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RedHeadGal · 09-14-2009, 02:31 PM

did you say why you moved the hive? I don't remeber, and I don't see it in the previous entries here.

no honey yesterday? I made honey lime chicken enchiladas for dinner yesterday, so I could have used some of your honey!

MikeWaters · 09-15-2009, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHeadGal

did you say why you moved the hive? I don't remeber, and I don't see it in the previous entries here.

no honey yesterday? I made honey lime chicken enchiladas for dinner yesterday, so I could have used some of your honey!

I moved the hive because it was formerly next to my air con unit, and we needed the unit serviced. In general, when you move a hive, it is best to move it a far distance. Otherwise the bees will get confused and return to the former location of the hive. So if I had moved it into my backyard, I would have bees returning to the former location. But since I moved it many miles away, the bees have to completely reorient and they return to the hive as they should.

I probably won't be harvesting honey in the fall. They need to store enough honey to survive the winter. They eat the honey to generate enough warmth in their cluster to survive, and then get ramped up in population before the spring nectar flow. If you are not careful, your bees will starve to death.

MikeWaters · 09-28-2009, 01:21 AM

Took a look at the hive yesterday. Lots of bees coming in and out. Looks like an airport. No signs of ants from the outside since I made the modifications on the legs of the stand.

This is probably the fall nectar flow, so bees are now storing the honey that will support them over the winter and allow them to survive until the next spring. I probably will not harvest any.

MikeWaters · 04-27-2010, 03:35 AM

Update. I now have three beehives. The original one that is at a friend's home. And two new ones that were originally my father's. One of the two is very strong, the other is weak. Both of these are at my home.

Today I went and checked on the hive at my friend's home. I hadn't cracked this open since last fall. It was full to the brim of honey. I was surprised. So I put on another super. I'm going to need to harvest this honey sometime soon.

I think it's going to be a very good year down here for honey. The bees are working like mad. It's a beautiful sight to see, the bees darting through the shafts of light through the trees. Coming and going.

This one at my friend's house is more aggressive than my other two. They got me good tonight. Stung me three times through my clothes. Once in the right pec, once in the right inner thigh, and one on the right buttock. They made their presence known. I had messed with them twice today. First time no problem, second time, they were upset.

I may eventually need to requeen this hive. Though I doubt I will ever be able to find the queen.

MikeWaters · 04-27-2010, 08:45 PM

One of the beehives at my home. This was my father's. I picked it up recently. It is a strong hive. I need to open it up and see what's going on inside.

Zulu451 · 04-28-2010, 07:30 PM

I enjoy reading about your beekeeping hobby. You will have to send me some honey to north carolina!

MikeWaters · 04-28-2010, 08:09 PM

No, you will have to come visit and pick some up in person.

MikeWaters · 05-11-2010, 03:27 AM

Record haul of honey for me this year. About 100lb so far. And I have the stings to prove it. This evening I got one on the knee, a few on the biceps, and one on the back. And under my four layers of clothing, I almost died of heat exhaustion. My "main" shirt, when I took it off, was literally wring-able.

Cougarguard 2.0 - honey production.

MikeWaters · 05-11-2010, 03:28 AM

I've also found out that there are some real pricks among beekeepers. So I fit right in.

If my experience in getting in a recent flamewar on a beekeeping board is any indication...

MikeWaters · 05-11-2011, 01:03 AM

Beekeeper in Arkansas got flooded out. This was always my fear with my beehive I kept in back next to the creek. It was probably 6 or 7 feet above the normal level of the creek. In the past year or so I never saw the creek get too close to the hive, but it was causing me ulcers. So I finally moved the hive higher. And now I don't worry about that. I worry about other things.

Tough to imagine seeing all my hives spilled on the side of a road. Esp. if it was my living. Raising bees is a tough way to pay the bills.

04-28-2010, 07:30 PM	#56
Zulu451 house-elf 3rd class Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 386	I enjoy reading about your beekeeping hobby. You will have to send me some honey to north carolina! __________________ <---- Mikewaters drives the lane...

09-14-2009, 02:31 PM	#51
RedHeadGal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: DC Posts: 995	did you say why you moved the hive? I don't remeber, and I don't see it in the previous entries here. no honey yesterday? I made honey lime chicken enchiladas for dinner yesterday, so I could have used some of your honey!

09-28-2009, 01:21 AM	#53
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Took a look at the hive yesterday. Lots of bees coming in and out. Looks like an airport. No signs of ants from the outside since I made the modifications on the legs of the stand. This is probably the fall nectar flow, so bees are now storing the honey that will support them over the winter and allow them to survive until the next spring. I probably will not harvest any.

04-27-2010, 03:35 AM	#54
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Update. I now have three beehives. The original one that is at a friend's home. And two new ones that were originally my father's. One of the two is very strong, the other is weak. Both of these are at my home. Today I went and checked on the hive at my friend's home. I hadn't cracked this open since last fall. It was full to the brim of honey. I was surprised. So I put on another super. I'm going to need to harvest this honey sometime soon. I think it's going to be a very good year down here for honey. The bees are working like mad. It's a beautiful sight to see, the bees darting through the shafts of light through the trees. Coming and going. This one at my friend's house is more aggressive than my other two. They got me good tonight. Stung me three times through my clothes. Once in the right pec, once in the right inner thigh, and one on the right buttock. They made their presence known. I had messed with them twice today. First time no problem, second time, they were upset. I may eventually need to requeen this hive. Though I doubt I will ever be able to find the queen.

04-27-2010, 08:45 PM	#55
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	One of the beehives at my home. This was my father's. I picked it up recently. It is a strong hive. I need to open it up and see what's going on inside.

04-28-2010, 08:09 PM	#57
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	No, you will have to come visit and pick some up in person.

05-11-2010, 03:27 AM	#58
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Record haul of honey for me this year. About 100lb so far. And I have the stings to prove it. This evening I got one on the knee, a few on the biceps, and one on the back. And under my four layers of clothing, I almost died of heat exhaustion. My "main" shirt, when I took it off, was literally wring-able. Cougarguard 2.0 - honey production.

05-11-2010, 03:28 AM	#59
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I've also found out that there are some real pricks among beekeepers. So I fit right in. If my experience in getting in a recent flamewar on a beekeeping board is any indication...

05-11-2011, 01:03 AM	#60
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Beekeeper in Arkansas got flooded out. This was always my fear with my beehive I kept in back next to the creek. It was probably 6 or 7 feet above the normal level of the creek. In the past year or so I never saw the creek get too close to the hive, but it was causing me ulcers. So I finally moved the hive higher. And now I don't worry about that. I worry about other things. Tough to imagine seeing all my hives spilled on the side of a road. Esp. if it was my living. Raising bees is a tough way to pay the bills.