Recent Posts

31

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Community Feeding

« Last post by Ben Framed on Today at 01:58:26 am »

Did a quick search and it has been 10 years since the subject of community feeding was discussed in this forum and it is an idea that seems to be shot down rather quickly then and now.

Joe May open feeds, as does David at Barnyard Bees, both community feed, {at least at certain times of the year}. So does Ian Steppler as well as other pros. Timing is the key for those whose livelihoods depend upon it, at least to certain extents.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Community Feeding

« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 12:01:08 am »

But if we feed only during dearth?

I suppose if you are precise in your timing and remove the feeder only when the flow is back on, it would keep the robbing risk down.  But the other issues still stand.  I also feel like just feeding every hive during every period of low food is a very high input way of keeping bees.  I'd rather have bees that put up enough honey to be naturally resilient to a period of dearth, instead of propping up bees who aren't really able to manage well with my local flows.  That's my opinion on it anyway. 

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching

« Last post by gww on May 19, 2024, 11:26:10 pm »

I hope it works out and I believe it will.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Community Feeding

« Last post by Kathyp on May 19, 2024, 11:05:20 pm »

Can't mess up other people's honey then.

Good point and the other thing to remember is that if you feed your hive you have adulterated your own honey.  If you aren't taking any, it doesn't matter.  If you intend to take some, you don't want to feed before you extract.

A strong hive that is being fed will take a lot of syrup.  Just as a matter of economy, you don't want to feed the neighborhood!   

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching

« Last post by Terri Yaki on May 19, 2024, 10:17:06 pm »

OK, thanks for the help.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching

« Last post by gww on May 19, 2024, 10:14:17 pm »

Aught to be fine in my opinion.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching

« Last post by Terri Yaki on May 19, 2024, 10:12:27 pm »

OK, I moved the hive. How's this look for sticks? It's actually lemongrass stalks.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching

« Last post by gww on May 19, 2024, 09:57:25 pm »

You don't need to change anything unless you want to use part of it for a trap. 

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Community Feeding

« Last post by gww on May 19, 2024, 09:39:08 pm »

Unless you are 100 plus yards away from the hives, you probably just cause more robbing.  Have you got some coffee cans and an extra hive body?  The 30 or so ounce ones will fit inside a hive body and you can put four of them filled with sugar water and some straw on top of your inter cover of  your hurting hive and inside the hive body and just put you lid on and it will not cause any new robbing but if the hive is being robbed, it is probably got a problem that feed won't fix and will keep getting robbed with the food on top.  If it is robbing because you used an entrance feeder, Putting the coffee cans in a hive body with a top over it will not cause new robbing. Plus the food goes where it is needed.  I have did this tons of times with new swarms before they even got established and guards set up and it cause no problems.  On the other hand. I once only had one hive and it was rainy and I figured not much would be flying and I put a chicken water of sugar water a couple of feet from it and that hive got robbed out lickity split and it did not stop when I got rid of the chicken water.

The only open feeding I believe in is when I want my extraction equipment cleaned as the bees do a better job.  Some times if I make cinnamon rolls and have a little left over sugar I might set it out dry rather then put it in the trash but that is about it.  Oh, I forgot, I am not too good if I have a dead out and have left them open when I found them and I have no doubt that that can put stress on weak hives around it but I believe in tough love and the bees just need to be tough enough to survive it.  Open feeding for one hive makes zero sense but topping off in fall after the hives have reduced population is done by some commercials.  Can't mess up other people's honey then.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching

« Last post by Terri Yaki on May 19, 2024, 09:34:45 pm »

I have a screened bottom board that I bought and an extra top cover. I got it out there already and when I move the hive, I'll bait that with lemongrass oil.

The trap was a deep with 3 frames of comb and the rest new frames with plastic foundation. The bottom is a medium with empty frames and popsicle sticks glued into the top and painted with wax. It looked like they were working on the popsicle sticks when I looked in there. I was going to move it as it is and leave it as is unless I get info that I should change it.