Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo
* * * * - 3 votes

Beekeeping Noob


  • Please log in to reply
71 replies to this topic

#61 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted February 25 2024 - 8:36 AM

ConcordAntman

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 767 posts
  • LocationMassachusetts

Thanks for asking! For my first attempt at beekeeping, Mother Nature sure was tough on me. If losing my hive wasn’t enough, our first real winter storm blew a tree down on it! My hive took a glancing blow from one of the main branches of the felled tree. It only dented the tin of the outer cover but it crushed my hive stand. 

IMG 2707
 

I recovered the hive and have a new stand. I have a new beeswax coated top feeder with the appropriately sized shroud. My Nuc is on order for late April delivery and I can’t wait to start. There’s a healthy beekeeping community around that has been supportive so while I’ve made some noob errors, I hope to manage better come spring. 


  • OiledOlives, futurebird, Ernteameise and 2 others like this

#62 Offline Artisan_Ants - Posted February 25 2024 - 8:54 AM

Artisan_Ants

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 399 posts
  • LocationChester County, PA
Good luck!
  • ConcordAntman likes this

Keeping:

3x - S. molesta (colonies and single queen)                1x - C. nearcticus (founding but no eggs)   (y) New!

1x - C. chromaiodes (colony)                                       1x - C. subbarbatus (founding)  

1x - F. subsericea (founding)                                        1x - T. sessile (mega colony)

3x - P. imparis (colonies)  

2x - L. neoniger (founding)

 

Check out my C. nearcticus journal here: https://www.formicul...cticus-journal/

Check out my C. chromaiodes journal here: https://www.formicul...aiodes-journal/


#63 Offline Ernteameise - Posted March 22 2024 - 11:07 AM

Ernteameise

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,091 posts
  • LocationGermany

I hope you have better luck this year!

I keep my fingers crossed!


  • ConcordAntman likes this

#64 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted April 25 2024 - 7:50 PM

ConcordAntman

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 767 posts
  • LocationMassachusetts

It’s been a trying offseason. I was a bit late getting my ant colonies out of hibernation but that’s fodder for another forum. My 6-frame Nuc with a Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) queen is scheduled for an April 27th pickup. VSH queens are bred from single drone insemination and selected for Suppressed Mite Reproduction (SMR) trait. Drones and queens carrying this trait produce workers with the ability to detect and eliminate pupae with elevated Varroa mite load thereby decreasing the frequency of treatment necessary for the hive.

 

Thusfar, I’ve assembled my new hive stand.

IMG 2912
 
Positioned it.
IMG 2914
 
And, placed my hive. 
IMG 2915
 
 
IMG 2917

I’ve assembled my new top feeder and placed a thick bead of food-grade silicone sealant around the wire mesh screen to prevent escaping bees from drowning in the nectar. I’m waiting for that to cure before placing it on the hive. I think I’m read and look forward to starting. 


  • Full_Frontal_Yeti, Ernteameise, 100lols and 1 other like this

#65 Offline Ernteameise - Posted April 25 2024 - 11:35 PM

Ernteameise

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,091 posts
  • LocationGermany

I am really excited to see how this goes!

And thank you for explaining about the varroa sensitive queen- only read about varroa yesterday and wondered what is was.


  • ConcordAntman and 100lols like this

#66 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted April 26 2024 - 6:57 PM

ConcordAntman

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 767 posts
  • LocationMassachusetts

Ernteameise,

I have a publication on bee pathogens written more for amateur or small scale commercial beekeepers than veterinary clinicians. If you’re interested, I be glad to send it along. 


Edited by ConcordAntman, April 26 2024 - 6:57 PM.

  • Ernteameise and 100lols like this

#67 Offline Ernteameise - Posted April 27 2024 - 1:04 AM

Ernteameise

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,091 posts
  • LocationGermany

Ernteameise,

I have a publication on bee pathogens written more for amateur or small scale commercial beekeepers than veterinary clinicians. If you’re interested, I be glad to send it along. 

Oh wow, this is cool.

Yes, I would like to check it out!

I have a colleague who is a bee-keeper and they sell their honey locally (this is where I get my honey from) and I might share it with her, too.


  • 100lols likes this

#68 Offline Retroman - Posted April 27 2024 - 7:34 PM

Retroman

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 22 posts

Why not give the new colony a full frame of capped honey? This would eliminate the need for mixing ingredients, potential underfeeding and prevent bees from drowning in the feeding chamber. My guess is 10,000 bees should be able to protect a frame of capped honey. I use to keep a few hives in the late 80s and this would be my inclination, but I'm no expert and not familiar with modern beekeeping methods.


  • ConcordAntman and Artisan_Ants like this

#69 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted May 10 2024 - 3:47 AM

ConcordAntman

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 767 posts
  • LocationMassachusetts

Thanks Retroman! I’m still a noob at this. Our climate isn’t known for early robust springs. My beekeeping instructor from last year recommends feeding. Since I have no access to spare frames of honey, I use the top feeder. I can load it with a gallon or two at a time, and it’s good for up to a week. I caulked the seams between the wire mesh and the troughs of the feeder with food grade silicone and haven’t had a drowned bee yet! 


  • Artisan_Ants likes this

#70 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted May 16 2024 - 3:35 PM

ConcordAntman

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 767 posts
  • LocationMassachusetts

Three weeks and 4 days ago, I installed my nuc. A nuc (nuclear hive) is a 5 or 6 frame mini-hive. It can contain 12,000-15,000 bees with their queen, workers, brood, honey, and pollen. In contrast, a package of bees is 10,000-12,000 bees paired with a separately packaged, random queen, no brood, honey, or pollen. Starting from a package, literally has your bees starting from scratch.

 

First off, I made a gallon of 1:1 nectar by dissolving 10 2/3 cups of sugar in 10 2/3 cups of water. There was nectar for my top feeder and some for my atomizer. 

IMG 2928
 
The nuc had been in position next to and in the same orientation as the recipient hive with its entrance unplugged for a few hours, in order to assist the new residents’ orientation to the new hive. 
IMG 2935

I’d previously prepped the recipient hive by removing the necessary number of frames (6).
IMG 9645
 

IMG 9648

 
IMG 9650
 
Then I sprayed the interior and remaining frames with nectar. 
IMG 9658
 
I smoked the nuc to calm the bees but I tried to minimize its use. 
IMG 9665
 
 
IMG 9673
 
Then used my hive tool to free up the frames
IMG 9675
 
Maintaining their orientation, I inspected each frame for its contents and to locate the queen,
IMG 9680
 
Then, maintaining their order, I transferred each frame into the hive.
IMG 9691
 
The queen was on the 5th of 6 frames
IMG 9695
 
With the frames in place, I placed the inner cover. Then placed and filled the top feeder.
IMG 9700
 
I placed the outer cover and called it a day. 
IMG 9702
 
The workers hanging out in the empty nuc, found their way into the hive over the ensuing 24 hours.
IMG 9731

 


  • ANTdrew, Ernteameise, 100lols and 1 other like this

#71 Offline Ernteameise - Posted May 18 2024 - 12:46 AM

Ernteameise

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,091 posts
  • LocationGermany

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing!


  • ConcordAntman likes this

#72 Offline 100lols - Posted May 22 2024 - 4:47 AM

100lols

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 421 posts
  • LocationSan Diego, CA
We’re back!!! Can’t wait to see how well you do this season. Just from reading your posts I can tell that you’re even more prepared for this attempt. Won’t be able to call yourself a noob too much longer!




1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users