Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH => Topic started by: NWIN Beekeeper on September 06, 2007, 09:40:09 am
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I haven't had the chance to stop down and visit Dallas' beeyard to see how he does things.
So I had a friend who was nice enough to drop by and take a picture of his yard.
I guess things down south get done a little different then the way us Northern Yankees do it?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/Shallotman/DSC00436.jpg
This appears to be three very strong "Mattox Splits", hopefully they make it through the winter!
Looks like you've got all that swarming under control, now maybe you'll have a better honey crop next year or stronger hives for more pollination?
Michael Bush should be very impressed - you've opened up the brood nest very nicely!
Have A Great Day!
-Jeff
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Yep this is at the home yard and I usually keep them in the trees while I build more boxes. :-D Don't worry they never leave untill I hive them, they are very well trained.
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Dallas, some pretty nice swarms you got going on there. I guess in your climate the bees will stay in the tree for longer because of heat? I can't tell if you are kidding or not about the bees hanging around while you build boxes :roll: HOw on earth do you get them down out of a tree so tall. Good luck. Have a wonderful day, best of this beautiful life. Cindi
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Cindi he has the trees trained to bend over on command. After they bend over so the tops are touching the ground it is very easy to retrieve the bees.
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i don't know how you "train" them dallas, but my menthor told me, the best way to let them know-not to land high in trees is, to get a cain and walk around the hives a few times all bent over. that way they know they have to be good to ya. :-D
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Ha, just as I figured. You are all nuts :-D In all reality, Dallas, tell me the truth!!!!! Always have this beautiful day to be yours to hold in the palm of your hand, we can do that, we can all be happy, happy, happy. Cindi
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I guess I still have a few questions....
1. I know you've said you keep all your colonies on pallets, you put the trees and all on them as well?
2. Do you subscribe to the logic of over-supering or under-supering when adding empty hive boxes to these swarms?
3. When you do mite drop counts, do you have to compensate for the wind?
4. Using tree swarms you are almost always on the move and must use migratory tops don't you?
5. Do you paint your swarm trees or do you leave them to weather "naturally"?
6. Do you have any pointers for starters like Cindi that might want to use your "trees until boxes" method?
I'm impressed, I get nose bleeds from step ladders and so I could never utilize a method like this - Kudos my friend!
Now if we can only get ABJ or Bee Culture to endorse writing an article we might get somewhere.
Charles Martin Simon embraces backward beekeeping, I think you're leaps head of him by not even using hive boxes!
I know financing is everything to good research, I'm thinking about giving $20 to my local community college to look into this!
[I like Mici's idea about the cane.... ]
But what if we strapped you in wheel chair and dipped you in honey?
I bet those bees would come right out of that tree!
May you have the bestest beautiful life with the hip happiest sunshiny, sun beating down on your face, grass under your toes, breeze your back, oceans breaking on the beach while enjoying a picnic with John's brunette mistress from Hooters kind of day!
-Jeff
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May you have the bestest beautiful life with the hip happiest sunshiny, sun beating down on your face, grass under your toes, breeze your back, oceans breaking on the beach while enjoying a picnic!
-Jeff
Well, I must say, that sounds like the most beautiful experience that one could ever imagine. Now, you have the most wonderful day, your adjectives are lovely. Cindi
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He gets the trees to bend over by pulling a watering hose over to them. If they bend over they get watered. Works every time. :-D
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LOL.
This is a just a new way to reduce bearding. They get all the ventilation needed 20' in the air.
On a serious note:
I was at a commercial yard a few months ago and he had a open hive hanging from a tree branch. Dallas must be following his lead. They made very nice comb and all.
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well did dallas catch them???
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Well ted I hived them. All I do when I build the new box is put a feeder jar on top and then take a stick and lightly rap on the top cover. Soon they just start flying in. :-D
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with swarm season coming up just wanted to share some techniques. :evil:
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with swarm season coming up just wanted to share some techniques. :evil:
Hey Dallas, how can you tell when them trees are ready for swarm catchin'? I heard the bark sometimes will turn a different color to let you know that swarm season is just around the corner, is that about right?
....Jp
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yes JP you heard right. when the bark turns from brown to tan is a good sign. :-D
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"...when the bark turns from brown to..."
WHITE is the correct answer!
When a swarm hangs out on trunk too long they shed WHITE wax scales.
I think the correct answer is WHITE !
-Jeff
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"...when the bark turns from brown to..."
WHITE is the correct answer!
When a swarm hangs out on trunk too long they shed WHITE wax scales.
I think the correct answer is WHITE !
-Jeff
Maybe down in Mexico they turn white but never here. Its always the type of tree that picks swarms that matters most when it comes to bark color. I did some research and the oaks in my area that have " the swarm catchin' genes" turn a reddish tan, the red maple swarm trees turn an almost peach like color and my favorite trees, chinese tallows of course turn yellow, but that's only in leap yrs. Hey we're in a leap yr so you bet I will be paying attention to the tallow trees with the yellow trunks!!!
(http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/3980/cimg0175mt4.th.jpg) (http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg0175mt4.jpg)
This is a pic of me waiting for this oak to "turn" to its swarm shade. Every yr this same tree catches swarms on March 3. I waited from 6am until right before dark for the tree to turn, which it eventually did, but we didn't have enough light for any proper footage. In case you're wondering, it was a big swarm that showed up, about a 10lber, but that is a story for another time.
....JP
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[...it was a big swarm that showed up, about a 10lber, but that is a story for another time.]
HEHEHHEH...
Yeah, perhaps when you sober up and stop exaggerating the weight!
"Its the great pumpkin Charlie Brown - you block head!"
-JEFF
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This is a pic of me waiting for this oak to "turn" to its swarm shade. Every yr this same tree catches swarms on March 3. I waited from 6am until right before dark for the tree to turn, which it eventually did, but we didn't have enough light for any proper footage. In case you're wondering, it was a big swarm that showed up, about a 10lber, but that is a story for another time.
JP, OK, now I am thinking that you are really telling tall tales.....tree bark turning colour with intention to catch swarms, whatever!!!
In all seriousness, does this phenomenon really occur? I need to hear more about this, this kind of stuff triggers that fascination that comes from the very depths of my soul, and certain things I find so intriguing that I can't stand it!!! Tell more about it.
And if any other forum friends have stuff to add to this intriguing thing, tell the stories, I need to know!!!! Have the most beautiful and awesome day, lovin' this great life we're livin'!!!!! Cindi
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[...it was a big swarm that showed up, about a 10lber, but that is a story for another time.]
HEHEHHEH...
Yeah, perhaps when you sober up and stop exaggerating the weight!
"Its the great pumpkin Charlie Brown - you block head!"
-JEFF
Ok, Jeff you got me there, it was really more like 9lbs was just trying to supe the event up a little and 10 lbs sounds better than 9. It was a tough one though, a 9lb swarm is a large cluster of bees now, took two full deeps to house them.
....JP
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In all seriousness, does this phenomenon really occur? I need to hear more about this, this kind of stuff triggers that fascination that comes from the very depths of my soul, and certain things I find so intriguing that I can't stand it!!! Tell more about it.
And if any other forum friends have stuff to add to this intriguing thing, tell the stories, I need to know!!!! Have the most beautiful and awesome day, lovin' this great life we're livin'!!!!! Cindi
[/quote]
Cindi, why would I rent a 38' boom lift on March 3, and wait from 6am until almost dark way the heck up there if this didn't exist?
....JP
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JP, not sure about that one, I always thought you were a little crazeeeee in the head....beautiful day, love life, groove on this life. Cindi
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march 3rd?
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march 3rd?
Yes, March 3, 2007. In two days you bet I'll be right back in that same tree, have had the bucket lift reserved since last week. The rental place knows by now to reserve the lift for me, cause I've been picking it up for the last 4 yrs or so.
....JP
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[every yr this same tree catches swarms on March 3. I waited from 6am until right before dark for the tree to turn, which it eventually did, but we didn't have enough light for any proper footage.]
In my area it seems to correlate to the bloom of cedars.
They almost look alien with their goopy red ooze.
My wife was ready to call the extension office thinking they were 'sick'.
I bet every area has one variety of tree that is a tell tale sign.
-Jeff
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These guys in the this video wait until the first of June before they sit from dusk to dawn waiting for swarms. I wonder what tree they have in their area that gives them the tell-tale signs of swarming.
http://www.iwf.de/iwf/do/mkat/details.aspx?GUID=544D412D0000000000000000000000002CF44C86F1E8520EFC0000000C1A53B7&Action=Schnell&SearchStr=beekeeping
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Holy smoking smoke, batmen!!! Now this is becoming the most intriguing thread that I have ever seen......wow!!!!
JP, remember it is a leap year, I think that you will have to go out on March 4, so hold onto your socks!!! Hee, hee. Have a most wonderful and beautiful day, I am picturing you waiting all day long on March 3, but the bees coming on March 4, eeks!!! Beautiful life. Cindi
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Yes Cindi, but will the bees know its leap yr?
....JP