ON the treatments, do what works for you. I always treat (most things now are "organic" anyhow and can be used when taking honey off) so much for the big bad chemical scares some like to try and instill). Anyhow, I know a woman who never treats. Uses tea tree oil and some other kockamamie "naturalist" treatment. Well her's never survive due to mites...Mine do. Maybe its more area specific...dunno. I owe it to my bees and ALSO my neighbor's bees HERE. They are just healthier when treated in my location...bottom line.

I watched a barn full of feral bees for a year and a half. My little experiment, I guess. Post death of them all revealed a mite issue.

This aint the 60s or 70s...Varroa showed up well after that.

But as always, do what's right for YOU.

I've always susbscribed to the Michael Palmer theory of beekeeping. It works for me.

I do like the nuc hotel above...Hmmmmm

Humptulip you describe what I am afraid will happen here. I only knew of two or three bee keepers in this area but as you say everyone wants a hive and here comes the southern packages and next year they say my bees didn’t live and I ordered more package and about that 3rd time they quit but newbees will take over. Just wish there was a way to educate wethere they treat or not. You can manage but you have to have the knowledge that you can’t just box them up and expect all is well it does not work like that or everyone has issues.

Evening folks, been busy at work so few replies from me lately...

Here goes: regarding the article on nucs and packages, a poorly informed consumer lends itself to a corrupted market. The best way to have transparency in the bee selling business is to have the end consumer informed. So, learn about where the bees are coming from before you buy. Make informed decisions... I give background on my bees when I sell them. I also offer advice, if asked, after the bees have been purchased. I want transparency with my customers.

Moving hives: I have mine on portable stands which are at a similar height to my trailer. I place a ratchet strap around the hive, and my stands are constructed to facilitate this, and then a strap under it with hand loops. I put my hands through the loops and by simply rocking back pick the hive up. I rotate 90 degrees and set onto the trailer. Once on the trailer I just slide them around into place. I can easily move whole hives that are two 10 frame deep, with top and bottom attached. Before I start I just stuff a rolled rag in the entrance. My trailer holds about 15 full hives.

Here are a bunch right after moving.

Parasites/varroa: there does seem to be a correlation with the increased interest in beekeeping, movement of bees, packages and nucs coming from different states and the spread of pests and diseases. I don't know if we can ultimately keep bees without talking "harsh chemical" treatment in that environment. If a beekeeper has "clean" stock and infected stack is brought in by the neighbor, is that beekeeper supposed to allow their stock to die off? Should they be the ones to run away with their bees so they can keep them isolated?

No, it is not the 60s or 70s. We are in a different type of epidemic.

I bought 3 nucs and a packages last year, 2 of the nucs were from a local guy who has all feral genetics and the other nuc i got from a bee farm 50 miles away. All the nucs did great all summer with no mite problems. The package I bought from a supplier who ordered a 100 or 2 packages out of California and resold them. That package gave me so much trouble with mites it was pathedic. I got them in April and did a wash in August, I got a 23 mite count in a half a cup of bees. The nuc 75 yard from them had 3 mites per half a cup. I saved that package but it was hard, I hit them with apivar. I never had to treat the nucs. I know I am not a seasoned bee guy and have a Lot to learn but from what I experienced last summer if you don't want to have to treat your bees don't buy packages from way off stay local and try for feral genetics.

Matt 28 X2 there are strains of bees out there that will attack these mites. They actually bite them and cut their appendages off.

Here is a walk up to my bee yard. If your an old hippy turn up the volume.

Cool video Jeff. I wondered about swarms where you are...guess they can build up fast enough to cast one, but is there enough season for the swarms to establish?

I assume some of what you showed is fireweed? What is the honey like?

Thanks, The swarm was my own package I over-fed and they swarmed the first month I had them. They were also Russians and that probably had something to do with it too. We don't have wild honey bees here, a lot of Bumbles and yellow jackets though.

I did catch the swarm but killed the queen cell and they started a laying worker, it was my first hive and neither made it through the winter.

And yes the flowers are Fireweed. The honey is mixed with other wildflowers hence the yellow tint, pure fireweed is clear as water, I hope to harvest more this year, it has a awesome flavor.

Moved all mine to one yard early this morning. Lost two hives this winter, that puts me down to 6 hives. May have to set out some swarm traps after this rain front moves through next week, will see how it goes.


B

What happen to the two you lost bbarnes?

Winter kill is my guess, dead in the comb cell. There was still a little honey in parts of the medium box I left for feed.

B

Finally checked hives again today. Here is one of the 5 frame nucs after moving it to a 10 frame deep 3 weeks ago, and it has been too cold for the bees to fly much over 2 of those weeks. This is a beautiful sight to behold. I only wish they all looked like this today.


They got another deep added. Here is another nuc which needs moving into a full deep:

I have not feed any pollen sub or sugar water yet this year. My work schedule has not permitted me to tend them as much as I would usually, so those that make it will and those that don't, oh well. I think I am over the hump and what I have now should make it this year.

Oh, in case anyone wondered I made these nucs last year in the middle of July. I used 2 frames, one with stores and one with brood, both covered with bees. I then added a queen cell raised from grafts prior to emergence. The queen in the nuc pictured above began laying mid August last year. Looks to be a prolific layer.

Great looking hive there, that's packed with bees. Will you be maken splits this year.

Matt, yes I will be doing a lot of splits. My goals involve significant advancement in overall hive numbers. As soon as the weather gets a bit more predictable I will set up a queen builder hive and start grafting. Then I will make as many 2 frame nucs as I can. This hive is one I will graft from. I have two others that wintered well which I will graft off of as well. Two frame nucs should be large enough for me to split once more yet this summer. At that time my goal would be two 5 frame nucs during that split. Then, over winter as many 5 frame nucs as possible.

I have enough equipment for about 35 nucs right now. Just waiting for the weather to get right for it. Two frame nucs allow me to have an abundance of queens mated. Also, I was able to show that two frame splits could be built up enough to over winter if started in time.

Put out some swarm traps to day,

hope to catch at least one swarm this year.

Hope you get some Matt.

Anyone still after swarms, I’ve picked up 2 this week.

One of you experts know if paramoth works against wood roaches? I pulled out some medium supers and bottomboards and saw a few of those little fat beetles roaming around. All my equipment is left outside under cover but outside.
Also I recently heard of fogging with mineral oil for mites......anyone do this with success or what is this years super mite killing success story.

Real dumb question. Looks like we are heading to temps of 30-55 this week if that info helps. I had a hive die off last fall or they left. Everything inside 2 medium supers are empty. If I see a swarm can I use the old frames?