Fiddling vs curiosity/necessity

[Antipodes]

Same here; did 4 yesterday. Have another this week where I must open the nest, disrupt the queen, disturb the combs, make a mess, use smoke and generally cause havoc, not to say distress to any beekeeper who believes that bees should be left alone all winter.

View attachment 38385

Get some insulation around them quickly.

 

[ericbeaumont]

You mean you had to pay your frame maker ?

His Dad is one of our market managers and last year asked me to get him away from the small screen. I gave him a trial at £5/hr and pretty soon he was up to £8.

He took naturally to frame making at market and customers are glad to see a young man doing practical work to a high standard. He's the first person I've come across who makes them properly, and he helps to prep and put away, serve customers and so on.

Beekeeping is perceived as a bucolic hobby for harmless seniors and I reckon it's time to encourage the next generation to take an interest, engage with nature and learn to work, so I believe that it's money invested well. Here's the machine making a few extra on the barn job: all the joints are flush, pins are in accurately, can't ask for more.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Get some insulation around them quickly.

Luckily, in these parts we're in the middle of a 10-13C spell, but yes, they'll go into a poly nuc.

 

[Antipodes]

Luckily, in these parts we're in the middle of a 10-13C spell, but yes, they'll go into a poly nuc.

Can you please get a close up photo of the outer face of the two outermost frames?

 

[pargyle]

As I’ve said here before, I don’t come here for augments or debates, I come here to observe, learn, give my observations and share any knowledge than others may consider valid.
As far as I’m concerned my beekeeping might not be right in other peoples eyes but it works for me .

Well at least your beekeeping is right in some people's eyes ... I rather doubt my beeeeping meets anyone's idea of beekeeping !

 

[Antipodes]

Do you think queen excluders encourage swarming or limit the size of the colony? I'm undecided

This may be of interest.
https://emmettroyalhoney.com/beekeeping-education/beehive-components/queen-excluder/

 

[Antipodes]

Well at least your beekeeping is right in some people's eyes ... I rather doubt my beeeeping meets anyone's idea of beekeeping !

I'm inclined to think that one of the first steps on the path to becoming a good beekeeper is perhaps to accept that one isn't. I knew most in my second year and it's been downhill ever since. I have significant doubt that I'll ever get there.

 

[Wilco]

I'm inclined to think that one of the first steps on the path to becoming a good beekeeper is perhaps to accept that one isn't. I knew most in my second year and it's been downhill ever since. I have significant doubt that I'll ever get there.

To the bottom of the hill?

 

[Antipodes]

To the bottom of the hill?

Absoulutely!

If you look at the graph in the article below, I'm heading somewhere to the "valley of despair".

https://www.honeybeesuite.com/beekeepers-and-the-dunning-kruger-effect/

 

[JamezF]

I'm inclined to think that one of the first steps on the path to becoming a good beekeeper is perhaps to accept that one isn't. I knew most in my second year and it's been downhill ever since. I have significant doubt that I'll ever get there.

cf. the Dunning-Kruger effect...

James

 

[Ely]

This may be of interest.
https://emmettroyalhoney.com/beekeeping-education/beehive-components/queen-excluder/

Interesting read. Thank you