Honey bees

[cqaigy2]

I had a bad inspection Monday. I saw 2 varroa mites in my weaker hive during the inspection. I had treated with OA about 6 weeks ago. Must not have done it right. I put Apiguard in all 3 hives yesterday. Hopefully it's not too late.

Is that a bad? 2 varroa?

 

[cqaigy2]

We have seven hives, four were early swarms. They have had a great year! We will be pulling about 200 pounds of honey in a couple weeks, which will leave each colony 35+ pounds each for winter. These brood frames look beautiful. Have the new shop up and running, building traps and hives to expand next year.

I sure like how the bees fill in that Layens frame.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I sure like how the bees fill in that Layens frame.

That’s the reason for the design. Bees aren’t meant to live on shallow langstroth frames. They fill 7-8 brood frames like this per hive, flanked by a full frame on each end. It’s brilliant.
Also, the heaviest thing you ever lift, is a 9 pound frame of honey. The rest of the year you don’t touch the hives.

 

[scaredychicken]

But you need a tractor capable of lifting about 1200 lbs, on a pallet with 4 hives

 

[IndyJay]

Our wild bees are going strong. They have been in a Catalpa tree in our yard since before we moved in 39 years ago.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Pulled a few honey frames today. Still quite a lot that is uncapped, so I left it behind. Need to go through 4 more hives!

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

LittleBittyBigJohn, what did the inspector say? just wondering​

No inspector. It was just me doing the inspection. I said, "This is no good. Hope it's not too late."

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Is that a bad? 2 varroa?

2 is not bad at all, if you are doing a Varroa test. But, to see them on a general hive inspection usually means there are a whole lot. I've always heard that if you see any at all during a regular inspection, the hive is already dead and they just don't know it yet. I hope that is not the case this time.

 

[cqaigy2]

2 is not bad at all, if you are doing a Varroa test. But, to see them on a general hive inspection usually means there are a whole lot. I've always heard that if you see any at all during a regular inspection, the hive is already dead and they just don't know it yet. I hope that is not the case this time.

Oh, i gotchya now, was thinking you did a varroa test with your inspection.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Went through two more hives today and found another 60 pounds of surplus…

We will probably pull a total of 130 pounds this year… most of it from our FIRST YEAR bees… these swarms were amazing.