The chinese bee

[Davidrf]

Chinabee. To return to your method of keeping. I think that was the purpose of this thread?
Having looked at your system and the very useful link to traditional Japanese beekeeping methods I would love to give it a try just for fun. Blow the bee inspector. It seems to me your system is very like the Warre in that one allows the bees to start at the top and build down, vacating old comb as they progress and using it for stores. The question I can't get my head around is this: as you harvest blocks from the top (cutting them free with cheese wire according to the videos) how do you lift all that weight to insert another empty block at the bottom? Some advice would be appreciated.

 

[chinabee]

Just some daft questions...off topic ish...

So I noticed you were wearing a western style wristwatch, is there no chinese equivalent?

Also the scales are in chinese but I assume refer to kilos? Is that right? again what did Chinese people do before the Kilo?

Apologies for the bizarre questions but they are genuine and I will now go a stare into the middle distance...

all the best,
Sam

hi Sam, you focus is different, below is my comment,
the wristwatch are alien to China, so i think that should be the same style, also as i know that no chinese equivalent.
By now, we usually use kilos, we have a unit (liang) before kilos, one liang about 50 grams.

 

[chinabee]

Hi china
Good to see you. Looking forward to learning about different beekeeping ideas and methods.

Can I ask, do you use a smoker to remove bees from combs when you want to harvest? Or how is it done? Is there things you want to ask us about our methods?
Eb

Yes, i will use smoker to remove bees, the smoker working with the wormwood burning inside.

Actually, i want to see what you use in beekeeping, like beehive(internal structure)、frame、Queen tranfer larvae.

 

[chinabee]

Chinabee. To return to your method of keeping. I think that was the purpose of this thread?
Having looked at your system and the very useful link to traditional Japanese beekeeping methods I would love to give it a try just for fun. Blow the bee inspector. It seems to me your system is very like the Warre in that one allows the bees to start at the top and build down, vacating old comb as they progress and using it for stores. The question I can't get my head around is this: as you harvest blocks from the top (cutting them free with cheese wire according to the videos) how do you lift all that weight to insert another empty block at the bottom? Some advice would be appreciated.

In China, we just keeping Apis cerana with traditional methods (no frame, no wax foundation), because the Apis mellifera seems could not working without wax foundation, if use traditional beekeeping for Apis mellifera, they will always make boys(drone);

Actually, the beehive have some wooden stick inside like # for every layer, the # wooden stick can support the block.

 

[victor meldrew]

Hi chinabee
Melifera manage very well with out foundation/frames . They only make drone brood when needed !
Some bee keepers use no foundation but most beekeepers use foundation and frames . This makes it easy to examine the bees for disease , also to check if the bees are making preparations to swam ! Most beekeppers use a Queen excluder , this prevent s the Queen from laying in amongst the combs reserved for honey !
VM

 

[Excession]

Hi Chinabee, really enjoyed your pictures. Please post more.

You don't use frames and just the boxes, how do you inspect the bees? How often? How do you control swarms?

Very interesting approach, love the idea of just adding boxes to the bottom and taking off the top. How do you know when to add a box? Must be very heavy to look!

 

[justme]

Hi Chinabee, As VM says Apis Mellifera can work without foundation, I dont use any in my hives although I do use frames. Sometimes the bees decide they dont want to use the frames and build across/through them though:.)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I can just hear the snap of that rubber glove

It's when i put the cap lamp on they got a bit jittery!

 

[VEG]

haha

 

[chinabee]

Hi chinabee
Melifera manage very well with out foundation/frames . They only make drone brood when needed !
Some bee keepers use no foundation but most beekeepers use foundation and frames . This makes it easy to examine the bees for disease , also to check if the bees are making preparations to swam ! Most beekeppers use a Queen excluder , this prevent s the Queen from laying in amongst the combs reserved for honey !
VM

Really, that is good news, but why there is nobody can raising Melifera with traditional methods in China, what's happening? maybe i should try again.

Could you provide the type name of Melifera, as i know, there're so many type Meliferas in China, some for honey, some for queen substance? Thanks.

 

[chinabee]

Hi Chinabee, really enjoyed your pictures. Please post more.

You don't use frames and just the boxes, how do you inspect the bees? How often? How do you control swarms?

Very interesting approach, love the idea of just adding boxes to the bottom and taking off the top. How do you know when to add a box? Must be very heavy to look!

Actually, the traditional beekeeping is a lazy method, we just observe swarms from the door of beehive, if the swarms is normal, the bees are ordered get in and out. also we will take some picture from the bottom, if they build queen cells, we will take care of them.

We will add a box when they build comb reach the bottom, and we will cut the top comb twice one year in April and Dec;

 

[Finman]

.

We had lazy beekeepers which only took honey from couple of hives.
If hive died, next summer arrived a new swarm.

Varroa killed that system totally and wild hives.

Apis cenara bees do not mind about mites?

 

[chinabee]

.

We had lazy beekeepers which only took honey from couple of hives.
If hive died, next summer arrived a new swarm.

Varroa killed that system totally and wild hives.

Apis cenara bees do not mind about mites?

Yes, we do not worry about mites, Apis cenara can clean mites by each others that is different from Apis mellifera.