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JustTom
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 Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject: "Working" the bees |
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Long time usenetter, first time beekeeper.
Starting out late in the season, but got lucky, and will get a nuc
from a local masterkeeper at the end of the month, which he promises
will a strong one coming off locust blossom time.
Most of my extremely limited knowledge has come from online and the
Dadant book. I've managed to acquire a mentor that's going to help
me, and between the two of them, I should be okay, and will eventually
understand more.
My question:
The gentleman I'm getting the bees from said repeatedly not to "get
into bees unless you have the time to work them" and said that he had
a friend coming over to "work the bees" with him later.
I'm not trying to shirk or anything, but I don't understand exactly
what they mean by working their bees. Most of my reading seems to
indicate that you don't open up a hive just to look at it, that you
should try to disturb them as little as possible. All I know is to
make sure they are geting fed. No supering this year, so no honey
gathering, which I thought was the most labor intensive aspect.
So what exactly is working them, and are there daily intensive tasks
that need to be done? |
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ram
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| Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 10:36 pm Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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On May 11, 10:58 am, t...@nomail.please (JustTom) wrote:
| Quote: |
Long time usenetter, first time beekeeper.
Starting out late in the season, but got lucky, and will get a nuc
from a local masterkeeper at the end of the month, which he promises
will a strong one coming off locust blossom time.
Most of my extremely limited knowledge has come from online and the
Dadant book. I've managed to acquire a mentor that's going to help
me, and between the two of them, I should be okay, and will eventually
understand more.
My question:
The gentleman I'm getting the bees from said repeatedly not to "get
into bees unless you have the time to work them" and said that he had
a friend coming over to "work the bees" with him later.
I'm not trying to shirk or anything, but I don't understand exactly
what they mean by working their bees. Most of my reading seems to
indicate that you don't open up a hive just to look at it, that you
should try to disturb them as little as possible. All I know is to
make sure they are geting fed. No supering this year, so no honey
gathering, which I thought was the most labor intensive aspect.
So what exactly is working them, and are there daily intensive tasks
that need to be done?
"Working the bees", means working with the bees. Your friend is |
right, that it is best to leave them to themselves as much as
possible. But what he probably meant was, when it is required to Work
your bees, you had better do it in a timely manner...beekeeping is not
for procrastinators. The spring build-up involves a lot of Work,
mainly avoiding swarming behaviour while encouraging population
grouth. At the same time, your visits to the interior of the hive
should be as short and quick as possible, while also accomplishing
everything you need to do at that time.
You will know what Working is when it's been ten days since you
visited the hive, there is a thunderstorm on the horizon, and when you
open your hive up, every goddam frame has about 12 queen cells to
remove, and they are in a particularily nervous mood, yeah, thats some
hardcore Working the Bees.
hope that helps.
(personally, i like the expression, Working the Bees, and use it a
lot. It would be better expressed "Manipulating the Bees") |
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JustTom
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| Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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On 11 May 2007 11:36:59 -0700, ram <ram_palbert@yahoo.com> wrote:
| Quote: |
On May 11, 10:58 am, t...@nomail.please (JustTom) wrote:
SNIP
You will know what Working is when it's been ten days since you
visited the hive, there is a thunderstorm on the horizon, and when you
open your hive up, every goddam frame has about 12 queen cells to
remove, and they are in a particularily nervous mood, yeah, thats some
hardcore Working the Bees.
hope that helps.
|
A bit, thanks. I guess that's why it's important to find a mentor.
(The bee source wouldn't sell to me unless I had one).
I guess it just takes time/years to understand what you're supposed to
look for, and when to look for it, and until that time, you just rely
on your mentor and others in the clubs.
Example: For me, when my deep box nuc is installed, I think that my
primary tasks are that I need to make sure that they have food, and
then to add a second brood box when the first one fills. Being
unfamiliar with their workings, I have absolutely no idea how long it
takes for them to usually fill that first one, so I'll probably bug
them more than necessary. Then I stick the next box on, and repeat
the process.
Without someone there to tell me what I'm seeing, I wouldn't know a
queen cell from a full house, nor why those cells need to be removed
unless that means everybody's getting ready to bug out. Thought for
the most part, the girls knew best.
It seems to be an interesting hobby, and I'm looking forward to giving
it a go. |
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beekeep
Guest
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| Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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On Fri, 11 May 2007 18:54:11 GMT, tom@nomail.please (JustTom) wrote:
| Quote: |
On 11 May 2007 11:36:59 -0700, ram <ram_palbert@yahoo.com> wrote:
On May 11, 10:58 am, t...@nomail.please (JustTom) wrote:
SNIP
You will know what Working is when it's been ten days since you
visited the hive, there is a thunderstorm on the horizon, and when you
open your hive up, every goddam frame has about 12 queen cells to
remove, and they are in a particularily nervous mood, yeah, thats some
hardcore Working the Bees.
hope that helps.
A bit, thanks. I guess that's why it's important to find a mentor.
(The bee source wouldn't sell to me unless I had one).
I guess it just takes time/years to understand what you're supposed to
look for, and when to look for it, and until that time, you just rely
on your mentor and others in the clubs.
Example: For me, when my deep box nuc is installed, I think that my
primary tasks are that I need to make sure that they have food, and
then to add a second brood box when the first one fills. Being
unfamiliar with their workings, I have absolutely no idea how long it
takes for them to usually fill that first one, so I'll probably bug
them more than necessary. Then I stick the next box on, and repeat
the process.
Without someone there to tell me what I'm seeing, I wouldn't know a
queen cell from a full house, nor why those cells need to be removed
unless that means everybody's getting ready to bug out. Thought for
the most part, the girls knew best.
It seems to be an interesting hobby, and I'm looking forward to giving
it a go.
Looking and seeing is fine but do learn to smell your bees! Healthy bees smell |
good! 'Can't explain it to you but you can teel an auful lot about a hive when
you open it up just by its smell.
beekeep |
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Adam Finkelstein
Guest
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| Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 6:38 am Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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In article <46458cad.39099515@usenet.radix.net>,
beekeep <honeybs@radix.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
On Fri, 11 May 2007 18:54:11 GMT, tom@nomail.please (JustTom) wrote:
On 11 May 2007 11:36:59 -0700, ram <ram_palbert@yahoo.com> wrote:
On May 11, 10:58 am, t...@nomail.please (JustTom) wrote:
SNIP
You will know what Working is when it's been ten days since you
visited the hive, there is a thunderstorm on the horizon, and when you
open your hive up, every goddam frame has about 12 queen cells to
remove, and they are in a particularily nervous mood, yeah, thats some
hardcore Working the Bees.
hope that helps.
A bit, thanks. I guess that's why it's important to find a mentor.
(The bee source wouldn't sell to me unless I had one).
I guess it just takes time/years to understand what you're supposed to
look for, and when to look for it, and until that time, you just rely
on your mentor and others in the clubs.
Example: For me, when my deep box nuc is installed, I think that my
primary tasks are that I need to make sure that they have food, and
then to add a second brood box when the first one fills. Being
unfamiliar with their workings, I have absolutely no idea how long it
takes for them to usually fill that first one, so I'll probably bug
them more than necessary. Then I stick the next box on, and repeat
the process.
Without someone there to tell me what I'm seeing, I wouldn't know a
queen cell from a full house, nor why those cells need to be removed
unless that means everybody's getting ready to bug out. Thought for
the most part, the girls knew best.
It seems to be an interesting hobby, and I'm looking forward to giving
it a go.
Looking and seeing is fine but do learn to smell your bees! Healthy bees smell
good! 'Can't explain it to you but you can teel an auful lot about a hive when
you open it up just by its smell.
beekeep
|
Cabbage?
Adam
--
Adam Finkelstein
adamf7ATgmailDOTcom |
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Charlie Kroeger
Guest
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 8:43 am Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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| Quote: |
'Can't explain it to you but you can teel an auful lot about >>a hive when
you open it up just by its smell.
beekeep
Cabbage?
Adam
|
attack pheromone
--
C. |
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ROBERT VERNON
Guest
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| Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 4:00 am Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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|
These guys are wrong. Beekeeping is for anyone that is interested. It's for
the guy that has lots of time and wants to work them every day (unless they
aren't settle cause then theres a good chance they will fly away), or the
guy with almost no time that only wants to work them a few times a year, or
even the guy that doesn't want to ever work them and just wants to see them
landing on his flowers and pollinating his crops.
Beekeeping is like everything else in the world. You get out of it what you
put into it. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy it.
--
For great deals on great gifts checkout
www.realprettystuff.com
"JustTom" <tom@nomail.please> wrote in message
news:464481a7.356281101@newsgroups.comcast.net...
| Quote: |
Long time usenetter, first time beekeeper.
Starting out late in the season, but got lucky, and will get a nuc
from a local masterkeeper at the end of the month, which he promises
will a strong one coming off locust blossom time.
Most of my extremely limited knowledge has come from online and the
Dadant book. I've managed to acquire a mentor that's going to help
me, and between the two of them, I should be okay, and will eventually
understand more.
My question:
The gentleman I'm getting the bees from said repeatedly not to "get
into bees unless you have the time to work them" and said that he had
a friend coming over to "work the bees" with him later.
I'm not trying to shirk or anything, but I don't understand exactly
what they mean by working their bees. Most of my reading seems to
indicate that you don't open up a hive just to look at it, that you
should try to disturb them as little as possible. All I know is to
make sure they are geting fed. No supering this year, so no honey
gathering, which I thought was the most labor intensive aspect.
So what exactly is working them, and are there daily intensive tasks
that need to be done?
|
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ram
Guest
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| Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
|
|
On May 15, 8:00 pm, "ROBERT VERNON" <manicmonday1...@verizon.net>
wrote:
| Quote: |
These guys are wrong. Beekeeping is for anyone that is interested. It's for
the guy that has lots of time and wants to work them every day (unless they
aren't settle cause then theres a good chance they will fly away), or the
guy with almost no time that only wants to work them a few times a year, or
even the guy that doesn't want to ever work them and just wants to see them
landing on his flowers and pollinating his crops.
Beekeeping is like everything else in the world. You get out of it what you
put into it. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy it.
--
For great deals on great gifts checkout
www.realprettystuff.com"JustTom" <t...@nomail.please> wrote in message
news:464481a7.356281101@newsgroups.comcast.net...
Long time usenetter, first time beekeeper.
Starting out late in the season, but got lucky, and will get a nuc
from a local masterkeeper at the end of the month, which he promises
will a strong one coming off locust blossom time.
Most of my extremely limited knowledge has come from online and the
Dadant book. I've managed to acquire a mentor that's going to help
me, and between the two of them, I should be okay, and will eventually
understand more.
My question:
The gentleman I'm getting the bees from said repeatedly not to "get
into bees unless you have the time to work them" and said that he had
a friend coming over to "work the bees" with him later.
I'm not trying to shirk or anything, but I don't understand exactly
what they mean by working their bees. Most of my reading seems to
indicate that you don't open up a hive just to look at it, that you
should try to disturb them as little as possible. All I know is to
make sure they are geting fed. No supering this year, so no honey
gathering, which I thought was the most labor intensive aspect.
So what exactly is working them, and are there daily intensive tasks
that need to be done?- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
|
I know a fellow, at about 10 km from where I live, who has about 20
old hives, that he visits quite infrequently. The fact is that most
of them are weak/dying colonies, and several don't have any bees at
all, they perished from disease seasons ago. He doesn't take any
measures at all against disease, rather leaving the badly affected
colonies to "die by themselves". His twenty odd hives produce just
enough honey for himself and I suppose a few friends.
Problem is, that disease ridden apiary is the cause of much anguish to
other local beekeepers...two of whom I am aware, have moved their
colonies away from this guys apiary. Luckly, I'm about 10 km away,
but I'd rather be 20... |
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ROBERT VERNON
Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 1:31 am Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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|
OK, well I did say where there is interest. If he has a bad situation and it
unwilling to do anything about it, then that is a problem.
I personally have a few strong hives. I don't have much time to work them,
but I try to make sure things are going well with them.
--
For great deals on great gifts checkout
www.realprettystuff.com
"ram" <ram_palbert@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1179321190.126319.87440@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: |
On May 15, 8:00 pm, "ROBERT VERNON" <manicmonday1...@verizon.net
wrote:
These guys are wrong. Beekeeping is for anyone that is interested. It's
for
the guy that has lots of time and wants to work them every day (unless
they
aren't settle cause then theres a good chance they will fly away), or the
guy with almost no time that only wants to work them a few times a year,
or
even the guy that doesn't want to ever work them and just wants to see
them
landing on his flowers and pollinating his crops.
Beekeeping is like everything else in the world. You get out of it what
you
put into it. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy it.
--
For great deals on great gifts checkout
www.realprettystuff.com"JustTom" <t...@nomail.please> wrote in
message
news:464481a7.356281101@newsgroups.comcast.net...
Long time usenetter, first time beekeeper.
Starting out late in the season, but got lucky, and will get a nuc
from a local masterkeeper at the end of the month, which he promises
will a strong one coming off locust blossom time.
Most of my extremely limited knowledge has come from online and the
Dadant book. I've managed to acquire a mentor that's going to help
me, and between the two of them, I should be okay, and will eventually
understand more.
My question:
The gentleman I'm getting the bees from said repeatedly not to "get
into bees unless you have the time to work them" and said that he had
a friend coming over to "work the bees" with him later.
I'm not trying to shirk or anything, but I don't understand exactly
what they mean by working their bees. Most of my reading seems to
indicate that you don't open up a hive just to look at it, that you
should try to disturb them as little as possible. All I know is to
make sure they are geting fed. No supering this year, so no honey
gathering, which I thought was the most labor intensive aspect.
So what exactly is working them, and are there daily intensive tasks
that need to be done?- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
I know a fellow, at about 10 km from where I live, who has about 20
old hives, that he visits quite infrequently. The fact is that most
of them are weak/dying colonies, and several don't have any bees at
all, they perished from disease seasons ago. He doesn't take any
measures at all against disease, rather leaving the badly affected
colonies to "die by themselves". His twenty odd hives produce just
enough honey for himself and I suppose a few friends.
Problem is, that disease ridden apiary is the cause of much anguish to
other local beekeepers...two of whom I am aware, have moved their
colonies away from this guys apiary. Luckly, I'm about 10 km away,
but I'd rather be 20...
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JustTom
Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:01 am Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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On Fri, 11 May 2007 14:58:15 GMT, tom@nomail.please (JustTom) wrote:
| Quote: |
Long time usenetter, first time beekeeper.
Starting out late in the season, but got lucky, and will get a nuc
from a local masterkeeper at the end of the month, which he promises
will a strong one coming off locust blossom time.
SNIP |
Know it's poor form to reply to myself, but ...
Instead of end of month, supplier called on Saturday, said he had
cancellations, and could I pick them up on Monday?
Did so, and unfortunately my mentor had to bail on me, and I had to
install it myself. Three stings, but I think I understand why in
each case.
I got nailed once while opening the gate to the nuc box to allow them
to acclimate to my location. Mentor thinks I likely pulled the gate
open too fast, should've went slow and gradual. Instructions didn't
mention that. My plan was to open it from behind, then back off and
watch them pour out thinking they would fly up and away and I'd have a
ringside seat. Instead, I got zapped almost instantly. Of course,
I didn't think the gate opening would be that big a deal, so I was in
a pair of shorts and tshirt (luckily I put on the veil). Live and
learn.
Then when it came to transfer (suited this time w.gloves, pants,
etc.) , two more stings, ear and chin (ouch!) but I don't think I had
the d@mn smoker lit correctly, and basically installed them
smoke-free. Was doing fine, until I tried to brush the bees out of
the way to install the third frame, and they basically attacked the
brush, and then found instant fleshy points in my veil to get me as
well.
Despite the welt on my chin, still quite an interesting experience,
and probably learned a little more stumbling thru it myself than if I
had just been following the instructions of someone else. |
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Caruthers Carstairs-MacKr
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 10:04 am Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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On Wed, 16 May 2007 21:31:34 GMT, ROBERT VERNON wrote:
| Quote: |
I personally have a few strong hives. I don't have much time to work them,
but I try to make sure things are going well with them.
|
Then spend less time on here anf more on yer hives. |
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ram
Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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| Quote: |
and probably learned a little more stumbling thru it myself than if I
had just been following the instructions of someone else.
|
Probably not, try to bring someone who can teach you next time. The
time when you have you hive open is precious and you want to be as
efficient as possible. Bring someone else. I was a beginner last
year, and I couldn't get anybody to come over to my place to help me.
However, most beekeeper are happy to have you "tag along" when going
to visit their own hives. My first year beekeeping (with three hives)
was spending almost as much times in other apiaries than my own.
Also, not slowly and gradual but rather "smoothly and
deliberate"...you can actually move quite quickly but smoothly at the
same time.
Also, don't worry about the stings. Just be sure to always have at
least long pants and a veil. I recommend long sleeves because it can
be fairly tight around the wrist and avoids bee getting under your
shirt. But always a veil. I wouldn't recommend gloves, they tend to
make you clumsy, which will result in more stings...
Also, your smoker...practice alone with you smoker before going to the
hives. My first time ever visiting my hives, my smoker went out...I
went to someone and got them to show me....
Also, spend less time here, and spend time with another beekeeper,
either at your apiary of at theirs.
good luck and enjoy |
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JustTom
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:00 pm Post subject: Re: "Working" the bees |
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|
On 17 May 2007 08:30:20 -0700, ram <ram_palbert@yahoo.com> wrote:
| Quote: |
and probably learned a little more stumbling thru it myself than if I
had just been following the instructions of someone else.
Probably not, try to bring someone who can teach you next time. The
time when you have you hive open is precious and you want to be as
efficient as possible. Bring someone else. I was a beginner last
year, and I couldn't get anybody to come over to my place to help me.
However, most beekeeper are happy to have you "tag along" when going
to visit their own hives. My first year beekeeping (with three hives)
was spending almost as much times in other apiaries than my own.
|
I have a mentor, who got tied up and couldn't be here. He's supposed
to come over this weekend and help me look over the week old install,
and show me what to look for. Learned from someone a couple of weeks
ago that he was our state's keeper of the year last year, so he knows
his stuff. Unfortunately, earlier in the week at a meeting, he also
said that he was going to be moving in a couple of months. So, I'm
going to have to find someone else kind enough to put up with me.
<SNIP>
| Quote: |
Also, don't worry about the stings. Just be sure to always have at
least long pants and a veil. I recommend long sleeves because it can
be fairly tight around the wrist and avoids bee getting under your
shirt. But always a veil. I wouldn't recommend gloves, they tend to
make you clumsy, which will result in more stings...
|
I didn't do too badly with the gloves, but understand what you mean.
I think I'll stick with them until I get a little better w/ the
smoker.
I used rubber bands to close off pants legs and sleeves.
| Quote: |
Also, your smoker...practice alone with you smoker before going to the
hives. My first time ever visiting my hives, my smoker went out...I
went to someone and got them to show me....
|
Yes, sadly, this was my undoing. My mentor later told me that it
should be just short of belching fire when lit, then really stuffed,
and should smoke all day if necessary. Mine was a smoldering
cigarette butt that went out while I was in mid-install...
It's little things like how much smoke and how quickly to open the
gate that make it difficult to just go out and do this without
instruction.
| Quote: |
Also, spend less time here, and spend time with another beekeeper,
either at your apiary of at theirs.
good luck and enjoy
|
I work from home occasionally, which is just about the only time I'm
online. I can occasionally peak in on things while working from
another machine on the desk. I'm a computer guy for a living, so
don't tend to spend much time online outside of work
Had a meeting earlier this week on extracting honey. Met a few more
keepers, and had a fun quiz on identifying the major pollen and nectar
sources in the area. Learned that Black Locust was the primary
source here, and that my timing was absolutely perfect, as I got them
installed the day it started blooming. I didn't even know Locust
trees bloomed.
So much to learn... |
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