Lets look ahead.

[Queens59]

Another thing I'd like this year, is to have a go at making my own queen, as my bees are lovely and I would like to keep the attitude they have...apart from when they are superceding...Although when they did supercede, the queen they made me was double the size of the one they replaced

 

[Vergilius]

Not sure GCSEs were invented when I left school!

I thought so!!! Cazza's reply raised my hopes that there was someone else my age on this forum! It sounded as if he was wishing you luck on your exams!


Ben P

 

[Queens59]

I took GCSEs to gain a place on my teaching course - a few moons ago now. I must admit after O levels and CSEs I found them a bit of light relief!! I even got maths GCSE and I get confused after 2!

 

[johna]

RAB --- RON BROWN has written a couple of good beekeeping books,"THE BEEKEEPING YEAR" and "BEESWAX" He's a leading light in the South West.I'm surprised you haven't read his work.You could learn something useful perhaps!.

 

[Vergilius]

RAB --- RON BROWN has written a couple of good beekeeping books,"THE BEEKEEPING YEAR" and "BEESWAX" He's a leading light in the South West.I'm surprised you haven't read his work.You could learn something useful perhaps!.

Oh no, please lets not start this again...


Ben P

 

[Hivemaker.]

Ron has written several beekeeping books.

 

[oliver90owner]

If it's about collecting, or not collecting, swarms then no, it does not sound particularly useful (on top of the other thirty or so (only some of them useful)). Obviously you would find them worthwhile.

Not particularly bothered where he comes from either, if that shouls make any difference.

 

[Poly Hive]

To diffuse this.

I have the Beeswax book and there is some useful info in there.

PH

 

[cheshirehives]

Build up from 3 to 6 strong colonies at least 2 of these will have to come from swarms if I'm lucky enough. Have promise my overwintered nuc to a friend to get her going, fingers crossed they survive but I'm sure they will as they were very strong coming out if summer. Learn more about queen rearing. Myself and family can enjoy the copious amounts of honey next autumn with any luck.

Oh and repair all my un-sellable hive parts for my own Apiary. Perks of the job, not.

 

[Cazza]

I thought so!!! Cazza's reply raised my hopes that there was someone else my age on this forum! It sounded as if he was wishing you luck on your exams!


Ben P

Sorry Ben, I meant you! Didn't mean to confuse.

P.s.(I'm a she not a he)

C

I clearly have to add a new aim for next season -read the posts properly before replying.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Build up from 3 to 6 strong colonies at least 2 of these will have to come from swarms

3 to 6 is easly achived from your own stocks, any swarms would be a bonus, not a requirement

 

[cheshirehives]

3 to 6 is easly achived from your own stocks, any swarms would be a bonus, not a requirement

That's If that is what you plan to do, I do not plan to split my hives in any way and if I do, due to swarm prevention I will recombine at the earliest convenience. My little test into honey production efficiency (for my own benefit) the swarms are required, if I'm lucky enough.

 

[Poly Hive]

I suspect that there are two different ideas as to "swarm" here.

If one splits a colony, re-queens, and then combines for say heather, there is a very definite advantage.

If one loses a swarm from the production colony then a great deal is lost.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

One strong colony should be able to be split 4 ways, if done properly, perhaps with the temporary help of, say, a couple frames of hatching brood.

Those splits should soon be able to donate some brood back to the two honey production hives for the later nectar flows, while being able to build into strong colonies by the end of the season. To gain a month, a couple of laying queens could be bought in?

Perfectly possible but, as always, dependent on the season, crops and flows etc, so no guarantee whatsoever!

One 'little test' can be wildly inaccurate - anything from nothing to best part of 100kg (per hive) would be the typical range, I would think. Dependant of course to the above, type of bee and weather amongst others.

But if you plan to rigidly follow what you have already said, good luck.

Regards, RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

Sorry Rab I cannot disagree more.

Never heard or read to be honest of splitting four ways to increase the crop.

Can you cite some references?

Bear in mind I now have four years with Carnies, and 18 odd with AMM and I cannot see any way to use those bees in the way you suggest.

PH

 

[Somerford]

Well, plans for next year include :

1. Bailey comb change two nationals to 14x12s
2. Use spare Nationals to make up nucs when swarming starts
3. Sell nucs in due course...
4. Make up approx 20-30 supers and frames etc
5. see if the Beehaus can give a bumper crop in it's 2nd season....
6. Read my latest book (Ted Hooper ) as I haven't owned a copy before (thanks sis!)
7. Plan, dream and scheme...

regards

S

 

[cheshirehives]

One strong colony should be able to be split 4 ways, if done properly, perhaps with the temporary help of, say, a couple frames of hatching brood.

Those splits should soon be able to donate some brood back to the two honey production hives for the later nectar flows, while being able to build into strong colonies by the end of the season. To gain a month, a couple of laying queens could be bought in?

Perfectly possible but, as always, dependent on the season, crops and flows etc, so no guarantee whatsoever!

One 'little test' can be wildly inaccurate - anything from nothing to best part of 100kg (per hive) would be the typical range, I would think. Dependant of course to the above, type of bee and weather amongst others.

But if you plan to rigidly follow what you have already said, good luck.

Regards, RAB

Couldn't agree more Rab, i'm a scientist and know something about sample sizes and results, my little test means exactly that, unlikely to get results worth sharing but it's for my own benefit and I have the next 50 years (I hope) to try all manner of experiments : )

Marc

 

[oliver90owner]

Never heard or read to be honest of splitting four ways to increase the crop.

Not what I said or suggested at all. What I described was splitting one single strong colony for the increase while maximising the crop from the other two.

The OP was simply planning a 'honey production efficiency' test. I also remarked on the usefulness of a single small trial which the OP seems to already understand.

My suggestion was to get the increase (colony numbers) with little loss of honey production from the two hives used for that purpose. Nowhere did the OP designate maximum honey crop as the first aim.

What the OP actually said was "Myself and family can enjoy the copious amounts of honey next autumn with any luck."

Two productive hives should produce enough for that, in an average year? Not guaranteed, of course, but if unable to get enough from two hives it may be likley that insufficent would be achieved with three, even (the bottom end of the range of honey production).

RAB

 

[Liam C Ryan]

Just moved my two Nationals and my nuc , 30ft, to their final resting place . Hope all will be ok. One of my Nationals is a captured swarm and seemed to me to be very cross ( lm a new beek ) so l hope to re-queen it. I will be getting a complete new National from Santa, 190Euro, and hope to move the nuc into it in the new year if they survive. My biggest wish for the new year is to be more bee friendly and not to harm too many bee when lm working on a hive. I was very disappointed with myself in how l handled the bees, the last time, just removing the queen excluder, l think l squashed to many when closing down , l know if l hand help just smoking the hive thing might have gone better but l still am looking forward to a new year and a new season of bee keeping.

 

[Hombre]

Build up from 3 to 6 strong colonies at least 2 of these will have to come from swarms if I'm lucky enough. Have promise my overwintered nuc to a friend to get her going,

I might seem mean, but don't give away your nuc, build them up and give away a split. If you can give it away and still have it, then it's less of a hit.
= = =
Three to six? Carniolans? Take the strongest colony and do a shook swarm, Put a Qx under the brood box until the queen starts to lay again to prevent absconding.

With all the brood and stores frames from the shaken colony and the remaining two complete colonies, split into six nucs. Result, one strong production colony and six nucs. Feed ths SS well until they become established and have drawn out the brood box. Once you have newly emerging bees super up and use any artifice that you have to, to get nurse bees into the supers. Drawn comb of if you have none, even a piece of open drone comb for them to tend and hopefully also become attracted to the surrounding super foundation. Don't neglect to check for further swarming towards the end of June on.

Feed the nucs to build strength.

Then if you get any swarms, they are a bonus. If starting with four colonies shake two of them and split two into nucs. (two or three from each, depending on desired nuc strength or rate of expansion).