Quick questions quick answers

[SWEET]

Quick question

Local farmer has offered me a nice sunny corner in a local field with good access for my bath chair.
Only problem is he sometimes puts stock ( sheeps) in the field.

Question is would sheeps attack the beehives or visa versa?

We took (sadly) an old Oak tree down last year next to the house, kept the feral bees in hives near the tree in a field full of sheep/few cows, they all gave the hives a wide birth. Come Spring (before we moved them) the lambs poked around the hives but not for long. These bees attacked wasps/hornets everything ha ha but seemed fine with me! - still going strong but zero honey yield.

 

[chipper]

Sheep have a habit of rubbing against the corners of hives...they keep away when bees are flying but tend to venture closer when not...
I would fence the corner off...A tipped hive is a nightmare to deal with...

 

[Beefriendly]

I had sheep eat most of a poly brood box on the moors. Only happened once but something to look out for....most disturbing to find all those extra entrances...
Be careful with electric fencing; livestock needs to be trained to them when young otherwise they can panic.

 

[Antipodes]

Thanks guys.

As to the sheep issue, knowing that sheep can push hives around, I've put a couple of hives I have in a sheep paddock on the usual pallet, each screwed down onto it on some corners and with an emlock strap tightly around each hive. Further, the hives are close together (with a couple of chocks of wood between them) and another emlock strap encircles them, holding them together quite firmly. A bit of fuss and bother, but so far so good.

 

[Amari]

QUICK QUESTIONS QUICK ANSWERS

I'm about to vape with my new GasVap. Do folk wait for a warmer day eg. 10C when the bees are less tightly clustered or is vaping OK however low the temperature?

 

[Erichalfbee]

QUICK QUESTIONS QUICK ANSWER
I'm about to vape with my new GasVap. Do folk wait for a warmer day eg. 10C when the bees are less tightly clustered or is vaping OK however low the temperature?

I usually don’t vape under about six degrees
Most of my hives are poly so the bees don’t cluster till it’s very cold.

 

[drex]

Better spread of OA if they are not clustered.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I usually don’t vape under about six degrees
Most of my hives are poly so the bees don’t cluster till it’s very cold.

you want them in a loose cluster so that the sublimate has a beter spread

 

[Antipodes]

Queen question. I noticed a queen bee yesterday wriggling the last few mm of her abdomen from side to side whilst she was wandering around inspecting cells. Does anyone know why? I've never seen it before actually.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Is there a minium distance between apiaries that one should consider when looking for additional out apiaries?

 

[Swarm]

I'd say it depends on the size of the other apiary and how many hives you intend to site.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is there a minium distance between apiaries that one should consider when looking for additional out apiaries?

What Steve said and three miles so that you can move bees from one to the other

 

[Ian123]

Is there a minium distance between apiaries that one should consider when looking for additional out apiaries?

Really its what works for you so no minimum, you may only have space for a couple in the garden but want others close for ease and time restrictions.If was offered a perfect site with access/security and I know the forage is good I wouldn’t care if it was 1 mile apart. I find most areas around me can take some good numbers. I’ve seen plenty of sites with 30/40 hives and good summer crops taken but that involves getting to know your area.

 

[Newbeeneil]

What Steve said and three miles so that you can move bees from one to the other

Hi

 

[Millet]

Really its what works for you so no minimum, you may only have space for a couple in the garden but want others close for ease and time restrictions.If was offered a perfect site with access/security and I know the forage is good I wouldn’t care if it was 1 mile apart. I find most areas around me can take some good numbers. I’ve seen plenty of sites with 30/40 hives and good summer crops taken but that involves getting to know your area.

Perfect..

 

[Antipodes]

What is the best substance to use to calibrate a refractometer to test for water content of honey and what are the properties of that substance that make it suitable?
Thanks.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Try this.
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/refractometercalibration.html

 

[Antipodes]

Thanks Newbeeneil. That's a good link and it seems that it is the pretty consistent amount of water in the oil that makes it suitable.

Done.

 

[Antipodes]

Can capped honey ever absorb moisture from the air?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

yes