honey bees... whoo hooo!

clkeiper · May 24, 2016

here was yesterdays work.. at least some of it. I started the day weed eating while it was still cool. then in the afternoon I had friends come help.. one to watch for my customers and her husband to help with the bees. the first hive is filled to the hilt with bees and honey already.
the 2nd hive is the swarm from last week... the third hive I didn't even know there were bees in it. I thought as quiet as it was it was bees checking it out for a potential site..Maybe they just swarmed into the hive because there was no new brood in it yet, but I did find the queen. and just as we finished up for the day in drove a neighbor with a swarm in her apple tree. whoo hoo a BONUS! so now I am back up to 4 hives.

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My Foot Smells · May 24, 2016

Sweet !! Nice job catching the swarm and looks like the hives are in full swing.

Have you ever heard of the "beetle baffle?" I put those on the hive after I had a bout w/ the hive beetle. Seems to work and simple idea, have also used the oil traps. I've got hives up on benches, to many creepy crawlies on the ground.

Looks like you will be extracting this year.

clkeiper · May 24, 2016

I haven't seen any hive beetles here. not to say they aren't here, but I haven't encountered any. these are sitting on concrete or pallets, not directly on the ground.
Hopefully I will be extracting in June or July with the size of the overwintered hive. I haven't ever had Spring honey before. I have struggled to keep the hives over winter every year. Last year I left one super of honey on to see if it would help. That hive made it. My other colonies were package bees I purchased in Spring and all died. Maybe next year I will have more overwinter with the hives (all this year) being from swarms.

My Foot Smells · May 24, 2016

Know a guy from Minnesota that brings his bees here to Arkansas for the winter and then comes and gets them in the spring. We just had a few days below freezing this year (LY diff story); so the two hives I have all made it fine. We did give them some fondant to kick start early spring.

MissS · May 24, 2016

Nice job on the bees! They must be doing OK over there since you are seeing so many swarms. Hopefully the swarms will be hardy for you since they survived the winter and were not purchased bees.

May 24, 2016	#1
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	honey bees... whoo hooo! here was yesterdays work.. at least some of it. I started the day weed eating while it was still cool. then in the afternoon I had friends come help.. one to watch for my customers and her husband to help with the bees. the first hive is filled to the hilt with bees and honey already. the 2nd hive is the swarm from last week... the third hive I didn't even know there were bees in it. I thought as quiet as it was it was bees checking it out for a potential site..Maybe they just swarmed into the hive because there was no new brood in it yet, but I did find the queen. and just as we finished up for the day in drove a neighbor with a swarm in her apple tree. whoo hoo a BONUS! so now I am back up to 4 hives. 100_2059.jpg 100_2063.jpg 100_2068.JPG 100_2071.JPG __________________ carolyn k Last edited by clkeiper; May 24, 2016 at 10:01 AM.

May 24, 2016	#3
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I haven't seen any hive beetles here. not to say they aren't here, but I haven't encountered any. these are sitting on concrete or pallets, not directly on the ground. Hopefully I will be extracting in June or July with the size of the overwintered hive. I haven't ever had Spring honey before. I have struggled to keep the hives over winter every year. Last year I left one super of honey on to see if it would help. That hive made it. My other colonies were package bees I purchased in Spring and all died. Maybe next year I will have more overwinter with the hives (all this year) being from swarms. __________________ carolyn k

May 24, 2016	#5
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,150	Nice job on the bees! They must be doing OK over there since you are seeing so many swarms. Hopefully the swarms will be hardy for you since they survived the winter and were not purchased bees. __________________ ~ Patti ~

May 24, 2016	#2
My Foot Smells Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas Posts: 1,239	Sweet !! Nice job catching the swarm and looks like the hives are in full swing. Have you ever heard of the "beetle baffle?" I put those on the hive after I had a bout w/ the hive beetle. Seems to work and simple idea, have also used the oil traps. I've got hives up on benches, to many creepy crawlies on the ground. Looks like you will be extracting this year.