Thread: Beekeeping

Originally Posted by 32t

I know you guys were waiting for the results of my test.

An index finger dipped in honey and then smeared on one side. Repeated on the other side. The rest of the 1/2 teaspoon was eaten. A little sticky so I wet my fingers slightly and smeared it around. I left it on while I stropped etc. and gave it a go. Not much different than a dry shave and it stuck to the blade. I then lathered with my Franken soap that I have been using and it shaved "normally".

It certainly didn't do any harm and maybe would have the antibacterial help that has been mentioned but with my quick test I would recommend using the honey on your toast in the morning and not on your face.

Yeah, for the price we get per lb of honey vs pre-shave, I think I'll stick to selling our honey for consumption.

I visited a neighbor to my hives that I missed a couple of weeks ago and left a pound of honey on his back steps. That honey was worth more than 1,000 USD to leave there!

I had 5 one gallon buckets to feed the hives and I chose to give the best hive only one and the others two. I don't know if that is the right choice but I made an executive decision.....

I has been warm lately around here so I checked on my bees. I cleaned out the snowed and frosted in entrances and saw a few dead ones around 2 of the hives. I was able to hear 2 of them from the outside and I lifted the cover enough of the other and let in some "cold" air and they got active and started buzzing. I didn't see any bees and didn't want to get them to cold.

Originally Posted by 32t

I has been warm lately around here so I checked on my bees. I cleaned out the snowed and frosted in entrances and saw a few dead ones around 2 of the hives.


I lifted the cover enough of the other and let in some "cold" air and they got active and started buzzing. I didn't see any bees and didn't want to get them to cold.

We always leave everything frosted and dead bees where they lay, as it keep the warmth in. They'll push the dead out of the way, if they want out.


We never, ever 'pop the top', even for a peek, until we unwrap them come spring.

But, everyone does theirs differently.


It was up in the 50's+ here over the weekend. We had a handful of bees flying around the front porch...about 300yrds from the bee yard.

Kinda nice to see them out and about!

Originally Posted by AcesandEights

We always leave everything frosted and dead bees where they lay, as it keep the warmth in. They'll push the dead out of the way, if they want out.


We never, ever 'pop the top', even for a peek, until we unwrap them come spring.

But, everyone does theirs differently.


It was up in the 50's+ here over the weekend. We had a handful of bees flying around the front porch...about 300yrds from the bee yard.

Kinda nice to see them out and about!

I lifted the built right moisture cover but not the inner cover. I have to order bees soon and couldn't tell if they were even alive.

I was worried about the entrances being frosted and snowed shut. One hive had both entrances open. One had only a small hole from the bottom through the snow. The other had both completely shut off. I was worried that if they couldn't get out for a cleansing flight I might get dysentery.

I will take any advice as I am certainly not an expert. I am sharing my mistakes as well as the good things.

Tim

Edit, I meant the bees might get dysentery not me....

How long do the Bee's live?
Don't they all freeze to death without a heater?

Originally Posted by 32t

I lifted the built right moisture cover but not the inner cover. I have to order bees soon and couldn't tell if they were even alive.

I was worried about the entrances being frosted and snowed shut. One hive had both entrances open. One had only a small hole from the bottom through the snow. The other had both completely shut off. I was worried that if they couldn't get out for a cleansing flight I might get dysentery.

I will take any advice as I am certainly not an expert. I am sharing my mistakes as well as the good things.

Tim

Edit, I meant the bees might get dysentery not me....

Understood, completely.


I want to say, "I am NOT the beekeeper" in the family. I am "guns, cattle and horses." ? me on those topics, and I have the answer! Bees?? Not so much. However, Michelle (my wife) IS the 'Queen Bee' (no...well, kinda...OK...The Queen Bee). With her having a Master's degree in wildlife biology, with emphasis on (paraphrasing here) 'All things great and small,'...she IS the bee keeper of the family. In fact so, the reginal state inspector calls her for 'advise/tips/suggestion/...'

However, living with someone who is entangled in a particular subject, such as bee keeping (or straight razors, on the filp side)...I know (read 'think I know') more about Bees than I should...considering I have NOTHING to do with them (other than become her 'slave' when it's time for grunt work". Honestly, I hate the little flying demon creatures with every piece of my being. ((Why?? Because they have a dual mind set: 1.) Make honey (which I LOVE). 2.) The will to DIE...ummm, well, to make Honey). It's a 'Love/Hate' relationship.


But, I digress! Respectfully, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. I will ask her, for the correct, answer. She/we are not the 'free love and peace
type people...so she'll give you the answer that you Grandfather would have given, had he been a bee keeper (back in the day.)

Originally Posted by Hirlau

How long do the Bee's live?
Don't they all freeze to death without a heater?

Depends on their "Role."

Queens: 3-5 yrs.

Workers: (depends) If born/hatched in the spring: 40-ish days; IF born/hatched in the fall: 150-ish days. ((Basically...you want to be a Late Bloomer...no pun intended) ))

Drones: 90-120 days (It really depends on how 'willing' one is to "give up their Virginity", as Drones 'usually' don't make is but a few days, after mating((In FLIGHT, mind you...which is AMAZING, in and of itself)). If they do...they WILL die come fall. )



All, of course, are dependent upon your climate...Warm = longer: Cold = shorter.


As a side note: They do not 'freeze to death' in the winter (even in the coldest of climates). Surprisingly enough, a hive can generate, up to 120 degrees F...IF they want to. ((Which is another AMAZING thing about theses little 'Demon Creatures', as I call them. They can "Regulate" things, like Temp. (that I cannot)...merely at "Will."))

So they live less than a year; a sad thing.
If I'm reincarnated as a Bee, I'm not spending my life in one hive; I'm spreading my pollen around in all the hives.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

If I'm reincarnated as a Bee, I'm not spending my life in one hive; I'm spreading my pollen around in all the hives.

THAT'S what I'm talking about!!!!!!!!!