Author Topic: What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today? (Read 186164 times)

Ben Framed · « **Reply #40 on:** January 11, 2022, 12:23:49 pm »

Lesgold

Quote

Just finished extracting a few boxes of honey. Pretty warm in a bee suit and extracting in the shed. The humidity was the killer. 3 changes of clothes and plenty of water helps.

Les we have a screened in porch area of our home that has three sides surrounded in screen which makes the room almost bee proof. This screened in room has proved to be a great asset for not only relaxation and entertainment, but honey extraction as well. This is where I do my extracting. However some bees do get in, mostly from inside the boxes of honey which are carried into this room. A few from the opening of doors as I come and go during extraction time. This can sometimes total into several dozen bees flying freely.

In my experience I have learned they will not sting during extraction (unless mashed) and that doesn't happen because all they seem to want, 'is out', so they are usually bumping the screens attempting to get out. While at the same time, outside 'free bees' are trying to get in those same screens. I also incorporate a couple fans in this set up for comfort which makes a great difference in comfortable extraction work. I really do not like to see the bees just buzzing around, trying to find their way out, as this will eventually lead to a certain death for them 'in time'. Even with the doors open, and a 'your free to go' after extraction, they concentrate their attention of the outside world an bump the screens, most never find the open doors. So; in that case, I use my bee vac to gather them and take them out for release. This is sick, easy, and effective.

With this method I have found no need for the bee suit during extraction. I hope this small bit of information helps you.

Phillip

Ben Framed · « **Reply #41 on:** January 11, 2022, 12:34:19 pm »

Pete, welcome to the world of beekeeping! Yes we will take those stings for sure. At least you did not have an allergic reaction. Thumbs up! Keep us updated!

Thanks,

Phillip

Lesgold · « **Reply #42 on:** January 11, 2022, 03:31:06 pm »

Poorly written Oldbeavo is my answer. Sometimes my brain thinks it knows what it wants to say but when it is actually typed on a screen, it doesn?t make any sense. It was still hot in the shed extracting in shorts and a tee shirt. The worst part was working the bees in the suit. These days I only pull 4 boxes of honey off at a time. Run 36 frames through the extractor (12 frame radial) and the job is basically done. Press the cappings, soak the strainers and I?m ready to go down to a cafe for a coffee. Repeat this every day until I?m finished. This retirement thing is a hard life.

Pittwater Pete · « **Reply #43 on:** January 11, 2022, 09:55:26 pm »

Quote from: Ben Framed on January 11, 2022, 12:34:19 pm

Pete, welcome to the world of beekeeping! Yes we will take those stings for sure. At least you did not have an allergic reaction. Thumbs up! Keep us updated!

Thanks,

Phillip

Ha, the update is that I woke up this morning and had two stings in my armpit and it was swollen.
Glad I got my first bee stings out of the way.
Next time I?ll do it right.

Pete.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #44 on:** January 12, 2022, 05:25:55 am »

Pete,
It is a good thing that you did swell up a little on your first stings. I was going to warn you that if you did not reach to the stings, the next time you could have a severe reaction.
By the way, bee stings actually help you. When I don?t get stung for a long time, I start having joint problems.
Jim Altmiller

Pittwater Pete · « **Reply #45 on:** January 12, 2022, 06:16:24 am »

I hope the stings help my hip pain a bit. Then I?ll want to get stung every week.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #46 on:** January 12, 2022, 08:38:27 am »

One of the reasons that I started beekeeping was shoulder pain in my left arm. I had had problems with it for years. Within 6 months it was gone. My second year I was very good at inspecting my two hives without getting stung. By winter, my right shoulder was hurting. The following year I had twelve hives and didn?t have any problems for many years. Now I usually start having problems, usually by late winter, when I don?t get stung for about 4 months.
Stings really do help. I know of two women that get stung every other day to stay functional. One is bed ridden, severe fiber myalgia, after not being stung for a week. She has been using bees for over 30 years. The other woman had stage four cancer and was allergic to bees and started beekeeping as a suicide attempt and they he saved her life. That was about fifteen years ago. She now teaches apitherapy.
Jim Altmiller

NigelP · « **Reply #47 on:** January 12, 2022, 01:24:56 pm »

Being stung by bees over many years has not prevented me from developing osteoarthritis in a few finger joints.
Science suggests bee stings may help prevent it developing further.
They are not a miracle cure.

Brian MCquilkin · « **Reply #48 on:** January 12, 2022, 07:58:07 pm »

Popped the lids on some colonies and put on some emergency feed 'Mountain Camp sugar".

The15thMember · « **Reply #49 on:** January 12, 2022, 08:09:47 pm »

I looked at everyone's bottom board inserts and peeked in to see which hives had eaten the emergency sugar balls I gave them. All the hives had eaten one ball and had one left. Well actually, I think the one hive wasn't eating it, just dumping the sugar out front. We could get accumulating snow this weekend, so I wanted to make sure everyone looked okay before they were snowed under.

Lesgold · « **Reply #50 on:** January 12, 2022, 08:21:55 pm »

Pulled honey off the last of my hives an hour ago. Will extract after lunch and then the messy cleanup begins. Another 4 weeks or so and ground hog day comes around again.

TheHoneyPump · « **Reply #51 on:** January 17, 2022, 01:54:05 am »

Doing in my beeyards today? A weather system swing came through over past 3-5 days. These winter swings in this area are caused by - chinook winds.
Temperature has been in -35 deg Celsius range since november. After a 24-30 hour swing it was a warm +5 deg Celsius.
The bees have been confined by the bitter cold temperatures since early November. Today I walked about and observed scattered plastering of bee poop in snow across the yards. As they were able to get out to vent and get some basic housecleaning done. This gave me a sense of how they have been coping with the cold winter .. thus far. Only 4 more months to go.
+2 degC today and falling. Chinook is done, temperature is dropping and the forecast trending to -26 degC by tomorrow night.
Fun times.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #52 on:** January 17, 2022, 10:07:01 am »

Goodness that?s cold. Mr HoneyPump, their has been a good bit of talk lately about hive bodies built from insulated materials. You, living and keeping bees in an extreme winter climate, will be the man to ask. Do you see a need for these new type insulated hives? Have you tried them? If so, have you noticed a substantial advantage in using them, (in relation to your weather)?

Thanks,

Phillip

TheHoneyPump · « **Reply #53 on:** January 17, 2022, 11:01:13 am »

I do have a few Lyson 6F boxes. They are OK. There are some local hobbyists who have 10F poly hives and they like them. The bees definitely have an easier time maintaining their climate inside, year-round, and do well in them.
For me, there is no substitute for the strength and durability of wood. Which is important when handling, moving, stacking with machinery (trucks, fork truck, and lifts). , and bears. Drop a poly box of bees and honey it chatters, blows apart, not salvageable, complete loss. Drop a wood box and can just pickup, restack, add a nail or screw and carry on. Bears rip into and destroy the poly effortlessly. Wood, they have to really work at it and usually resort to tipping the hive and rolling the boxes around until the frames fall out. Wood boxes survive bears and people. Poly do not.

Oldbeavo · « **Reply #54 on:** January 17, 2022, 05:33:17 pm »

There is a Chinese company making an insulated plastic hive, basically a plastic outside with insulation in the cavity
They have an outlet/ factory in Australia.
We are at present trialing a smart base that sends hive weight to your phone. Also has motion detector that send an alarm if the hive is moved.

https://claytonplastics.com.au/product-category/bee-hives/

They are pretty reasonably priced.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #55 on:** January 17, 2022, 09:59:12 pm »

Thanks Mr HonePump. From a far Northern location and your first hand experiance, it is good to know the hardy wood box is still a good way to go.

Phillip

Thanks for your input as well Oldbeavo.

Lesgold · « **Reply #56 on:** January 17, 2022, 10:25:44 pm »

HoneyPump you do get some cold weather up there. I can?t even comprehend those sorts of temperatures. I?m amazed that you can even keep bees in that sort of climate. Your season must be short and very productive. I?d be interested in hearing about it. How long is your season and what?s the average return (in weight) from a hive in your location? I reckon the girls must go really hard when the opportunity arises. In fact it could be an interesting discussion thread. We have beekeepers from all over the world with each area having its own specific seasons, nectar bearing plants etc. It would be really interesting to hear how others run their operations (from the hobby beekeeper with one hive right through to the big boys with thousands of hives).

TheHoneyPump · « **Reply #57 on:** January 18, 2022, 11:57:24 am »

I will let Ben / Jim contemplate how to best structure such a thread. I could address questions and info then. Summary here would be, short very intense growing season, 200-340 lbs (90-250 Kg) of honey per hive.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #58 on:** January 18, 2022, 03:23:32 pm »

Thanks Lesgold and TheHoneyPump. Checkout the new topic
Beekeeping in Your Area Per your request.

Phillip

Lesgold · « **Reply #59 on:** February 12, 2022, 05:17:29 pm »

Back into the bees again. Frames are full of capped honey and ready to be taken off. I?ll be extracting in a couple of hours.