The bee keeper diaries

[Iowanian]

It's a great time to buy stock in eppy pens.

This thread is a repository for bee keepers or those interested.

A couple of years ago, a couple of friends an my brother started puttering with honey bees. I didn't buy off because, well, I've never been a big fan of bees or getting stung by them. Last summer I tagged along a couple of times to check their hives and to remove honey bees from a house, public building and an old garage.

I realized at the end of the summer when I was helping them process some, that it's actually pretty interesting, and fits into my expanding "grow my own" logic. I'm not full blown hippy but I see a lot of logic in the self sustaining food thing and I'm doing some of that too.

That said, this thread is about bees, honey bees, bee keeping and bee fighting war stories.

I'm taking the leap and plan to get 2-3 hives this spring and maybe build some bee swarm traps to make it cheaper or to make a few bucks.

Join me and I'll share the real life lessons of an ameture bee keeper. I'm sure I'm going to learn some things the hard way.

[Iowanian]

I talked to another guy that had lost several hives this year already.

We were discussing the way I found the bees, and they are in a dead ball on top of the hive under the inner cover with a few on top of that. I'm going to pull the frames sometime soon and clean the dead bees out and take a look. One theory is that if they're in a ball on top, the cluster just ate it's way up to the top and due to the cold didn't move around much and starved. I was wondering if it were mites if they'd die off a few at a time and either be wedged into the comb or drop to the bottom?

I don't know. What I do know is that I'll go on a rampage finding swarms and maybe do some cutouts. I've found a handful of trees of bees if I get too ambitious. I also think we will build some nuke boxes/swarm traps. I've got 2-3 locations we've gotten swarms more than once(houses) and thought about putting a box there.

This year, I'll probably consider a little more treatment, maybe feed them more in the fall, candy board in the winter and more wraps/protection for winter.

Live and learn.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

The thing that pisses me off is my strongest hive died, and my shittiest hive that I planned to pinch the queen is roaring today.

Does "strongest" in this context mean largest, or something else?

Thanks for these updates btw! Very cool stuff.

[Iowanian]

It had the most bees all year, meaning I had a good queen. They were vigorous, always coming and going(activity) and produced the most honey.

I kind of knew I'd lose some bees, because everyone does. I'm just a little disappointed to lose that hive(and so many). I do still have my favorite hive and that is a swarm I captured on memorial day that I saw come out of the tree during the ceremony and collected with my kid later. I hope I always have that hive.

[redfan]

Mites will leave little white salt-like crystals all over the frames/combs.
If they have no honey stores, it's likely they starved. If there's honey, then it might be the cold that did it.

You might try some DFM* in early winter/late fall. That'll give 'em a boost.

*directly fed microbial nutrients

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

I talked to another guy that had lost several hives this year already.

We were discussing the way I found the bees, and they are in a dead ball on top of the hive under the inner cover with a few on top of that. I'm going to pull the frames sometime soon and clean the dead bees out and take a look. One theory is that if they're in a ball on top, the cluster just ate it's way up to the top and due to the cold didn't move around much and starved. I was wondering if it were mites if they'd die off a few at a time and either be wedged into the comb or drop to the bottom?

I don't know. What I do know is that I'll go on a rampage finding swarms and maybe do some cutouts. I've found a handful of trees of bees if I get too ambitious. I also think we will build some nuke boxes/swarm traps. I've got 2-3 locations we've gotten swarms more than once(houses) and thought about putting a box there.

This year, I'll probably consider a little more treatment, maybe feed them more in the fall, candy board in the winter and more wraps/protection for winter.

Live and learn.

What about moving the hives to a barn or shed? I was watching something about bees and pollinating almonds. One big guy stopped doing it and just moved the hives to barns in the winter

[mlyonsd]

A month ago a keeper in Sioux City had his hives vandalized by some kids when it was -20. He lost half a million bees and $60k.

They caught the brats, 12 and 13. The keeper said he hopes they learn to be better people. I say nuthooks.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

A month ago a keeper in Sioux City had his hives vandalized by some kids when it was -20. He lost half a million bees and $60k.

They caught the brats, 12 and 13. The keeper said he hopes they learn to be better people. I say nuthooks.

I read that too. Dumbass kids. Need to be taught a lesson and be show the hive in honey. Parents need to pay restitution.

worst is-how quickly can you restore 500,000 bees with what is going on with the bee population.

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

A month ago a keeper in Sioux City had his hives vandalized by some kids when it was -20. He lost half a million bees and $60k.

They caught the brats, 12 and 13. The keeper said he hopes they learn to be better people. I say nuthooks.

Those kids needed a good ass kicking and a couple summers of hard labor.

Just reading about it pissed me off.

[ghak99]

I had a trailer load of exposed mixed feed out for a few hours today. Must have been 2-300 bees swarming it. I assume they were digging for the liquid molasses I use when mixing it to control dust. Was quite interesting just watching them digging down into the feed then flying off. They completely disappeared by ~3:30.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by ghak99

I They completely disappeared by ~3:30.

Getting dark. Had to go home.

[redfan]

Originally Posted by ghak99

I had a trailer load of exposed mixed feed out for a few hours today. Must have been 2-300 bees swarming it. I assume they were digging for the liquid molasses I use when mixing it to control dust. Was quite interesting just watching them digging down into the feed then flying off. They completely disappeared by ~3:30.

Probably getting minerals as well as a little moisture.
I've got an old trash bin lid and sides that catches rainwater. The bees will fly over to it and drink the dirty water. They also eat mud!

[Iowanian]

Is this something you want to read about it for another year?


I've been through my dead hives and have the frames cleaned up and ready to go. Probably have 20 full frames of honey ready to go for cut-outs or swarm catches. I'm planning to build some "traps" and have them out in the next month. I've identified a few areas where I know there are hives(found 2 trees on a deer hunt) that I'll place them hoping to catch some swarms. Right now I'm on the fence; I had decided I wasn't buying any more bees and am going to catch or cut out what I have, but I'm finding it harder not to order a couple of packages.

This year I hope some of the other beeks will contribute, share your stories or help save me from stupid decisions. A lot of talk about feeding sugar water and pollen patties, and I'm not sure when I'm going to start doing that with the remaining live hives.

One of the old timers who had been mentoring me a little and had been talking about coming along to do some teaching(had sold all of his hives to my friend) died this week. That's a bummer because he was a great old fellow.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Is this something you want to read about it for another year?

YES!!!

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by ptlyon

YES!!!

X 2

[allen_kcCard]

I have very much enjoyed reading these as well.