I caught a Wild Bee Swarm in June 2023. This was the beginning of a new challenge, how to work with the bees. My bees have a “comfortable pied à terre” in a Layens Horizontal Hive in my backyard. I made the hive entirely out of wood in my garage. I recently performed my first inspection of the Layens Horizontal Hive (video is on my channel) the bee colony survived the winter without any problems. I do not use any treatment or supplemental feeding for my bees. I am very happy that the family of backyard beekeepers is growing thanks to beekeepers like you.
Some good Bee videos will be when we transfer colonies from our swarm traps to our main hives. We haven't landed any swarms this year but we haven't had too many days that are ideal for swarming. Starting Friday and the whole week after the weather is supposed to be nice so we're excited for the coming swarm activity.
I drank the Dr. Leo Kool aide. It took me 2 seasons before I caught a swarm. You have a lot more feral bees down where you live. There are not so many feral bees here in NH. We have a longer winter. In 4 seasons since I started, I have increased my colony numbers. I now have 9 colonies in Layens and Langs. I definitely like my horizontal Layens hives. I would have to say, it depends on what your purpose is, having bees, keeping your hives full, harvesting honey, making bees, learning. I agree with Fedor and yourself that the bees can do very well without us when in their natural environment and they do quite well with minimal interaction. But I am curious, I want to learn. And there is no better way to learn the to learn how to be gentle with bees than to work with bees. They will let you know when enough is enough, but you have to look for their clues. Like when they are all looking at you fast moving hand, or when they fly up and bump your head. They are trying to tell you something. It takes time to recognize. So, I suggest, get a mentor, join a bee club of like-minded beekeepers who you can communicate with. Read, read, read. Get or make hives with pest monitoring trays that you can look at with minimal disturbance to the colony. Start with 2 hives, not just one. You will learn at least twice as fast. In the beginning you may want to be in your bees all the time. With 2 hives, if you want to look at your bees every weekend, look at one this weekend and the other next weekend. I have found than now I can interpret what I see on the landing board a lot better than when I first started, and I now look in on each individual colony much less. I still have so much to learn. Thanks for posting on this subject. Be happy, healthy and have fun with your bees.
Thanks for the comment, As I said in my video I think an inspection can be good for gaining knowledge about the Bees. But I strongly believe that weekly checks are not what's best for the Bees even if it's entertaining for the beekeeper. What you gain by constantly disturbing your bees vs only checking on them when absolutely necessary is minimal. I know human beings want to have a connection with their Bees but part of that connection is respecting their space. I've learned to understand the health of my colonies from an outside perspective, and I know my Bees are happy that I'm not overstaying my welcome.
Absolutely right. I love sitting and watching my bees with a beer in hand rather than doing a bunch of meaningless task to my hives. Helps me sleep at night.
OMG 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 best bee management intro ever!!
Glad you liked that. 😄
I caught a Wild Bee Swarm in June 2023. This was the beginning of a new challenge, how to work with the bees.
My bees have a “comfortable pied à terre” in a Layens Horizontal Hive in my backyard.
I made the hive entirely out of wood in my garage.
I recently performed my first inspection of the Layens Horizontal Hive (video is on my channel) the bee colony survived the winter without any problems.
I do not use any treatment or supplemental feeding for my bees.
I am very happy that the family of backyard beekeepers is growing thanks to beekeepers like you.
That's awesome! Once you get on the swarm train you never get off. Sustainable beekeeping is the way to go always.
That second frame had a swarm cell.. ha ha😂
Happy to hear your expertise here. It seems to me agriculture is one of the most heavily attacked with misinformation and bioengineering.
Good explanation, good video. Thumbs up.
Thank you Wendy!
You have some good points. You may want to show some of your hives in videos, and some techniques. Any swarm catches yet?
Some good Bee videos will be when we transfer colonies from our swarm traps to our main hives. We haven't landed any swarms this year but we haven't had too many days that are ideal for swarming. Starting Friday and the whole week after the weather is supposed to be nice so we're excited for the coming swarm activity.
Hey I was wondering if you had a video where you talk about varroa mites that you can refer me to on your channel.
No videos where I talk about them specifically, but I sum up a lot in this video:
ua-cam.com/video/8pPQsQuFqU0/v-deo.htmlsi=KrWGC9X3ekPK4NjT
How much honey do you have in your house
Right on! And boycott plastic hives! No plastic in my hives and no plastic in that bee tree!
I know a few friends that use plastic and it works for them, we don't use any in our hives though.
I drank the Dr. Leo Kool aide. It took me 2 seasons before I caught a swarm. You have a lot more feral bees down where you live. There are not so many feral bees here in NH. We have a longer winter. In 4 seasons since I started, I have increased my colony numbers. I now have 9 colonies in Layens and Langs. I definitely like my horizontal Layens hives. I would have to say, it depends on what your purpose is, having bees, keeping your hives full, harvesting honey, making bees, learning. I agree with Fedor and yourself that the bees can do very well without us when in their natural environment and they do quite well with minimal interaction. But I am curious, I want to learn. And there is no better way to learn the to learn how to be gentle with bees than to work with bees. They will let you know when enough is enough, but you have to look for their clues. Like when they are all looking at you fast moving hand, or when they fly up and bump your head. They are trying to tell you something. It takes time to recognize. So, I suggest, get a mentor, join a bee club of like-minded beekeepers who you can communicate with. Read, read, read. Get or make hives with pest monitoring trays that you can look at with minimal disturbance to the colony. Start with 2 hives, not just one. You will learn at least twice as fast. In the beginning you may want to be in your bees all the time. With 2 hives, if you want to look at your bees every weekend, look at one this weekend and the other next weekend. I have found than now I can interpret what I see on the landing board a lot better than when I first started, and I now look in on each individual colony much less. I still have so much to learn. Thanks for posting on this subject. Be happy, healthy and have fun with your bees.
Thanks for the comment,
As I said in my video I think an inspection can be good for gaining knowledge about the Bees.
But I strongly believe that weekly checks are not what's best for the Bees even if it's entertaining for the beekeeper. What you gain by constantly disturbing your bees vs only checking on them when absolutely necessary is minimal. I know human beings want to have a connection with their Bees but part of that connection is respecting their space.
I've learned to understand the health of my colonies from an outside perspective, and I know my Bees are happy that I'm not overstaying my welcome.
@@SecureAcresNaturalBees they will let you know
Lazy bee man
Absolutely right. I love sitting and watching my bees with a beer in hand rather than doing a bunch of meaningless task to my hives. Helps me sleep at night.
Cow farts
Good advise Wes. Let nature handle it. I thought you had another link for support but I can't find it. 🐝🐝
Thank you! Support link is at the bottom of the description underneath the video, should be a link with a "P" in front.