Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: What beehives look like in Florida in December  (Read 7928 times)

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #20 on: December 11, 2007, 01:02:25 pm »
.
Why I don't like burr. If I let super back on the tower, hundred of bees are squeezed between burred frames, between every box. That is why burr must be cleaned. 

And if burr is there, it is difficult to put frames back in it's site. I would like to pass this but........

But it is normal when boxes are full of honey, then bees try to fill all gaps.

.

Offline Trot

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 196
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #21 on: December 11, 2007, 02:07:15 pm »
What one would like for others to do, one should first do it one self!  
Bragging about drinking your margarita's at 70 F and "tropics?"  Your perception of tropics is about as good as my understanding of your advertised practices...

I happen to know quite a bit about "Bees for Humanity" which operates in the poor of poorest Africa.
I took my breaths in "tropical jungles," where countless others left their breath for good!  
For a lot of them, if they would "do by the book" as required, perhaps to them too could, after all those years some flunky suggest, when and how to take their breath?!  Now that I would like to see and gladly embrace.

But, telling you about the facts of life and a code of ethics on which much of life in certain situations depends is a waste of MY breath .  
I doubt that you will ever venture any further than the safe and easy reach for your margarita and your lounge-chair

Oh yes, it is easy to notice your "more than enough ego !" But, self respect is earned and judged by others - not by one' self. . . .

And years ago, when teaching the poor in a far corner of the world how to switch to more advanced keeping of bees, one coworker turned to me and said: "It's quite refreshing how eagerly and without words this poor creatures gobble up the knowledge?  It would be God-sent if we could achieve something similar back home."

How true. . . How true. . . .

Offline Understudy

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4641
  • Gender: Male
    • http://www.understudy.net
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #22 on: December 11, 2007, 02:17:26 pm »
.
Why I don't like burr. If I let super back on the tower, hundred of bees are squeezed between burred frames, between every box. That is why burr must be cleaned. 

And if burr is there, it is difficult to put frames back in it's site. I would like to pass this but........

But it is normal when boxes are full of honey, then bees try to fill all gaps.

.
In that aspect you are right. You do need to trim down the burr comb so the frames lay evenly. And I do that. But I also know the bees will build it right back up it also the comb to look though  and inspect. I don't freak out when I see burr comb I use it to my advantage.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #23 on: December 11, 2007, 02:31:49 pm »
And I do that. But I also know the bees will build it right back up it also the comb to look though  and inspect.

So they do.  Some hives are worse than others. In our new plastic hives the gap between frames is as narrow as possible.  But they clue it however.

Some have used vaselin when they have thought that plastic boxes are clued together. But tehy are not. They are frames. Only way is often loose frame by frame that I get box away.

Offline Understudy

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4641
  • Gender: Male
    • http://www.understudy.net
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #24 on: December 11, 2007, 03:43:21 pm »
And I do that. But I also know the bees will build it right back up it also the comb to look though  and inspect.

So they do.  Some hives are worse than others. In our new plastic hives the gap between frames is as narrow as possible.  But they clue it however.

Some have used vaselin when they have thought that plastic boxes are clued together. But tehy are not. They are frames. Only way is often loose frame by frame that I get box away.

They put vasoline in hives? No thanks, I will deal with my burr comb. Vasoline is a petrolum jelly. I can't see how bees would like that at all. Could you explain further?

I run nine frames so the gap is a little wider than most. here is where I am different than Michael. He will squeeze as many frames as he can into a brood box so the gap is narrow also.
I run nine across the board. The bees may do little build up on the frames but not much and queen cells tend to not get caught between two frames as much. So I can pull out a frame and not break open a queen cell.

It also makes it easier to put the frames back in.

The honey frames with nine frames do also get a bit of a buildup. But it is much easier to uncap them.

Temps in Florida 81F/27C highs 71F/22C lows it will be like this all week.
Temps in Ottawa 30F/-1C highs 6F/-14C lows of temprature ranges in the week.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Offline annette

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 5353
  • Gender: Female
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #25 on: December 11, 2007, 04:06:33 pm »
It is amazing how actual experience goes against all the books I read. Lots of good information here and I have a different opinion now about the burr comb.
Thanks
Annette

I am quoting myself, because I want it understood that I am being "OPEN" about the burr comb. Understanding that there are other ways to look at the burr comb and that it may or may not be useful at times. I haven't said anything about what I would or would not do with it in the future. All the opinions here are good and necessary for a new beekeeper like me to learn. I like hearing different sides of the coin. Then I can make my own decisions based on what all the experienced beekeepers have done over the years.

I am finding that I have to trust my intuition most of all after all is said and done.  I thank you all for being so helpful and sharing your knowledge.

It warmed up at the bee hives today to around 60 and the bees are flying out like rockets, must have found something interesting. I have my hives up on this amazing knoll which has it's own weather pattern. Although the weather in our town says something like 50's, it is much warmer up on this knoll and the bees are having a ball now, doing orientation flights and stumbling over each other to get out of the hive. They look happy and healthy.

Take care
Annette

Offline KONASDAD

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2011
  • Gender: Male
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #26 on: December 11, 2007, 04:14:43 pm »
Annette-
Bees dont read, too busy working to death.

As for your burr comb being carried back to the hive, probably a bird who wanted some drone larvae and dropped it on top. The bees wouldn't be able to carry such a load.
"The more complex the Mind, the Greater the need for the simplicity of Play".

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #27 on: December 12, 2007, 02:29:07 am »

I started a new thread

Offline annette

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 5353
  • Gender: Female
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #28 on: December 12, 2007, 03:29:01 am »
Annette-
Bees dont read, too busy working to death.

As for your burr comb being carried back to the hive, probably a bird who wanted some drone larvae and dropped it on top. The bees wouldn't be able to carry such a load.

OK thank you
Annette

Offline pdmattox

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1143
  • Gender: Male
    • October bend Rv Park
Re: What beehives look like in Florida in December
« Reply #29 on: December 12, 2007, 09:10:36 pm »
nice looking hives Brendhan. the northerners are jealous. :evil:

 

anything