Recent Posts

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A Potential Change in Strategy

« Last post by Absinthe on July 03, 2020, 05:44:23 pm »

I don't think aromatic cedar is a deterrent to many insects other than wool-worms/clothing moths. Certainly doesn't bother mosquitos, ants, or even #$%%^ carpenter bees. I had a neighbor that got carpenter bees in his cedar siding every year, followed by woodpeckers to add insult to injury :) He would replace 3 boards every year.

There is a fellow around here that sells all cedar hives at a serious premium on CL and since I see the ads every year he must sell a bunch of them.  I have not heard cedar do anything to deter bees, wax moths, or SHB ... or varroa. Wouldn't that be nice.. :)

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THE CONSTITUTION / Re: EXCLUSIVE: Roger Stone Breaks His Silence On Eve Of Imprisonment

« Last post by Ben Framed on July 03, 2020, 05:14:42 pm »

Have the evil schemers  not learned anything? Roger Stone is Gods man now. I recall another story of evil schemers  who tricked the king into throwing Gods man into the lions den. God intervened! Daniel was protected by God and had a peaceful night sleeping with the lions! I wonder if he used one for a pillow? We know what happened next! The king, himself, the next morning, cried out into the lions den to Daniel, Oh Daniel has thy God delivered thee? Yes Oh King!  So The king had the evil Schemers thrown into the same lions den! The scammers and their families! As we know, the Lions had a feast! God is the same yesterday today and tomorrow. Offenses will come,  but whoa by whom they do come!!

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Confining Queen for Brood Break

« Last post by TheHoneyPump on July 03, 2020, 05:09:26 pm »

Just put the queen in a cage and leave her in the hive.   Leave her caged for 10 days.
At day 10 go destroy any queens cells, there willnot be many with her still in there.  After day 10 check leave her caged for another 6 days then release her.  At day 18 start your mite treatment to catch all exposed mites over the next 8 days.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A Potential Change in Strategy

« Last post by Ben Framed on July 03, 2020, 03:55:09 pm »

Quote
Like a lot of things beekeeping there's always some x factor we just don't understand. 

This is true. I have always thought, (though maybe incorrectly), insects shy away from cedar, as cedar is a natural repellent oh insects. I know, this very day where there is a colony of bees 🐝 that are living in a hollow, live, cedar tree 🌲..  How long I do not know, but I do know at least three years. The next time I am in the area I will try and remember to take a picture and post here.

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THE COFFEE HOUSE ((( SOCIAL - ROOM ))) / Re: Any gamblers here?

« Last post by Ben Framed on July 03, 2020, 03:44:56 pm »

Odds are 50 to 1 it will be fatal.

 
I will NOT take that bet..... Even at those odds!! Recon she is going into some type protection plan? Or a possible CBC prospect? C linton B ody C ount...... 
 

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Confining Queen for Brood Break

« Last post by van from Arkansas on July 03, 2020, 02:49:25 pm »

Ms. Snispel greetings.  You will need pollen and nectar/honey for the queen developing larva.  You also need waxed out open frames for the queen to lay.  I would move the entire frame the Queen happens to be on to the new nuc.  Make sure the old queenless hive has eggs to make a queen cell. Make sure to move the original hive to new location or you will have passive robbing.  No hive should remain the the original location.  Hives/nuc can be moved as little as 10 feet but more is better.  Try to allocate the bees 50/50 to each hive.  Hope you have incoming food and not in a dearth.  I would not try a split during a dearth unless you plan to feed.  Feed is another topic all together.

Best to the bees.

Van

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A Potential Change in Strategy

« Last post by Robo on July 03, 2020, 02:46:20 pm »

It is many factors that come into play.   I have found feral colonies to be much better mentors than beekeepers.   The more I can replicate feral colonies in my beekeeping the better success I have had.   The biggest so far was getting away from the "Cold doesn't kill bees, moisture does" mantra.   There are just so many modern day practices that contradict what feral colonies.  Heck, for all I know the lack of light and and a constant scent retention may be the real key for feral colonies thriving. 

I'm not here to convince anyone, just sharing my experiences for those that ask and are open minded.   In fact the first thing I tell my students is don't believe anything I say just because I said it.   Be a critical thinker and do things because you understand why you are doing it and agree with it, not just because that is what you were told or read in a book.  I see too many 3 years and done beekeepers.

I'm fine if you disagree with my practices,  it doesn't hurt my feelings or ego one bit.   I wish everyone the best with their beekeeping.  If I wanted to argue I would be in the coffee house.   I'm done here,  you can have the last word.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Confining Queen for Brood Break

« Last post by snispel on July 03, 2020, 01:52:48 pm »

I have a hive with a deep box of brood and 3 medium boxes of honey. I want to do a brood break split, but I really like my queen, so I want to keep her. I read somewhere that you can take the queen and put her in a nuc with no room to lay and that creates a mini brood break. Then I would let the rest of the hive make a new queen from her eggs and come out with two hives and a brood break for both.

But, I can't find that post and can't remember what I put in the nuc with the queen. All honey? Honey and young brood? Honey and undrawn frames?

Thank you for the input.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A Potential Change in Strategy

« Last post by beesnweeds on July 03, 2020, 01:47:44 pm »

Likewise I don't know anybody who knows or believes there's a "typical" bee tree.  I also agree that some colonies are surviving while others are thriving.  Is it because they are in a tree or a poly hive?  Most likely the influence of pest and diseases.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A Potential Change in Strategy

« Last post by Robo on July 03, 2020, 12:15:25 pm »

Everybody assumes that all bee trees are a thick hollow wooden utopia for a colony.

Interesting because I know no one that believes that.  That is why we use a "typical" bee tree when we discuss.  You are correct, there is a wide variance in trees that bees live in and bees are survivors.   However there is a big difference between surviving and thriving.   Homeless people also survive the winters on the streets of New York City,  it that the standards that the rest of us should be expected to live in?   Obviously hollow trees are getting near the end of their life and get less "ideal" as time goes on and eventually decay to the point of collapse.   Yes bees can "survive" in these conditions for a period of time before they too perish.   "Surviving" colonies do not build up as quick or as big as "thriving" colonies and in the feral situation do not swarm and propagate as often.

Ever see an open air colony survive here in upstate NY?  Yet they can survive in the south.   

Here is a bee tree that was ripped open by a windstorm we had in March this year.   It is hard to tell by the photo but the combs where over 6 ft long and where mostly covered by bees and brood.  It packed full 3 deep boxes.  You will be hard pressed to find traditional langstroth hive beekeepers in NY having colonies this size in March.

  Like a lot of things beekeeping there's always some x factor we just don't understand. 

Agree, and I'll also add there is a lot that beekeepers don't want to understand because it conflicts with what they have been taught to believe.