Forums46
Topics547,514
Posts9,849,046
Members87,836
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: Roll-Tide]
#8835077
04/17/23 02:48 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Basic bee questions.
1. If you had 5 bee boxes. How much honey would that produce per year?
2. When you take out the frames to harvest the honey, where do the bees go?
3. How often do you harvest the honey? Once a year, twice a year ? Basic questions with "it depends" type answers 1. Depends on if 8 frame, or 10 frame box to start, Also there are deep, medium and shallow boxes in either 8 or 10 frame configurations. then how many frames the beekeeper actually has in the box. Can also be effected by nectar source, humidity, beekeeper management and so on. Rough average with all frames in the box 8 frame = deep 65lb, medium 30 not sure on shallow, never used one 10 frame=80ish medium 49ish 2. Your honey frames are in your "Supers" (boxes above the brood nest "brood boxes") Bees will go back down into the brood box's Now if you need/want to take honey from a brood box, for lets say they are getting honey bound, you just replace it with a drawn empty comb or new foundation type frame. 3. Generally once after your local main honey flow, for many across the country, supers are pulled by end of June. This can be more a regional; thing as some parts of the country have longer and later fall flows and if they want that late dark honey for overwinter (some don't, especially in colder climates. Dark honey has more mineral and can bee a problem for bees that can't get out to pooh for 3-5 months)
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8835085
04/17/23 03:14 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,509
BradyBuck
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
|
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,509 |
Well my hive is not doing well. I think it’s just a matter of time. I did not see a queen, no eggs, a few capped brood cells but not much. Half frame of uncapped honey it looked like, a little bit of pollen.
HRCH Washita's Kimber Locked N Loaded GRHRCH Firefly's Rally The Troops MH
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8835122
04/17/23 10:51 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606
SnakeWrangler
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606 |
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored] Actually, BBC is pretty damn good "You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8835252
04/17/23 01:56 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332
Ol Thumper
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332 |
Does anyone have any history with the Golden Cordovan’s? We bought a couple complete hives and Im curious If you had any problems with them.
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: Ol Thumper]
#8835619
04/18/23 12:01 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Does anyone have any history with the Golden Cordovan’s? We bought a couple complete hives and Im curious If you had any problems with them. I have run several for probably 7-8 years, some times I'll have 6, right now I have 2 and then 2 others that are x's from others I had. Generally the calmest bees I've been around. Need plenty food as they build and brood a lot as well. Great bee imo, but really just a blonde Italian. They are like Italians on steroids at times, like the traits are more expressed, The color is recessive so it wains from queens raised from them. I like them and order mine from a pretty closed apiary in N cali that has a real remote breeding facility. Several places sell them tho.
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8835623
04/18/23 12:04 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Well my hive is not doing well. I think it’s just a matter of time. I did not see a queen, no eggs, a few capped brood cells but not much. Half frame of uncapped honey it looked like, a little bit of pollen.
When did you check them last? any open brood/larva at all? How many bees do you figure?
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: SnakeWrangler]
#8835624
04/18/23 12:08 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Yesterday morning went and got a bee tree off a county road before the county burned it. Moved it to my BIL’s garden.
Hope they stick around….at least they won’t be burned up…..
Didn’t get a pic after I pulled the rags from the entrance. They weren’t pleased with road-trip and being closed up. : I did the very same thing once probably 6 years ago. Super big bull mesquite from S Texas that was delivered to a mill up here. I ended up having to cut them out as they wanted the tree back lol
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: Western]
#8835758
04/18/23 05:18 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332
Ol Thumper
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332 |
Does anyone have any history with the Golden Cordovan’s? We bought a couple complete hives and Im curious If you had any problems with them. I have run several for probably 7-8 years, some times I'll have 6, right now I have 2 and then 2 others that are x's from others I had. Generally the calmest bees I've been around. Need plenty food as they build and brood a lot as well. Great bee imo, but really just a blonde Italian. They are like Italians on steroids at times, like the traits are more expressed, The color is recessive so it wains from queens raised from them. I like them and order mine from a pretty closed apiary in N cali that has a real remote breeding facility. Several places sell them tho. I appreciate the insight, I bought them for their color and the speed they supposedly build brood. I’m planning to experiment with these and try my hand at raising a few queens for the challenge of it at some point. I do have a question on these hives though, their complete hives with 4 frames of brood and a couple frames of honey so will I need to offer them food at first or simply let them do their thing and keep an eye on them? All of our nuc’s and packages are being fed but I’m unsure about these complete hive’s. I’m a long ways from needing one but what do you recommend for an extractor so I can be on the lookout for one?
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: Western]
#8835865
04/18/23 01:42 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Well my hive is not doing well. I think it’s just a matter of time. I did not see a queen, no eggs, a few capped brood cells but not much. Half frame of uncapped honey it looked like, a little bit of pollen.
When did you check them last? any open brood/larva at all? How many bees do you figure? Reason I was asking, even tho that hive didn't expand like you'd expect, they may have tried to swarm, or supersede your queen. Any evidence of queen cells being broke down by the workers? Could be a new queen went out to get mated and didn't return. If you have enough bee's and you're pretty certain there isn't anything nefarious going on ( suspect possibly a problem with Mites, or lack of nutrition for brood rearing and likely a poor queen) You can order a queen and get her usually within a few days Depends on what you see and smell in the hive which way I'd go, given there is enough bees to take the hive further with a new queen.
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: Ol Thumper]
#8835874
04/18/23 01:55 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Does anyone have any history with the Golden Cordovan’s? We bought a couple complete hives and Im curious If you had any problems with them. I have run several for probably 7-8 years, some times I'll have 6, right now I have 2 and then 2 others that are x's from others I had. Generally the calmest bees I've been around. Need plenty food as they build and brood a lot as well. Great bee imo, but really just a blonde Italian. They are like Italians on steroids at times, like the traits are more expressed, The color is recessive so it wains from queens raised from them. I like them and order mine from a pretty closed apiary in N cali that has a real remote breeding facility. Several places sell them tho. I appreciate the insight, I bought them for their color and the speed they supposedly build brood. I’m planning to experiment with these and try my hand at raising a few queens for the challenge of it at some point. I do have a question on these hives though, their complete hives with 4 frames of brood and a couple frames of honey so will I need to offer them food at first or simply let them do their thing and keep an eye on them? All of our nuc’s and packages are being fed but I’m unsure about these complete hive’s. I’m a long ways from needing one but what do you recommend for an extractor so I can be on the lookout for one? Yeah, I like the color as well, it also goes back to what I said above, they generally do what Italians do but with vigor lol I've had some that lagged along, had a couple that blew up and swarmed even with half empty boxes. They use more food overwinter as well being a big, populace hive. I'd feed them until they are settled in and you see eggs at least, longer if the flow is slow and you need foundation drawn. If they stop taking it, they probably found a good nectar source. It takes a lot to feed brood and draw comb, so I'd check them weekly to 10 days and make sure you see nectar in cells. You want them fed, but not to the point they become honey bound. Are the "complete hives" 10 or 8 frame? 4 frames of brood and couple of honey, leaves you short unless you're using a frame feeder, or un-drawn foundation.. I'll come back this afternoon with some ideas for extracting and bottling or storage from my pov and what Ive done and seen, could be a longer post lol
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8835903
04/18/23 02:38 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Thumper, just an after thought, how many hives do you have, or will have soon? If you have nucs and they are good ones, they probably need to be in a brood box. Good queens can potentially burn up a nuc quick and swarm.
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8836290
04/19/23 02:01 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
IMO, extractor will depend on budget, time and manpower you want to put into it, how many hives you may be extracting. I started this time like many and went crush and strain. Then caught a plastic 2 frame manual extractor 50% off so got that, worked ok for a couple years. It is labor intensive, so I modified the crank to use a drill motor. There are two types of extractors, tangential and radial. The difference is in how the frame is placed in the extractor, tangential requires extracting one side of the frame, flipping it over and doing the other side (how my plastic one was). One of the big names is Maxant, solid equipment and priced accordingly. I have the maxant 16 gal heated bottling tank, great quality for me. I opted for a Lyson Optima 12 frame extractor for several reasons. Made in Poland not China, half the price almost of a maxant, I like the drain better than maxant's, have to tilt the maxant to full empty, has many good reviews. Also, maxant seems to always have a several month backlog as they build as orders are made. I had mine at my door from Betterbee in 3 days. There was a brand from Canada, priced similar to maxant and was reported to be super solid quality but cant recall the name. Crush and strain is the cheapest way to go and imo a press like the one, makes it pretty easy. I have this one for comb. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QMVZFBP?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details You'll find a couple seal-able, food grade buckets real handy, I have these and think they last longer than the tab style https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGKSV412?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1Real handy and what I do for now is a 5 gallon honey bucket with gate valve and a 5 gallon 400 micron strainer, str8 from the extractor thru the screen and it's clean honey in the bucket that you can bottle from if wanted. (provided you've tested for moisture) You can buy a gate valve for $10 and add it to a food grade bucket like the ones above https://www.amazon.com/House-Naturals-Plastic-Gallon-Beekeeping/dp/B09QKMTFTG/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=honey%2B5%2Bgallon%2Bbucket&qid=1681869177&sr=8-7&th=1 Strainer, many use 5 gal paint strainers from lowes, I like these and they clean up great with a little warm water https://www.amazon.com/Strainer-Filtering-Coatings-Silicones-Particle/dp/B01LZ2YCHM/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=honey%2B5%2Bgallon%2Bbucket&qid=1681869177&sr=8-9&th=1 There are several good brands and many made "over there", stainless and motorized is great if demand and budget work out. Start as well as you can and don't impulse buy without a little research and reviews. https://www.betterbee.com/extractors/lyson-12-frame-radial-motorized.asphttps://www.maxantindustries.com/All I got right now, will post more if it comes to me.
Last edited by Western; 04/19/23 02:07 AM.
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8836294
04/19/23 02:10 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Couldn't get couple links to work
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8836334
04/19/23 05:27 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332
Ol Thumper
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332 |
We’ll have over 20 next week but that numbers going to rise, everything is in 10 frame deeps including the new hives. I was referring to the purchased nuc’s but they were immediately put in the 10 frame deeps upon arrival. When I get some free time I’ll look into the extractors you mentioned but I won’t be doing anything manually that much I know, I’m of the mindset work smarter not harder these days. On a side note I ticked off my first Hive today and got blasted in the temple and right below the ear today by 2 dive bombers lol, they got upset when I bumped the Hive right before dark and then walked in front of it way to close. They’ve all been really gentle but I’d get upset if someone about knocked my house over and then walked by the front door, revenge is a mother trucker when your on the receiving end of it..
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8836398
04/19/23 01:07 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Manually has it benefits since it is cheaper and works out well for few hives, even using a drill was better. Also works for many hobbyist as you can upgrade if it comes to that. But. I'm running with the Lyson and not looking back lol. If you have in your mind you need the best name brand outside of cost, Maxant has the 9f w/wo motor, That is the one I was considering before I went with the Lyson. Yes sir, one end of those bishes aint to friendly That is one reason I generally order queens, well out of the African gene pool. I have also had some open bred queens that where quite docile as well, much depends on the 15-20 drones they mate with. Also, small hives attitude can change as it gets bigger
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: Western]
#8836571
04/19/23 07:22 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332
Ol Thumper
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332 |
Manually has it benefits since it is cheaper and works out well for few hives, even using a drill was better. Also works for many hobbyist as you can upgrade if it comes to that. But. I'm running with the Lyson and not looking back lol. If you have in your mind you need the best name brand outside of cost, Maxant has the 9f w/wo motor, That is the one I was considering before I went with the Lyson. Yes sir, one end of those bishes aint to friendly That is one reason I generally order queens, well out of the African gene pool. I have also had some open bred queens that where quite docile as well, much depends on the 15-20 drones they mate with. Also, small hives attitude can change as it gets bigger I’ll check them out, I’m not so much interested in buying the best of the best but I’m a firm believer in buying quality stuff and not second guessing myself a year down the road. I learned my lessons years ago on buying cheap stuff so I cry once and buy once these days when I can. How many hives do you have currently?
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: Ol Thumper]
#8836764
04/20/23 01:02 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Manually has it benefits since it is cheaper and works out well for few hives, even using a drill was better. Also works for many hobbyist as you can upgrade if it comes to that. But. I'm running with the Lyson and not looking back lol. If you have in your mind you need the best name brand outside of cost, Maxant has the 9f w/wo motor, That is the one I was considering before I went with the Lyson. Yes sir, one end of those bishes aint to friendly That is one reason I generally order queens, well out of the African gene pool. I have also had some open bred queens that where quite docile as well, much depends on the 15-20 drones they mate with. Also, small hives attitude can change as it gets bigger I’ll check them out, I’m not so much interested in buying the best of the best but I’m a firm believer in buying quality stuff and not second guessing myself a year down the road. I learned my lessons years ago on buying cheap stuff so I cry once and buy once these days when I can. How many hives do you have currently? Right now I'm down to 12, fixing to be 15, was down to 6 last fall after bad news at the doc. Decided last spring to go further in and made good increase then in Sept after the doctor visit, I was sold off most, was up around 40 in two small yards And now I find myself doing it again as I need to try to get a few revenue streams going. The physical part is my biggest hurdle, but like you said, try to work smarter. O agree on buy the best you can afford, within reason. If you have the budget for the lyson like mine, I think you be happy with it, but do some reading and make comparisons. I know there are a lot of "foreign" brands like on Amazon and ebay, but notice what the bee supplies carry. Dadant also carries it's own line of extracting eq as well. The lyson hit all the marks for me at the time and I like that it has a bottom side drain.
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8836793
04/20/23 01:31 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Had a few hives in the early 90's after varroa and before hive beetles, Was my grandfathers idea. When I was a kid, grandfather, uncles and my dad had a commercial bee and honey bottling business and sold to many grocery chains.
The young kids like myself built frames and older cousins made boxes after school as work class, Sundays we did a lot of bottling, I was the label putter on'er and hated it.
Ask my grandfather how many hives they had since we didn't do that much, he said under 1k, I know they also had to buy truckloads in drums from Texarkana,Louisiana and Texas. One of my biggest regrets was not taking an interest and asking him questions.
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8837350
04/20/23 10:16 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606
SnakeWrangler
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606 |
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored] Actually, BBC is pretty damn good "You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8837365
04/20/23 10:34 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606
SnakeWrangler
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606 |
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored] Actually, BBC is pretty damn good "You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8837377
04/20/23 10:57 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606
SnakeWrangler
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66,606 |
Once I have all the fabric down and chips in I will add a soaker hose watering setup.
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored] Actually, BBC is pretty damn good "You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8837465
04/21/23 01:40 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126
Western
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 29,126 |
Brood frame from one of my Cordovan's, she is a laying machine. I tried to use my table magnifying glass with the phone, not very good
If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln Dennis
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8837499
04/21/23 02:43 AM
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,891
Dave Davidson
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,891 |
Buy a new queen
Last edited by Dave Davidson; 04/21/23 02:44 AM.
Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
|
|
|
Re: THF Beekeeping Thread
[Re: BradyBuck]
#8837514
04/21/23 03:22 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332
Ol Thumper
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,332 |
Snake you’ve been a busy man but it will all be worth it when your finished and it looks great!!!
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, Superduty, txcornhusker
|