candle making class on how to make candles for honey shows.

[BeeMaster2]

Phoebe and friend playing with baby chicks.

[BeeMaster2]

Michael Bush discussing Huber?s Observation on Bees

[Ben Framed]

You had a good line up of events with a nice looking group of folks of all ages! Congratulations to you Jim, Judy and everyone who helped in the effort for your success!

Phillip

[Bill Murray]

stich, jim thanks for the pics

[The15thMember]

Looks like it was another fun and successful BeeFest! 

[BeeMaster2]

Just boxed my first swarm of the year. We did splits on all of the hives except the observation hive. It is now less than half strength.
Judy put a Nuc on a ladder next to it with lemon grass oil but they would not move in. I put a sheet down and put the Nuc on it and shook them down. Some went in but most went back in the tree.







I did this over and over and most of the bees went back in the tree.
Continued

[BeeMaster2]

Ronnie did a presentation on 16? deep frames and gave me the box and frames.
I was planning on putting the swarm in this box so i decided to go get and see if they would like it. I put  wood strips in the top slots with fresh wax on the strips. When I came back to the swarm the bees had all exited the box and were back on the tree. I put the 16? hive under the tree and shook them. Most of the bees that didn?t land on the top of the frames went back into the tree. The ones on the crawls top were very interested and went in. I shook them several times and more and more went in. Once they started fanning their nasenoff glands and calling the other bees I started shaking the tree with the rope and kept shaking it to keep them from landing when I stopped, they were all going down to the hive.





They seem to really like the big hive box.
I?ll let you know if they stay without caging the queen nor giving them brood.
Jim Altmiller

[Acebird]

Looks like y'all are having a nice time! Is that Michael with the guitar? Its hard to tell for sure with the smoke of the fire, which is a nice fire by the way! Glad to see and hear of another successful Beefest!

Phillip

Maybe you and Kathy will make one.  Put it on your bucket list.

[Michael Bush]

Beefest was great as always.  Even if we just got together and talked it would be great, but the presenters were also great.  Marley showed us how to make candles, Bill showed us how to make queens simply without grafting, which was a variation on Jim showing us how to make splits.  And a lot more.. I clipped a few drones and gave them to the kids and one little girl still had it a couple of hours later (see picture above).  The kids had a great time riding horses, paddling in the pond, doing the zip line, playing with the chicks, chasing the turkeys.  The food was great.  Well worth the trip.  I would love to see a lot more of you who I've never met yet.

[Acebird]

I would love to see a lot more of you who I've never met yet.

It really makes a difference seeing your on line buddies in person.  I truly missed Wally but I know the trip is too hard for him.

[gww]

Jim
You reminded me it is getting time to get some lemon grass oil into all my traps.  Knock on wood on the shaken swarms, so far I have not had one leave once they started flying down to the hive body usually after I have dumped a few in it normally using a five gal bucket.   Nice pictures.
Cheers
gww

[Bill Murray]

I would love to see a lot more of you who I've never met yet.

I agree

[Michael Bush]

Here's Marley on the zip line.

[Ben Framed]

Good picture Michael. That looks fun! Did any of you adults take a spin at it? 

[Michael Bush]

>Did any of you adults take a spin at it?

I think there were some.  I didn't.

[BeeMaster2]

I?ve taken a lot of rides on it. 😊
Jim Altmiller

[Ben Framed]

I?ve taken a lot of rides on it. 😊
Jim Altmiller

:Thumbs Up:

[Twylavarn]

I sure hate that I missed this :( hopefully next time!