OP
Brunswick county bee club is meeting tonight at the AG extension in Bolivia at 7pm.
Honey Bees
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I was out pruning muscadine vines today and came to the house for lunch and found a swarm of bees hanging over the driveway. Taped a 5 gallon to a 24' telescoping pole and stood on my truck toolbox and shook them off into the bucket. Swarm was over 3 of my hives, so I'm fairly certain, it came from one of them.
Just had a call about another swarm not far from me and I'm going over in the morning to get that one. Not going to try and get them in a box in the dark. Never had good luck messing with bees in the dark, they seem to be very cranky.
Was out this morning putting labels on my new hives, had already walked away and had a cranky honeybee popped me in my left eyebrow. Eye is half swollen shut now.
Even with the swollen eye, had a call and I went and got my 3rd swarm. 3 in 3 days.
Just had a call about another swarm not far from me and I'm going over in the morning to get that one. Not going to try and get them in a box in the dark. Never had good luck messing with bees in the dark, they seem to be very cranky.
Was out this morning putting labels on my new hives, had already walked away and had a cranky honeybee popped me in my left eyebrow. Eye is half swollen shut now.
Even with the swollen eye, had a call and I went and got my 3rd swarm. 3 in 3 days.
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OP
I’m obviously into honeybees. I don’t mind talking about them with anyone that will listen.
I’m in one of my Apiares doing splits. I normally don’t wear my bee jacket but they are not happy when getting split.
A fella trespassing with a four wheeler pulls up and wants to talk to me. That conversation lasted about 30 seconds, I had a box open the girls were upset. He cranked up that rig and rolled out quick.
I had another fella pull up in his truck and ask about bees. I was taking a break getting rehydrated. We talked bees awhile. He asked about buying bees. I told him I sold bees. He asked a lot of questions about buying bees.
I told him he could call or text me and I would tell him anything I knew. I would even stop by and go through his boxes to help if needed. I will do that for folks I sell bees.
We exchanged info and he is going to buy 2 nuc colonies. Great! He will let me know when he picks them up. ??????
This guy is buying bees from someone in Lumberton and wants me to help him with his bees. He is looking for a mentor.
Just wow! I thought I was selling him bees.
I wonder if that fella selling him bees will talk to him after the sale? I wonder if he will drive down here to look at his colonies if he has a problem?
I’m in one of my Apiares doing splits. I normally don’t wear my bee jacket but they are not happy when getting split.
A fella trespassing with a four wheeler pulls up and wants to talk to me. That conversation lasted about 30 seconds, I had a box open the girls were upset. He cranked up that rig and rolled out quick.
I had another fella pull up in his truck and ask about bees. I was taking a break getting rehydrated. We talked bees awhile. He asked about buying bees. I told him I sold bees. He asked a lot of questions about buying bees.
I told him he could call or text me and I would tell him anything I knew. I would even stop by and go through his boxes to help if needed. I will do that for folks I sell bees.
We exchanged info and he is going to buy 2 nuc colonies. Great! He will let me know when he picks them up. ??????
This guy is buying bees from someone in Lumberton and wants me to help him with his bees. He is looking for a mentor.
Just wow! I thought I was selling him bees.
I wonder if that fella selling him bees will talk to him after the sale? I wonder if he will drive down here to look at his colonies if he has a problem?
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OP
Well I now know I will never live in Boiling Spring Lakes NC. One of my bee buddies has bees on 87 heading into town. The town has informed him he cannot have bees on his 10 acre commercial property. They are fining him $50 a day till he has the bees all gone.
Ok plan B didn’t work out either. You can’t have bees on residential property either. He can’t move the bees to any of his other property either. WTH!
This is in violation of NC law. That states NC residents can have up to 5 colonies of bees in their property and cannot be prevented by local city or county laws or ordinances.
He is selling all his bees and equipment. He even sold bees to a citizen that already has bees. He lives directly across the street from the town hall. These hives are clearly visible from the road. This citizen even has his bees listed on the towns no spray zone for mosquitoes due to having bees.
Government at its best.
Ok plan B didn’t work out either. You can’t have bees on residential property either. He can’t move the bees to any of his other property either. WTH!
This is in violation of NC law. That states NC residents can have up to 5 colonies of bees in their property and cannot be prevented by local city or county laws or ordinances.
He is selling all his bees and equipment. He even sold bees to a citizen that already has bees. He lives directly across the street from the town hall. These hives are clearly visible from the road. This citizen even has his bees listed on the towns no spray zone for mosquitoes due to having bees.
Government at its best.
OP
Finally it’s warm enough to get in some boxes. Caught two swarms just before the cold weather. I’ll be going in those today to check for laying queens.
Picked up 275 gallons of sugar syrup from Charlotte during the cold. Found out it’s 2 to 1 ratio. Going to thin that down to 1-1 to mimic nectar. Bees are sucking it down like crazy.
There’s too much pollen out there now so the girls have stopped taking that.
Will start making nucs today and tomorrow. Fun fun
Picked up 275 gallons of sugar syrup from Charlotte during the cold. Found out it’s 2 to 1 ratio. Going to thin that down to 1-1 to mimic nectar. Bees are sucking it down like crazy.
There’s too much pollen out there now so the girls have stopped taking that.
Will start making nucs today and tomorrow. Fun fun
OP
Got two swarm calls this week. One at the state port. By the time all the communication between the important people got done and they got me out there they were gone. Hopefully they weren’t Africanized bees.
I just got home from retrieving a box of bees I captured at UNCW. They are now in their new home in my back yard.
Got folks calling about their nucs. Will be selling those starting this week. Yay!
I just got home from retrieving a box of bees I captured at UNCW. They are now in their new home in my back yard.
Got folks calling about their nucs. Will be selling those starting this week. Yay!
I'm up to 9 swarms so far this spring. I've had 2 swarms that just did not like what I offered them and they just left, no sign of them. I'll sell some complete hives if anyone is looking for any. I have more than I need to take care of.
I had another swarm in the front yard yesterday evening and got them into a hive. Had another hive swarm this morning and went about 30-35' up in an oak tree that's over the hive. If someone has a bucket truck and wants them they can come get them, they are right beside the driveway, as I have no way of getting them down.
I had another swarm in the front yard yesterday evening and got them into a hive. Had another hive swarm this morning and went about 30-35' up in an oak tree that's over the hive. If someone has a bucket truck and wants them they can come get them, they are right beside the driveway, as I have no way of getting them down.
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My single hive swarmed on Saturday. Captured them - stupid buggers we’re NOT docile and didn’t like being handled bare handed 🤨🤬. Put them in and empty hive and set it up at Dad’s place.
The hive that swarmed Monday, swarmed again this morning while I was out there. This last swarm is about 8-10' from the one from Monday and both about 30' up. I believe this is the 4th time this hive has swarmed this spring. Getting ready to put some new foundation in frames and going to add another super to them.
If anyone around Concord has a bucket truck and wants 2 swarms, let me know. Too high up for my pole to reach and all my hives are full.
Monday's swarm on the right and today's on the left.
The original swarm, was actually from Tuesday and not Monday, left around noon and the new swarm left after about 6 hours.
Went to dinner and came home and found another swarm in a sweet gum tree in the front yard about 27' up. Used a cloth catch bag on the end of my 24' telescoping pole and got the bulk of them and put them in a hive.
13 swarms so far this year and I have been able to catch 11 of them.
If anyone around Concord has a bucket truck and wants 2 swarms, let me know. Too high up for my pole to reach and all my hives are full.
Monday's swarm on the right and today's on the left.
The original swarm, was actually from Tuesday and not Monday, left around noon and the new swarm left after about 6 hours.
Went to dinner and came home and found another swarm in a sweet gum tree in the front yard about 27' up. Used a cloth catch bag on the end of my 24' telescoping pole and got the bulk of them and put them in a hive.
13 swarms so far this year and I have been able to catch 11 of them.
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Ok beekeeps. What happened?
I added a medium super to what I thought was a solid well built up hive that probably was ready for a little more space.
A week or two later it threw a swarm. Healthy pile of bees. I collected it and installed it into a hive of two mediums and set it up in a clover field at my dad’s place. I did not feed it.
Dad’s hive is now empty and my original hive appears to be as well. I lifted the inner cover (on top of two mediums and a single deep (original nuc hive)) and I saw a handful of bees crawling around.
I have dead bees on the ground but I don’t think it’s the entire hive.
Other data - my hive is from a 5 frame local nuc from late spring of last year. Never fed them. Foundationless frames mostly. Open screened bottom board, reduced entrance, top cover propped open for a narrow top entrance through the inner cover. Have had great activity - lots of pollen coming in, heavy traffic but no fighting at the entrances, etc. I’m not spraying chemicals but obviously have no idea on neighbors.
What happened here?
I added a medium super to what I thought was a solid well built up hive that probably was ready for a little more space.
A week or two later it threw a swarm. Healthy pile of bees. I collected it and installed it into a hive of two mediums and set it up in a clover field at my dad’s place. I did not feed it.
Dad’s hive is now empty and my original hive appears to be as well. I lifted the inner cover (on top of two mediums and a single deep (original nuc hive)) and I saw a handful of bees crawling around.
I have dead bees on the ground but I don’t think it’s the entire hive.
Other data - my hive is from a 5 frame local nuc from late spring of last year. Never fed them. Foundationless frames mostly. Open screened bottom board, reduced entrance, top cover propped open for a narrow top entrance through the inner cover. Have had great activity - lots of pollen coming in, heavy traffic but no fighting at the entrances, etc. I’m not spraying chemicals but obviously have no idea on neighbors.
What happened here?
Did you check the original hive for swarm cells before you added the super? Even if you added a super, when the new queens started hatching, that's when they swarmed. I had one hive swarm 3, possibly 4, times in a 2 week period.
Out of the 11 swarms that I have caught this year, 2 of them just up and left for some reason between 2 and 7 days. I have found that I have a harder time getting bees to build comb on the plastic foundation, but beeswax foundation they start building out quickly. Even during the flow, I like to give the new swarms some sugar water for a couple of days to help them get established, especially if there are no drawn comb frames in the hive.
When you say "foundationless frames" are you referring to the plastic foundation or no foundation at all? If none at all, it helps to at least add a small starter strip of foundation on the top of the frames.
As far as what happened to the original hive, it's hard to say. I've gone into existing hives that I thought were healthy, to find it completely empty of bees and that other hives have robbed any honey that was in it.
If you have drawn comb on your frames and no bees in the hive, watch out for wax moths. They will destroy not only the wax, but the frames and boxes, and make a huge mess.
Out of the 11 swarms that I have caught this year, 2 of them just up and left for some reason between 2 and 7 days. I have found that I have a harder time getting bees to build comb on the plastic foundation, but beeswax foundation they start building out quickly. Even during the flow, I like to give the new swarms some sugar water for a couple of days to help them get established, especially if there are no drawn comb frames in the hive.
When you say "foundationless frames" are you referring to the plastic foundation or no foundation at all? If none at all, it helps to at least add a small starter strip of foundation on the top of the frames.
As far as what happened to the original hive, it's hard to say. I've gone into existing hives that I thought were healthy, to find it completely empty of bees and that other hives have robbed any honey that was in it.
If you have drawn comb on your frames and no bees in the hive, watch out for wax moths. They will destroy not only the wax, but the frames and boxes, and make a huge mess.
Didn’t even think about swarm cells. Good call. I’ll check the original hive.
I’m running frames with a V top bar and no foundation at all. They draw on it fine but occasionally will start it on an angle. I don’t really mind since my plan to harvest will be the take the whole box off and apart and mash and warm the cut out pile of comb.
Are you catching swarms off your own hives or capturing other swarms?
Thanks,
Nate
I catch mine when I see them swarm, and can reach them, and I'm also on our club's swarm list and go out and catch swarms that others find.
Do you think I should put a nuc into the now empty hive?
If everything in the hive looks ok, I would put the nuc into it. What size opening is in the hive? I usually put an entrance reducer on a new swarm to make it harder for them to all take off at once and would do the same with a new nuc.
I generally run a reducer. I’ve been running lower entrance reduced and top cover propped back for a top entrance as well.
I’ll put a nuc in and see how that goes.
Is that a common thing to do? I’ve been interested in getting bees, and I’ve never heard of that in my one class or online research
My inner covers have a cut out for ventilation, but you will see some bees going in and out of it. I don't tip my covers up for an entrance.
Check out Michael Bush. His website is stellar.
I put my mediums in the freezer and I’ll cycle the deep in in a day or so to kill any ants, beetles, moths or larvae and I’ll try to install the new nuc next week and try it again.
Next time around I think I’ll inspect when they start flying in the early spring and scrape off any swarm cells I see?
Next time around I think I’ll inspect when they start flying in the early spring and scrape off any swarm cells I see?
That’s the bottom side of the deep where the majority of the brood was. I see several swarm cells and one looked clean and was empty.
Philosofarmer
Well-Known Member
You have gotten some good advice already and think you have identified the swarm cells that tell the tale.
Consider setting up a bait hive consisting of a deep and maybe one shallow supper with a frame of comb and some lemon grass. This at least gives you a shot at capturing a swarm if it doesn't go very far (probably best to relocate after capture). Scouts will without doubt know that it's there for habitation. The book I own on bait hives and swarms indicates an elevated location near a major navigational marker (lone tree, treeline etc). 1st swarm is called a prime swarm and has the best chance usually half the colony and usually a mated queen. The second, called the bull swarm, probably has a queen but likely not mated. After than you can have lots of smaller swarms but likely not viable.
You know me, unconventional in my beekeeping as in all things in agriculture and life, but I think swarming is the best way to multiply hives and wouldn't necessarily take measures to prevent swarming. I'd still leave them with adequate space to grow strong, but not to prevent something they will likely do anyway. It is their way of reproducing and is part of the Creator's design. IMO they divide themselves according to their need better than any beekeeper can do a split. Just have a good eye on things to catch them when they do and have some bait hives around. Who knows you may catch someone elses, not yours. Warre, Bush and a guy named Sam Comfort have shaped my philosophy for beekeeping but none more than the historical work of Emile Warre.
Ikarus1
Avtomat Krishna-kov
We are new to bees here on the ranch, but my oldest son has a coworker who has mentored him. So far we have caught several swarms which the coworker took home with him last year (he provided the bait hives). This year, we bought our own hives and he assisted with moving them into our hives. We found an excellent supply local company (Dandelion) who has helped us as well.
It really is a cool hobby and assists with us growing our own food. Hopefully we will get a bit of honey as well
It really is a cool hobby and assists with us growing our own food. Hopefully we will get a bit of honey as well
That’s awesome. And Dandelion is a bunch of great people to deal with. Ask questions and they answer them and don’t make you feel like an idiot if you don’t know something.
Nothing like some fresh honey right off the comb. Good luck.
Ikarus1
Avtomat Krishna-kov
Yeah we make our own elderberry syrup. I'm also looking into making mead...SKOL!
Todd is a good guy that will help you out. You probably didn't see Bob as he is still recovering from surgery.
I've given them a bunch of money over the years.
I've given them a bunch of money over the years.
Ikarus1
Avtomat Krishna-kov
I met them both the day we went in and bought some stuff. Nice guys off the beaten path for sure. There's some place in Albemarle that we would like to visit as well
I want to try the elderberry syrup but right now that not happening. My yard is a mess with stuff going on
Ikarus1
Avtomat Krishna-kov
Theyre not quite out of flowering but in a month look at the ditches all over, theyre all over
Got a swarm call yesterday while I was working on supper. Ate, then went the .7 miles to get the swarm out of a small maple tree. Got about 95% of the bees in my nuc catch box and was going to leave it until dark to get all the stragglers. Before I could leave, they all of a sudden swarmed out of my box and then landed in a different spot in the same tree. Caught them a second time, closed them up and brought them home. Checked on them before lunch and there was good activity going in and out. Went back out between 2 and 3 and they were gone. Walked the yard looking all the "normal" spots and finally found them in the oak tree that the box was under. I was able to use my big ladder and had my wife use the loppers to cut the limb off while I held onto it. Brought them down and was gently shaking them into the box when I saw the queen. Grabbed my queen clip and got her contained. I left 2 frames out and was able to put a quart jar feeder inside the box with some light sugar water. I'll leave the queen in the clip for a couple of days and with the sugar water, hopefully they will decide to stay this time.
OP
The rain took a break.
Finally got caught up cutting grass at the bee yards. It was so tall I thought I saw a tribe of Pygmies living in it.
The sun took a break.
Finally started pulling honey supers. Got the hot knife and extractor going. I’m only using one of my 18 frame extractors this year. It’s too hectic trying to run 2 at the same time.
Jarred 20 cases of pint mason jars. Finished the last 10 this morning. I will be delivering those when I finish lunch.
Thank God for the bees.
Finally got caught up cutting grass at the bee yards. It was so tall I thought I saw a tribe of Pygmies living in it.
The sun took a break.
Finally started pulling honey supers. Got the hot knife and extractor going. I’m only using one of my 18 frame extractors this year. It’s too hectic trying to run 2 at the same time.
Jarred 20 cases of pint mason jars. Finished the last 10 this morning. I will be delivering those when I finish lunch.
Thank God for the bees.
OP
I haven’t been posting much as I’ve been pretty busy.
I had a pretty dismal year with queen issues. Lots of queen failure’s and colonies requeening themselves within weeks of me putting a new queen in the box. The state bee inspector said that it wasn’t just me that there were queen issues across the state.
I had bear issues as well. I lost 9 colonies to a bear over a week timeframe between two bee yards.
Yesterday my bear issue got resolved. I found a dead bear within 200 yards of my bee yard in Brunswick county. Looks like a vehicle impact. Probably about 175lbs. Contacted the wildlife folks. They are going to send out their biologist to check it out.
While I was filling feeders and loading/offloading equipment a colony swarmed. I caught them and put them in a nuc box. Strange having bees swarm this time of year. I’m guessing the heavy Goldenrod and Aster bloom along with the warm temps is fooling the bees.
I had a pretty dismal year with queen issues. Lots of queen failure’s and colonies requeening themselves within weeks of me putting a new queen in the box. The state bee inspector said that it wasn’t just me that there were queen issues across the state.
I had bear issues as well. I lost 9 colonies to a bear over a week timeframe between two bee yards.
Yesterday my bear issue got resolved. I found a dead bear within 200 yards of my bee yard in Brunswick county. Looks like a vehicle impact. Probably about 175lbs. Contacted the wildlife folks. They are going to send out their biologist to check it out.
While I was filling feeders and loading/offloading equipment a colony swarmed. I caught them and put them in a nuc box. Strange having bees swarm this time of year. I’m guessing the heavy Goldenrod and Aster bloom along with the warm temps is fooling the bees.
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I started with a nuc this spring, made it up to 4 with catching swarms, then back down to 1 with loosing swarms and robbing. Im concerned with my one, Im guessing only 3-4 frames of bees in it. Couldn't spot the queen that I did spot a couple of weeks ago. Plenty of stores in the box, but we will see if they make it through the winter. Did manage to get 60 lbs of honey this year though.
OP
I stopped at my other bee yard and talked to the land owner. She told me a mama bear and cub were killed at the same location. It happen a week ago. The bear I found was another cub. That makes three dead bears.
Thank God they didn’t tear up my bee yard.
Thank God they didn’t tear up my bee yard.
OP
I’ve been working pulling Woodware off yards and replacing damaged boxes.
I moved hive stands away from the electric fence at one yard. This gives me enough room to get the 52inch cut mower in there to cut the grass. I had to move the electric fence on my bee yard at the Shelton Herb Farm. Now I can move the hive stands on that yard.
I put a ball on my mower so I could pull my 4x8 trailer. That fix gave me more options that require less man power. I can pull the trailer up to all my bee boxes now. This will reduce a lot of back work on my part.
In the past I would load honey supers on a hand truck. This method was difficult over uneven terrain. 4 supers was a comfortable limit when moving supers. I would have to stack at the trailer to get them higher. I can just load them 6 high on the trailer and drive away now.
I’m trying to make things easier for an old man to manage.
I’m hoping the weather will warm up enough to ship some queens out of Kona Hawaii. The hub in Louisville has to be warm enough to guarantee live arrival to me. Fingers crossed. Their last ship day is 11 December.
I moved hive stands away from the electric fence at one yard. This gives me enough room to get the 52inch cut mower in there to cut the grass. I had to move the electric fence on my bee yard at the Shelton Herb Farm. Now I can move the hive stands on that yard.
I put a ball on my mower so I could pull my 4x8 trailer. That fix gave me more options that require less man power. I can pull the trailer up to all my bee boxes now. This will reduce a lot of back work on my part.
In the past I would load honey supers on a hand truck. This method was difficult over uneven terrain. 4 supers was a comfortable limit when moving supers. I would have to stack at the trailer to get them higher. I can just load them 6 high on the trailer and drive away now.
I’m trying to make things easier for an old man to manage.
I’m hoping the weather will warm up enough to ship some queens out of Kona Hawaii. The hub in Louisville has to be warm enough to guarantee live arrival to me. Fingers crossed. Their last ship day is 11 December.
OP
I didn’t get any queens. They were sold out when it was warm enough to ship. The temps were too low for my comfort zone when they had queens available for shipping. I didn’t want to chance getting sterile or low sperm queens. I’ll just have to graft my own in the spring.
I’ve been working on a new bee yard in Columbus county this week. The trees and undergrowth are all out of the way now. I spent yesterday dragging the area to level everything out. I’ll be grinding some stumps and roots today. I’m hoping to get the hive stands in place today or early tomorrow morning.
Fridays plan is to treat the colonies for mites. Just depends on the temperature.
I’ve been working on a new bee yard in Columbus county this week. The trees and undergrowth are all out of the way now. I spent yesterday dragging the area to level everything out. I’ll be grinding some stumps and roots today. I’m hoping to get the hive stands in place today or early tomorrow morning.
Fridays plan is to treat the colonies for mites. Just depends on the temperature.
Went into the only hive I had left this past weekend since it was warm. Looks like I'll be starting over again in the spring. No sign of the queen, no eggs, brood, nothing, and verry small quantity of bees, maybe two frames. This colony is doomed for the winter.
OP
I’m not starting over but I have lost quite a few colonies this year. I’m down to 65 colonies now. I’m not sure I’ll be able to sell nucs this year. Sucks.