beekeepers

[heehaw]

i'm not a big time beekeeper: only "had" 4 hives: but 2 of those didn't make it thru the winter: one that is left swarmed yesterday: about 2pm: i just happened to be close by, messin with my tractor, when i saw what was going on: so i got an empty hive and was able to catch the swarm and put them in with no problem. now i'll wait a couple days an see if they take up residence or move on. the last 3 or 4 swarms i have caught over the years haven't stayed more than a couple days: this time i took several extra precautions: installed sugarwater immediately, and put a queen excluder on the bottom of the hive to try to keep the boss inside for a while. hopefully these two things will convince them to stay put. i need to rig up a way to remotely raise and lower the fel on my tractor: that would sure make it easier to get swarms out of trees??
heehaw

 

[Solo]

Are the two hives you lost due to colony collapse or something else? I see very few bees here any more.

Solo

 

[ToadHill]

I've had success with getting swarms to take up residence using an old trick a oldtimer showed me. Set up a hive body and lay out a white sheet from the opening out to the ground in front. set the swarm on the white sheet. They will usually walk into the hive body on their own, and if they do they stay.

 

[heehaw]

i did that sheet trick way back when my middle daughter was about 12 and was helping me with the bees: it did work well, but the whole secret is getting the queen inside, and keeping her there: the two hives that disappeared are a mystery to me?? i was feeding them all winter, then when i opened them up, nothing...all gone... the sugarwater i was putting on them was being eaten by other bees going to the hive and gettin it: i had noticed these two hives could take in a quart of sugarwater in half the time as the other hives.
heehaw

 

[Western]

I saw a show on ABC evening news with Charlie Gibson a couple weeks ago on the Bee problem. They showcased a commercial bee farmer that drives to orchards ect tra with a semi load of full hives..(bookoo bees), he mysteriously lost millions for no reason, like $250,000 worth, they just disappeared! ,They said there are some kind of viruses that wipe out colonies and other unknown causes, good thing there is a lot of research going into this,
The economic picture will be destroyed if we loose our bees

 

[tallyho8]

In our area there are mosquito fogging trucks frequently traveling the roads at dusk. I wonder if this mosquito insecticide kills bees too?

 

[sunspot]

In our area there are mosquito fogging trucks frequently traveling the roads at dusk. I wonder if this mosquito insecticide kills bees too?

Most definitely. If the sprayers come after dusk, you can throw a tarp over the hive for a few hours until the spray has dispersed.

The two hives that disappeared are a mystery to me?? i was feeding them all winter, then when i opened them up, nothing...all gone... the sugarwater i was putting on them was being eaten by other bees going to the hive and gettin it: i had noticed these two hives could take in a quart of sugarwater in half the time as the other hives.
heehaw

It sounds like the two strong hives robbed the weak one and the weak one starved. In hindsight, you should of moved the weak one to another location far away.

 

[heehaw]

there was no weak hive last fall: i examined all hives in the fall, and they all had lots of bees and lots of honey: trouble is, if they leave sometime later: and after that i just watch for "activity", its hard to tell that the bees coming an going are from another hive: at least the wax moths didn't get into the hive and ruin the equipment.
heehaw

 

[MikeD74T]

"i need to rig up a way to remotely raise and lower the fel on my tractor: that would sure make it easier to get swarms out of trees??"

You are not thinking wisely right now !!! I'm usually at odds with the safety police on degree of acceptable risk but a remote crosses the line if you expect to be in the bucket. Get someone you trust , that can take a few stings if necessary, to operate the FEL if you're in the bucket. I'd think raising the FEL, shutting off the tractor, & securing a ladder to the FEL would be a safer approach for solo operation. And have someone nearby to call for help if you tumble from the ladder !! MikeD74T

 

[heehaw]

i'd trust me with a remote more than anyone else sittin on the tractor an trying to operate the fel while bees are flying around everywhere...of course i don't have a clue how i would do it, so i guess the safety factor is still there?
heehaw