Show us Pictures of your Bees

[victor meldrew]

He told you:

"here is a colony that colonised some empty supers I had earlier on in the year, shot taken today"

Obviously a question from a newbie fixed on the presumption that supers are always used as just that 'extras' .
Now she knows better and is wiser . She knows bees will inhabit any sized void suiting their purpose !!.
Not too bruised I hope Kaz?

This is one of the reasons for my advocating a newbies section where such responses would be taboo

John Wilkinson

 

[RoofTops]

I find that very interesting that they had not had any human intervention for 4 yrs ( I assume that is) and they are good honey producers and also have a heavy varroa count. It is nice to hear that bees can live with varroa and still be a productive colony.

You'll have to turn back to page 8 to find what all this is about but from the picture shown I doubt this colony has been going for 4 years. Comb all over the place in an old hive occurs when the original colony dies out and wax moths eat all the existing combs. When a swarm takes up residence they build the new comb to their own plans, not those of the original beekeeper. As most swarms are low on varroa they may well survive the first winter but the next season usually does for them. Although there are reports of colonies fending for themselves my inclination is to think it is the varroa learning to live with the bees rather than the other way round.

 

[kazmcc]

Obviously a question from a newbie fixed on the presumption that supers are always used as just that 'extras' .
Now she knows better and is wiser . She knows bees will inhabit any sized void suiting their purpose !!.
Not too bruised I hope Kaz?

This is one of the reasons for my advocating a newbies section where such responses would be taboo

John Wilkinson

lol, no, not too bruised...just a few little ones

Would you not get them onto brood frames though as soon as you can? I know I have loads to learn but I didn't think super frames were a suitable size for brood. I'm not criticising, I'm just trying to understand. Would you use two supers together instead of a brood box? Can that be done?

 

[kazmcc]

The weather here in Kent has been rubbish this weekend. Not been able to get out at all

Isn't that odd? Here is Manchester it has been lovely! Something must be afoot

Welcome to the forum DB

 

[victor meldrew]

lol, no, not too bruised...just a few little ones

Would you not get them onto brood frames though as soon as you can? I know I have loads to learn but I didn't think super frames were a suitable size for brood. I'm not criticising, I'm just trying to understand. Would you use two supers together instead of a brood box? Can that be done?

Yes I would .I've had the same thing happen , a swarm taking over a pile of supers that I thought was bee proof
It's the devil of a job getting them on to standard brood frames .
When it happens late in the season ,it's better to leave them in there (feed well) until spring when you have more options .
I have a colony in two supers , but they are on 14x12 frames ,
They are tucked in for Winter .
next year they will be transferred to a 14x12 brood box and the supers put back into honey production .

John Wilkinson

 

[kazmcc]

Thanks John. Makes sense.

 

[blackbrood]

Would you not get them onto brood frames though as soon as you can? I know I have loads to learn but I didn't think super frames were a suitable size for brood. I'm not criticising, I'm just trying to understand. Would you use two supers together instead of a brood box? Can that be done?

The swarm appeared in May/June. At the time all I had was spare supers and no spare brood boxes. They covered one side of two supers. So I shook them inside and said come on in Ladies ;-) Once I did get more brood boxes I tried to get them in to a brood box by putting one underneath and one on top. However HM never budged. So if she doesnt want to move, I aint gonna give her a hard time about it. I will try again next year.

 

[blackbrood]

You'll have to turn back to page 8 to find what all this is about but from the picture shown I doubt this colony has been going for 4 years. Comb all over the place in an old hive occurs when the original colony dies out and wax moths eat all the existing combs. When a swarm takes up residence they build the new comb to their own plans, not those of the original beekeeper. As most swarms are low on varroa they may well survive the first winter but the next season usually does for them. Although there are reports of colonies fending for themselves my inclination is to think it is the varroa learning to live with the bees rather than the other way round.

That would be a fair assumption to make.

 

[darren64]

Isn't that odd? Here is Manchester it has been lovely!Something must be afoot

Welcome to the forum DB

12 inches as a rule,bum bum

 

[kazmcc]

The swarm appeared in May/June. At the time all I had was spare supers and no spare brood boxes. They covered one side of two supers. So I shook them inside and said come on in Ladies ;-) Once I did get more brood boxes I tried to get them in to a brood box by putting one underneath and one on top. However HM never budged. So if she doesnt want to move, I aint gonna give her a hard time about it. I will try again next year.

Thanks blackbrood for explaining. Our mentor told me that there will always come a time where you never have enough kit. We rely on him to bring what we need so far, and we have been extrememly lucky, but I know we will need to apply for another grant if we are to have the three colonies we planned for. I just don't know where we will store it all as the shed they've given us is the size of a wendy house lol.

 

[drstitson]

blacbrood

how many frames were occupied by brood in that super?

 

[Mike a]

Bee keeping in August.
Fresh air & sunshine ?

 

[blackbrood]

how many frames were occupied by brood in that super?

currently, 6 maybe 7.

 

[thada1]

Taff - your photos made me think - if you have trouble seeing the eggs, take photos of the brood frames then look at them on the 'pooter, blown up.

Love the photo of the dogs - it made me laugh too!

The dogs' tongues look a lot like this hungry bee which I snapped yesterday (dSLR with 50mm lens and 20mm extension tube)

 

[beeboybee]

Nice macro, any flash used?

 

[thada1]

Nice macro, any flash used?

Nope, just some early autumn sunshine (and reflected light from the white plastic garden chair I'd thrown this wildcomb onto)

 

[beeboybee]

I use nikon D300 just debating wether to bit the bullet and get a nice macro lens or get some extension tubes, what kit do you use.

 

[kazmcc]

Bee keeping in August.
Fresh air & sunshine ?

Ah ha! So my beginner question about just using umbrellas when it was raining wasn't so daft after all!

Bet the bees were happy, even thought you were using umbrellas. Not many in the air though, I assume they were exposed as i can see the roof and the cb. Where are they? When one of our group stands in front of the hive, they get bees all over them, but everyone is in a circle. Are the girls just refusing to get their hair wet?

 

[kazmcc]

I really love the picture thada 1. Beautifully detailed.

 

[Mike a]

Ah ha! So my beginner question about just using umbrellas when it was raining wasn't so daft after all!

Bet the bees were happy, even thought you were using umbrellas. Not many in the air though, I assume they were exposed as i can see the roof and the cb. Where are they? When one of our group stands in front of the hive, they get bees all over them, but everyone is in a circle. Are the girls just refusing to get their hair wet?

We debated to put up the gazebo but as it was only drizzle and we were only opening some of the hives it wasn't worth the hassle. The girls were out flying although probably not to happy when they tried to return and found us in their way.