The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

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Trev62
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The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by Trev62 »

Are there any Bee Keepers on here?

We started keeping them last year and although we harvested a lot of lovely honey we also made so many mistakes along the way. Hopefully things will go better this year. We have just got another two hives so will be experimenting a bit this year. If anyone is interested I will put some updates here.
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PK
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by PK »

I have kept bees for some years but still hesitate to call myself a 'bee keeper' as it is just one strand of our smallholding activities. We get a harvest each year and go through all the basic operations. Sometimes I catch a swarm. I have had mixed fortunes trying to split a colony. But bee colonies are very good at looking after themselves. I doubt they watch You Tube videos! Happy to swap notes.
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Mo
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by Mo »

I tried it years ago. Was too clumsy and found I needed 3 hands. Had a load of angry bees inside my veil on one occasion.
Then a friend came in with me, we moved one of the hives into her garden and she bought more equipment. So there were 2 when we opened the hives. But that didn't always work either as it depended on finding a time when we were both free and the weather was right. And bees don't wait if they are thinking about swarming.
So when she moved away we split things, I sold a colony & hive, she took some with her.

I never quite worked out how to keep bees without needing ever more hives - the answer to finding queen cells seemed to be split the colony.
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Trev62
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by Trev62 »

PK wrote: 17 Feb 2023, 22:02 I have kept bees for some years but still hesitate to call myself a 'bee keeper' as it is just one strand of our smallholding activities.
I can agree with that, I normally say we have bees but as yet do not really understand how to keep them!
PK wrote: 17 Feb 2023, 22:02 Happy to swap notes.
Phil
Excellent, it will be good to compare what you are doing in the UK vs us over here.
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Trev62
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

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Mo wrote: 18 Feb 2023, 08:13 I tried it years ago. Was too clumsy and found I needed 3 hands. Had a load of angry bees inside my veil on one occasion.
I must admit to struggling when getting the frames out for inspection and holding them but thankfully my lovely partner assists.
Mo wrote: 18 Feb 2023, 08:13 I never quite worked out how to keep bees without needing ever more hives - the answer to finding queen cells seemed to be split the colony.
Well, we started with two, ended with one which we hope has fully survived this winter and have invested in another two for this season. I will say the honey we got from the single hive repaid our investment so here is hoping the same happens again with the two new additions.
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

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Today I picked up some frames, paint and stands for our new hives and set to spraying the stands and painting the last of the hives. I then removed the insulation from the hive as temperatures are not meant to drop below freezing for the next week. Whilst doing so I was thinking of the worst mistakes I had made in our first year of keeping bees. Here are a few:

After I had cut the grass and dried it for hay I took the lawnmower over it all to tidy things up, I looked at where the hives were located and that area needed cutting back as well, normally I would take the scythe to it but weighing up the time I could save against the risk of our lovely calm bees taking offence to me being there I started mowing the area, all went well until I took a quick dash in front of the hives to finish the job. Ever seen someone running across a field behind a self propelled petrol mower being pursued by a load of unhappy bees? I did not have the sense to abandon the mower which was causing the issue. On reaching safety the bees had scored 7 direct hits on my body, it could have been worse. Lesson learnt!!

Having the Queen bee go missing from one hive I purchased a replacement and duly went down to install her into her new home. After lifting the lid I turned around to pick up her cage only to find the heat had melted the candy bung drowning/suffocating the Queen and all her attendants. Another lesson learnt the hard way.

I invested in two frame hangers to save putting the frames on the grass, hooked the two of them up on opposite sides of the hive, put a frame full of bees on each after inspecting them and then watched horrified as they both fell to the ground scattering bees everywhere! Needless to say they were not happy! Frame hangers scrapped!

Having bees is interesting and you learn a lot.........quickly.
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Trev62
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

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The weather was right to do our first hive check of the year today, so after donning all the gear we plodded to the bottom of the field expecting the worse. With the smoker fired up we removed the lid to see they had not touched any of the winter fondant, next up, off came the top cover, looking good with young bees on top off at least three frames and all acting in a lovely calm manner, so onto the best part, inspecting the frames.

Ten frames later we had found plenty of capped honey, some bee bread and best of all the Queen, very little brood but enough so a good start. Problem being the cold returns later this week so it will be out with the insulation again and wrapping up the hive up overnight.

Plans for this year, get four hives in place, install a package in one, hopefully split the one we have to make three and have the fourth as a back up. The first two will have wax foundation for the bees to build on but the third just clean frames so we can harvest the honeycomb with the honey.

That is the plan, no doubt as usual it will all go wrong!!
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fabindia
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by fabindia »

I would really like to make a top-bar hive this summer and see if this would work for my bees.

They look easy enough to make .There are lots of Youtube videos and information on the internet about top-bar hives.
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Trev62
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by Trev62 »

fabindia wrote: 01 Mar 2023, 06:19 I would really like to make a top-bar hive this summer and see if this would work for my bees.
We considered a Top Bar Hive as they seem to be the easiest hives to manage and there is no heavy lifting involved (deeps and supers can be a nightmare when fully laden) but the downside is you are meant to get a lot less honey from them which for us was a deciding factor.

If you do build one let me know as I would be interested in your thoughts on it and the results you have.
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fabindia
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by fabindia »

Trev62 wrote: 01 Mar 2023, 18:47 If you do build one let me know as I would be interested in your thoughts on it and the results you have.
Hi Trev,

We are in Thailand until end of April, as we spend the winter here. Won't be Spring until I get back to beekeeping but will let you know.

Michael
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Trev62
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by Trev62 »

Today, finally the weather was warm enough to do another hive check and we were pleasantly surprised. A good brood pattern on three frames, six over half full of honey and one with a few cells of bee bread so we decided to remove three honey frames and replace them with two deep drawn frames and a drawn super frame.

Finally we added a full super but decided not to use a Queen excluder this year as the bees seemed to not want to pass through it when used last year.

Hopefully with the hawthorn and cherry trees in full bloom the next check will show further growth in numbers but...... the wintery conditions are expected to return next week.

Now the funny part :-D I carried the removed frames away from the hives to get the last few bees of them, removed my jacket, started blowing them off and duly got stung on my nose! Sting was out within 30 seconds so no issues but you gotta laugh!! {rofwl}
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Trev62
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

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The stormy weather held off today so I headed of to do a quick hive check.

I opened up the Super box and the bees are slowly drawing all the frames out but nothing had been placed in any of the frames yet.

Started checking the Deep Box and quickly realized most of the honey stores had dwindled though there was still bee bread and uncapped honey available for food. The Queen had been busy with good brood patterns covering 6 frames and she was charging around laying eggs not bothered by our intrusion. Noticed a couple of swarm cells being built so squashed them, they were empty. Very few drones in the hive but capped drone cells were visible. Still plenty of room on the other frames especially with the super on top so decided to just add some sugar syrup later as additional food. The tree blossom is fading here with the return of the cold wet weather and although there are plenty of dead nettle plants around the dandelions have yet to open up so playing it safe and feeding the bees.

Now the bad part! I made up some sugar syrup and mid afternoon took it down to the hive with a drinker. I have done this many times and never suit up for the task just buttoning up my coveralls and slipping a pair of garden gloves on, our bees are normally really docile. Anyway, I opened the top, placed the drinker in, topped it up, replaced the lid began to walk away when a group of irate bees surrounded and started "buzzing" me, I continued walking slowly away and their numbers grew less and less, a few were persistent but I passed safely through the gates and to the shelter in front of the house. Took my gloves off, folded my collar down and ouch! Must have been a couple hitching a ride on my collar, so lovely well aimed stings went into the side of my neck, rather sore to say the least. So it is suit on at all times from now on.
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lancashire lass
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by lancashire lass »

ouch. One of the reasons I never bothered taking up bee keeping is the prospect of being stung (plus, I don't think my neighbours would take kindly to bee hives so close)
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manda
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by manda »

We have 2 hives which we took 7.5 litres of honey off a few months ago but as the colder weather is heading here in NZ that was it ...and that was being practical as they were overflowing with honey and they needed room....ironically I've just been diagnosed with diabetes so won't be for me now {cry} ..mind you we don't just keep them for the honey we want them more than anything as pollinators and because we just love watching them get busy.

Last year we caught a swarm so had 3 but over last winter the swarm hive failed and so did one of the other hives only for a new queen to take over the vacant hive and start up her own colony so back to 2 hives with no intervention from us on that score!

They are fascinating creatures although I have to say I still prefer chickens as they are less stingy although useless as pollinating so there's that )w(
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Re: The Bumbling Keeper of Bees

Post by Spreckly »

yike* Sorry to read about your diagnosis, Manda. I have type two. Hope you manage your levels, but it is sickening when you crave something and shouldn't have it.
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