what would you do

[Gilberdyke John]

Without keeping notes it descends into chaos .
I learned that very quickly.
How hard is it to take a notepad with you and a pencil or pen.
You don't have to write a novel about each hive a few lines will do.

My hives each sport a card and a pencil under the roof. Once I got past two colonies it was vital.

 

[irishguy]

Quote from your post of Dec 27 2012:

As for doing a course, im not one for doing courses,joining associations etc.. as i just learn myself along teh way. I know sometimes it isnt the best approach but its just the way i am and its held me well throughout the years. Ill get plenty of info on the net and bokks ill be purchasing and going it alone with some help on here.

Seems to me that nothing has changed thus far. Other posts indicate a decided lack of reading, too.

We will see how you get on, now you seem at least to be listening to advice a little bit. A case of the leopard needing to change his spots, I think.

To be fair o9o, that was I'm 2012 and nearly 2 years ago. A lot has changed from then joining the association and doing my course. Sure back then I thought all I had to do is make 25hives, buy the bees for them and I'd have over a ton of honey each year. Now I know that's madness without the experience of looking after bees and not to mention the weather. I know its possible to get a ton out of that many hives seeing as a cple teaching us at the association achieved this last year but as for a newbie getting it, not a chance! Hopefully one day thou lol

 

[kazmcc]

I think the lesson learned here is the importance of taking notes. I wish you luck IG and hope you get these bees strong for winter. I'm going to try and find the template I was aiming to use when I had bees which will guide me as to what I need to take note of, if it still exists. If I find a good one, I'll let you know IG

 

[oliver90owner]

To be fair o9o, that was I'm 2012 and nearly 2 years ago.

Posted by you only this month (9th) replying to a post which suggested a good christmas prezzy for you would be a good beekeeping book.

Lol but learning the hard way is usually the best IMO.

Little changed up to that point, I reckon. Maybe you have just realised that your ad hoc methodology has unsurprisingly let you down. A dismal failure, in fact. Now just follow the simple instructions from JBM and note how simple beekeeping is, once you start thinking about it.

I wrote, recently, that there were enough bees for two, maybe three, decent colonies to go into the winter. Still not too confident that the same number would emerge afterwards, mind. Try and surprise me.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Without keeping notes it descends into chaos .
I learned that very quickly.

I used to be able to keep most of the relevant data in my head - but with managing twenty of my own hives plus the association apiary I struggle to remember the morning after so basic notes are essential - just a quick check of the records for the hives I intend beforehand saves a lot of head scratching and guessing during an inspection especially when something 'unexpected' turns up

 

[irishguy]

O.K. not too bad, but if we have a plan - try and stick to it otherwise its easy for things to go awry again.
So, Next Sunday is the next step ONLY TWO HIVES TO INSPECT the two hives you put frames of eggs in yesterday. Go in only check the frame of eggs you put in yesterday if there are queen cells knock them all off close up and prepare to unite with the hive I discussed in my first plan. This is better done late in the evening when bees aren't flying much. If there are no QC's close up and we'll have a rethink.

Try and stick to the plan please​

Did my inspection but didnt go exactly to plan. You see, ive been mad busy with another funeral and forgot exactly what i had to do. When i had internet connection earlier i came on here, came onto this exact page but didnt have time to read what i had to do i left it on the phone and i could read just before i was to inspect and that way, thered be no hic-ups. Well thats what i thought lol. While i was out at the hives getting suited up my 8yr old son lifetd my phone and when i went to read it, it wasnt there. He had X'd it off the screen when he went to play a game on my phone

So i went and did the inspection anyway. About half 4 i opened up hive 3 and found 3 capped QCs, And very brown and not that big TBH. One of them i actually thought hatched because it had this what i describe as fluffy stuff but with a closer inspection, i think its just right before its finally capped because there was larvae in it. The bees where alot more cammer than last week. The other QC from last week is still capped but after what i noticed in the next hive i opened, i think theres nothing in it.

Next i opened hive1 and theres 7 QCs capped on one side of the brood. I next looked at the other frame with the closed QC on it and i thought id open it to see whats inside and low and behold, nothing was there. This was a closed QC that was completely empty!

One thing i didnt do is knock down all the QCs because when out there, i wasnt that sure if i had to or not so i thought id best leave it untill i checked this thread again. When i seen them thou, i was 90%sure i had to knock them but that 10% was telling me not to jst incase i messed things up. I can take another run out later and do this if its majorly important but if it can be left till tomorrow, i can do it then.

Another thing i noticed with the nuc that has the laying queen in it, it has lots of wasps flying in and out of it. I killed about 15 of them but i was fighting a losing battle because they just kept flying around me. I had a quick look into th ehive because i was expecting loads of them but couldnt see any on top of the farmes where the bees where. I closed the nuc up and left it. What can i do about this or is this a lost cause now?

 

[joctcl]

The suspense is killing me as I wait for one of the kind folks who has been advising you to rip you a new one.

 

[pargyle]

The best thing to do about the wasps - they will prey on a weak colony .. is to close the entrance down to just one bee space - some foam rubber stuffed in there will do an adequate job if you don't have a proper entrance block. Then lean a sheet of glass or perspex at an angle in front of the entrance, the bees will find their way round it but the stupid wasps will just fly into it ... and hopefully give up.

I've lost track of what the last plan was ... you seem to have a lot of queen cells (and sealed ones that are empty ? - That's odd) so I'll leave JBM to reply on what to do next ... Pity you keep losing the plan ... print it out ?

 

[Bosleeu]

I would like to express my admiration for all the beekeepers that has been posting advice on here.

Reading this thread is really lifting me out of the weekend-on-call lethargy that always get me on a Sunday evening.

Irishguy I really hope you get these hives sorted in time for winter, but you really have to listen to the guys that spend a lot of time planning things for you. They know what they are talking about. Print it out or make notes you can take to the apiary with you.

 

[irishguy]

The best thing to do about the wasps - they will prey on a weak colony .. is to close the entrance down to just one bee space - some foam rubber stuffed in there will do an adequate job if you don't have a proper entrance block. Then lean a sheet of glass or perspex at an angle in front of the entrance, the bees will find their way round it but the stupid wasps will just fly into it ... and hopefully give up.

I've lost track of what the last plan was ... you seem to have a lot of queen cells (and sealed ones that are empty ? - That's odd) so I'll leave JBM to reply on what to do next ... Pity you keep losing the plan ... print it out ?

The entrance is just a drilled hole, maybe inch and half or 2 inch diameter. Im trying to think what i can use because dont have foam rubber . Will them wasps hive in that nucor are they just robbing. What about a wasp trap, i remember reading about one easily made with a 2litre bottle and some sugar syrup, would this do?

 

[Dan Job]

The entrance is just a drilled hole, maybe inch and half or 2 inch diameter. Im trying to think what i can use because dont have foam rubber .

Try something like this. Will allow you to vary the size of the entrance or close it completely should you wish.

http://flic.kr/p/oxCK73

Drawing pin was just in case the wood shrank in sun and friction became insufficient. Turned out to be ok without.

 

[kazmcc]

Will them wasps hive in that nucor are they just robbing. What about a wasp trap, i remember reading about one easily made with a 2litre bottle and some sugar syrup, would this do?

I think that may be like closing the door after the horse has bolted The wasps won't hive in there. You could try traps, but I suspect now they know of the goodies in there, they will fly right past your traps. Narrow the entrance with whatever you can that fits tight and has no gaps. There will be more advice to follow no doubt.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did my inspection but didnt go exactly to plan. You see, ive been mad busy with another funeral and forgot exactly what i had to do. When i had internet connection earlier i came on here, came onto this exact page but didnt have time to read what i had to do i left it on the phone and i could read just before i was to inspect and that way, thered be no hic-ups. Well thats what i thought lol. While i was out at the hives getting suited up my 8yr old son lifetd my phone and when i went to read it, it wasnt there. He had X'd it off the screen when he went to play a game on my phone

So i went and did the inspection anyway. About half 4 i opened up hive 3 and found 3 capped QCs, And very brown and not that big TBH. One of them i actually thought hatched because it had this what i describe as fluffy stuff but with a closer inspection, i think its just right before its finally capped because there was larvae in it. The bees where alot more cammer than last week. The other QC from last week is still capped but after what i noticed in the next hive i opened, i think theres nothing in it.

Next i opened hive1 and theres 7 QCs capped on one side of the brood. I next looked at the other frame with the closed QC on it and i thought id open it to see whats inside and low and behold, nothing was there. This was a closed QC that was completely empty!

One thing i didnt do is knock down all the QCs because when out there, i wasnt that sure if i had to or not so i thought id best leave it untill i checked this thread again. When i seen them thou, i was 90%sure i had to knock them but that 10% was telling me not to jst incase i messed things up. I can take another run out later and do this if its majorly important but if it can be left till tomorrow, i can do it then.

Another thing i noticed with the nuc that has the laying queen in it, it has lots of wasps flying in and out of it. I killed about 15 of them but i was fighting a losing battle because they just kept flying around me. I had a quick look into th ehive because i was expecting loads of them but couldnt see any on top of the farmes where the bees where. I closed the nuc up and left it. What can i do about this or is this a lost cause now?

There always seems to be some excuse - but anyway there was leeway in this plan so I'll put it in a separate post to make it a bit easier for you, I'm sure you can commit this to memory or jot on a piece of paper. Why is it that every fool in the world insist on depending on these ridiculous Iphones!!!!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Okay, here goes follow this to the letter, forget about everything else, come back on here after you have done it.DO THIS TOMORROW



Open up hive 1 : REMOVE EVERY SINGLE QUEEN CELL NEW OR OLD - EVERY ONE. Close up hive

Open hive 3 : REMOVE EVERY SINGLE QUEEN CELL NEW OR OLD - EVERY ONE. Close up hive

Come back on here for next instructions

 

[tudorcd]

I am following this thread with great enjoyment, and waiting for:

"Sir, the dog ate my homework", or something better.

IG, keep it up !

 

[irishguy]

Try something like this. Will allow you to vary the size of the entrance or close it completely should you wish.

http://flic.kr/p/oxCK73

Drawing pin was just in case the wood shrank in sun and friction became insufficient. Turned out to be ok without.

Thanks for that. Will do this tomorrow

 

[irishguy]

Okay, here goes follow this to the letter, forget about everything else, come back on here after you have done it.DO THIS TOMORROW



Open up hive 1 : REMOVE EVERY SINGLE QUEEN CELL NEW OR OLD - EVERY ONE. Close up hive

Open hive 3 : REMOVE EVERY SINGLE QUEEN CELL NEW OR OLD - EVERY ONE. Close up hive

Come back on here for next instructions

 

[Torq]

........ it has lots of wasps flying in and out of it. I killed about 15 of them but i was fighting a losing battle because they just kept flying around me. I had a quick look into th ehive because i was expecting loads of them but couldnt see any on top of the farmes where the bees where. I closed the nuc up and left it. What can i do about this or is this a lost cause now?

You couldn't see them because they are in the middle of the frames feeding away! When you take out a couple of frames and look down into the bottom of the nuc it will most likely be filled with the casualties of war. 10+ dead bees per dead wasp. I know as I lost a weak nuc just like this last year, there were hundreds of corpses!

 

[irishguy]

You couldn't see them because they are in the middle of the frames feeding away! When you take out a couple of frames and look down into the bottom of the nuc it will most likely be filled with the casualties of war. 10+ dead bees per dead wasp. I know as I lost a weak nuc just like this last year, there were hundreds of corpses!

Was thinking tgis , will have a proper look tomorrow

 

[oliver90owner]

This is getting closer to my prediction of two colonies perhaps being ready/strong enough for winter.