For the Bee Keepers

[Maverickpro201]

I think is a really good 

Beekeeper Finds Late Grandpa’s Long-Lost Hives Are Still Alive, Creates a Honey Firm | The Epoch Times

[jdmidwest]

Nice story, but I find it hard to believe that bees could survive on a commercial hive for 8 years left alone.  He may have gotten lucky and had a swarm that came along and took up residence in the hive before he got there.

The most I can get out of any of my hives is about 3 years without some form of restocking.  Queens fail, mites overtake them, small hive beetles infest them.  Comb gets old and needs swapped out.

I am a different kind of  beekeeper,   I don't feed any supplements.  I don't preventive treat the hive with any chemicals.  I don't fuss over them much, they are wonderful bugs that have an interesting life.  But in life,  only the healthy should survive to carry on.

I do split the hives to prevent spring swarms if possible and make new hives from the originals.  The removal of a queen breaks a brood cycle and buys them additional time where the mites can't lay eggs and kills them off for a while.  I spread mineral salt under the hives to kill the beetle larva when it falls out of the hives to pupate.  I keep the hive in good physical shape and the bees dry.

In my 12 years of  keeping bees, I have lost many hives.  Always a few every year, one time over 2/3rds of them.  I have bought 4 hives of bees and been given 1 swarm.  I was up to 20 viable hives at the peak, down to none 1 time.  I am currently at 6 going into winter, maybe.....

[BilletHead]

21 minutes ago, jdmidwest said:

Nice story, but I find it hard to believe that bees could survive on a commercial hive for 8 years left alone.  He may have gotten lucky and had a swarm that came along and took up residence in the hive before he got there.

The most I can get out of any of my hives is about 3 years without some form of restocking.  Queens fail, mites overtake them, small hive beetles infest them.  Comb gets old and needs swapped out.

I am a different kind of  beekeeper,   I don't feed any supplements.  I don't preventive treat the hive with any chemicals.  I don't fuss over them much, they are wonderful bugs that have an interesting life.  But in life,  only the healthy should survive to carry on.

I do split the hives to prevent spring swarms if possible and make new hives from the originals.  The removal of a queen breaks a brood cycle and buys them additional time where the mites can't lay eggs and kills them off for a while.  I spread mineral salt under the hives to kill the beetle larva when it falls out of the hives to pupate.  I keep the hive in good physical shape and the bees dry.

In my 12 years of  keeping bees, I have lost many hives.  Always a few every year, one time over 2/3rds of them.  I have bought 4 hives of bees and been given 1 swarm.  I was up to 20 viable hives at the peak, down to none 1 time.  I am currently at 6 going into winter, maybe.....

          Yes, and JD you are the kind a keeper I am striving to be. We want strong bees. Treating bees for mites actually make the mite stronger if they survive. Through genetics and not treating by letting the bees be bees could a mite resistant bee be a thing in the future.  There are people out there claiming and selling queens claiming they are mite resistant. What do you think?  I already have one hive that was a new colony this spring. Strong colony that produced a bunch of stores this season. When I got them ready for winter, they looked good. Robbing started and I found them weak when I checked. Enough they were a loss. Warmer days like yesterday I noticed a fury of robbers and I let them rob. Right or wrong it will make those other hives stronger for winter. 

[jdmidwest]

Reading the old beekeeping books, most of the diseases the they treated for 50 years ago are not seen in colonies now.  The mites have always been there for a while, but back then they were smaller tracheal mites.  Hive beetles are new in past 30 years from Africa, they are hard to manage without chemicals. The salt, oil traps in hive, spraying ground with permethrin all helps.

Bottom line is to keep the hive strong and don't mess with them all of the time.  It disrupts them every time you crack them open.

[BilletHead]

3 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

 

Bottom line is to keep the hive strong and don't mess with them all of the time.  It disrupts them every time you crack them open.

                       Agree with this 100 percent. On our horizontal hives it's really easy. 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

[Johnsfolly]

5 hours ago, Daryk Campbell Sr said:

I saw this meme and thought about posting here. Thanks Daryk!

[jdmidwest]

7 hours ago, Johnsfolly said:

I saw this meme and thought about posting here. Thanks Daryk!

I bet she is "Hot" under that getup. 

I normally am.  Keeping bees in a full suit tends to leave you soaked all the way thru underneath after 5 minutes.

[BilletHead]

Dang right she is hot in that suit. Just a jacket for me now.