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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Storm damage - apiary demolished
« Last post by Ben Framed on May 09, 2024, 09:49:33 am »Wow, I feel for you Matt.
Phillip
Phillip
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RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH / Re: I Have Too Many Bees
« Last post by Bill Murray on May 09, 2024, 09:48:14 am »Phillip, no convincing necessary, I ran screened bottom boards when I first started,because I was told that was what to do in Florida. I actually still have quite a few I use every year temporarily in the spring for increases.
I found the solid bottom boards with an entrance reducer and an imirie shim on top of the hive to be the most effective at keeping the bearding to a minimum.
When I actually sat and thought it through it kinda made sense. the bees were consistently pulling huge amounts of 98 Deg. plus air with 98-100 percent humidity through the hive and trying to cool it. On a secondary note I also got consistently drier honey. (this isnt always the case because it has a lot to do amount of uncured nectar vs bees ) Just my personal observation, also living in a "hot, humid, sultry, miserable place to keep bees."
I found the solid bottom boards with an entrance reducer and an imirie shim on top of the hive to be the most effective at keeping the bearding to a minimum.
When I actually sat and thought it through it kinda made sense. the bees were consistently pulling huge amounts of 98 Deg. plus air with 98-100 percent humidity through the hive and trying to cool it. On a secondary note I also got consistently drier honey. (this isnt always the case because it has a lot to do amount of uncured nectar vs bees ) Just my personal observation, also living in a "hot, humid, sultry, miserable place to keep bees."
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RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH / Re: I Have Too Many Bees
« Last post by Ben Framed on May 09, 2024, 09:39:38 am »Do you use a means of ventilating your hives to aid the bees with this humidity problem?I have found that more ventilation is sometimes worse actually. I'm still in the process of figuring out exactly how much is best for my situation, but I used screened bottoms and tops for several years, and I'm moving toward more solid bottoms and tops now, which seems to be helping with mold at least. When it's extremely humid, it seems better to keep that ambient moisture out with less ventilation.All pressure treated wood is not the same.. Yellawood?, pressure treated wood company was started by Jimmy Rains and brother using only the best in chemicals and techniques for this purpose...
Guaranteed Protection
YellaWood? brand products carry a Lifetime Residential and Agricultural Limited Warranty against structural damage caused by fungal decay and termites for above ground, ground contact and fresh water contact applications.https://penlumber.com/brands/yellow-wood-treated-lumber/#:~:text=Guaranteed%20Protection,and%20fresh%20water%20contact%20applications.
The question would be the price. Cinder blocks are pretty cheap and wood has gotten so expensive.
> I have found that more ventilation is sometimes worse actually.
Tim Durham, a 'well known' and 'respected', life long successful commercial beekeeper, keeps bees in the Mississippi Delta and has discussed the 'importance' of ventilation. The Mississippi Delta is a hot, humid, sultry, miserable place to keep bees considering the 'dense' humidity. (There is a reason he works bees in short pants, and a rag tied around his head lol). Yet Tim has learned to overcome this problem 'with success' in that respect. He uses solid bottom boards, and only a pebble to allow the hot humid air which would be trapped in the hive to escape through the top by using a simple pebble between his top super and and hive lid....Thus eliminating the 'sauna' effect, allowing the honey a better chance to 'dry' and be capped. Just a side: Tim once lived in North Carolina, I have posted of his experience removing bees from Aunt Bs home, The Aunt 'Bee' of the Andy Griffith show, when he was a young man and beekeeper.
>The question would be the price. Cinder blocks are pretty cheap and wood has gotten so expensive.
As far as Michael Bushs' suggestion of using treated 2X4s for our base and the reasons for it, the price at Home Depot of a 2X4X8 is $4.28. Cut into 16" lengths. (the length of a cinder block), will give you 6 base boards. I did not check the price of cinder blocks.
I hope this helps.
Phillip
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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Storm damage - apiary demolished
« Last post by yes2matt on May 09, 2024, 09:38:46 am »Commiserate with me, please. I attached before and after pics.
I cut out two of seven hives, three colonies intact, bees flying. Can't get to the rest yet. UGH! This is not what I wanted to be doing!
Third pic is a 14 inch trunk dropped right between two stacks housing three colonies.(yup, that's a double screen board) Lucky? No lucky?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
I cut out two of seven hives, three colonies intact, bees flying. Can't get to the rest yet. UGH! This is not what I wanted to be doing!
Third pic is a 14 inch trunk dropped right between two stacks housing three colonies.(yup, that's a double screen board) Lucky? No lucky?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
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RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH / Re: I Have Too Many Bees
« Last post by Bill Murray on May 09, 2024, 08:42:47 am »El Nino ?
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CLUB MEETING, CONFERENCES, GATHERINGS, SEMINARS and EVENTS / Re: Bee Camp 2024
« Last post by Michael Bush on May 09, 2024, 08:13:11 am »Work week starts next week. There's still some room.
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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Planning ahead for the coming season
« Last post by Lesgold on May 09, 2024, 05:24:09 am »Hi Max,
You are lucky to have the clover. That is a real bonus. Looks like the comb honey is going to be hard to produce when varroa hits. The number of times we will have to treat hives in the first few years is going to make things a bit on the tough side for this type of beekeeping.
You are lucky to have the clover. That is a real bonus. Looks like the comb honey is going to be hard to produce when varroa hits. The number of times we will have to treat hives in the first few years is going to make things a bit on the tough side for this type of beekeeping.
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FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE / Re: Pesticide free - good for bees
« Last post by Michael Bush on May 09, 2024, 05:20:32 am »The important thing is any transition should be gradual enough that millions of people don't starve and the farmers don't go out of business.
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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Newbie with New Swarm-- okay to move from temp hive after a month?
« Last post by iddee on May 09, 2024, 05:09:12 am »All good advice, but I would add, ditch the ezcluder for 2 to 3 years. A lot of new bee keepers kill their hive with an excluder before they learn all the ins and outs of them.
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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today?
« Last post by max2 on May 09, 2024, 04:05:45 am »I have been cleaning up old boxes, cut some FD back to 1/2's and have plenty of frames ready for nuc's come Spring.
We are at the other end of the season here!
I got some painting in between showers.
More to do
We are at the other end of the season here!
I got some painting in between showers.
More to do