mentor wanted

[denise washington]

hi i am looking for a mentor in south yorks i have got a hive its my first year dont know much only what i have read. i nhad a look in my hive yesterday tried to find queen but failed but would like a kind person to show me the ropes a bit
thanks denise
email adress is [email protected]

 

[oliver90owner]

Not read a lot then? Why would you want to find the queen? Most sensible beekeepers do not look for the queen unless there is good reason to find her and secondly, they don't go troubling the colony, particularly at this stage of the year, unecessarily.

 

[denise washington]

what it is when i got the bees late last year i had the bee inspector come and have a look and he told me that i only had a virgin queen in but a few weeks later when he came back he found some brood in hive so i just had a look yesterday to see if i could see her

 

[Erichalfbee]

You've done this the wrong way round. Beekeeping is not easy. You need to read a lot and get some hands on experience before you are left in charge of a real hive. Join your local BKA and get booked on a course. They might have somebody who might give you a hand but you have to show willing first. Why did you get these bees?

 

[denise washington]

i have joined a bka and i am going on a course in may but i just thought if someone local could give me some advice it would be a help and i am willing to learn wanted to do this for years but been too busy working

 

[enrico]

I sympathise Denise. I hope someone comes along to help you out. I live too far away. You have unfortunately run before you can walk but at least you now realise that and are asking for help. Be patient someone may help. Try and find your local association and go to as many meetings ad you can. Read an easy book like...bees at the bottom of the garden...it is easy to understand and will explain much.
Good luck
E
Sorry our posts crossed!

 

[denise washington]

it ok im a quick learner but everyone as to start somewhere our local bka opens their apiary in early may so i should learn something there

 

[oliver90owner]

OK. When you searched through the colony for the queen, did you see any open brood? If so, was it worker or drone brood?

If worker brood, just make sure there is adequate room for her to lay and that there is sufficient stores for the bees to survive any cold spells - and leave them alone until warmer weather arrives - is my advice.

Are they on an OMF? If so, partly closing it might be good and also do a varroa drop check. They may need treatment now or shortly, especially if not treated at all in the autumn or winter.

More later, dependent on the reply.

 

[enrico]

Worker brood has flat capped cells, drone brood is more domed, OMF stands for mesh floor....just in case!!!
E

 

[denise washington]

there was flat capped cells and i have a open mesh floor also it as been treated for varroa also got plenty of fomdant on crown board

 

[oliver90owner]

there was flat capped cells

Stores or brood?

Was there any open brood?

Worker brood has flat capped cells, drone brood is more domed, OMF stands for mesh floor....just in case!!!

I was leaving a little reading research!

 

[denise washington]

that i cant tell thats why i asked for a bit of help while i can get on the training course, i know i started wrong but you have to start somewhere i have read a few books and looked things up on net and what i have looked up on i hope will fall into place when i get some training only got 2 weeks to training but i thought if there was someone near me that could give me a bit of help

 

[BeeJayBee]

i cant tell thats why i asked for a bit of help

Try checking the annotated picture of a frame on this page http://www.littlehouseonthebighill.com/beekeeping/index.php?detail=29

 

[oliver90owner]

Very simple. Stores will be in the top outermost corners of a frame. Brood will appear different and nearer the centre of the frame. If there is no open brood within or without the capped brood area, the cells may be stores or at least the indication may be that it is dead brood, if brood at all.

A very basic skill is to be able to differentiate brood from stores. The important part is open brood. If there is none you cannot be sure you have, or have recently had, a laying queen.

 

[enrico]

Open different colours of cappings, one will have honey in, one will have brood in. Remember which is which and what they look like, where they are on the frame etc. it is all a part of learning!
Good luck

 

[denise washington]

mentor

thanks all for your advice its going to be hard but i am very intrested. my training starts in a few weeks so should learn something there
thanks denise: