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Offline Acebird

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My bees are gone
« on: May 31, 2018, 09:09:13 am »
I put an ad up on FB Marketplace and boy was that a storm.  First time I used it and didn't know what I was doing.
Anyway a local guy came down and took both queen right hives.  I knew they had become a little testy but when they started slamming boxes around they were in for a treat.  I stayed back but when the guy was almost finished he walked up to me with bees circling his veil.  Of course I got tagged right above the eyebrow.  Trying to make an escape I fell down and cut my head.  I got up and kept retreating with bees in pursuit.
I really can't see me having bees anymore.  I am not one that can deal with raising bees in an AHB area in southern FL.  Then there is the problem of keeping animals in general.  They tie you down.  My plan is to escape to the north in the summer (not quite a snow bird).  I don't think leaving hives unattended in the summer is the right thing to do.  Even if it wasn't a AHB area.
I am going to count up and collect what equipment is left and try FB again.
Don't feel bad for me.  I had a lot of fun with bees.  I don't regret it one minute.  I just don't see keeping them in my future.
Brian Cardinal
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Online gww

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2018, 09:41:32 am »
Ace
You are correct about animals tying a person down.  For me that is enjoying being a hermit, the chickens are the greatest excuse ever to leave the party at dark.  Good that you sold the hives and bad that you fell and cut your head.  Have a good life in the sunshine state.
Cheers
gww

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2018, 09:50:19 am »
I know plenty of people with nice bees in Florida.  It may take a bit more attention to requeening now and again.
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Offline Acebird

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2018, 10:11:55 am »
It may take a bit more attention to requeening now and again.

I am sure I could purchase queens every year and keep the hives calm.  As much as I have not intervened in my hives I do not feel comfortable both in my heart and liability wise to just walk away from the hives in the summer.  If I team up with a local that can watch the hives while I am gone my decision could change.  Nothing is cast in concrete.  Initially, where we are going to live it isn't even an option.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Acebird

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2018, 10:17:53 am »
the chickens are the greatest excuse ever to leave the party at dark.
Chickens are about as easy as cats to take care of.  I made a coop door that closes at dusk and opens at dawn.  The dogs were another story.
My closest relative is an hr and a half away.  I didn't get to see them much and always had to leave the get together early because of the dogs.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Beeboy01

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2018, 10:34:22 am »
Ace, you could get hooked up with a bee club after you move and I'm sure somebody in the club would babysit your bees while you are gone. Just a thought, there are a lot of bee clubs here in Florida and the AHB thing really isn't that big a deal once you recognize it and know how to deal with it.
  When I moved down from Pennsylvania I brought my two hives. Beekeeping is easier in most ways here in Florida once I got the hang of it.  If you get the itch you could always start over.  Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

Offline Acebird

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2018, 11:00:03 am »
It is more of a thing below interstate 4.  We will see.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Beeboy01

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2018, 11:11:21 am »
I'm below I-4 and some swarms in my area have been tested at 80% AHB. It's manageable with a little pro-active bee keeping.

Offline iddee

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2018, 11:13:12 am »
For the first year, until you become acclimated.
I got rid of all my bees, giving the last ones to a local dealer. I now go to his place when I want to tinker with bees, or when he needs my help. I can do mostly as I want. Work the bees for an hour, or all day. If I want a jar of honey, I get it. If I want to take a hive home for a day or a month, I do. It relieves me of all responsibility, but gives me free access to the hives whenever I want.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2018, 05:29:00 pm »
Ace, when are you moving south? Be sure to stop in on your way. Let me know in advance so my wife can plan the meal, lunch or dinner.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline Acebird

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2018, 05:33:56 pm »
The schedule  is up to my wife and she is saying around Nov 1,2018.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2018, 05:38:42 pm »
Sounds good. Let me know. Do you have my number?
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline Acebird

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2018, 05:40:07 pm »
Sounds good. Let me know. Do you have my number?
Jim
yes.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline beepro

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2018, 03:07:52 pm »
Ace, in the future do you plan to keep bees again when you find the gentle type bees to keep?
And are you selling all of your bee equipment now?

Offline bwallace23350

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2018, 04:27:54 pm »
How do you tell if your bees are being taken over by AHB and how do you know if a swarm is AHB?

Offline beepro

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #15 on: June 02, 2018, 08:09:03 pm »
For a swarm after you hived them and the inspection is full of
aggressive bees compare to your gentle hives then you will know.  It is
really hard to tell by looking at the bees to say that they are AHB.  Only by
genetic testing that they can assess what percent they got the AHB in each hive.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #16 on: June 02, 2018, 09:04:30 pm »
In AHB territory, if you keep your queens marked, you can check to see if they have been replaced and then if so, replace them again with a known queen.
The Florida Best Methods And Practices calls for replacing the queens on a regular basis.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #17 on: June 02, 2018, 09:28:28 pm »
@Ace
Wow Ace, I have gotten use to having you on the forum and reading your comments. Even though you don't plan on keeping bees, will you remain a member on our forum? Would hate to see you go!! Thanks, Phillip Hall "Ben Framed"
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14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Acebird

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #18 on: June 03, 2018, 09:28:03 pm »
Ace, in the future do you plan to keep bees again when you find the gentle type bees to keep?
And are you selling all of your bee equipment now?
Yes, most of the equipment is for sail.  Whether I take up beekeeping in FL will depend on quite a few things.  Location, my ability to keep bees in a southern state and whether I can find a partner that wants to work with me.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Acebird

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Re: My bees are gone
« Reply #19 on: June 03, 2018, 09:38:41 pm »
Even though you don't plan on keeping bees, will you remain a member on our forum?

I don't plan on quitting the forum.  I am going to have to learn all over again to be successful in FL with bees.  I am going to have to pay more attention to the posts from the south and less from the north.  Back to being a newbie you might say.  I wasn't much more than that to begin with.
Brian Cardinal
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