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Happy Chooks
Loving the herd life
Checked this morning........She is not released yet, but very close. They probably have her out by now.
Hive inspection and box reversal
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- #112
Happy Chooks
Loving the herd life
Success at last! Okay, so I cheated, but my split finally has a queen! She has been laying up a storm in the hive too! 
She was on the run from me, but I managed to get a quick picture. Yes, I know I need to treat for mites, that will come soon, when I pull my super off the main hive I'll treat both at once.
She was on the run from me, but I managed to get a quick picture. Yes, I know I need to treat for mites, that will come soon, when I pull my super off the main hive I'll treat both at once.
Maggiesdad
Loving the herd life
Awesome!
Do you know you have mites??? That was a pretty good brood break there.
Do you know you have mites??? That was a pretty good brood break there.
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- #114
Happy Chooks
Loving the herd life
I'm going to treat anyway, I'm not taking any chances on losing another hive to mites. I was adding brood from the main hive to keep it going and try to grow a queen.
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Happy Chooks
Loving the herd life
Inspected the split today. I had to feel sorry for the drone hiding on an undrawn frame by the outer wall. Some other drones in the hive show that wings are being chewed to be kicked out soon.
I saw my pretty queen, watched a few bees hatch and noticed a good laying pattern. Things are looking up! I then refilled their feed and closed it back up.
Now it's time to prepare for honey extraction on the main hive. It's going to be really hot this week, so I'd like to get it done before fall weather sets in.
I saw my pretty queen, watched a few bees hatch and noticed a good laying pattern. Things are looking up! I then refilled their feed and closed it back up.
Now it's time to prepare for honey extraction on the main hive. It's going to be really hot this week, so I'd like to get it done before fall weather sets in.
Maggiesdad
Loving the herd life
It's really interesting how locale affects beekeeping - in these parts we get one honey harvest around the 4th of July. What the bees gather after extraction is theirs for the winter. We've been so dry keepers have had to feed to maintain numbers for a hopeful fall flow. We've got about 4 weeks left 'til first frost...
Some folks have already pulled supers here. I haven't yet and a lot of folks in the local bee club haven't either. The spring was so wet and cool for so long it seems everything is behind. I plan to inspect mine this coming week, pull the super (and hope I have some honey 
), put the bottom board back in, and decide about mite treatment. The hive is still very busy. We also have a lot of fall flowers around me as well as fields of blossoming alfalfa, so I'm hoping they're still getting nectar.
), put the bottom board back in, and decide about mite treatment. The hive is still very busy. We also have a lot of fall flowers around me as well as fields of blossoming alfalfa, so I'm hoping they're still getting nectar.
Maggiesdad
Loving the herd life
I was doing an inspection in a TBH last week, it was 96° in the sun. I lifter a bar that I forgot to cut the side attachement, and tor about three fingers of comb out of it. I looked at the honey rolling out and thought Oh darn! Set the bar down grabbed the knife and cut free the piece of comb and took of running plucking bees off it as I went. I got about 30 yards away and the bees were gone so I peeled my veil and stuck the whole thing in my mouth! LOL so good... It was like having a double chaw of tobacco.
Made it last a good 10 minutes
Made it last a good 10 minutes
frustratedearthmother
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Happy Chooks
Loving the herd life
Late starter - alfalfa is supposed to be a great nectar source.
We are finishing up with star thistle right now, then that is pretty much it. Time to harvest and treat for mites here. Then feed if I need to before winter sets in.
I agree about the local beekeeping, I read about the people that get 4-6 supers per hive. I'm lucky to get 1 super of honey. California is too dry I guess. It didn't help that we had cool weather and thunderstorms during the blackberry blossom.
We are finishing up with star thistle right now, then that is pretty much it. Time to harvest and treat for mites here. Then feed if I need to before winter sets in.
I agree about the local beekeeping, I read about the people that get 4-6 supers per hive. I'm lucky to get 1 super of honey. California is too dry I guess. It didn't help that we had cool weather and thunderstorms during the blackberry blossom.
