I recently purchased and read "Swarm Traps and Bait Hives" my McCartney Taylor.
A fairly good read. Very informative and entertaining.
I knocked together a few bait hives over the weekend. Two of them hold 7 deep frames each. The third holds 7 top bars. I plan to build a few more as I have quite a list of places I want to put them.
• Near the CEU campus (2 swarms that I know of near there in the last year).
• Near the Castle Dale Bee tree (if I can get permission.)
• Mom's back yard.
• Lone tree south of Ridge Road (caught a swarm there a few years ago).
• 2 near my bee tree above Springville. I've had one there for 2 swarm seasons with no success but I plan to enlarge the entrance and reposition it.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Early Spring inspections
The weather was beautiful to day so I decided to check my hives.
The Oscar hive in the back yard is dead. They have starved. I should have paid closer attention. They were a struggling colony for a couple of seasons now. Time to replace them with a stronger colony. I'll likely place this hive at the bottom of uncle Brent's back pasture with a new package of bees in it in April.
The TBH in the back yard is amazingly strong. Still a lot of honey on both ends. Pollen coming in the entrance also. The comb is quite a mess in this hive. Once the nectar is flowing, I'll harvest all the remaining honey and remove all the cross comb.
The TBH at Rosier's is my favorite. Nice straight comb, gentle bees. They still have quite a it of honey as well. Saw three different colors of pollen coming in today (brown, light gray/white and bright yellow.) Not sure what's blooming this time of year, but they've found it.
The TBH at the Peczuh farm is alive and well also with plenty of stores and pollen coming in also.
I took 4 stings today (all my fault.) I wore my vail, but no gloves. 1 sting to each palm. I've never been stung on the palm before. No noticeable swelling. One sting on the back of the left hand and another on the neck after I had taken off my vail and was observing the entrance of the Peczuh hive.
I knocked together some swarm traps/bait hives today. Two that accept 7 deep frames and 1 that accepts 7 top bars. I will place them soon. One in mom's back yard. One in Castle Dale next to the huge bee tree (if I can get permission.) and one out on ridge road in the lone tree where I caught my first swarm.
I'll make another to place up Hobble Creek near that bee tree. The swarm trap that is there has been unsuccessful for 2 seasons now. I think I need to place it (and another) closer to the creek.
The Oscar hive in the back yard is dead. They have starved. I should have paid closer attention. They were a struggling colony for a couple of seasons now. Time to replace them with a stronger colony. I'll likely place this hive at the bottom of uncle Brent's back pasture with a new package of bees in it in April.
The TBH in the back yard is amazingly strong. Still a lot of honey on both ends. Pollen coming in the entrance also. The comb is quite a mess in this hive. Once the nectar is flowing, I'll harvest all the remaining honey and remove all the cross comb.
The TBH at Rosier's is my favorite. Nice straight comb, gentle bees. They still have quite a it of honey as well. Saw three different colors of pollen coming in today (brown, light gray/white and bright yellow.) Not sure what's blooming this time of year, but they've found it.
The TBH at the Peczuh farm is alive and well also with plenty of stores and pollen coming in also.
I took 4 stings today (all my fault.) I wore my vail, but no gloves. 1 sting to each palm. I've never been stung on the palm before. No noticeable swelling. One sting on the back of the left hand and another on the neck after I had taken off my vail and was observing the entrance of the Peczuh hive.
I knocked together some swarm traps/bait hives today. Two that accept 7 deep frames and 1 that accepts 7 top bars. I will place them soon. One in mom's back yard. One in Castle Dale next to the huge bee tree (if I can get permission.) and one out on ridge road in the lone tree where I caught my first swarm.
I'll make another to place up Hobble Creek near that bee tree. The swarm trap that is there has been unsuccessful for 2 seasons now. I think I need to place it (and another) closer to the creek.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
I checked the Peczuh TBH today. The cows had been in the field where I moved the hive and I wanted to make sure they hadn't knocked it over again.
It was fine.
There were a couple bees outside, but when I wrapped on the outside of the hive I could not hear the buzzing that I was expecting. I decided to open it up and have a look.
There are a few combs still full of honey. There was also a small cluster of bees (softball size?) in the combs. As soon as I saw them, I shut it back up. I didn't go looking for the queen (though I wanted to). I'm pretty sure there's enough honey in there still to support that small cluster through spring.
It was fine.
There were a couple bees outside, but when I wrapped on the outside of the hive I could not hear the buzzing that I was expecting. I decided to open it up and have a look.
There are a few combs still full of honey. There was also a small cluster of bees (softball size?) in the combs. As soon as I saw them, I shut it back up. I didn't go looking for the queen (though I wanted to). I'm pretty sure there's enough honey in there still to support that small cluster through spring.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Winter Flying
It's January 20. A beautiful mid 50s day with the sun out and no wind.
The girls decided to pop out for a flight. At least the girls in the hives at home. I didn't have time to go check the others (although I would have loved to).
The girls decided to pop out for a flight. At least the girls in the hives at home. I didn't have time to go check the others (although I would have loved to).
Friday, January 6, 2012
Chickens
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Damn cows!
I got a phone call yesterday from Frank Sr.. The cows out at the Peczuh farm had broken the back leg of my TBH and it was leaning over.
I drove out to inspect/repair.
The outer cover was pretty much destroyed and not even in place. All the top bars were perfectly propolized in place The back right leg was snapped just below the main hive body.
I gave the hive a good thump before messing with it to make sure there were even bees inside. They were. I taped over the 3 front entrance holes to keep them in while I worked.
I was able to stand it back up and secure a temporary replacement leg to the outside using screws.
I (and Tim) moved the hive to the north of the fence. The cows won't be able to get to it here.
I secured a cardboard piece in front of the entrance holes to create a visible barrier and removed the tape. I want the girls to have to reorient themselves when they start flying again. It's been pretty cold lately so I'm not sure when that will be. In addition to the cold, the sun had just gone down so I'm confident that no girls were afield during the move. I'll return sometime soon ,when I repair the outer cover, and remove the cardboard barrier. I covered the top bars with a sheet of plastic cardboard, weighing it down with a long board, a brick and a pole (I hope it's enough).
The hive was light. I'm nervous about how much honey they might have. I'll have to keep an eye on them and feed if necessary.
I drove out to inspect/repair.
The outer cover was pretty much destroyed and not even in place. All the top bars were perfectly propolized in place The back right leg was snapped just below the main hive body.
I gave the hive a good thump before messing with it to make sure there were even bees inside. They were. I taped over the 3 front entrance holes to keep them in while I worked.
I was able to stand it back up and secure a temporary replacement leg to the outside using screws.
I (and Tim) moved the hive to the north of the fence. The cows won't be able to get to it here.
I secured a cardboard piece in front of the entrance holes to create a visible barrier and removed the tape. I want the girls to have to reorient themselves when they start flying again. It's been pretty cold lately so I'm not sure when that will be. In addition to the cold, the sun had just gone down so I'm confident that no girls were afield during the move. I'll return sometime soon ,when I repair the outer cover, and remove the cardboard barrier. I covered the top bars with a sheet of plastic cardboard, weighing it down with a long board, a brick and a pole (I hope it's enough).
The hive was light. I'm nervous about how much honey they might have. I'll have to keep an eye on them and feed if necessary.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Checked on the Peczuh TBH today. The nasty wind storm the other night made me worry it might have blown over. It had not blown over :-). I could hear the gentle buzz of bees inside after I knocked on the side.
Weather was painfully cold (24 degrees at noon) so I did not open it up.
I adjusted the bottom board a bit to better close off the bottom.
I also noticed that the cows have been using the hive as a scratching post. The corners are all bent up and the hive itself was about a foot off of the support boards.
I'll have to move it. Or construct something to keep the cows off.
Weather was painfully cold (24 degrees at noon) so I did not open it up.
I adjusted the bottom board a bit to better close off the bottom.
I also noticed that the cows have been using the hive as a scratching post. The corners are all bent up and the hive itself was about a foot off of the support boards.
I'll have to move it. Or construct something to keep the cows off.
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