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  1. O

    Encouraging foundation drawing

    Out of interest, what did you do with the frames you shook out? If you left them outside the hive the chances are they'll attract bees from nearby colonies, which might not be the best thing to happen. No, I shook most of the sugar syrup out and put them back where they were in the hive...
  2. O

    Moving advice...

    I just moved two hives about 60 miles a week ago.. I cant tell you that I did it correctly, but all seems to be going well... I waited until sunset when the bees were all back (I hope) and screened the entrance. I used a ratchet strap to tie the hives together, picked them up and slid them...
  3. O

    Encouraging foundation drawing

    OK, so the down and dirty answer is to stop trying to cheat and let the bees get on with it... I did go back and shake out a couple frames.. just because i think three days with no brood is long enough.. probably be a couple more days while they clean up those frames??? so 5 days to a week...
  4. O

    Encouraging foundation drawing

    So this morning I went to pull the feeders.. the hive that had not been doing much comb building had all but finished their quart of sugar syrup. I removed it, and then pulled the top to see if the frames were filled with syrup.. and... indeed they were!!!!!! However!!!!! In three...
  5. O

    Armchair Drones

    That is actually pretty interesting.. Often, when I am sitting on the deck overlooking the pond with my rum and coke.. My son shows up with half a dozen teenage girls... it is usually not long before the queen emerges and begins to protect HER jeans.. err.. Genes......:icon_204-2:
  6. O

    3 of 4 'Bee Quick' and clearer boards

    Well.. that was helpful..... :thanks: :rolleyes:
  7. O

    Encouraging foundation drawing

    Thank you, those are BOTH most useful replies.. By feeding sugar I am blocking up the brood area and in effect, slowing them down rather than speeding them up... THIS.. I understand, makes perfect sense.. SO... Starting a nuc, a cutout, or a package on NEW foundation the feeding will...
  8. O

    Encouraging foundation drawing

    I generally pay a lot of attention to Finman :) The two mediums they are in are full, lower boxes mostly brood, some brood in top boxes lots of stores, capped honey and pollen around the brood and on the outer boxes.. It takes two full deep supers to get through the winter if its a rough...
  9. O

    Encouraging foundation drawing

    The question is one I also asked, and also received a VERY mixed answer, even within my own beekeeping association.. I asked this question, because I received two established hives free of charge.. hard to pass that up!!! Both hives were indeed established, but they were in two medium...
  10. O

    under seige from angry bees advice please

    Hrm.... maybe this isnt the forum for me if it upsets people so much about "washing Liquid" used on bees... I never wear gloves or veil, and 97% of the time I am quite fine. The other 3% ?? I close up and go in the house about 65 feet away to let them calm and try again another day...
  11. O

    Good News! I got stung!

    heh.. rest assured I will have a full suit before I ever attempt to collect another swarm... I would like to think a "real" swarm would not be as aggressive as that hive was... If you were within a hundred yards of that hole in the tree you could count on getting stung.. hence.. the reason...
  12. O

    Good News! I got stung!

    Strangely enough.. I have yet to be stung by my own bees.. Granted, I just started with 4 hives in may :P At this point, I dont even wear a veil or gloves to inspect the hives. I never imagined the bees would have as much tolerance for me invading every week or two..... However... A...
  13. O

    Building Extentions.

    Agreed, very nice! I want one as well!!! I yell at the wife when she parks her car wrong... then i cant see my hives with my spotting scope past it... hmmm.. if I took out one of the front windows, i could probably frame in an obs hive RIGHT beside my chair... :cool: If i try it, and she...
  14. O

    Fresh and new, and cant get there

    Whatever is eating them, leaves the ribs in the leaf, and usually the outside edge, but eats everything soft in between. Like I said earlier.. a lot of leaf skeletons remain... I would take a picture, but My wife has misplaced the digi camera somehow... AND the cord to recharge it, AND the...
  15. O

    Fresh and new, and cant get there

    Holes in the middle of the leaves.. some of the leaves look like leaf skeletons.. have considered spraying them.. but am quite sure there will be bees on the blossums :(
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