Beekeeping

[CloverKnollFarms]

Sounds like your nearly identical hive construction was splitting the bee voting....

True true!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Just nabbed another swarm in the rain from a pine tree. That makes #6 for the season.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Caught another two swarms while I was on vacation, bringing us to 8! Wild year, so much fun.

Began with 5 colonies, now at 14, and I start a trap-out this weekend... For a possible 15.

I still have 8 baited boxes in the wild.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

After church this AM I passed by a bee yard that began the year with two empty hives. The one on the left caught a swarm the first week of April. The one on the right caught one this week... This makes 9 swarm catches this year, and I feel like I may see one or two more!

At this point I'll be providing bees to other Layens beekeepers.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Went out to bait a couple swarm boxes today and found another swarm moved in! So make that 10... Plus our split... Added 11 new colonies!

 

[ponytug]

That has to feel great!

Any thoughts on the number of swarms? Good spring for the colonies themselves? You make the best hives in the area? The best attractant? Or...?

All the best,

Peter

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

That has to feel great!

Any thoughts on the number of swarms? Good spring for the colonies themselves? You make the best hives in the area? The best attractant? Or...?

All the best,

Peter

I think I am fortunate...

 

[ponytug]

I think I am fortunate...

And in my book, it is good to be aware of it, when it happens!

All the best, Peter

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Today is day one of the trap out. Evaluated the two entrances. One is an elongated fissure, the other a hole at the base of the tree. I will be closing the fissure, and fashioning an adapter to attach a 1" ID hose to the lower entrance. This will be step one.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Step one installed. Waiting for them to accept it.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Day two, not 24 hours in, bees are beginning to find the entrance. We have bees in the tube, fanning using their nasonov glands, which is promising. It may be a couple days before I can install the vestibule

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Vestibule is coming together. I'm probably putting more attention to detail into it than I need to. The funnel is a one way entrance, it can slide in and out, in case initially the bees don't accept it.

 

[ponytug]

One way into what?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

A 14 frame hive box with frames in it. The vestibule gets mounted inside it

 

[ponytug]

A 14 frame hive box with frames in it. The vestibule gets mounted inside it

Thanks! I was having trouble visualizing where it went.

How does the queen get moved?

All the best, Peter

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We have good acceptance of the new exit. Guards patrolling it and foragers using it exclusively. In the next 24-36 hours we will attach the vestibule and 14 frame hive box

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Thanks! I was having trouble visualizing where it went.

How does the queen get moved?

All the best, Peter

The foragers that leave, will not make it back into the tree, instead they will begin to fill frames I place in the hive box. Queens will normally explore their hive, so she may come through the one way funnel to explore this new part of the hive. However, if she doesn't... In less than a week there will be enough bees to support a frame of eggs and brood in the hive box. These will be donated by another colony in the apiary. This frame of open eggs and larvae will be placed near the one way funnel on the vestibule. The queen will smell brood in her hive that is not from her, and her curiosity will draw her to see who laid these eggs. When she does, she will come into the hive box and that will become her new home where she begins to lay again.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

This is the hive box. I'll need to construct a small support structure since the tree is on a steep slope, to keep it all level

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Vestibule installed. Now I have to go do some on site work to get the supports for the hive box up, so that I can quickly place it and attach the entrance hose after dark this week.