Beekeeping it’s the bee’s knees

Doing contracting work in Tucson, but heading home (Hawaii) for a bit to do some work there.

 

Its doing ok. After keeping bees in a tropical climate for 15 years, its almost like going back to beginning beekeeping classes. The company that I work for is cool and doesnt expect much the first year. More of a learning/protocol year and building up stocks. Even though 99% of the colonies are Africanized, its much different from before. We can get larger colonies with honey stores and we plan to see how they overwinter. The big problem here in AZ is the July heat wave and availability to water. Without that the colonies essentially melt. A neighboring beekeeper tried to do splits of 4 lbs pacakges right before the start of dearth. It wasnt a good sight. He probably lost 20-25% of his colonies already and hasnt fed in awhile. Plus he keeps European stocks thus mites and other problems will start to occur. With the Africanized stocks, so far very little disease or pests. Just gotta be really careful about the highly defensive ones (which we do try to pinch the queen).

 

That is cool, I think of Africanized bees as traveling Gypsies, stay for a while and move when picking is slim. But to see them building up and maybe staying it is very interesting, Puerto Rico has high Africanized bees better calm now.

 

Swarm trap cut out after COVID-19
https://youtu.be/fqqC33M9HQA

 

Bringing in the pollen

 

Anyone doing urban beekeeping. I'd like to start next spring as a hobby with 1 or 2 hives. Our lot size is 55'x110' neighbour's are ok with it. I have a friends whos' walking me through it all

 

Some of the better hives I’ve cut out of areas have been urban, it is a great hobby I always say start with 2 hives it gives you away to compare and contrast the hives and steal from one and give to the other. Good luck and welcome

 

Spring 2020. Late summer 2020

 

Going through a dearth period so we installed a pollen station. I normally dont like to do community feeding due to the risk of spreading diseases, but these Africanized colonies handle it very well. Had to use a 1/2" screen to keep the rodents out.

 

Whats cool about these girls is they use the dry pollen it immediately to create more brood. Much more than European girls.
Unfortunately, now i gotta dump some sugar syrup in all the colonies to feed the new adults.....

 

Very interesting I just got done with my splits This is one of my new queens very pleased started using mega bee pollen they destroy the patties Quick nuc inspection late summer 2020
https://youtu.be/7GBgRpS8aTo

 

Is it just me or do they all look like they're flying around with their tongues hanging out of their mouths in the first pic?

 

Looks like little legs to me

 

I don't know if it's because of the heat wave but most of the masons and leaf cutters seemed to have bolted a year early.
We have had a long hot summer.

 

I read some where something else lays eggs in there waits and then eat the larvae

 

I did read about that but have no way of knowing since I don't stare at them all day. I have no money invested other than the boxes themselves so I will let nature take it's course.

I just thought it was pretty cool to see masons and leaf cutters make homes without any effort. I will watch where it goes from here.

 

Probably a parasitic wasp. I've seen tiny holes in the leaf cocoons in which they make and enter to lay eggs on the larvae.

 

Well yesterday I pulled a deep off one of my hives that the caps were bubbling but for my area and the moisture was capped pretty well. After extracting it I used my Refractometer And it was at 20% have never seen capped honey with so much moisture, so we have been making some Jalapeño fermented honey with it, also making some honey Fermented cranberries. Will see how it played out.

 

Banking my extra European queens in an Africanized hive. Surprisingly they took well.

 

Can you explain what you're doing here in a little further detail if you don't mind? I don't really understand what i'm lookin at