Bad decisions in beekeeping. ...

[CoolBees]

So, I'm sitting, sucking on some fresh homemade Venison Jerky (it's outstanding), nursing some Barley water (with Hops added), contemplating the days events. And it strikes me that:

Moving a complete hive from a 5dx5mx5m Nuc over to an 8 frame body ... has now made my list of "bad decisions in beekeeping".

It was a good idea - I swear ... at the time ...

So here's the long version. Originally I started with 10 frame deeps with foundation, provided by a friend. Last year I decided that some really smart people (Mr. Bush) made some really good points, based on a lot of studies and experience. So I decided to transition to 8 frame medium equipment, while things were still small, and my back is still strong. .... transition via 5 frame nucs ....

It went like this: take deep frames from original hive and place in deep 5 frame Nuc to raise a queen. That worked - queen right in May 2018. Then, add medium 5 frame supers 2x. That worked also. ... then, under-super 5 frame mediums until the Deep box has been move up and could be harvested. ... that's where things went wrong. Or "right" - depends on how you look at it.

Right after Christmas, one of my hives named H3 was doing fine - 5 med over 5 deep half full. Brood nest check then showed comb building going on and lots of brood, with nectar coming in. I added another 5 med Jan 1. They kept growing - too fast. So ... today I decided to skip a step and move them over to 8 frame equipment - 2 med over a deep - frame by frame. The hive was packed. All comb drawn, and lot of drones being raised as well. They didn't think the move was funny. Neither did I.

I think I only got stung twice. I learned a lot - like, when you take a box off, don't set it on the stand nearby, ... place a bottom board under it first. Then you don't end up with balls of bees on the ground - that you step on accidentally - and they crawl up your legs - under your pants - and they're not happy.

I also learned a new definition of S.L.O.W.

I think next time I'll transition them BEFORE THEY EXPLODE - maybe in December. Duh.

Better yet - I think I'll just skip the Nucs and raise queens in 8 frame equipment. Duh x2.

Note 1: H3 queen is fine.

Note 2: H4 (also a 5x5x5 Nuc) is not quite as strong yet, and transitioned much faster and with no fuss. ... but I'm pretty sure I was still shaking by the time I got to H4.

Note 3: I had no idea hives could grow that fast, and have that little sense of humor. Hmmm .... so this is what healthy bees act like ...

Cheers, and enjoy!
Alan

[Ben Framed]

Interesting Alan, thanks for posting.
Phillip

[blackforest beekeeper]

Handling bees... yeah, not just the theories.

I had to learn it without a mentor. took me a while. keep on! have fun.

[Acebird]

You live in northern CA and you are doing this today???
I am confused by your statement they exploded.  They went from 5f deep to two more 5f mediums in a season?
If you want to transition deep to medium then put the nuc in an 8 or 10 frame deep and fill in the rest with medium frames on the outside.  You can block the bottom 3 in. space to prevent cross comb.  Next year just pull out the bottom deep box in the spring when the bees are up top.  The bees will barely know what you are doing and you don't wreck their house.

[CoolBees]

Handling bees... yeah, not just the theories.

I had to learn it without a mentor. took me a while. keep on! have fun.

You made me smile Blackforest. That's pretty much how I'm doing it. ... but I've got 1,000 mentors here ... and about that many questions too ... :)

[blackforest beekeeper]

but actually HANDLING them. shaking off combs, stomping the box on the rim or on the ground, moving them, .... all the little manipulations. sometimes nice to see a used beek doing things. learn a lot. I got my bees from a friend 200 km away. so I asked my neighbour if he would show me things. well, he didn?t. he`s a weirdo in some respects, esp. with his bees, I learned after living 10 years beside him now. o well.
so every little manipulations i learned myself, or not, and later out of videos on youtube.

things I experienced:
once I dumped a frame full of bees over my sandals....just waited till they had all crawled away again.
swapped bottom boards without smoke
drowned thousands of bees cause I believed a message in the net
trampled ten thousands of bees in the years till I finally managed to dump them in a spot I wouldnt have to walk later...still happens.
once harvested a swarm - dumped half the bees in the carton underneath, the other half on my pants. well, I only noticed on walking away..... (ouch)
and hundreds of bees in pants....

hauling 50 hives which were not closed out of a truck in bright daylight without a suit.............

[CoolBees]

Once again Blackforest, you have me smiling. I don't mind learning, and troubles are part of that process. .... but I hope my problems are less than what you've been thru. :) ... I've still got a lot to learn! :) Thank you for sharing! ... I feel better now
.. :)

[van from Arkansas]

{This is, sorta, a copy of a previous text on Beemaster that I taught was hilarious.  I Forgot the original author.}

OK Mr. Coolbee if you want to really learn and understand honeybees then you need to learn how to deal with angry bees.  So do the following:

Wearing only your skivies on a warm cloudy day, just after a rain, run up to your beehive and vigorously shake the dickens out of the whole bee hive, rocking the hive back and forth. Then get out your hive tool and wack the side of the hive very hard several times.  As the bees come pouring out of the hive entrance, quickly swat at the bees with your hands while throwing dirt at the entrance, throw water at the entrance and keep swatting at the bees. Keep waving your hands at the bees constantly.  Obtain a big stick quickly and wack the hive a few more times, again throw some more dirt at the entrance.  Slap a few bees, squash a few and keep swatting while waving your arms like they are on fire.

Now, if you can figure out a way to stay alive, you have learned how to deal with angry bees..

[CoolBees]

Good one Stinger! I'll happily try that the day after I see you do it. :) 

[van from Arkansas]

Cool: why did I not see that coming, good one.  I really don?t have a comeback, score one for coolbee.  You got me on this one.  Lol

[CoolBees]

No worries Stinger. You had me laughing so much my wife says "what's so funny!?!?!"

Cheers!