Recent Posts

81

HONEYBEE REMOVAL / Swarm removal

« Last post by Occam on June 04, 2023, 01:24:47 am »

Mentioned collecting a swarm in another thread, thought I'd post it here. I got the call yesterday, another beek that didn't have room for another swarm passed my number along. I stopped over on my way home. The swarm was about 15 feet up on a branch and about 6 feet out from the trunk of the tree. Backed my box truck over and climbed up on the roof like any reasonable person. Removed branch,  shook bees from branch into nuc box. Never saw the queen and wasn't sure I had her (I didn't) but had somewhere I had to be so I closed the box, strapped it to my ladder and left it. Sure enough, got back early this morning and the swarm was clustered on the next closest branch.

Set up in the back of my pickup truck with an 8' a frame ladder,  cut the branch and brought the whole thing down to the ground.  Two shakes into the box, left the branch next to the box and within a couple minutes they were coming out of the air into the box. Left the lid off while I packed up ladders and by that time there was almost no flying activity and the girls were settling in. Gave them a few more minutes and took them home.

82

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: bee clusters

« Last post by Ben Framed on June 04, 2023, 01:13:07 am »

Thanks for posting this report Matthew..

Phillip

83

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Ants in Telescoping Top

« Last post by Occam on June 04, 2023, 12:49:48 am »

I've discovered three black ant nests in three hives this spring between inner covers and telescoping tops.  I switched the solid inner covers to screened ones so the ants don't have any floor to set up shop on, and I sprinkled cinnamon in the covers as a further deterrent.  The ants dispersed and all seemed well, but today I noticed a trail of ants going up one of the hives again.  They aren't between the two covers anymore now, they are between the metal and the wood in the telescoping top.  Anyone have any ideas about how to get rid of them now that they are hunkered down where I can't get to them?  I'm sure they are sneaking some honey out of the supers, although I'm not sure how much of a real problem they are.     

Maybe a thin bead of silicone around the perimeter where the flashing meets the wood to sell the gap

84

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Remedy for bee stings from your yard

« Last post by Occam on June 04, 2023, 12:46:37 am »

Indeed. The pain goes away pretty quickly for me, it's the swelling that I like to try to keep down afterwards

The more I've been stung over the years, the milder my reaction has become.  I suppose our bodies get somewhat accustomed to the venom after extended and  repeated exposure and see it as less of a threat than initially.  Occam, hopefully you'll develop a better tolerance and the swelling reactions will become increasingly minimal over time.

Yeah recently I've received a few stings that are pretty much non-issue stings. A couple times I've found the stinger stuck in me but never felt the sting or had any pain/reaction. Usually the only ones that are bothersome are the finger stings. I'm not avoiding the stings at all because I often have some wrist pain and it does improve when I'm stung in the hand.

85

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Ants in Telescoping Top

« Last post by animal on June 04, 2023, 12:38:41 am »

Carpenter ants .. black and about 1/2" long  OR 1/4" long and look a lot like a fire ant .. black butt, reddish front

little black ants ... annoying pesky nuisance that has a stinger but can't sting (unless on a little baby? maybe ?) Especially come out after the water table rises and under cedar trees, for some reason.
 
Either way, I would think Dawn dish soap ... 1 part soap to 2-3 parts water ..and inject it into the gap between the metal and wood .. but not on areas that bees touch.... fill 'er up, drain it out and put it back... Don't know how it would affect bees if they could get into it.

When they get into the house or car ... I kill them with bait spots made of sugar, boric acid, and water. in a thin jar lid. After they disappear from a particular area, clean with vinegar ... Pretty sure this would be REALLY BAD for bees, but it works great in the house.
The vinegar will wash away their scent trails.

Here's a strange question ... Will bees eat starches like grits ? Dry "quick grits" will kill ants .. do not know why it works. Have heard that dry instant works too ... but not the uncooked, or any version after it's prepared

86

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Ants in Telescoping Top

« Last post by cao on June 03, 2023, 11:25:38 pm »

Over the years I have come to find that I don't mind ants between inner and telescoping cover.  The reason being is that if there is ants there then most if not all of the time the hive below is doing well. 

87

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Ants in Telescoping Top

« Last post by Ben Framed on June 03, 2023, 11:09:40 pm »

Reagan I 'think' I remember some of our fellow members posting about Carpenter Ant problems a few years ago. (Large Black Ants).   (Are the black ants you are referring to, Carpenter Ants?) If so, there is some kind of stuff you can put out but I can not remember the details of that discussion. If I remember correctly Beemaster2 was 'also reporting' of Crazy Ants on that topic as well.

Phillip

88

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Eco Wood Treatment

« Last post by Ben Framed on June 03, 2023, 08:31:57 pm »

Has anyone tried Eco Wood Treatment? It sounds too good to be true.
One treatment. Lasts forever. Nontoxic.
You can dip boxes like you guys with parrafin wax do.
Website.
https://ecowoodtreatment.com/
Youtube
https://youtu.be/Qdvis-lxzmA

Hello Bob, did you give this a try?

Phillip

89

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Ants in Telescoping Top

« Last post by The15thMember on June 03, 2023, 08:08:02 pm »

I've discovered three black ant nests in three hives this spring between inner covers and telescoping tops.  I switched the solid inner covers to screened ones so the ants don't have any floor to set up shop on, and I sprinkled cinnamon in the covers as a further deterrent.  The ants dispersed and all seemed well, but today I noticed a trail of ants going up one of the hives again.  They aren't between the two covers anymore now, they are between the metal and the wood in the telescoping top.  Anyone have any ideas about how to get rid of them now that they are hunkered down where I can't get to them?  I'm sure they are sneaking some honey out of the supers, although I'm not sure how much of a real problem they are.     

90

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Remedy for bee stings from your yard

« Last post by Ben Framed on June 03, 2023, 05:12:07 pm »

JurassicApiary
Absolutely true--some people have worse reactions over time.  Thankfully, most do not.

Y'all are right, it could go either way. I am grateful it got better for me. I joined Beemaster back in 2017 and simply read post here while searching the older post, trying to learn all I could, before I got my first bees. From my first experience on my first cutout (a year later) I was concerned that my body would not allow me to keep bees.  Now I rarely swell..  I do not mind taking stings often and I really believe being stung regularly has made the difference.



From the archives:

Some times where you get stung is relevant, early in my career I was stung on a vein on my wrist and went into a hive like reaction, but never since.
Have also had the ankle bone sting, swelled a little but painful for about 6 hrs.

If I had an anaphylactic reaction, as a migratory bee keeper we are often many miles from medical help, would have to think about finding another occupation.

I was doing a cutout for a lady a few weeks ago and took stings on my hands as usual. I was wearing a ventilation jacket and received no stings on the neck and facial areas. After a couple Hours, not minutes, a couple hours, my left eye started feeling funny. Keep in mind, Up to this point my hands were not swollen. My eye felt so funny that I looked in the mirror of my truck and it was blood red! About that time my hands started showing signs of swelling. The lady that owned the house is a nurse and she had  Benadryl . I took a couple tablets and finished the job but I felt bad for two days. The next job I took Benadryl with me and took the tablets pronto after being stung a few times. All good. I was wondering if I might have took one to the vein in the eye situation??