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Author Topic: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum  (Read 43987 times)

Offline jharri31

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #80 on: March 30, 2011, 04:26:21 am »
Justin - in Capel (Sth West Western Australia) although I was born in Adelaide and came to WA via 10 years in Alice Springs.
Very new to Bees, still building my first hives.

More Aussies on here than septics!  Great forum, look forward to learning bigmobs.

Cheers

Wanabee

Offline lilyfrog

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #81 on: June 26, 2011, 06:54:14 am »
G'day All,

I'm Mark, From West Brisbane.

No Hives atm, got washed away in the floods (I got trapped at work and couldn't get home to save em :(),

I have been making new boxes though, hoping to kick off again soon, (Very early spring), my honey supply is getting low.

Cheers
Mark
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"At the end of the day, you can't eat money, but it sure helps pay the bills."

Offline gregted

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #82 on: October 01, 2011, 02:25:08 am »
G'day blokes n sheilas.

Strewth. On the dog n bone to the cheese and kisses told her I got stung in me fishin boat.

She says  Grouse. Laughed do much nearly stopped her raspberry tart.

I did me block. Told her she was silly as a two bob watch.

Stone the crows.

Greg from Gowrie junction near Toowoomba near Brisvegas.
Wifes a Mexican. Sits on the fence come state of origin. Bloody cockroaches. Gotta get around to fixing that hole in the border fence one day.

Spring coming up so hopefully girls will be goin at it like a couple of dingos. Fair dinkum.

Offline Tasmaniablue

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #83 on: August 29, 2012, 07:34:29 am »
Hello
Tasmania here. I kept bees many years ago in yhe UK. Returned to the fold last year and will be adding two more hives this year. I love my bees, always something more to learn.

Offline Nico

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #84 on: August 29, 2012, 08:02:18 pm »
Hi, Nico here,gota hive up the road from Lone,Queenslander thru n thru,league not the other.Hot sauce on pies not tomato.Gota tell ya bout Lone's lathe.
Help unload from truck
Offer consultancy $150/hr for assy.
bored watching,assist assy.(Tradies rate $70/hr)
payment offer 1 Banana (declined payment)
Lone did get a beer from fridge (my beer)

Lone offers advice on bees when asked,so OK.

Offline Lone

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #85 on: August 30, 2012, 03:50:05 am »
You didn't mention lathe is shiny blue, Nico.  What are your concreting fees for slab for lathe?
I still have doubts about Beez Neez honey beer, but I like the orange lagerphone lid. I just ate your sugar banana, by the way.

Lone
Advice on bees $200/hr

Offline Nico

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #86 on: August 30, 2012, 08:34:22 am »
Slab is under control.
We will paint lathe maroon.
Setting up fees on concrete $500

Offline Nico

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #87 on: August 30, 2012, 09:09:36 am »
Lone
forgot to mention TA rates 2x $250 for setting up.2 Beers plus a cup of tee.
Dan said de-crystallise honey in frames before extracting.Looking for a suitable cabinet to set up warming system,
able to take one box of frames,plus heater assy.
Nico.
Folks dont worry about us,were nearly neighbours.

Offline Lord Viykor

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #88 on: September 01, 2012, 06:23:22 am »
Real name is Tony and I hail from just north of Brisbane about 28km's from the CBD. I've had native bees for a couple of years and decided I wanted some honey bees as well.

I got my first hive in November last year, and got my first swarm a few weeks ago so I've two hives running now having a lot of fun learning my way around. Joined Northside Beekeepers which is conveniently close to home.

Offline Mek

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #89 on: September 04, 2012, 03:06:58 am »
Hi my real name is Melinda, and I am based on Tamborine Moutain (south east ueeensland).

I have flat packs and no bees at the moment. Still in the painting and learning stage.
When I have time I wanna bake a lamington on the bottom board.

Offline Harpo

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #90 on: September 14, 2012, 09:21:52 am »
Hi All - my real name is Daina and I'm a naughty 40 LOL

I was Mexican born, then became a cane toad and have now married and settled into life as a cockroach ;-) Have 3 future beeks aged 5,3 and 1 and a hubby who wants to become an pest exterminator  :lau: due to my girls "having the need to assault him on a regular basis"

I currently have 7 hives and am hoping to bag a few more swarms this season...

I think Anybrew ( Steve ) is my nearest beek neighbour - must head over for a chat about bees, BOURBON NOT BEERS and bikes... I may be from Venus but my Daddy taught me how to speak Martian LOL

Looking forward to reading what your up to this season and also hoping for some pics too...

Offline Quantum Leap

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #91 on: September 20, 2012, 07:21:51 am »
Hello all new here real name Vicki  live in the ACT

quite new to bees and reading and learning as much as I can :)


Offline Johnny253

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #92 on: September 20, 2012, 10:53:38 am »
G'day, Jono's the name, I'm a farmer, live about 2 hours north of Adelaide and have been keeping bees for about 18 months. I have bees in 9 hives and four of these have supers on. I'm looking forward to my first extraction sometime in the very near future! I lost two colonies over winter but did a split a couple of weeks ago and picked up a swarm today. There seems to be no shortage of bees around here, I know of numerous 'feral' colonies.

I'm basically running 10 frame full depths but have a few ideal supers (due to the purchase of some second hand gear and they were included). I'm planning to go for half depth supers so they're not so heavy but still get the most out of my extractor which will hold 8 of these frames. I'm also giving foundationless a go.

I've always been interested in bees, probably due to the interest my grandfather had in them (though he got out of bees before I was born) and the experience I had as a kid helping my neighbour build hive gear and inspect his bees. When bees made their home in some farm machinery, I figured I may as well put them in a box and my interest turned into, well, more like an obsession. The more I learn about them, the more I appreciate them. I take much more notice of what is in flower now and my ears have become 'tuned' to the hum of a honeybee.

I really enjoy this forum, there's always something to learn and it's great to interact with beeks from all over the world.

Offline Wonga

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #93 on: October 15, 2012, 05:58:45 am »
Hey,
 Wonga here, I was born on the banks of the muddy Brisbane River, but now I live in the Blue Mountains, west, and uphill, from Sydney. I love keeping bees, I' ve got two happy healthy hives at the moment, and we are having a great Spring so far (despite the snow! last Friday, and the cold snap that came with it), but it was only one day.

Turpentine (Syncarpia) flowering now, with lots of cbottlebrush and grevillia too.

Cheers

Offline bernsad

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #94 on: October 15, 2012, 06:21:46 am »
G'day Wonga,

How does the turpentine go in the hive? Smell/taste alright?

Offline Wonga

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #95 on: October 16, 2012, 06:43:00 am »
  Its just kicking off into full flower, so far so good, I hope it wont get overwhelming, plenty of other stuff flowering so it won't be in too strong a proportion. Cant do much about it anyway

Offline Big Harold

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #96 on: October 17, 2012, 06:49:47 pm »
Hi Mark from Muswellbrook NSW
My wife and I have just purchased 22 second hand hives. We have a steep learning curve to come and it has started already. The hives we bought all had swarms although they are all in various stages of decline. We are looking to re queen all the hives at some stage. They contain some honey new and old black stuff. Most of the frames are in various stages of disrepair.
First inspection most were getting on with collecting pollen from fireweed reasonable amounts of brood. Some hives were low on numbers due to old queens i think. Noticed that there were not a lot of drones in hives?
We have just purchased 200 frames from Penders. Wife will be busy assembling these. I bought her an air bradder to make it easier.
Was thinking of adding a super of new frames under top supers. What do you think?
Went and checked hives yesterday not a good day. Found one hive a triple super, 2 full supers of capped honey 2 weeks ago, sounds good doesn't it but it all went down hill. Went for a walk on Monday and noticed that there was not a lot of bee activity on this hive. Lots of ants around the hive but.
Opened yesterday and found both supers had been robbed of honey and dead bees on top of queen excluder. Looked in brood box and found only empty combs. There were some bees about but i think they may have been robbing what was left.
My thoughts are that the ants attacked the hive due to it being week, killed bees and robbed honey?
I am going to put the frames i the fridge to keep if needed i the future.


Offline Big Harold

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #97 on: October 17, 2012, 06:54:40 pm »
Hi
Now that you have read the above essay. I will pose some questions?
There is not a lot of pollen around the brood, Conditions are starting to dry out therefore there is not a lot of pollen around. Should i be adding supplementary pollen?
Due to these being weak hive should i start feeding syrup? Or will this attract the ants?
Thanks Mark

Offline petert

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #98 on: October 24, 2012, 10:26:38 pm »
Hi
Peter.I'm in Lithgow,over the blue mountains,near Sydney.
Got 8 hives,been at it for a year.
It's cold here,but didn't lose any hives over the winter.
Knocked them back to single story for the winter.

Bees near town now for the wattle and spring blossom.

Offline Lone

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Re: Let's do a Rollcall of Aussies on the Forum
« Reply #99 on: October 24, 2012, 11:53:50 pm »
Hello Harold,

Sorry, we should be getting back to you with some info.  I'm not the best one for that though.  I don't have a great deal of experience, and I'm in a warmer climate. 

I don't think you should add empty supers to your hives.  For a start, you are new and it is better to learn how to manipulate smaller hives, and then get a feeling for when another super wouldn't hurt. I think you'd be better off taking out some capped honey and storing it in the freezer for when you extract, and replace those frames with empty foundation frames.  The hives that are low on numbers, reduce the space as needed to keep beetle and moths out, even if it means reducing space to a nuc box.  Look at the brood pattern and if it is getting patchy your queen/s might be getting old. Though if you are sure swarms emerged from the hives, maybe the queen/s were replaced with young queens? I would advise not requeening all the hives, because that has its own risks...say getting 22 bad queens all at once would really knock your hives.  If you are sure you need to replace particular queens you could also try killing the queen and making sure there are only eggs in the hive from your best hive.  This sometimes doesn't work either.

Anything could have happened to the triple decker.  If it had swarmed, the numbers might have been too low to fend off a pest.  Always protect against ants, especially if you have meat ants there.  Our stands have the legs in oil cans.

Adding pollen attracts small hive beetle, so I would only do this if it were a life or death situation (for me that is, not the bees!)  In spring/summer conditions, usually there is pollen around even if there is not much nectar.  Besides, there is not always pollen "around" the brood.  Often there is just some on one of the edge frames in the brood chamber.  Maybe with lower numbers of brood the pollen requirements are less so they are not bringing so much in.  I live in a very dry area but I never panic about pollen.  If you find a hive with nearly none and another with 2 frames, you can always brush the bees off and swap frames.

Feeding syrup is a desperate measure too.  You might really need another site or two because 22 hives might be too many for what is flowering.  What is the terrain like where you are?  I would reduce the space, swap honey frames into the weak hives (preferably uncapped so you get to eat some capped honey too) and then see if you need to feed.  Feeding might stimulate queen laying.  Don't worry about not many drones.  They will return when the hives are stronger and conditions better.  There will be drones somewhere at ths time of year.

All the best, keep us informed, and welcome to you and Peter in Lithgow.

Lone