A beekeeping topic.

[fshndoug]

your wife has a very sinister look about her

[fishinwrench]

I've never done any bee farming, but at least twice per year I'll pop off a motor cowling and instantly be in the middle of a swarm of cranky stingers.  I have learned to just stay calm and not make any sudden movements.   That seems to work way better than dropping everything and taking off running.  

Ran over a nest of yellow jackets with the mower a couple weeks ago.  I just kept mowing and pretended that it didn't even happen. Amazingly I managed to not get stung, even though 2-3 got inside the arm holes of my tank top.   

It takes some serious self control to not start swatting and flailing your arms around when you can feel them on the back of your neck. 😳 

I have always heard that they can sense panic, and will launch a full on assault if they do......and I wholeheartedly believe that.    
 

[jdmidwest]

9 hours ago, BilletHead said:

    No Douglas I didn't but after her second stunt I thought she needed some sense knocked into her. She got blasted again. She decided to weed eat around the hives. I said you shouldn't. Next thing I know she did behind all hives. Then proceeded to the fronts. I was out there and said no. Oh I'll watch close. About that time she got tagged. Then she put on her bee suit and finishes surrounded by a bee tornado. Ended up getting a steroid dose pack and the doctor wrote her a script for an EpiPen. Just in case. She isn't a bad kid just sometimes a dumb kid. 😂😂😂 Above right eye but both went to slits for a day. 

I use clippers and weedkiller. I tried the weed eater one time.  Something about the high pitch sound and CO2 exhaust ticks them off.

[jdmidwest]

9 hours ago, BilletHead said:

                    Bearding here too JD. Today was better the three days before today really thick outside. 

The fish hive is getting pretty big and looks like they may be out of room.  Any way to add a box to that contraption?  Lots of bees sitting out milling around. More room inside and they would be building something.

My hives are up to 3 deeps and supers this year and I have pulled frames out of some to beef up starters.

[jdmidwest]

6 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

I've never done any bee farming, but at least twice per year I'll pop off a motor cowling and instantly be in the middle of a swarm of cranky stingers.  I have learned to just stay calm and not make any sudden movements.   That seems to work way better than dropping everything and taking off running.  

Ran over a nest of yellow jackets with the mower a couple weeks ago.  I just kept mowing and pretended that it didn't even happen. Amazingly I managed to not get stung, even though 2-3 got inside the arm holes of my tank top.   

It takes some serious self control to not start swatting and flailing your arms around when you can feel them on the back of your neck. 😳 

I have always heard that they can sense panic, and will launch a full on assault if they do......and I wholeheartedly believe that.    
 

Red wasp popped me center of chest while I was changing filter at farm, never saw it, hurt like hell.  Actually felt like chest pains later on while I was bushogging, painful sting.  Went back down when I put tractor back up and nest in wall, gave a good spray to them.  BTW, Rural King has the good long distance stuff for $1.79 a can this year.

[BilletHead]

31 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

I use clippers and weedkiller. I tried the weed eater one time.  Something about the high pitch sound and CO2 exhaust ticks them off.

       We sometimes use weedkiller. Pat has been planting flowers around the hives pimping out the yard I tell her, she was trying to be careful around the flowers.  Our weed eater is electric and usually no problem with using it. Guess they were cranky? Pat says all her fault that day and is not mad at the bees at all. 

[BilletHead]

30 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

The fish hive is getting pretty big and looks like they may be out of room.  Any way to add a box to that contraption?  Lots of bees sitting out milling around. More room inside and they would be building something.

My hives are up to 3 deeps and supers this year and I have pulled frames out of some to beef up starters.

            The fish hive still has room to build. I peeked in it and there is wax drawn fully and partially on ten of the fourteen frames. I think it was a heat related deal as had two others like that similar. Yesterday was less humidity and all hives back to normal. Last two hives I built have twenty frames and will be in partial shade towards back of the house. I know small hive beetles like shady hives so I will be vigilant keeping a close eye on those. 

  On another note, as you are doing, I gifted a friend a third Lang hive to a new bee keeper. The other two I gave him are doing great. I have two more to share and the guy is supposed to get them soon I hope. All I ask of the guys is to replace my boxes if they keep them and replace my frames. Equipment is like everything else getting expensive. 

[jdmidwest]

My coworker has already went out and bought a suit, gloves, and a smoker.  He is ready for the honey that drips out of them, says he buys a quart a month.  Daily updates coming from him and calls.

I will probably try to teach him something and keep a hive in his yard.  Its pretty handy.  But his mental capacity to grasp what this hobby involves is not all there.  Like many, he has started and stopped many things, quickly loosing interest.

The other may make a bee keeper.  He is trying to learn the old ways and live off the land.

[jdmidwest]

Summer is over and fall is coming on.  Going into winter with 6 hives, and 2 new beekeepers started off mine.

I had honey off one hive this year that was the lightest I have ever had.  I did separate runs off each hive this year instead of just lumping it together.

This marks my 10 year anniversary of beekeeping as of July.  I am a seasoned vet.

 

[BilletHead]

       Very nice JD!

  Looks like If all continues to go well, I will have eleven going into winter. One is kind of suspect as I have not seen the queen but there is still brood in it. They left because of hive beetles. I did a cleaning of the hive and got the colony back in a swarm trap and re-introduced them later with a couple brood frames from a strong hive. Late in the season but we will see. I only harvest once a season and will see what I have to take within a couple three weeks. I will take the kings share but the queen comes first and will take care of the girls first.  The summer dearth was hard here on my bees. I was glad when the golden rod began to bloom. I have yet to see an aster but sure some are blooming somewhere. 

   I gifted out three standard Langsdorf colonies and got one new beekeeper started. He built three long Langsdorf hives and introduced the colonies into them. He is in a high nectar flow area and those hives have done well. He is happy and I am happy for him.

         Last but not least my second batch of Meade has been racked once and is ready to bottle. Very happy with that new undertaking but sure uses a bunch of honey per batch.