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Author Topic: no honey at all  (Read 5066 times)

Offline slacker361

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no honey at all
« on: August 27, 2010, 09:25:06 pm »
first year hive.

 2 deeps.( two deep supers of bees)

 two weeks ago during an inspection,I noticed that the girls were starting to fill some deep frames with honey. Now nothing, no honey whatsoever.  There are plenty of blooms around, goldenrod and other fall flowers. No storage of honey at all now. Any ideas?  However there is still a lot of brood in the hive .
« Last Edit: August 27, 2010, 11:24:11 pm by slacker361 »

Offline Kathyp

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2010, 09:33:24 pm »
they are using what they bring in.  you should consider feeding soon or they won't have stores for winter.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline iddee

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2010, 09:54:44 pm »
You could also try using some periods. Then we might know what you're saying. I'm not sure what you mean.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline slacker361

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2010, 09:59:15 pm »
thank you .  Mr Grammar Police ....................................................... :roll:

Offline iddee

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2010, 10:13:00 pm »
Not trying to be. I try to answer questions. Seriously, I couldn't pick out your sentences and didn't know what you were saying. Maybe I should just back out and not try.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline BBees

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2010, 11:05:39 pm »
Slacker,

I'm with Iddee on this one, like to help, but have trouble figuring out what your question is. Bottom line - the better your question the better your answer! I think your asking why you had honey 2 weeks ago and now it's gone? If so, it's probably due to a summer dearth in your area and they're hungry = feed those girls or keep wishing for a flow. I'd vote for feeding them to help them survive through winter. A club member that has his hives on a scale says they've been losing weight for about 3 weeks now, we're all counting on a goldenrod flow to fill our hives with honey for overwintering. How's your goldenrod doing?

Good luck, Steve
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Offline slacker361

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #6 on: August 27, 2010, 11:27:04 pm »
re phrased the question and correct grammar. Please let me know if the question is still not understandable.

kathyp: thanks for understanding what I was saying

Offline Kathyp

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #7 on: August 27, 2010, 11:34:55 pm »
i have the (mis)fortune to be the owner of a jumbled mind.  unscrambling things is a daily task for me.  :-D
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline BBees

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2010, 11:41:13 pm »
Good job!

Possibiities;
1) Robbed
2) Had a lot workers hatch and more honey was consumed than was brought in.
3) Lack of nectar being brought in.

Solutions;
1) Reduce entrance if a weak hive.
2) Feed, feed, feed sugar syrup.
3) Could try to switch hive positions with a hive with a lot of foragers. The additional foragers may bring in more nectar and pollen.
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confusius

Offline iddee

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2010, 04:35:24 pm »
Thanks...

Along with the above mentioned, a varroa or tracheal mite infestation can cause the same thing.

If they were abnormally feisty, you may have a skunk eating the foragers, IE: guard bees at night.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline slacker361

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2010, 04:37:30 pm »
the bottom box was a little pissier that normal. How would you trap for a skunk?

Offline charmd2

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2010, 04:43:40 pm »
politically correct way to get rid of a skunk is to move your hive bottom board to a height of 18 inches. 

you could take a sheet of plywood and nail in a bunch of nails, set it in front of the hive and they won't walk on the nails. 

I'm sure someone will come along with a politically incorrect way to help in a minute. 
Charla Hinkle

Offline iddee

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #12 on: August 28, 2010, 05:57:52 pm »
Either raise it as above, or go to a carpet store and ask for a tack strip. Nail it across the front of the bottom board.

Live trap or shotgun. Steel trap stinks up the neighborhood.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline Kathyp

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #13 on: August 28, 2010, 06:10:19 pm »
however...shooting the shotgun in the direction of the hive is probably not wise  :evil:

yes....we are not all PC.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline charmd2

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #14 on: August 28, 2010, 06:13:13 pm »
actually Kathy, I forgot shotgun or 22's..   

I was thinking more along the line of the egg trick...  and I'm not recommending it due to neighbor animals and unintended casualties. 
Charla Hinkle

Offline rdy-b

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #15 on: August 28, 2010, 06:44:36 pm »
Hate it when that happens-very possible your bees swarmed and took the crop with them- was there any tell tale sighns that a swarm may have ocured -bee population is not always a indicator-RDY-B

Offline slacker361

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #16 on: August 28, 2010, 08:47:26 pm »
No I dont think they swarmed. Will the skunk leave scratch marks on the hive? My hive is not painted so would i see the scratch marks if it is a skunk? I use linseed oil for the hive.

Offline rdy-b

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #17 on: August 28, 2010, 08:56:50 pm »
scrathes -or at the least a smuch print-RDY-B

Offline iddee

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #18 on: August 28, 2010, 09:36:17 pm »
It depends. A skunk scratches to get the bees to come out. Then he eats them. If the hive is strong enough for them to be bearding, he doesn't have to scratch. If they come out with very little coaching, he won't leave marks.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline WhipCityBeeMan

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Re: no honey at all
« Reply #19 on: August 28, 2010, 09:54:39 pm »
I catch skunks regularly with have-a-hart traps.  Never been sprayed.  Caught one today that was really friendly.  I just move them a few miles away across the river.
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