No Stings Today!!!

[Susan1]

Well just thought I would up date those of you kind enough to give me advice after being attacked by a very angry hive of bees last thursday. I went out and bought new leather gloves for my son(13) and thick plastic ones for me. I waited till 130pm, I made sure the smoker was primed and that I had a sprayer filled with sugar water as well. I was calm and tried to look as quickly as possible at each frame. And I got no stings! This is great but I now noted that I have actually only 6.5 frames of bees - not as many as I thought, I also saw some larva in a C shape and some eggs. There were little pockets of wax at the bttom of some frames which I removed. I am going to look up pictures to see if they are queen cells. I really need a mentor I know as I would just love someone to tell me if everything is ok and if I should be feeding the hive. I am also not completely sure if I am looking at stores or brood when the frames are so covered in bees. Back to the books and internet for me till I manage to get joined to an association.

 

[Peter Cox]

Take some pictures and add them here and I'm sure you'll get lost of answers.

 

[keithgrimes]

I would recommend shaking or brushing the bees off so you can inspect the frames better. It won't hurt them if you do it carefully and they settle down pretty quickly (well mine do). I find it much better to judge whats going on when I can see the frame without bees. I was told by a very experienced beekeeper 'don't inspect the bees, inspect the cells'. Advice I have followed to good effect.

 

[Susan1]

Thanks for that advice. I will have to get a brush.

 

[trapperman]

my nuc sounds about the same stage as yours and i find that the weight of the frame as soon as you pick it up tells if its brood or stores.

 

[Susan1]

Is it heavier if it is stores? I guess it would be.

 

[Heather]

Lucky you - I got zapped twice by a wasp - 2nd time it left a sting in and it was very dead- under my foot in 10 seconds.

And I have a challenge that may have very angry bees. A colony in an apple tree- been there a long time - swarmed this year - and the tree is to be removed! It is only 8' high, hollow at the top and the bees exit at 4'. I said I would look to try and salvage a colony from certain death - and the tree owner said 'well, cant you just sedate them with smoke and lift them out' - tempted to ask him to help... - but no.....
Getting a chap with a chainsaw to help me - hopefully- or the bees will have to die, as I am not into chainsaws.

 

[Susan1]

Well good luck. I would not know were to start.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Is it heavier if it is stores? I guess it would be.

Yes, stores are a lot heavier

 

[susbees]

and the tree owner said 'well, cant you just sedate them with smoke and lift them out' - tempted to ask him to help...

Well it is true...or at least if you add dried giant puffball into the equation. We prefer to eat it...sauteed in butter...mmmmm....but if I'd remembered when we found one in the garden in June I'd have dried the trimmings. Just in case. Sigh...

 

[rae]

Getting a chap with a chainsaw to help me - hopefully- or the bees will have to die, as I am not into chainsaws.

When is the deed planned?

 

[Midland Beek]

I had a sprayer filled with sugar water as well. .

Bad advice to use one of these in wasp season and with robber bees on the prowl.

 

[susbees]

Bad advice to use one of these in wasp season and with robber bees on the prowl.

You're right MB. We've been using just a light water spray with a dash of peppermint. And a heavier spray at any lurking wasps

 

[kazmcc]

Well done Susan, so glad you have no stings to show for your efforts It would be a good idea to take a camera and get pics of anything you are not sure of to post and get advice for, at least until you get a suitable mentor. I think pics explain things much better than just words.

I still won't touch the bees without my mentor, even though I've read so much about bees. I am just not that confident yet. I don't feel like they are ours yet. They still feel like they belong to our mentor.

 

[Heather]

Going to morrow eve with a fellow bee keeper who is also a tree surgeon- it pays to have these friends - we will assess and if ok he will take out a slice and hopefully expose the colony a little so I can cut out the foundation and wire into frames for a brood box. Watch this space- will try for photos- but no expert. Vibrations of chainsaws can really p bees off...

 

[kazmcc]

Going to morrow eve with a fellow bee keeper who is also a tree surgeon- it pays to have these friends - we will assess and if ok he will take out a slice and hopefully expose the colony a little so I can cut out the foundation and wire into frames for a brood box. Watch this space- will try for photos- but no expert. Vibrations of chainsaws can really p bees off...

Ooooooo, good luck, make sure all your gaps are covered lol. I'd like a look at the pics if it's safe to take them, I love a new album post lol