Great observation Mike! After keeping a few colony's my first year, I told my friends the if they are buying honey from someone with just a few hives, even $100/pound doesn't cover the time and expense involved. Most of us do it because it is very rewarding and we hope to make enough money to buy some equipment to make it easier. Thanks for watching and commenting.
looks like some swarms move in to the hives!!! But hey thats free bees!! ( Tip for Sarj when working the bees put the cover on the ground and put the hive boxes in the cover! That way for the queen leaves the box or falls she will be in the cover! It happen to me!)
I'll have to ask Sarj how long he had the property, but based on the trees growing thru the hive stand (see later on the video) and the condition of the empty boxes (they were a mess) I'd say your observation is off by a year or two. It could be that swarms moved in. See Boudreaux's comment.
Way cool, look at that smile. grats to my fellow new beekeeper. Nice to have the extra equipment, won't take long before he will be putting be in those other boxes.
Thanks DC. Saujerit is buying two colonies from me. We are going to transfer those into his equipment on a 70 degree day soon. Then we will transport them to his farm, probably on a cold day in February. The colonies are currently in a couple of my queen castles that I need to free up. I'll be videoing the transfer.
He's a natural. He'll be in future videos. We are going to transfer 2 colonies from my equipment to his soon. Just looking for a couple 70 degree days.
I had a neighbor many years ago that inherited a pair of hives from a brother that hadn't messed with them for maybe twenty yrs. She asked me to take a look at them and teach her the basics of keeping them. They were in good shape, but had swarmed earlier that year. From the boxes of the hive, I could tell they most likely would swarm every year. Lots of empty queen cells everywhere. I taught her how to try to prevent swarming in the future. After a couple yrs, I moved away so never knew what became of those "wild" colonies.
I bought property and noticed all the bees. So decided to try my luck with bees. I made a swarm trap and then built a hive. Then caught more bees. So every time I go up north I take another Lazutin hive. Amazing how well wild bees do without help.
Lazutin huh!? That's an interesting format. Are you planning to take some honey? There is a youtuber that came up with a way to make a Lazutin frame out of two deep frames. You can take them apart and use them in an extractor. His Channel is @DavidStrout000.
What i hate more than missing frames in hives is being called about abandoned bees and whole supers are empty filled with meandering comb. But hey free bees are free bees . :)
I am starting my bee keeping adventure this coming spring when I am buying new land. I can only HOPE that I can find someone in this desert that will guide me like you are doing here. New sub, btw.
Thanks for the sub. I hope you find someone to help you but don't let the lack of a mentor keep you from starting. I put off getting bees for about 5 years after deciding I wanted to try it and my only regret is that I didn't start 20 years ago. UA-cam beekeepers are my collective mentors. I don't belong to a bee club but I have a few local fellow beekeepers I communicate with. Bee clubs are probably a good resource though and I probably will join one soon.
I've used plastic foundation without wax since I started beekeeping 25 years ago. Never had an issue with them being drawn out. Bees will draw wax when they need the room. The frames need to be tight when the foundation is being drawn. I think maybe two videos instead of speed videoing the operation. Too much missed. Good luck this upcoming season.
That's interesting. I've seen them draw a one sided comb with 3/8 bee space between two plastic foundations. I don't use the stuff except for what I got when I bought my first two colonies. I use wax starter strips and frames reinforced with 30 lb fishing line. Thank you for commenting.
Lucky you. I have never had bees properly draw on unwaxed plastic, they always draw it 3/8th" off of the plastic so they can go between the comb and foundation when I don't wax them.
Mike, I think that equipment wasn't more than 5 years old. But then you see that tree growing up thru the hive stand and think they have had to be abandoned for at least two or three years. He also had 6 or 8 honey supers in a barn. Later he told me he found an extractor. It's just a 2 frame manual one but probably still worth $175.
Normally I do too Ben. We had confirmed that they were queen-right and were just having fun and hoping to see the queen. I also wanted to do a mite wash without risk of killing the queen. In the part where I am holding up the frame in the sun and having Sarj look over my shoulder I was trying to show him eggs and explaining he had a queen in the last three days. I am not sure he saw them. It took me about a month before I could see them. Thank you for the comment and good luck with your bees this year.
@@rtxhoneybees ok 👌 good luck to him and u first year I was beekeeper very hard but now se little tough but four years been doing it you learn very quickly
If u do t have queens or cells doing walk away splits what can u accomplish by digging threw the hive. Better just to throw some sugar water and a pollen patty and wait a week or so.
Mike, after reading your comment five or six times I think I finally figured it out. Walk away splits are an option but it takes more like 30 days to see the results. And that needs to be done at the early part of the Spring flow, not September like we were in this video. in the spring, I do like to remove the queen for a large, gentle and high performing colony and come back a week later and harvest the cells they created. Perhaps that is what you meant. Thanks for watching.
I sure do like honey, now I see why it's so expensive,there's a lot of work going on to take care of bee's
Great observation Mike! After keeping a few colony's my first year, I told my friends the if they are buying honey from someone with just a few hives, even $100/pound doesn't cover the time and expense involved. Most of us do it because it is very rewarding and we hope to make enough money to buy some equipment to make it easier. Thanks for watching and commenting.
looks like some swarms move in to the hives!!! But hey thats free bees!! ( Tip for Sarj when working the bees put the cover on the ground and put the hive boxes in the cover! That way for the queen leaves the box or falls she will be in the cover! It happen to me!)
Thats very possible. Based on the population, If they were swarms, they had been there all season. I'd say that second one was there a couple seasons.
Thanks Phillip, great video, thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
As clean as they were and easily as the boxes came apart...they haven't been....abandoned long...month or weeks
I'll have to ask Sarj how long he had the property, but based on the trees growing thru the hive stand (see later on the video) and the condition of the empty boxes (they were a mess) I'd say your observation is off by a year or two. It could be that swarms moved in. See Boudreaux's comment.
Very nice!
Looks like some good bees he's got there.
Thanks for sharing!
I agree. Hope they stay alive so I can help him split them in the Spring.
Sarj is a natural, love to see his enthusiasm and the joy he got from exploring the hives, reminds me of the joy I get from my own bees.
Yes he is. Thanks for commenting. I just subbed to your channel. Looking forward to checking it out.
Way cool, look at that smile. grats to my fellow new beekeeper. Nice to have the extra equipment, won't take long before he will be putting be in those other boxes.
Thanks DC. Saujerit is buying two colonies from me. We are going to transfer those into his equipment on a 70 degree day soon. Then we will transport them to his farm, probably on a cold day in February. The colonies are currently in a couple of my queen castles that I need to free up. I'll be videoing the transfer.
Saurajitk, See why I call him Sarj?!
Awesome job brother!!! Enjoyed this alot!! God Bless You and Your Bees!!!
Thanks Earl. Coincidentally I am watching your video on the TV while checking comments on the phone. Looks like you had a great conference
@@rtxhoneybees yea it was alot of fun!!!
Congratulations! God blessed you with a wonderful new adventure. 🎉🎉🎉
Sarj is standing next to me. I showed him your comment. He says THANK YOU!
Way to go, Mr Sarj! You took to it like a fish in water! Keep up the work and never stop learning!
He's a natural. He'll be in future videos. We are going to transfer 2 colonies from my equipment to his soon. Just looking for a couple 70 degree days.
awesome that must have been exciting to get into a abandon hive to see what you find.👍👍👍👍
It really is! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Good job getting another person in the loop. Hands on is the best way to learn anything.
Thanks Robert. It certainly is.
That's a cool project. Like all those antique tractor videos "will it start after abandoned for twenty years".
I don't get out there often, but you can be assured that I will give updates. Also, you will see Sarj in some of my future videos.
I had a neighbor many years ago that inherited a pair of hives from a brother that hadn't messed with them for maybe twenty yrs. She asked me to take a look at them and teach her the basics of keeping them. They were in good shape, but had swarmed earlier that year. From the boxes of the hive, I could tell they most likely would swarm every year. Lots of empty queen cells everywhere. I taught her how to try to prevent swarming in the future. After a couple yrs, I moved away so never knew what became of those "wild" colonies.
It's always interesting to see those old abandoned hives. You wonder how many colonies failed and new ones moved in.
Greetings from Bonham
JArnold - in Texas terms we are practically neighbors!! Greetings to you!
I'd treat for mites asap! Come spring good luck having any bees.
I've treated mine. Sarj can treat his when he wants. I recommend but I don't judge!
Oh I wish I could find some abandoned bee hives! So cool! I’m sure there’s a lot of work going into all that, but very interesting indeed!
Its like finding money in your coat pocket!
@@rtxhoneybees yes indeed, and a might better!
I bought property and noticed all the bees. So decided to try my luck with bees. I made a swarm trap and then built a hive. Then caught more bees. So every time I go up north I take another Lazutin hive. Amazing how well wild bees do without help.
Lazutin huh!? That's an interesting format. Are you planning to take some honey? There is a youtuber that came up with a way to make a Lazutin frame out of two deep frames. You can take them apart and use them in an extractor. His Channel is @DavidStrout000.
What i hate more than missing frames in hives is being called about abandoned bees and whole supers are empty filled with meandering comb. But hey free bees are free bees . :)
No complaining about the free food until you are thru eating it! Hahahaha
Lol..Sarge was bullet proof at the end! Great video ✅️👍
He definitely jumped in there. But he did have the "triple chain mail" bee suit from Texas Bee Supply! Hahaha
Awesome
Thank you!
If you're going to buy bees to expand.. This is the time of year to reserve them.
Good advice Jim. Stay tuned for an upcoming video of Sarj and I moving two colonies from my equipment to his. Just looking for a string of warm days.
I am starting my bee keeping adventure this coming spring when I am buying new land. I can only HOPE that I can find someone in this desert that will guide me like you are doing here. New sub, btw.
Thanks for the sub. I hope you find someone to help you but don't let the lack of a mentor keep you from starting. I put off getting bees for about 5 years after deciding I wanted to try it and my only regret is that I didn't start 20 years ago. UA-cam beekeepers are my collective mentors. I don't belong to a bee club but I have a few local fellow beekeepers I communicate with. Bee clubs are probably a good resource though and I probably will join one soon.
I've used plastic foundation without wax since I started beekeeping 25 years ago. Never had an issue with them being drawn out. Bees will draw wax when they need the room. The frames need to be tight when the foundation is being drawn.
I think maybe two videos instead of speed videoing the operation. Too much missed.
Good luck this upcoming season.
That's interesting. I've seen them draw a one sided comb with 3/8 bee space between two plastic foundations. I don't use the stuff except for what I got when I bought my first two colonies. I use wax starter strips and frames reinforced with 30 lb fishing line. Thank you for commenting.
Lucky you. I have never had bees properly draw on unwaxed plastic, they always draw it 3/8th" off of the plastic so they can go between the comb and foundation when I don't wax them.
No kidding!!!? Wow Phillip. Some of those frames look fairly new. Would love to know the backstory.
Mike, I think that equipment wasn't more than 5 years old. But then you see that tree growing up thru the hive stand and think they have had to be abandoned for at least two or three years. He also had 6 or 8 honey supers in a barn. Later he told me he found an extractor. It's just a 2 frame manual one but probably still worth $175.
I don't look for qweens just look for eggs she in there
Normally I do too Ben. We had confirmed that they were queen-right and were just having fun and hoping to see the queen. I also wanted to do a mite wash without risk of killing the queen. In the part where I am holding up the frame in the sun and having Sarj look over my shoulder I was trying to show him eggs and explaining he had a queen in the last three days. I am not sure he saw them. It took me about a month before I could see them. Thank you for the comment and good luck with your bees this year.
@@rtxhoneybees ok 👌 good luck to him and u first year I was beekeeper very hard but now se little tough but four years been doing it you learn very quickly
he could melt that down and put on the plastic
Most of the wax was eaten up by wax moths, but there was so much of it he may be able to get some..
If u do t have queens or cells doing walk away splits what can u accomplish by digging threw the hive. Better just to throw some sugar water and a pollen patty and wait a week or so.
?
Mike, after reading your comment five or six times I think I finally figured it out. Walk away splits are an option but it takes more like 30 days to see the results. And that needs to be done at the early part of the Spring flow, not September like we were in this video. in the spring, I do like to remove the queen for a large, gentle and high performing colony and come back a week later and harvest the cells they created. Perhaps that is what you meant. Thanks for watching.
👍👍👍🖐 sub
Thank you!!!