What its all about.

[Geoff]

      This was supposed to have a photo but tbe nut on the end of the keyboard did something wrong.  However it was quite a successful day getting about 25 kilos off two hives.
      One hive did not take to things quietly as I had a problem with the first super above the brood & when I bent over to make some adjustments my trousers pulled up away from around my ankles. I dont know if it was the red socks which were the attraction or not but about 30 bees got attached to my right ankle & went to town.  Yesterday that ankle was about twice the size of the left however the swelling is going down today. Just a bit of soreness & itchy
       The upside is we fresh honey again as have some of our freinds & neighbours.

[Cindi]

Ha, red socks!!  Doesn't a red flag anger the bulls?   Just kidding.  I betcha that they did not like the sight of the bright colour.  If the socks were black, you probably would have had the same response.  I doubt if they thought your sock was a red flower though, they aren't attracted to flowers of that colour, so it must plain and simply be an angry colour for sure.  How many stings did you think that you got?  Did you get a chance to remove the stingers right away?  That would have been a seriously difficult task to attempt for sure, you would have had to run away and take your sock off immediately.  Have a great day. Cindi

[buzzbee]

Congratulations on the good harvest Geoff!Hope the ankle is feeling better. Talk soon, Ken

[Geoff]

G'day Cindi,
                 It was a case of there being 3 or 4 frames from the brood box which had been attached to the  super I was removing  and I was concerned about the queen so I just had to go real slow.
                 In the act of bending over things went wrong so I just had to bear the stings till I was sure everything was OK with the brood & queen and once the hive was back together I could then attend to my own problems.
                 A conservative estimate would be at least 25 stings and even today, 5 days later the ankle is still swollen.
                 But that is all another lesson which will be avoided next time !!!

[Cindi]

Geoff
Ha, I know the experience with lifting off a super and the frames in the box below being attached.  Man, you want to get bees mad and in a frenzy to protect their home, do this thing for sure.  It was last summer and I was so new at everything.  I had no idea that bees built burr comb that held supers together.  So I loosened the second box with the hive tool and proceeded to lift it straight up.  Yikes!!!!  The two centre combs (obviously brood combs) pulled right out with it.  Now what to do.  I had the box in my hands with the two frames dangling off the bottom of it.  Hmm.. well, I did manage to get the frames to go back into the slot where they came from, but it took a little bit, I was on my own and did not know what to do.  That was my first experience with this, so many lessons learned the hard way.  I sustained several good stings on my face that day (I did not have any protective clothing on) and looked funny for a couple of days for sure.  I now give the second, third or whatever super just a tiny tiny little twist sideways before I even think about lifting a super up at any time.  Our bees certainly teach us how to treat them nicely.  Great day. Cindi

[kensfarm]

I did a powdered sugar treatment several weeks ago..  while re-stacking.. I smacked the Med. supers pretty good..  looked like a sheet of bees flew up and attached themselves to my face veil.  I was using a brush to sweep the powdered sugar on top of the frames..  it must have gotten some "sting" scent on it..  the bees were hitting the brush in a curled position.. then would crawl down into the brush itself like it was the fur of animal.  It was interesting to watch.. I was fully suited up. 

[Cindi]

Ken ha, that was funny about the bees on your veil.  You were probably really lucky that you had the veil on for sure.  I have never used the sugar method.  But I did read somewhere that this person puts the sugar in a flour sifter and sifts it over the frames.  I think that this sounds great, that was it is spread evenly in a dusting format and one does not have to actually physically spread it around.  I am going to do it next year in this manner as it makes to much sense.  What do you think about that?  Great day. Cindi

[Geoff]

        I think that next time when I strike the problem of attached frames a piece of piano or guitar wire with a wooden handle on each end just to pull slowly between the boxes should relieve the situation.
        Like most things these ideas are great in hindsight.

[buzzbee]

I've read that twisting the supers as you lift them will break the burr comb.Only what I've read, not from experience yet as I have not yet had the "joy" of this situation,which I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

[Cindi]

        I think that next time when I strike the problem of attached frames a piece of piano or guitar wire with a wooden handle on each end just to pull slowly between the boxes should relieve the situation.
        Like most things these ideas are great in hindsight.

Geoff, now that sounds like a really good idea for sure.  One for some deep thought.  My bees always build burr comb between the supers and it can get so messy when I twist them slightly and take one off.  There is always broken comb and quite often honey that has been exposed by the broken burr comb.  I don't think that is good.  But, yeah, if one were to take wire and slide it along underneath the super first, then for sure this would be a much cleaner way of doing so.  The burr could would be nicely sliced, instead of ripped apart.  Inventions, inventions.  Where would this world be without the people that try to do things with more ease.  It would only take a moment to "slice" this comb, and it would probably save the bees alot of work trying to rebuild the messy mess that us humans made in their home.  Great day, keep on thinkin'.  Cindi

[qa33010]

   As long as I use a hive tool to initially seperate the boxes the twist as I lift works fine, even though they are stuck back together again though not as bad, when I need to seperate them.  I have to lift empty supers.   I was thinking of a thin wire, maybe piano, with metal or wood handles, to slice through the comb and propolis between boxes.  I just don't want to kill bees needlessly including the queen. :'(

    While reducing the boxes yesterday I realized I need to design some type of light trailer that I can either hook up to my wheelchair or strap to my hips or walker and be able to use it as a work and transport platform.  Hmmmmm.  Maybe something with 26" bicycle tires and low center of gravity for ease over rough terrain...

[Finsky]

   As long as I use a hive tool to initially seperate the boxes the twist as I lift works fine, even though they are stuck back together again though not as bad, when I need to seperate them.  I have to lift empty supers.   I was thinking of a thin wire, maybe piano,

If boxes are badly stucked it is frames which are clued with burr. Boxes have a little resin but that is not main point. Knife is bets to lift box corner and then the another. Wire system crushes hundreds or thousands of bees inside the hive. It will never work.m After that they try to kill you.

If boxes are still stucked to need to take frame by frame off.  That means too that box is full of honey.

[Cindi]

   As long as I use a hive tool to initially seperate the boxes the twist as I lift works fine, even though they are stuck back together again though not as bad, when I need to seperate them.  I have to lift empty supers.   I was thinking of a thin wire, maybe piano,

If boxes are badly stucked it is frames which are clued with burr. Boxes have a little resin but that is not main point. Knife is bets to lift box corner and then the another. Wire system crushes hundreds or thousands of bees inside the hive. It will never work.m After that they try to kill you.

If boxes are still stucked to need to take frame by frame off.  That means too that box is full of honey.

Eeeeks!!!  Never thought about the wire killing all the bees, on thinking about it, I believe that you are absolutely 100% right, that sounds awful!!!  Thanks for the tip, that may save my death by bee (LOL).  When I am working in the hives and I see this bunch of burr comb stuck on the top of frames, after I am finished the work in that particular hive, I always scrape off the burr comb from the frame tops of the lower box, hoping that it will keep the bottoms of the frames from sticking to the top of frames that had so much burr comb.  Ya, this does seem to help.  I actually never checked to see if the bottom box was full of honey, will listen and next year examine.  Great information, thank you.  Great day. Cindi

[Trot]

Was waiting to see how long it would take before somebody would address this issue for what it is?
Finsky was the only one, who briefly mentioned it!

A beek who works with the bees, (not against them) will never have much concern with burr-comb!
If burr-comb is a problem, it simply means that one is not paying attention about what the bees are up to?!
It means, that one is days late in installing another super! It also means that a frame or two of foundation cold have been installed, to replace those old combs. It simply means, that bees had no place to store or expand and they must use any available nook and cranny to make a few cells and fill them.

Have a great day, all...

Regards,
Trot

[Cindi]

Was waiting to see how long it would take before somebody would address this issue for what it is?
Finsky was the only one, who briefly mentioned it!

A beek who works with the bees, (not against them) will never have much concern with burr-comb!
If burr-comb is a problem, it simply means that one is not paying attention about what the bees are up to?!
It means, that one is days late in installing another super! It also means that a frame or two of foundation cold have been installed, to replace those old combs. It simply means, that bees had no place to store or expand and they must use any available nook and cranny to make a few cells and fill them.

Have a great day, all...

Regards,
Trot

Trot,  I am using your forum  name.  I never in my would have realized that this burr comb meant so much that the beekeeper could have prevented.  Honestly,  I never knew.  I only wish that I could have had all this information at my fingertips during the first year of beekeeping.  This forum is one of the most wonderful learning tools and curves that I could have ever imagined possible.  Have a great day, and please keep these tips coming for us new beekeepers, who, mostly likely like you all, have had to learn the hard way as well.  Great dya.  Cindi

[Trot]

Cindi,

glad to be of help.  You know, to us, (should say me) most of the time things like that just pass me by. We/I, the old-timers, are so used to such things that are like second-nature and are done automatically. At least I have to, sometimes, sit back and think about - what is the problem?  Than of course, I finally realize that a person don't know, or most often - that time is all but overripe to do this or that... 
I guess it's some kind of professional block, if you will...
Will sure try to shed some lite on some future issues as they might arise?

Have a great day, all. . . . .
I got to go shovel snow, heeee.

Regards,
Frank - Trot

[Cindi]

Cindi,

glad to be of help.  You know, to us, (should say me) most of the time things like that just pass me by. We/I, the old-timers, are so used to such things that are like second-nature and are done automatically. At least I have to, sometimes, sit back and think about - what is the problem?  Than of course, I finally realize that a person don't know, or most often - that time is all but overripe to do this or that... 
I guess it's some kind of professional block, if you will...
Will sure try to shed some lite on some future issues as they might arise?

Have a great day, all. . . . .
I got to go shovel snow, heeee.

Regards,
Frank - Trot

Frank, it is indeed how human nature is.  When one has expertise and has performed a task(s) repeatedly, the tasks at hand do become second nature, and we are on automatic pilot, not realizing like you said, others that have not this experience may need a little more explanation.  My sister and family live on our property with their 6 children (among this my daughter, husband and two grandsons).  This spring I want to teach everyone some very simple basics of beekeeping.  It will be important for all these little eyes to help me to keep an "eye" on things.  If the math is done, (this includes our 4 foster boys, myself and husband), this means 18 sets of eyes, 36 eyes totalled.  If there is something odd going on at the apiary, surelky out of these 36 eyeballs, at least 2 may be able to see something strange and come and tell me or my sister.  My husband and I are planning on a trip back to Ontario this summer for a wedding of another neice.  We will be gone for about a week, and we will be gone during the swarming season.  Now, I have plans in place that I hope will prevent swarming.  But we all know how that goes.  We will be gone for the July long weekend, and I bet that would be the perfect swarming time.  Again, I am not pro, but I need to teach some basics, I have to put myself back into the head space of a person that knows diddly squat about beekeeping.  So, teaching I will do with all my little helpers and maybe between them and the deeper basics I will be teaching my sister, if any swarms arise, they may be dealt with and kept at home, not off to some great big tree that she cannot get the bees out of.  If a swarm occurs that cannot be easily caught or prevented, well, oh well, just have to look at it as perhaps a blessing in disguise (that was supposed to be funny, so LOL).  So, when I begin my little bee lessons soon, after Christmas, I have to go back in time to when I did not know a thing.  Great day, I will be leaning on this wonderful forum for support from all the wonderful people that love to give the best advice that they share so willingly.  Great day.  Cindi

[Trot]

Cindi,

must be something to have all those eyes around your place?   I am much more of a loner type.  Have just returned from a trip to Sault Ste Marie.  Took wife and son there, to our daughter's place, from where they are driving to some place in US and catching a plane for Hawaii.
So, a few weeks by myself will soothe me just fine.  I have a job though!  I was ordered by the boss to look after her, (wife's ) dog, who isn't a happy camper at the moment.  It doesn't even want to look at me.  (Tried with a few treats - don't work...)  So, I give you credit for your above-mentioned undertaking!

I would just make sure that bees had plenty of room.  One or two frames of foundation in the brood nest and an super before you go, should do it?!  If still worried, two - old single hives (old five-frame nuc boxes) in the trees, around your apiary, should prove tempting to a swarm - if one was to decide to depart? You can bait those hives with an old comb in the centre and a drop or two of lemon-grass-oil in some melted bees wax, with witch you can rub the bottom of top-bars on some empty frames...

Besides, first week in July?  I would think that main swarming season would be behind you - in your part of the country?  Just about is in our parts of Ontario...

Regards,
Trot

[Cindi]

Cindi,

must be something to have all those eyes around your place?   I am much more of a loner type.  Have just returned from a trip to Sault Ste Marie.  Took wife and son there, to our daughter's place, from where they are driving to some place in US and catching a plane for Hawaii.
So, a few weeks by myself will soothe me just fine.  I have a job though!  I was ordered by the boss to look after her, (wife's ) dog, who isn't a happy camper at the moment.  It doesn't even want to look at me.  (Tried with a few treats - don't work...)  So, I give you credit for your above-mentioned undertaking!

I would just make sure that bees had plenty of room.  One or two frames of foundation in the brood nest and an super before you go, should do it?!  If still worried, two - old single hives (old five-frame nuc boxes) in the trees, around your apiary, should prove tempting to a swarm - if one was to decide to depart? You can bait those hives with an old comb in the centre and a drop or two of lemon-grass-oil in some melted bees wax, with witch you can rub the bottom of top-bars on some empty frames...

Besides, first week in July?  I would think that main swarming season would be behind you - in your part of the country?  Just about is in our parts of Ontario...

Regards,
Trot

Frank, outside of my family on my property, (and other family), I am a loner.  I stay at home pretty much most of the time except for the shopping that I have to do to feed my enormous crew (well, I guess 6 is not that bad really).  But they are all male teenagers (4) and my husband and myself that I cook for.  They sure can eat.

I listen to your advice on the nucs in the trees, I have many trees that I could put them in, surely out of the many, at least one swarm will stay home.  LOL.  I think the swarming season is pretty much gone by the wayside by the beginning of July.  But I can't say that for sure.  I caught a swarm in one of our trees on August 1 the first year of my beekeeping, so I imagine they still take off then.  I have so many good ideas about swarm prevention now from the tips from other beekeepers about overcrowding.  I will be implementing these this year, and yeah, I hope that I do not have any uncomfortable bees, too crowded and too hot.  It is amazing when I look back on how hot my bees must have been, with the solid bottomboards, sitting out in the blazing sun.  Plain and simply, just never knew about extra ventilation for cooling.   All my queens are young too, I understand that does assist with the distribution of lots of queen pheromone, which I understand can also contribute to the swarming, if there is not enough of this to go around.  Well, we'll see, I have faith that all will go really well this year.

By the way Frank, hope your dog gets used to being with you only for the time your family is away.  Great day.  Cindi