New Here - New to Beekeeping

[TheApostle]

As far as mites go, I don't know if they are prevalent here in western Washington or not.

 
          I presume that you are close to Pullman.  I am about 4 hours south of you in the Snake River Valley.  You will have mites sooner or later.  So, keep a watch for them in any way you want.  Then, deal with them however you want.  But, be sure that you do deal with them! 
  jimmy

x2.  Don't make the mistake of assuming that you don't have mites, it's unrealistic.  Have a plan in place to sample for them so you can keep an eye on your mite numbers, and start thinking about what strategy you would like to take to handle them.  For the overwhelming majority of beekeepers in this era, being a beekeeper means being a mite keeper.

Yikes. I better do more research and have options if it happens. I checked out a thread yesterday about them, it was titled 'is this a mite?" or something like that. Well with my sweet eyes ha ha, I couldn't see a thing. A poster then added a pic with the mites circled and then still I could barely see the differences.

Yeah, I am about 6 hours west of Pullman, on the Kitsap Peninsula, right in between the Olympic Mountains and the Cascades. There is an enormous difference between those climates (meaning Pullman and me, the Snake River Valley might be similar since you are coming off the Rockies), almost a rain forest where I'm at. I am hoping the weather and wetness here helps me out in that way. But yes, it seems like I need to do some more reading on stuff that could come up.

[Ben Framed]

Since you are new to beekeeping and not yet informed of mites  and problems associated with them. I will ask Mr HP or Member to display the wonderful talk that HoneyPump did here for Member a couple years ago regarding mites. Outstanding paper. Also there is a video by Dr Samuel Ramsey that discusses mites in particular that you will gain much needed information. I will try and find that for you.

[Ben Framed]

Since you are new to beekeeping and not yet informed of mites  and problems associated with them. I will ask Mr HP or Member to display the wonderful talk that HoneyPump did here for Member a couple years ago regarding mites. Outstanding paper. Also there is a video by Dr Samuel Ramsey that discusses mites in particular that you will gain much needed information. I will try and find that for you.

Here you go..

https://youtu.be/DK2Xi0ST4rA

[The15thMember]

Since you are new to beekeeping and not yet informed of mites  and problems associated with them. I will ask Mr HP or Member to display the wonderful talk that HoneyPump did here for Member a couple years ago regarding mites. Outstanding paper. Also there is a video by Dr Samuel Ramsey that discusses mites in particular that you will gain much needed information. I will try and find that for you.

Good idea, Phillip.  I'll see if I can figure out how to post that. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NvP-olm7vwMxPVH-Oi1CNHH70Wq913ym/view?usp=sharing
Someone let me know if the link is not working.

Yeah, I am about 6 hours west of Pullman, on the Kitsap Peninsula, right in between the Olympic Mountains and the Cascades. There is an enormous difference between those climates (meaning Pullman and me, the Snake River Valley might be similar since you are coming off the Rockies), almost a rain forest where I'm at. I am hoping the weather and wetness here helps me out in that way. But yes, it seems like I need to do some more reading on stuff that could come up.

We were having a sort of hypothetical conversation on another thread about moisture and its effect on pests in conjunction with ventilation, but I don't think any real link between them has been demonstrated.  My climate is similar to yours, a temperate rainforest.  I think the technical term is "mold city".    I have the same mite problems as anyone, as the slideshow demonstrates. 

[Ben Framed]

Good Job Member! The link came up when I went to it. This is a classic. Mr HoneyPump did and outstanding job on this. I am going to re-study as a refresher course. Thanks to both of you.

[TheApostle]

Thank you for the article. Makes me realize how little I know. I don't even know what I'm looking at/for in some of the pictures.

And I will have to watch the video later when I have some spare time.

[Ben Framed]

We were having a sort of hypothetical conversation on another thread about moisture and its effect on pests in conjunction with ventilation, but I don't think any real link between them has been demonstrated.  My climate is similar to yours, a temperate rainforest.  I think the technical term is "mold city".    I have the same mite problems as anyone, as the slideshow demonstrates.

Ha Ha I think you are referring to the Topic I started about Pest and cold weather effects? If so,. After the good comments here on the forum and added information, I wrote that theory off to bunkum.     lol

[jimineycricket]

I was thinking Eastern Washington. My bad!
check out https://www.honeybeesuite.com/ when you get some time.  Rusty is in Western Washington.
 

[The15thMember]

Ha Ha I think you are referring to the Topic I started about Pest and cold weather effects? If so,. After the good comments here on the forum and added information, I wrote that theory off to bunkum.     lol

  Hey, I'm all for speculation.  Nobody discovers anything by just accepting what the books say as good enough.  Just probably not a good frame of mind to be in your first year.    But heck, Phillip, you've done so much in your 3 years with that mentality, who am I to question it.   

Thank you for the article. Makes me realize how little I know. I don't even know what I'm looking at/for in some of the pictures.

Please don't take this the wrong way, Apostle, but I'm glad to hear you say that.  The moment a beekeeper thinks they know it all is the point at which they become a bad beekeeper.  With your frame of mind, you'll be good to go.  The people who succeed at this are those who are ready to learn and never stop, even if it's sometimes learning the hard way.   

I was thinking Eastern Washington. My bad!
check out https://www.honeybeesuite.com/ when you get some time.  Rusty is in Western Washington.
 

Yes, yes, yes!  Basically everything I learned about beekeeping I learned either from Rusty or from here.  Honey Bee Suite is my favorite bee website, other than Beemaster of course. 

[Ben Framed]

Ha Ha I think you are referring to the Topic I started about Pest and cold weather effects? If so,. After the good comments here on the forum and added information, I wrote that theory off to bunkum.     lol

  Hey, I'm all for speculation.  Nobody discovers anything by just accepting what the books say as good enough.  Just probably not a good frame of mind to be in your first year.    But heck, Phillip, you've done so much in your 3 years with that mentality, who am I to question it.   

Thanks Member, One thing you and I have in common beside asking questions, we also think out of the box.    lol. I have really enjoyed my adventures here at beemaster along with all the people who have helped in my (schooling). Let the adventures continue!

[van from Arkansas]

Mr. Apostle:  pic for you of bottom board with dead mites.




For size, the photo is about 2.5 inches square, mites are about 1/16 inch.
Study the pic.  The white stuff is diatomaceous earth on a plastic screened bottom board.  The lil red dead creatures, kinda elliptic, are varroa destructor, hundreds I might add.  This non hygenic typical Italian honeybee hive was treated and the results are pictured.  Note the mites. 

[van from Arkansas]

Honey bee killer, European hornet.


Note the size of the stinger of the European hornet compared to a honey bee.  Hopefully your area does not have the Hornets, just ask locals.

Cheers

[The15thMember]

Honey bee killer, European hornet.


Note the size of the stinger of the European hornet compared to a honey bee.  Hopefully your area does not have the Hornets, just ask locals.

Cheers

That is such an impressive photo, Van. 

Just to get on the front end of a potential question, this is not a "murder hornet".  European hornets are a nuisance, but they don't decimate healthy hives like Asian Giant Hornets can.  Although they aren't the threat to people the press makes them out to be, the Asian Giant Hornet issue in the Pacific Northwest may be something for you to keep an eye on, Apostle. 

https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=53589.0

[Ben Framed]

I would not want to be stung by one of those Mr Van!!   

[TheApostle]

Holy cow! Nice terrifying me with the graphic pictures! I was picturing a humming, thriving colony of happy bees, pollinating flowers, making honey. Not battling mites or hornets with syringe size stingers. As I was reading through, I decided that rather than overloading myself with information, I would break it up into sections - getting set up, which is where I'm at now, then say hiving the colony which I now see presents conflicting accounts on how to actually do it (i.e. leave frames out vs. don't leave frames out, hang the queen vs. don't hang the queen), and then I was going to progress into checking the state of your hive like activity and health. I guess I better get into the health section sooner than later.

Thank you everyone for all of the help and replies. Sorry that I haven't been on in a week or two, with what is going on in the world we've been working crazy schedules. I'll be reading up on the health stuff during my commutes this week!

[The15thMember]

Holy cow! Nice terrifying me with the graphic pictures! I was picturing a humming, thriving colony of happy bees, pollinating flowers, making honey. Not battling mites or hornets with syringe size stingers.

It's only fair we let you know what you are REALLY in for.  Being a beekeeper isn't at all like those Flow Hive commercials.   

As I was reading through, I decided that rather than overloading myself with information, I would break it up into sections - getting set up, which is where I'm at now, then say hiving the colony which I now see presents conflicting accounts on how to actually do it (i.e. leave frames out vs. don't leave frames out, hang the queen vs. don't hang the queen), and then I was going to progress into checking the state of your hive like activity and health. I guess I better get into the health section sooner than later.

   
I had a piano teacher who used to say "Slow it down and break it down".  I think that applies to a lot of things, and beekeeping is one of them.  The best piece of advice I ever got during the research phase was to really focus on learning about bees, and not so much about beekeeping.  Everyone will keep bees differently, there are as many styles of beekeeping as there are people.  Don't labor over the minutiae too much (like frames in or frames out when hiving a colony), everyone will have their own opinions, just try to find out the options and do what you think will be most comfortable for you.  And when issues come up, you can ask questions about those things then.  But if you learn about bees and how they order their lives and how a colony works, it will be a lot easier to recognize things you can/should do and why things are happening the way there are.                   

[JojoBeeBoy]

Wow. Everyone is so friendly here! I belong to only one other forum and it is cutthroat. The difference is night and day. I appreciate the willingness to help and I?m sure I?ll have a ton more questions.

I've rarely met a group of people more willing to help in general than beeks. And some great answers on here.

[Nock]

Welcome. Nice looking hive stand.

[beesonhay465]

++on the hive stand .if your hive is not high enough the skunks will raid it and you will have mean bees.you may want to feed your new livestock . feed inside the hive and watch out for robbing.