Recent Posts

51

FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE / Re: Not all pollen is the same

« Last post by max2 on May 14, 2024, 06:48:59 pm »

Ben Framed
"This is where our friend the honeybee comes to the rescue! And why many Medical Allergist recommend pollen related hay fever suffers to ingest local honey and honey bee pollen"

Is there enough science behind this statement?

I have heard it said many times but is there solid proof?

52

FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE / Re: Not all pollen is the same

« Last post by Lesgold on May 14, 2024, 06:48:43 pm »

I have an allergy to hard work. Don?t know when I got it but it looks like I have it for life.  I?m afraid there?s no cure for it either. I?m thinking that I will just have to live with it.

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FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE / Re: Not all pollen is the same

« Last post by max2 on May 14, 2024, 06:45:29 pm »

Terry
" Other than that, no vaxes for me, tetanus shot only. I tell the doc that I used to eat my boogers when I was four years old so I'm good to go."
I guess you have not been in the military?
When i was called up we where blessed with every shot possible - no choice

54

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Lesgold on May 14, 2024, 06:39:56 pm »

Hi Terri,

As others have said, the brood nest can get quite large in some colonies but it will vary from hive to hive. I generally don?t run queen excluders so at times, some of my hives turn into monsters. It makes checking of brood a slow and painful exercise. With varroa now an issue in Australia, I will have to change this method. From next season I will run single deep brood boxes with a queen excluder in order to control the mite. It will help to keep treatment costs down and also give me better control of frames in relation to chemical buildup and residue. The size of a hive is also determined by the local environment. If good supplies of pollen and nectar are coming in, the hive will grow. Reagan?s comment about the summer solstice is a good, general guide to follow in relation to hive growth. In most years, this is the case but if good supplies are coming in, the colony will maintain higher numbers of bees until food starts to diminish. I can have big, strong hives throughout winter if there is a honey flow on. A lot depends on your local climatic conditions and the approach can vary according to this. After a few seasons, you will adjust, modify and improve your techniques to suit your area and give the bees the best chance of survival. Contacting local beekeepers in your area would be a good starting point.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Ben Framed on May 14, 2024, 05:54:51 pm »

Terri, Devan Rawn has a good video explaining how and why he winters single deeps. He is in Canada. A real nice fellow who is always willing to help
Phillip

https://youtu.be/YjyNcyVvbEI?si=2mhX7N7pLUFk6uiO

56

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

« Last post by Caashenb on May 14, 2024, 05:51:55 pm »

Mimosa blooming here now.

57

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Terri Yaki on May 14, 2024, 05:45:09 pm »

That's about what mine has now and opening up all the way does sound risky. I see what I come up with.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by The15thMember on May 14, 2024, 05:11:59 pm »

If they seem congested, there is nothing wrong with opening the entrance up more, however you choose to do so.  Just keep in mind that some congestion helps to prevent robbers and other intruders, so I wouldn't recommend opening them up all the way, at least not yet.  A standard entrance reducer usually has a 1 in. opening and a 4 in. opening, if that helps you.   

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

« Last post by Terri Yaki on May 14, 2024, 04:22:05 pm »

Yeah, those aren't the fullest ones they're bringing in but that is the picture I got. It's funny to watch them wobble down the plank with those things stuffed full.

60

GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Terri Yaki on May 14, 2024, 04:20:42 pm »

Everywhere in Upstate, NY is harsher than I am but depending on where in Upstate, NY, it can be really harsh. Thanks for that video, FatherMichael, it was interesting and gives me more to think about.

Another question that is coming to mind is my entrance. I have the large entrance open because the small one was obviously too small early on but now I'm seeing a little bit of congestion with the large entrance. The bees won't land on the other end of the board and walk in, they'll land on the weeds out front or the concrete and they are kind of jockeying for a landing spot and struggling to get in. I'm OCD on efficiency and think it's more important than working hard so I want to streamline their path back into the hive. Should I make another entrance blocker with a second entrance on the other end or should I just remove the entrance reducer altogether? I'm leaning more towards a second entrance so they don't have to defend the whole front end.