It doesn't make the news often. But look into bee theft. Commercial keepers have 100's of hives stolen every year.

That's right Bullfrog...........buy it from someone you know.

At a minimum you'll need a vial, smoker (get a large from Dadant bee supply, trust me, you don't want a small smoker)) and hive tool. A young man I have been helping started with this min and used a painters suit and work gloves from lowes and he did fine his 1st year.

Depending on how much cash you can spend and what protection level you need, then there are options. I have a 2 full ultra breeze suits, one each for my wife and I, used mostly for "cut outs" and real pissy bees. For general use on nice days, I use an ultra breeze jacket with hood, or just a veil and long sleeve shirt depending what chore I'm doing.

Misc items that come in handy
Large rubber bands,,Use for holding comb to frames when needed
Cheap magnifying glass if its hard to see eggs and you're old like me, I keep a $5 walmart cheapy in an old sock.
Small tool box to keep stuff in

If you are going to treat varroa mites with OA (Oxilic Acid and I would) You'll need to consider how you will introduce it to the hive, soaked on rags, or easier and quicker imo is doing it by vapor with a vaporizer either made or bought for around $150

Just off the top of my head

Yep, That's why you see some sold as "alfalfa", "clover", "mesquite", "wildflower". even then it can vary, same with the color and water content depending on forage/range conditions. That's if it's 100% real honey and not some of the much adulterated stuff.

I live in an area that the commercial honey producers bring in BIG TRUCK loads of bees & hives. The hives & bees are spread out among miles of farms & ranches. The hives are loaded back on trucks in early fall and taken elsewhere.

Can you explain a little about the vaporized OA?

How often? Do treat on a schedule?

So, are we winning the battle against the Africanized Bees now?

Haven't heard much about them lately.

Have known more than a few people that were killed by them.

BradyBuck, When Oxalic acid crystals are heated, they turn to a vapor, when injected into a hive, the vapor coats the surfaces as it cools and re-solidifies (nutshell version)

Most beeks treat when varroa threshold over 2-3% is noticed and almost absolutely in the month of August prior to winter bee production. OA is in the hive naturally, in food we eat and in our bodies, also, it has shown no side effects to bees and best of all, varroa haven't built up a tolerance to it as they have other manufactured synthetic miticides like Apistan that has been used so much, the mites have grown tolerance to it.

OA is used after the honey supers are removed generally, not to be used when supers are on. Also, most that use OA, also do a rx once or twice over winter, usually around Christmas or a day when the cluster of bees is loose and some are flying (50 degrees) OA is most effective for phoretic mites, does nothing to the majority of mites that are in egg cells, so winter is a good time for a one or two shot dose since there is far less, if any brood at this time. August, or even a spring rx of OA is done in a series over a period of days, usually each hive gets a does on day, then another every 3-4 days for 5-6 treatments, this tme period covers the mite reporduction and kills mites as the emerge with baby bees.

There are other products that work good, most have some twerks if you will, like thymol products work well, but are heat sensitive ( has temp reqs), but are a good addition to ipm and mite management,

Many beeks choose a treatment for real early Spring and then another in August as I mentioned earlier.

One synthetic I like and is quite popular is Apivar, it is a treatment that stays in the hive as "strips" for around 42 days, but it is good to use a couple different types and not just the same type back to back.

I also like and have used Thymol products, you just have to follow the directions, some beeks reportedly have had queen loss but I never have.


Edit : EPA violation to use OA when honey supers are on, or open to the vapor, many that have to treat during honey flo remove them for a spell, or use cardboard to separate the supers from the brood boxes

Skinner, last I read they are a bit watered down, but still marching and likely in our gene pool for a longtime with x breeding. IIRC, registered Texas beeks are suppose tp re-queen any captured swarm, but that may have changed , not sure. I know they are bad mojo

That fight was lost years ago. They are actually really good bees. Their temperament is the bad part, but it's slowly being bread, modified out with the bad traits left behind.

Great information, thanks!

I spent some time yesterday watching YouTube videos on vaporizing OA. Seems fairly simple.

Yeah, seems daunting, but pretty str8 forward once you have the materials. OA is about the cheapest rx after the higher buy in as well.

Thoughts on the Flow hive? Very expensive, and I actually like the thought of opening up the hive and all that beekeeping entails vs just cracking the faucet.


https://www.honeyflow.com/

Personally, I think the FH is a gimmick and you'd be better off just buying $7-800 of bottled honey. In all honesty and just my personnel opinion, if you want the animal husbandry, the fun learning and dealing with bees, not to mention the challenge, it is a super hobby that has the potential to give you a bit if honey each year (not a guarantee). If all you want is the honey, far easier to locate a local beek and purchase it str8 from them and skip all the expense and time spent. Caveat, I have never had a FHm just have spoke to a few that tried them and read about them on post made by those that tried, I have also read some good reviews as well, but you have to read between the post and see who actually is a "beekeeper" and knows the difference.

I'd rather buy 2 hives and get them going near the same cash and grow from there and get enough experience before deciding on a FH. Easier to sell the two hives with bees then a FH I'd bet as well.

I can post a long quote from a thread I read a few years ago about the FH if you care to read it, good summation of how I feel for the most part at least from the enjoyment side of it. Guy sold them, but it was a lengthy post.

Cordless.



Near my garden. I'm not willing to get any closer.

Cant get bees much cheaper than that!

I don't want to kill mine. They are real gentle. I found a bee keeping club in Rosenberg. No phone number. I contacted them online and no reply to date. I'm willing to donate to the cause if they can relocate them. There is a colony of hives across the road.

If there is an "Apiary" across the road, that is likely where they came from. Might put a note on their entrance and I bet they will come after them.

You have to stop doing me this way.

Pfft, I have 50k girls in each box that wear less than that!


She is holding a frame from a top bar hive and not a bee in site, great photo tho

This cold front will sure test the hives stores, fingers crossed I have them prepped enough.

I have a bee keeper coming next week. Fingers crossed.

I saw my neighbor has wrapped his hive in a pretty thick layer of insulation

Yeah, that is doable if you have the "stuff" available, I have insulation boxes on top I made a few years ago. You have to be careful and make sure they still have ventilation or condensation can build up and drip down on the bees killing them, It will still bee a roller coaster with temps near 0.

Most northern beeks, even up to Alaska use tar paper as a wrap, some use a bought hive wrap, but imagine if you had 1000 hives, or as some 10k+!. I purposely dont beak the propolis seal the bees use to seal the hive, so I haven't looked in my hives since early November.