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Author Topic: West Austalian beekeeper  (Read 3727 times)

Offline darren

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West Austalian beekeeper
« on: November 16, 2009, 07:24:36 am »
G'DAY ALL.I'M FROM THE SOUTH WEST CORNER OF AUSTRALIA.  I'VE JUST RECENTLY AQUIRED MY FIRST HIVE. IT STARTED WHEN I UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO COAX A WILD HIVE INTO A BOX. AFTER A FEW WEEKS MY PATIENCE GAVE WAY AND I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A NUCLEUS FROM "WALLY THE BEEMAN". I HAVE SINCE BEEN STUDYING THE HABITS OF MY NEW COLONY AND TODAY BOUGHT AN EXCLUDER AND PLACED A SUPER ON TOP OF THE FIRST. WILL I GET HONEY ANY TIME SOON ? SPRING IS SLOWLY GIVING WAY TO SUMMER SO I HAVE BEEN FEEDING THEM EVERY SECOND OR THIRD DAY TO TRY BUILD BEE NUMBERS. MY KNOWLEDGE IS LIMITED TO 1 BOOK AND A FEW WEB PAGES AND SOME COMMON SENSE , SO ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE WELCOME.

Offline 1reb

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2009, 10:26:13 am »
Hello and Welcome Darrenanthony
   
There is alot of great information on the forum !!
The members here are willing help and answer your questions, all you need to do is to ask


Johnny   

Offline Natalie

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2009, 12:46:27 pm »
Welcome, congrats on your first hive. There are several members here from your country, you guys have your own forum here too, check it out. They can give you info in regards to your particular area.

Offline Meadlover

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2009, 06:24:22 pm »
Gday darrenanthony,

congrats on the new nuc! Lots of fun, stings and honey ahead of you  :-D
I'm not too sure about your question as I'm new to bee keeping but depends:
1. Do you have a nuc of bees that you have made a queen excluder for and a nuc sized honey super on top? with foundation?
2. Or have you put the nuc of bees into a 10 frame box, added an excluder plus a super box of foundation?

I would think if you only have a nucleus of bees your 1st priority is building up the number of bees and strength of the hive. Once the hive is big and strong then you can start to get them to produce honey for you to rob.

ML

Offline darren

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2009, 11:46:00 am »
THATS RIGHT , I PUT THE 3 FRAME NUC INTO A TEN FRAME BOX WITH A FRAME OF FOUNDATION IN BETWEEN EACH. THE BEES WERE QUITE HAPPY AND STARTED DRAWING COMB WITHIN A DAY . THEY HAVE HOWEVER LEFT THE OUTSIDE FRAMES UNTOUCHED. I HAVE PUT THE EXCLUDER AND 10 FRAME SUPER ON TOP TO ADJUST THE BEES AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME MORE COMB DRAWN FOR WHEN THE GUMS AND JARRAH COME INTO FLOWER. AM I DOING THINGS RIGHT SO FAR ?

Offline SlickMick

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2009, 04:15:12 pm »
G'day Dazza,

How's it going over there.. lovely place over on that side of the country although a bit too much sand for me and I can't get used to having the sun set over the sea.. any self respecting sun's gotta come up over the ocean in my book

A three frame nuc into a 10 frame box means a lot of space for the girls to wander around in and it is no surprise that there is no activity on the outside frames. They will build comb as they need it which to my mind will be when there is a flush on your trees. I wouldn't even have the super on yet but instead wait until they have filled out 8 frames in the brood box.

Mick

Offline Lone

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2009, 11:33:35 pm »
The rule of thumb I've been told is not to add any supers until the bees are bearding at the front and there are large numbers in the lid. Do you have migratory lids, Dazza?  I have vent holes in mine and I can easily inspect the numbers in the lid. Too much space and they won't do well and might abscond.  There also won't be the numbers around the combs to care for them. The other rule that is hard to follow is to be patient!  The numbers can take a long while to build up and you won't necessarily get a top super of honey in your first year.  If the gums flower then the bees will be building comb quickly to store it.  In a good honey flow, you will see whitening, or white comb built especially at the top of the frames.  If you want the outside combs drawn then put them in the middle, just try not to put two undrawn foundations together.  What is flowering in your area at the moment?

Lone

Offline darren

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2009, 05:06:31 am »
OOPS , ITS AN 8 FRAME , THE GUY AT THE SHOP SAID THEY'RE EASIER TO HANDLE. NOT MUCH FLOWERING AT MOMENT , EVERYTHING SEEMS TO HAVE FINISHED FOR SPRING SO I HAVE BEEN FEEDING A SUGAR AND WATER MIX OCCASIONALLY. WE HAVE KARRI,MARRI AND JARRAH COMING INTO FLOWER LATER IN WA, AS WELL AS GUMS
CAN I STEAL BEES FROM A WILD HIVE IN A STUMP AND INTRODUCE THEM TO MY COLONY? I HAVE TRIED TO LURE THEM INTO A BOX , MANY WORKERS SEEM TO HANG OUT IN THE BOX ON THIER WAY TO AND FROM THIER ENTRANCE TO THE STUMP, BUT NO LUCK GETTING THE QUEEN TO CHANGE HOMES. I WAS HOPING TO PINCH A FEW HUNDRED WORKERS TO INTRODUCE TO MY ESTABLISHED HIVE.

Offline Cindi

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2009, 10:54:34 pm »
Darren, welcome to our forum, so wonderful that you have found us.  We have many new members joining here from your country.  Stick around, we love new members.  This will be a place where you can learn an awful lot, a place that you can tell your stories, tales and experiences to people who care and love to listen.  Have that most wonderful and awesome day, with great health.  Cindi

PS.  Please take off the caps lock when you are typing, it is very hard to read and I have heard that caps on is meant to be used when someone is shouting and I know for surely that that is not the case, just maybe you forgot to toggle off that key, no offense intended, hope none was taken, smiling  ;) :) :)
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline SlickMick

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2009, 07:35:12 am »
Yeah Dazza do what Cindi says, take the flaming caps lock off... get me??? After all how do you think you can have a great day if you are all toggled up eh?

Mick

Just backin ya up Cindi... gosh you're a grouse sheila

Offline Cindi

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2009, 10:26:09 am »
... gosh you're a grouse sheila

Mick, now what in the blazes does that mean?  Must be some kind of Australian jargon, never heard of that, if you mean that I am a bossy gal, you got that one right, smiling, that be me, sometimes and now and then  8-) :lol: :roll:  C.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline SlickMick

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2009, 05:24:25 pm »
There ya go Cindi. Ya learn something new every day doncha? When ya go talking with ya mates and ya reckon something is really tops, ya say "that's grouse, mate, yeah real grouse"

Go talking like that over there and you could start a whole new language, now wouldnt that be grouse?

Mick

Offline Cindi

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2009, 11:22:49 pm »
Mich, gotcha, understood, yay!!!   :) :lol:  beautiful days, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Sparky

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Re: West Austalian beekeeper
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2009, 09:12:52 pm »
Welcome to the forum Darren. Looks like some of your mates are already there for ya. ;) Like Mick said the super is extra space they don't need till the other frames are built out with comb. When all but the outside frames are built, take the one that is built and slide it to the outer position next to the box and put the unbuilt ones in their place to encourage them to fill them up. After most of the frames are filled with brood, say all but two is a good time to add a super. The first season is not recommended to harvest from so the queen excluder can be put in storage until next season so not to slow them down. If they produce a good honey store the honey can be used to feed them over the winter so you don't have to buy sugar. Good Luck. ENJOY !