Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => NATURAL & ORGANIC BEEKEEPING METHODS => Topic started by: Billybee on June 23, 2010, 08:11:30 pm
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Hello everybody. So glad to bee back and with my hive again. I would like to thank everyone who helped me get the small hive through the winter with your advice. It made all of the difference.
So I left the single box with the rescued hive at the end of winter. I had a box ready to put on top once the lower box was filled out. The frames were staggered guide strip and foundation side by side. While I was away I had a friend look in and see that the bottom box was filled out pretty nicely and told him to add the 2nd. I know he smushed a lot of bees. He did this about a month ago. when I got home I dove in with the camera rolling. The link is what I saw. Looks to me like they are doing well.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=105582819 (http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=105582819)
So feel free to tell me what you pros see and here are my questions:
1: Should I do a thorough inspection of both boxes and check out the queen. I am most certainly going to this weekend.Will video and post live link.
2: Once the 2nd box is filled out do I put on the queen excluder and the super?
If so do you think I should go all foundationless this time or stagger like the top deep?
Thats enough for now. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Billy
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Aha! The question is finally resolved....bees do just fine on their own WITHOUT us constantly meddling with them! :-D The natural comb looks to be coming along just fine too...be prepared for them to leave a "bee space" at the bottom of the frames until they need a bit more comb.
1) Inspect if you wish, but I saw enough on your video (great job on that by the way) to tell me that she's there and is active. You may want to go in to check for open brood/eggs just for grins.
2) If you're top brood chamber is %70-%80 full, which it looks like you may be, go ahead a pop a super on it and try to catch the later flows. Since you're down this way in FL, I would go with all foundationless (with the exception of a middle frame to get them started straight). It makes for beautiful cut comb and they won't draw it out unless they can cover it...less chance for a hive beetle invasion. Personally, I don't use excluders but if you wish too you should let them draw the wax out before putting one on.
Scott
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Ah yes hive beetles. Since my initial removal and loss of the bees that were in our ceiling outside I made keeping them miserable my top priority. By combining the ideas I have gotten from the good folks at beemaster forum I feel as if they are miserable if they even make it into the box.. I did see 4 or 5 this trip in and they were mostly on the lid. To me that is success here in Florida. I have not been able to make my meetings at the beekeepers association I belong to lately (due to work travel) but, I know folks were having hive beetle problems galore. Ruining new beeks hives using the usual techniques. I am a novice but, really did my research on shb after that initial experience with them. That was one of the most disappointing things I have ever watched happen. Of course there is the pipe in the gulf which dwarfs it.
About the open brood eggs. Identifying what I am looking at is now what I consider my biggest setback. I will try and find better pictures on the net to help myself out. If anyone has links to quality educational pics please post links.
Also understanding "honey flow". Completely lost on that term. I hear that term all the time and still cant find any articles that explain it. Again any link will help.
No queen excluder?
Thanks a lot,
Billy
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Honey Flow is simply when there is an abundance of blooming flowers and nectar in your area that the bees are using to make honey. It is the time the hive is storing honey. The opposite would be a dearth, when there is little nectar to be used for making honey.
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are hive beetle strictly a southern/warmer weather kind of a problem ?
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SHB are EVERYWHERE!!! They've invaded my dreams, my every waking thought...OH Lord, get the bugs off me! :-D
bulldog, The small hive beetle has been steadily advancing north, but is not as much of a pest as it is here in the deep south (as far as I understand). Local beekeepers will be able to clue you in better that I.
Scott
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Do you need beetle traps on hives over the winter months? Are they inactive at certain temperatures? Maybe not in Florida, but when the temps are at freezing or below outside do shb hibernate?