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Author Topic: I?ve been offered a hive!  (Read 4608 times)

Online Ben Framed

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #20 on: February 10, 2019, 01:45:31 am »
Quote from: LizzieBee on February 10, 2019, 01:12:08 am
My dad would be lighting it for me. I don?t think he trusts me to use it... it?s quite dangerous if it isn?t used properly.

Lizzie

Could be dangerous. Experience is best in my opinion. As I said earlier Don has a good video on this .
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2 Chronicles 7:14
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 LizzieBee

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #21 on: February 11, 2019, 10:59:29 pm »
I just got the hive today! It turns out they are Italian. Fuzzy, yellow-orange golden bees. Two deep ten frame boxes. I have yet to look inside. I?m very curious though. Due to the cold temperatures and today being their first day here I did not look inside. It?s supposed to warm up in about a week so I?ll check then. Apparently the beekeeper never harvested honey or generally did anything with the hive the entire five years he had it. I?m so excited to look inside!

Lizzie
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #22 on: February 11, 2019, 11:02:43 pm »
Quote from: LizzieBee on February 11, 2019, 10:59:29 pm
I just got the hive today! It turns out they are Italian. Fuzzy, yellow-orange golden bees. Two deep ten frame boxes. I have yet to look inside. I?m very curious though. Due to the cold temperatures and today being their first day here I did not look inside. It?s supposed to warm up in about a week so I?ll check then. Apparently the beekeeper never harvested honey or generally did anything with the hive the entire five years he had it. I?m so excited to look inside!

Lizzie

I'm excited for you !!!! Congratulations!!
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2 Chronicles 7:14
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 SiWolKe

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #23 on: February 12, 2019, 02:06:01 am »
Quote from: LizzieBee on February 11, 2019, 10:59:29 pm
Apparently the beekeeper never harvested honey or generally did anything with the hive the entire five years he had it.
Lizzie

That?s quiet interesting to me. Please update!
Congrats too!
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Offline ed/La.

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #24 on: February 12, 2019, 11:30:35 am »
You must be strong to move 2 10 frame deeps.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #25 on: February 12, 2019, 06:17:33 pm »
Quote from: Ben Framed on February 11, 2019, 11:02:43 pm
Quote from: LizzieBee on February 11, 2019, 10:59:29 pm
I just got the hive today! It turns out they are Italian. Fuzzy, yellow-orange golden bees. Two deep ten frame boxes. I have yet to look inside. I?m very curious though. Due to the cold temperatures and today being their first day here I did not look inside. It?s supposed to warm up in about a week so I?ll check then. Apparently the beekeeper never harvested honey or generally did anything with the hive the entire five years he had it. I?m so excited to look inside!

Lizzie

I'm excited for you !!!! Congratulations!!

Lizzie, I watched the following video last night. Steve from Florida is helping a friend who was given a hive. Very interesting to see the "I don't know hardly anything about bees", new bee owner. And very interesting to see the given hive opened, and see what was inside. I hope you enjoy the video.


https://youtu.be/KIJi2v0tOvA
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2 Chronicles 7:14
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.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #26 on: February 13, 2019, 04:27:49 pm »
Liz, Joe May just released a video on how to lite a smoker using a vacuum. You might find it to be interesting and educational. Joe has put out many good videos, along with beginner series, as well as intermediate series videos. Joe is a really nice guy, I have learned a lot from him. He is always happy to help anyway he can. He has never failed to answer any question that I have ask him in the comment section beneath his videos. Even though I have never met him face to face, I feel he is an old friend. His videos make you feel that you are tagging along with him through out his bee yard. 
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2 Chronicles 7:14
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 LizzieBee

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #27 on: February 13, 2019, 04:54:07 pm »
Ed/La,

It was surprisingly very lightweight and I also got help from my dad carrying the hive.

Ben Framed,
I enjoyed the video. I?m so excited to look inside! It?s too cold and also rainy right now. I might be able to check on Sunday. I?m slightly concerned though because the hive appears to be very inactive compared to my hive of carniolans. It could be the weather. It also sounds much quieter than my dad there hive. Also I took a peek yesterday, just took off the telescoping cover and I could see through the inner cover hole that there were no bees in the upper box. I can hear a faint buzzing sound in the lower box. I?ll look up the video of Joe May. Thanks!
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Offline LizzieBee

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #28 on: February 14, 2019, 07:01:20 pm »
I took a peek in the hive today cause it warmed up for a bit. The upper box appears to be foundation less. It looks like the frames are homemade. I only looked at two frames in the middle (which were almost completely full of honey and had a few bees scattered around). I looked at one of the outermost frames, which had nothing on it except a little bit of waxmoth webbing... very few bees in that box. Also, compared to my other hive?s upper box, this hive?s was much lighter. So I?m assuming without looking at all the frames, there isn?t a whole lot of honey.

There was a very thin slightly bluish-green cloth laying across the frames of the lower box. Do you think that was some type of mite treatment? There were a lot of dead ants in it.

Now to the lower box. It looks like there are some plastic frames. Very small cluster only covering two frames. I looked at one frame, the third from the outside, which was empty and slightly moldy. I looked at one of the frames that the cluster was on and it and a beautiful, solid brood pattern. I forgot to look for eggs! Oops! I didn?t see the queen, either, although I don?t know what she looks like. I?m assuming golden cause most of the worker bees are that color.

Any thoughts?

Lizzie
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #29 on: February 14, 2019, 07:26:12 pm »
Quote from: LizzieBee on February 14, 2019, 07:01:20 pm
I took a peek in the hive today cause it warmed up for a bit. The upper box appears to be foundation less. It looks like the frames are homemade. I only looked at two frames in the middle (which were almost completely full of honey and had a few bees scattered around). I looked at one of the outermost frames, which had nothing on it except a little bit of waxmoth webbing... very few bees in that box. Also, compared to my other hive?s upper box, this hive?s was much lighter. So I?m assuming without looking at all the frames, there isn?t a whole lot of honey.

There was a very thin slightly bluish-green cloth laying across the frames of the lower box. Do you think that was some type of mite treatment? There were a lot of dead ants in it.

Now to the lower box. It looks like there are some plastic frames. Very small cluster only covering two frames. I looked at one frame, the third from the outside, which was empty and slightly moldy. I looked at one of the frames that the cluster was on and it and a beautiful, solid brood pattern. I forgot to look for eggs! Oops! I didn?t see the queen, either, although I don?t know what she looks like. I?m assuming golden cause most of the worker bees are that color.

Any thoughts?

Lizzie

Well the brood sounds very encouraging!! I am only going through my first winter so I don't feel experienced enough in offering advise. I am sure that others will chim in soon!! Congratulations! 🍾🎈🎉🎊
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2 Chronicles 7:14
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 CoolBees

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #30 on: February 14, 2019, 07:30:53 pm »
I'm guessing that the cloth is one of Randy Oliver's mite treatment clothes - homemade using OA & glycerin poured onto a shop towel. Just a guess.

Congrats on the hive!

Alan
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #31 on: February 14, 2019, 08:19:28 pm »
Lizzie,
Remove the rag. You are describing a hive that is expanding. That is good. With only 2 frames of bees, during the next warm day, I would take that hive down to one box. Remove the empty frames in the bottom box and replace them with honey frames. If you have pollen frames, leave them next to the brood frames. Then shake the bees from the frames in the super that you are removing. If you are not having freezing nights, freeze the frames for 2 days and then allowed them to warm up in a protected area. It helps to put a fan on them for a day.
Jim
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Offline LizzieBee

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #32 on: February 14, 2019, 09:04:11 pm »
The cloth (which I removed) is kinda like a dryer sheet that you?d put in a laundry dryer.

Sawdstmakr,
I?m glad to hear it! I thought maybe they weren?t doing to well but I guess once all those bees hatch they can go to work and clean up and fill the frames. I think I might be able to open it up on Monday and move things around. Is freezing the frames for killing the mold?

Thank you!

Lizzie
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #33 on: February 14, 2019, 09:07:15 pm »
Lizzie,
Freezing the frames kills all wax mothsand SHB, And their eggs.
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Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline LizzieBee

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #34 on: February 14, 2019, 09:29:57 pm »
Oh ok. Will do. Thanks!

Lizzie
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Offline LizzieBee

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #35 on: February 18, 2019, 09:29:53 pm »
I got a thorough look in the hive! Firstly, I?m so glad to say that I saw the queen! She looks a bit smaller than my carniolan in my other hive. The laying pattern on the frames looks really good, very solid. 7 out of 10 frames in the lower box were totally empty and some had lots of wax moth webbing. Also, I believe the frames that used to have pollen in them are now incredibly moldy - white fuzziness over those cells. I saw very little pollen just in general. A little bit of fresh pollen around the brood nest. So the other three frames in the box have brood.

I switched around the frames so now the hive is just one box with the brood in the middle, and as much honey as I could fit around it. So basically the frames with the most honey got put back in the hive. I haven?t seen a single mite on the bottom board tray.  :happy:

Lizzie

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Offline iddee

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Re: I?ve been offered a hive!
« Reply #36 on: February 18, 2019, 09:38:01 pm »
Good news...
The mold on the pollen will be cleaned by the bees and the pollen used, Keep the brood frames together, then the honey frames, then the  pollen frames outside that. Your spring is close enough that you should have a good hive by mid April. Feed a bit if needed.

CONGRATS
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"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*
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