Your streamlining tips?

[Paulypaul]

With a full-time job and a burgeoning bee operation, I'm always looking to optimise my time at the apiary.

What tips and tricks can you share, that have helped you use your time and money in an optimal way?

 

[Amari]

To free-up bee time my best decision was to retire from full time work age 60 and P/T work age 72 - but I realise that's not an option for many folk.

 

[sipa]

Only ever do what is necessary.
Learn to "read the bees" both outside and inside the hive, this can save you a lot of time.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Learn to "read the bees"

That is the top tip (but does take a while to learn).

Use equipment that is common; get rid of any variation.
Over-box when colonies expand; under-box after peak expansion.
Know the forage in your area for 2 miles around.
If time is short, check first the ones that look like they might cause trouble.

 

[pargyle]

Only inspect those frames that need inspecting .. if there are frames of stores bypass them .. inspect brood frames only for BIAS, disease and queen cells - don't waste time looking for a queen unless there is no BIAS or queen cells. Stop inspecting when you have found out what you need to know.

Dummy boards are you friend - you can take the board out and then move a number of frames at the same time by levering them with your hive tool.

Organisation - having the right kit in the right place at the right time is key (and I'm terrible at this aspect of beekeeping !). When you are prepared it is so much easier.

Inspect feisty hives last - it's a lot easier to inspect other hives when you are not being harrassed by a colony that has taken offence at your invasion.

 

[Jimmy]

A couple of things to pass on:
Notes from a talk by Andy Wattam, former National Bee Inspector, titled 20 Minute beekeeper.
http://www.hertsbees.org.uk/tips/bee-management/20-minute-beekeeper/

David Wainwright's interview by Gweyn Gruffyd's (think I might have butchered the spelling), recently posted on YouTube.


There's also a balance to be found between cherry picking everyone's good ideas and getting into an incoherent muddle. Good luck!

 

[pargyle]

A couple of things to pass on:
Notes from a talk by Andy Wattam, former National Bee Inspector, titled 20 Minute beekeeper.
http://www.hertsbees.org.uk/tips/bee-management/20-minute-beekeeper/

I got this far:

• "Good ventilation – full entrances, crownboard feed holes open".

And decided it was not worth reading any further ....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's worrying that they still walk amongst us

 

[JamezF]

For the first time this year I have been vaping for varroa treatment rather than using Apivar or something similar. I'm using an InstantVap inserted through a hole in the rim of each hive floor and it has been a revelation. Even allowing for a certain amount of cack-handedness that comes with trying something new, it is astonishingly fast. I have no experience with a gasvap or any of the other electrically-heated vaporisers so they may be equally as good, but once the InstantVap is hot I reckon treatment takes about thirty seconds. I use wooden golf tees to close the vape hole in the floor and by the time I've removed the tee from the next hive to be treated, put it somewhere safe, recovered the tee for the previous hive from wherever it fell and put it back into place, the treatment is complete and it's time to move on to the next.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As Eric said standardisation is a must. Remember that during the season your vehicle is also your shed so should contain everything you may need during each apiary visit, plus a bit spare, each evening when you get home, before relaxing for the evening replace everything that you used that day.
Plan your visit rounds and stick to it.
You should aim to take five minutes with each hive on a 'routine' visit. Unlike what most people were taught at association apiaries, you don't do everything at every visit. Disease inspections should be planned for a few times a season and at that time, you do nothing else.
Normal daily inspections should just be a check for space, food, brood (presence of queen) and any signs of swarming. When you gain experience you will pick up little pointers to colony sickness etc, you don't need to search for it every visit.
Running around like a blue arsed fly never gets the job done, remember to take a five minute break now and then, it will save time in the end as you recharge the batteries and don't flag and make mistakes, which only slows you down

 

[Jimmy]

I got this far:

• "Good ventilation – full entrances, crownboard feed holes open".

And decided it was not worth reading any further ....

At least he didn't mention matchsticks.

Here is the link to the David Wainwright video

 

[Paulypaul]

For the first time this year I have been vaping for varroa treatment rather than using Apivar or something similar. I'm using an InstantVap inserted through a hole in the rim of each hive floor and it has been a revelation. Even allowing for a certain amount of cack-handedness that comes with trying something new, it is astonishingly fast. I have no experience with a gasvap or any of the other electrically-heated vaporisers so they may be equally as good, but once the InstantVap is hot I reckon treatment takes about thirty seconds. I use wooden golf tees to close the vape hole in the floor and by the time I've removed the tee from the next hive to be treated, put it somewhere safe, recovered the tee for the previous hive from wherever it fell and put it back into place, the treatment is complete and it's time to move on to the next.

James

I have a gasvap and have drilled holes in the back of the floors, with a wooden dowel in each to plug them.
Only issue is the gasvap itself. It's just not quite reliable enough for me. It misfires, or I'm just not confident it's actually worked properly, so I end up doing it again, only not to be sure again.

InstaVap seems to be the business. Only issue is the price tag £375.00 + battery (£50).

Next year, I'll have close to 20 colonies. 1 x 10 pack of apivar = £30 x 4 = £120.

But, this tear, atleast one of my colonies on apivar is still dropping a small amount of mites.

I need to be ready to make the financial jump. Perhaps next year.