David, Just wanted to drop you a quick note. Bought a package from you mid-May. Split between three hives. Installed Carniolans in two of the hives and your Italian in the other. Your queen is a laying machine. Has outproduced the other two queens 2:1. You have excellent mated queens. Thanks.
We use the pop can method. As soon as the bees raid the trash cans looking for pop cans it's time to start mixing feed. Bees will never touch a trash can when there is natural resources available.
Same started here 3 weeks ago in my area. They tend to be attracted to sugar sources otherwise left alone. When your neighbors complain about Bee's in their soda cans there is a problem :-). Have gone through about 500 Lbs of Sugar with 8 new Hives + 4 splitted since late Feb. Likely will need another 500 to 700 Lbs to late Fall. Growing Comb on new Frames during the warm Summer is important to establish new Hives.
Thanks for the tip about excluding the lemongrass oil in the brood builder. I been using it and just noticed a lot of robbing on my smaller nucs when feeding. I use the same inner feeders you have. Next batch I'm leaving out the lemongrass oil.
Thanks for the timely video! I just picked up my first nuc from the store on Thursday. Really liked the store and fine service. It’s a 2.5 hour drive that I will gladly make again. Looks like a strong nuc when I took the top off. Will enjoy them when I get them in another nuc box today. Thanks for the videos and calm bees.
Great info David just started some queen cells in a nicot system will be doing a few more splits this year. Naught 3 new nics of bees this year and already we have split all three into 6 10 frames. They are bursting at the seams already here in southern Delaware. Will be splitting again in the next 10-14 days. Have had a lot of rainfall this year.. once again great info
Hi David you said you should not feed your bees when you're making honey can you please explain why? I have my hive top feeder on I always keep my bees fed. Thank you
Fernvalley Honeybee's hi. Bees will store and cap sugar water. You dont want this. Feed if they need it to eat, but if resources ie, nectar flow are enough that bees are storing, you dont want them storing sugar water. It pollutes your honey, when you spin.
Hi David, We live up here in north Georgia as well, but Blairsville. Not sure if our nectar flow is much different from y'alls, but we a a robbing situation yesterday with one of our weak nucs. Obviously our nectar flow is slowing down as well. Reckon when it may start back. Imagine when our Tulip Poplar's pop?
Bruce, have the sourwoods opened yet? I see fewer blossoms and they are still immature. Quite a way from opening up. I found a note I made last year on June 1 that they were already open and the bees were on them. Like you, we had late freezes, difficult weather, days of rain, and other problems and there is little food sources for them. I have an organic farm of 60 acres and having difficulty getting crop seeds to germinate to help feed them. All the spring trees and pollen sources were compromised by the weather. I'm really concerned now.
I kinda have that problem at my Ranch (arid climate). Fly's are attracted to protein sources to lay their eggs. Keep a strong hive. They will pull the maggots off. Then they are on the bottom board. Have observed this many times.
Plant resources for the bees. You can write it off as a tax deduction as cattle feed and have a beautiful garden to boot! This only works if you have a business license.
Beekeepers should know the phenology of their location where their bees are kept...sadly most only pay attention if bees are flying in and out of the box...which means nothing...
Which came first? The bee or the flower? Gardening for resource and knowledge of what blooms and when, whether it is pollen only or nectar and pollen is key. When the garden is sufficeint the nectar flow does not slow down until the season is over.
Both Today. Evolution makes the same interdependency. However God made a great plan. I am still trying to find out why I have finger nails that get smashed. I can use a Tool in place of them. Something to think about;-)
Old style mason jars with a feeder hole can be placed on tree trunks in the shade:) Just make a small stand and nail it to the tree then place the jar upside down where bees can reach the feed hole. Place the jar on the north side of the trunk.
Hi David quick question you said don't feed your bees in f your making honey can you please explain why ? I put my hive top feeder on top of my supper I always keep my bees feed
Fernvalley Honeybee's Sugar water does not make the best honey. Sugar water is to feed brood. Nectar makes the best honey. It depends on whether you want better honey, or lots of brood growth.
David, Just wanted to drop you a quick note. Bought a package from you mid-May. Split between three hives. Installed Carniolans in two of the hives and your Italian in the other.
Your queen is a laying machine. Has outproduced the other two queens 2:1. You have excellent mated queens. Thanks.
Here in Virginia my hives started hitting the pollen feeders last week and I use the pvc style like Joe Mays and they work really well.
We use the pop can method. As soon as the bees raid the trash cans looking for pop cans it's time to start mixing feed. Bees will never touch a trash can when there is natural resources available.
Same started here 3 weeks ago in my area. They tend to be attracted to sugar sources otherwise left alone. When your neighbors complain about Bee's in their soda cans there is a problem :-). Have gone through about 500 Lbs of Sugar with 8 new Hives + 4 splitted since late Feb. Likely will need another 500 to 700 Lbs to late Fall. Growing Comb on new Frames during the warm Summer is important to establish new Hives.
Thanks for the tip about excluding the lemongrass oil in the brood builder. I been using it and just noticed a lot of robbing on my smaller nucs when feeding. I use the same inner feeders you have. Next batch I'm leaving out the lemongrass oil.
Thanks for the timely video! I just picked up my first nuc from the store on Thursday. Really liked the store and fine service. It’s a 2.5 hour drive that I will gladly make again.
Looks like a strong nuc when I took the top off. Will enjoy them when I get them in another nuc box today. Thanks for the videos and calm bees.
Barnyard Bees put them in my nuc this afternoon - yep they are really good bees. Gonna enjoy taking care of them!
Love your channel, keep up the good work!
Great info David just started some queen cells in a nicot system will be doing a few more splits this year. Naught 3 new nics of bees this year and already we have split all three into 6 10 frames. They are bursting at the seams already here in southern Delaware. Will be splitting again in the next 10-14 days. Have had a lot of rainfall this year.. once again great info
I only use the round feeders now. I absolutely love them easy to feel I have the nuke size and 8 frame.
Thank you for all your knowledge!!
Hi David you said you should not feed your bees when you're making honey can you please explain why? I have my hive top feeder on I always keep my bees fed. Thank you
Fernvalley Honeybee's hi. Bees will store and cap sugar water. You dont want this. Feed if they need it to eat, but if resources ie, nectar flow are enough that bees are storing, you dont want them storing sugar water. It pollutes your honey, when you spin.
Where's a good source for the pollen your using in the feeder & on the bucket?
How do you mix the sugar and with cold water?
Well, now I know why I don’t have anything on my swarm trap yet
What is the bee pollen substitute that you use?
do you have salt licks out for bees??
Hi David,
We live up here in north Georgia as well, but Blairsville. Not sure if our nectar flow is much different from y'alls, but we a a robbing situation yesterday with one of our weak nucs. Obviously our nectar flow is slowing down as well. Reckon when it may start back. Imagine when our Tulip Poplar's pop?
Tulip poplars already bloomed a month ago in north Mississippi. Should be past for you too.
Tulip Popular blooms ended last month here in the northeast GA mountains. I'm in Cleveland and it's long finished this year.
Sharon Mauney thanks we had a late freeze up here that burnt about everything. Actually down here in Cleveland now. 😀
Barnyard Bees yep we still have a ton of clover and honeysuckle and then SOURWOOD! Thanks David.
Bruce, have the sourwoods opened yet? I see fewer blossoms and they are still immature. Quite a way from opening up. I found a note I made last year on June 1 that they were already open and the bees were on them. Like you, we had late freezes, difficult weather, days of rain, and other problems and there is little food sources for them. I have an organic farm of 60 acres and having difficulty getting crop seeds to germinate to help feed them. All the spring trees and pollen sources were compromised by the weather. I'm really concerned now.
Hi. I got a ? for you, I have been noted that I have a lot of fly's hanging out with the bees what do I do?
I kinda have that problem at my Ranch (arid climate). Fly's are attracted to protein sources to lay their eggs. Keep a strong hive. They will pull the maggots off. Then they are on the bottom board. Have observed this many times.
Plant resources for the bees. You can write it off as a tax deduction as cattle feed and have a beautiful garden to boot! This only works if you have a business license.
Are you feeding 2:1 or 1:1?
Beekeepers should know the phenology of their location where their bees are kept...sadly most only pay attention if bees are flying in and out of the box...which means nothing...
Which came first? The bee or the flower? Gardening for resource and knowledge of what blooms and when, whether it is pollen only or nectar and pollen is key. When the garden is sufficeint the nectar flow does not slow down until the season is over.
Both Today. Evolution makes the same interdependency. However God made a great plan. I am still trying to find out why I have finger nails that get smashed. I can use a Tool in place of them. Something to think about;-)
God's plan does involve everything you see down to a grain of sand. Utilizing resources is wise.
Do you buy this pollen or are mixing some up.
Can you explain the blue pollen feeder a little bit?
Thanks !!
The girls get a little pissy when inspecting their hives and the flow it slowing down also - I got stung two weeks ago and again last week.
How do you keep the sugar water from fermenting in the heat
Barnyard Bees thanks I’ll look into it . I put a feeder out went back a few days later and it had turned.
Old style mason jars with a feeder hole can be placed on tree trunks in the shade:) Just make a small stand and nail it to the tree then place the jar upside down where bees can reach the feed hole. Place the jar on the north side of the trunk.
Mt.Union Honey Farms another great idea that keeps it up and out of the way also
Hi David quick question you said don't feed your bees in f your making honey can you please explain why ? I put my hive top feeder on top of my supper I always keep my bees feed
Fernvalley Honeybee's Sugar water does not make the best honey. Sugar water is to feed brood. Nectar makes the best honey. It depends on whether you want better honey, or lots of brood growth.
handful? of? pollen?