Recent Posts

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RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH / Re: I Have Too Many Bees

« Last post by Michael Bush on Today at 05:26:55 am »

> I just have too many bees

Impossible.  That's a contradiction in terms. 

If they are too tall, you can harvest, or you can split them.  You'll get more honey if you don't split them and apparently you don't want to anyway.  So it seems you'd be better off harvesting.

There is also the option of a ladder... but it comes with it's own set of problems.  Basically you have to lift the full super over you head to walk down the ladder with it.

Another thing is move to a top entrance and make your stand just 3-1/2" tall.  That's what I do.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Orientation Flights

« Last post by Michael Bush on Today at 05:21:35 am »

>.How often will there be orientation flights?

Every nice afternoon.

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FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE / Re: Laser projects

« Last post by Ben Framed on Today at 02:04:42 am »

I'm impressed Jim!!!

Phillip

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

« Last post by Ben Framed on Today at 02:03:41 am »

Good luck gww!

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FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE / Re: Laser projects

« Last post by Lesgold on Today at 02:02:49 am »

Well done Jim. You are up and racing.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today?

« Last post by Ben Framed on Today at 02:01:12 am »

Good job Reagan!

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RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH / I Have Too Many Bees

« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 12:19:46 am »

Well, the hour is upon me.  In my sixth spring I've finally reached the point where I just have too many bees and am not sure what to do about it.  As I mentioned on some other threads, the blackberry flow finally kicked in after a nectar-less early spring, and I went from 3-4 box hives to 6 box hives today.  Several things are different this spring that brought this to a head.  Firstly, I've reached the number of hives that I want, which is 10, so I don't really want to split any more colonies for increase, which is what I've done at this stage (or actually before it) in past years.  Secondly, I came into this season with a prodigious amount of drawn comb, about a third of which had some honey and pollen in it, which meant that even though my early spring flow was very weak, the colonies were able to grow pretty rapidly because I was able to give them drawn comb and emergency stores, and the ones that came out of winter strong actually built up faster than normal. 

My problem mostly lies in the fact that I use 8-frame mediums, so I have to add boxes rapidly, and at 6 boxes the hives are basically as tall as I can manage.  I'm 5' 7" and at 7 boxes tall the top box would be above eye height for me.  But at the rate the bees are bringing in nectar, they are going to need more room before the blackberry flow is over. 

I can't split and keep all the colonies I'd create, I don't have the space or desire for more.  If the colonies swarm the same applies, I can't/don't want to catch and keep all the swarms, but letting them fly off just feels like a waste.  I can prevent them from swarming by continuing to open the brood nest, but if I do so, the hives will get too high for me to work.  And I'd like to keep them from swarming because they'll put up a ton of honey, but the way things are stacking up (pun intended), I also can't add more supers or the hives will be too tall.  What should I do?     

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Follow the Bloom - 2024

« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 12:02:12 am »

The blackberries have opened and IT IS ON!  Everyone, even the little hives, are drawing now, and I've got several hives with filled supers already.  I can't even believe how quickly this turned around on me. 

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today?

« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 12:00:15 am »

The swarm finally had BIAS and a mated queen today!  Another Snow White daughter, christened Queen Ariel.  The flow has hit, and I can't believe how tall some of my hives are already.  I gave three hives two new boxes at once today, something I rarely do.  Having drawn comb laying around has made all the difference this spring, even with the early flow not coming in.   

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Orientation Flights

« Last post by The15thMember on May 07, 2024, 11:55:59 pm »

If she lays them every day, then I would expect bees to be in every stage of their life every day and orientation flights would take place every day.

This is how I would characterize the situation.  Orientation flights for my bees are almost always an afternoon affair, maybe from like 2:30-5:00, every day, as long as they haven't had a brood break, the weather is good, and it's flying season.  Bees who are orienting will be hovering in front of the hive just studying it or flying in ever-widening circles around the hive. 

Except research suggests that they only take them weather permitting. I had a cloudy afternoon here but they held an orientation class just the same.

Weather permitting means "as long as it's not raining or below 60 degrees".  Clouds are no problem for bees.  With their ultraviolet vision, they can see the polarized light of the sun through the clouds, so they can basically see the sun's location unless the cloud cover is exceedingly dense.  And that would basically only be when it's raining and they can't go out anyway.