Recent Posts

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

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 11:00:35 am »

I was just giving the upfront and honest answer.  I don't anticipate honey this year so if I get any to steal, I'll feel lucky. If I do, I won't be selling any and I made sugar water as a kid so I'd probably like sugar honey just the same. Is there much of a difference in taste between sugar honey and nectar honey?

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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 10:14:29 am »

lol I didn?t meant the question in a way that you do not know better.    You are learning and learning fast for which I commend you!
I have also been told the bees will use it to make comb. I am asking for the consideration of honey itself in case you are planning on pulling honey this year. From what I?ve been told the bees will use excess sugar water to make adulterated honey, (which is not honey at all) according to the discussions which were going on here when I first started.
Several members were really adamant about the difference and frowned on sugar water honey verses natural nectar honey which is understandable. .

Phillip

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

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 09:23:23 am »

My swarm colony seems to be a lazy lot. They're early to bed and late to rise.

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

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 09:20:54 am »

Terri I watched your vid. I have a question, why are you continuing to feed? They seem to be well established and your flow is on?

Phillip

Because I don't know any better. Also, I heard from several different people to feed as long as they keep taking it, as they prefer natural over sugar water and will stop taking it when there is enough of a natural flow. Somehow I got in my mind that they used it to build comb but I can't pinpoint where I got that Idea. Those jars are about empty and will be empty today and will not get refilled.

Thanks for reviewing my video, I appreciate the input.

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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 09:08:36 am »

Terri I watched your vid. I have a question, why are you continuing to feed? They seem to be well established and your flow is on?

Phillip

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: splits

« Last post by Ben Framed on Today at 09:03:55 am »

I agree with Jim. I have reached the opinion that when we see pollen coming in, we have an established colony. (for obvious reasons).

Phillip

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

« Last post by BeeMaster2 on Today at 08:50:48 am »

Bees are still buzzing on the Chinese Tallow.
The commercial beekeepers around me have pulled their suppers off the hives. That means they think the gallberry and palmetto are done. This is the second year that our flow has ended a month early.
Jim Altmiller

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: splits

« Last post by BeeMaster2 on Today at 08:46:07 am »

Terri,
I also watch for pollen coming into a swarm hive. My last swarm took over a week before they started bringing in pollen. That was probably because the queen was a virgin from a secondary swarm and they waited until they had wet larvae before calling for pollen.
Jim Altmiller

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: splits

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 06:49:11 am »

With both splits and swarms the easiest check is a visual one from outside the hive. When you think that the queen could or should laying, just watch for pollen coming in. If the bees are bringing in heaps in the mid morning on a sunny day, there is a good chance that there is young larvae present that need to be fed. It?s not 100% accurate but it is a good indicator that the hive is progressing. I would check the hive after seeing that. The bees always seem happy and busy when the hive is travelling well.

Thanks. They started bringing pollen in the day after they moved in and they're still bringing some in but not much. I don't know what for pollen should be in right now but mostly, it's been orange tulip poplar but now I'm seeing a whiteish green in lower quantities. Our cars are all covered with pollen but I don't know where it's from or if it's even anything they can use. The only thing we have here that I can think of is the arborvitae and I don't know if that's a pollen that they can use.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: splits

« Last post by max2 on Today at 04:14:49 am »

Do y'all check for queen cells after a split of do you prefer waiting and checking for eggs?

Usually I let the bees just do their thing and check back when there should be a queen laying.

Just split a hive last week for the first time. Was thinking I should just wait about 4 weeks then check for eggs. Then intervene if needed

4 weeks or a month ( in my case) has worked for me well.
I used to open the nuc's after 8 days to check for queen cells.
I don't do this anymore.
A month and open, check for the brood pattern ( generally only eggs at this point) and move/sell.

The advantage of checking after 8 days is that you can move extra cells into any nuc which has no q cells.

I do 8 to 12 nuc's only at a time