Beekeeping it’s the bee’s knees

Where are you at Scott? N California coast here. I have a 10-frame deep thats full and in the process of capping. Cherry trees have been in bloom for a couple weeks and apple trees just bloomed this week. Went in to check for swarm cells, nothing yet. This hives going to be a monster if it doesn’t swarm.

 

What type of swarm prevention do you use?

 

I typically don't make an effort to prevent swarms. If they swarm, the break in the brood cycle cleans the hive of mites, which means I don't have to treat. More often than not I am able to capture the swarm into a Nuc and sell it or install it into a new hive for me. If I don't capture it, oh well, hopefully they will go be successful somewhere else.
I'm keeping my eye on this hive for swarm cells because my second hive's queen didn't make it through winter. I have been keeping them going by transferring over brood frames. The first transfer was a frame of capped brood and a frame of eggs, they attempted to make two queen cells from the eggs but were unsuccessful. Made another transfer last week to keep them going until the donor hive finally makes some swarm cells that I can move over. The donor hive is a beast, 3 deep 10-frame and the queen is a laying freak. The population continues to increase even with me stealing brood.

 

Very cool, been in the same boat my split hive has taken its sweet time, did a notch cell technique this time will see how it goes

 

Hawaii. Normally we should have off and on flows from April to October, with the big flows coming in during July/August. If all goes well this year we should get about 100lbs per hive.

 

P I average 25

 

Got queens coming on Tuesday woot

 

My first season beekeeping this year. I've had them about two weeks now and I really enjoy grabbing a beer after work and just sitting out by the hive watching them come and go for a little while before I start dinner. This weekend I was out prepping the garden for spring planting and had a bunch of them zipping around the yard and I just kept smiling whenever one would zoom by. I've been a little apprehensive every time I open up the hive and check on them, but so far they don't seem to give two sh*ts about my handling the frames and checking on the queen/honey/brood production.

 

It year 3 for me and still love it. I got bit by the bug 2 turned into 15 this year and hope to be at 30 at end of season.

 

Yikes. That's more hive maintenance than I'd want, lol. If they overwinter successfully this year I'll probably put in a second hive, though. That's my biggest concern, honestly, living in Maine. Long, cold winters. I'm planning on leaving them all of their honey plus a candy board this fall, even if they manage to fill both deeps and the honey super.

 

Thanks for that, I had never heard of it. I've always been frustrated with getting a hive to make queens out of eggs. In other news, I finally found a swarm cell in my donor hive that was a couple days from being capped, and dropped it into the queenless hive

 

Damn, I hate bees. Well technically those little bastards that are called yellow jackets, wasps and hornets!! I actually avoid hurting any if possible, but avoid honey bees completely. I realize their impact on the environment. The read and education in this thread is super awesome!!! Definitely gives a little insight into the complicated, and costly, hobby of beekeeping. Thanks everyone for sharing.

 

Can’t help as in Florida are winter is 3 days. But there is a guy in Canada I watch on you tube https://youtu.be/0c0fihu9sOE scott Hendricks really good

 

Just did the same with a failing queen will see what happens , just went through and pulled 5 queens and culled them picking up queens in the am

 

Fairly disappointing return from my blue orchard mason bees this season , only about 50% of the cocoons hatched . I opened some of the cocoons that didn't hatch and found mostly bees that either had not fully developed or looked fully developed but never emerged . Its possible that my over wintering area was too warm and that ramped up their metabolism to the point they used up their reserves before they were ready to emerge .

 

I read a post about a moth that lays it eggs in the tube and eats the larva. Had a mason bee fill in a ground on my power distribution box. Guess it was a good size

 

Yeah there is also a parasitic wasp that does the same

 

5 queens in the hive and ready for release will check in 5 days

 

Building nuc boxes out of advantech

 

I dont have honey bees but the neighbors do, they are currently on my cherry tree doing their thing.