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Beekeeping chit chat

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    #212
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Is there any part of the country with a harvest of honey this year?


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    #213
    yosemitesam1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,945 ✭✭✭yosemitesam1


    Danzy wrote: »
    Is there any part of the country with a harvest of honey this year?

    20-30lbs of summer honey on average and looking like heather will be over 60lbs average


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    #214
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    yosemitesam1 wrote: »
    20-30lbs of summer honey on average and looking like heather will be over 60lbs average

    Very good, what county are you in.


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    #215
    yosemitesam1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,945 ✭✭✭yosemitesam1


    Danzy wrote: »
    Very good, what county are you in.

    South east (multiple counties)


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    #216
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Unusual problem.

    I was given 2 nucs by a person who wasn't looking after them, they are reasonably strong, healthy but they haven't resources to see them to Spring.




    I was thinking of putting them in to an old house, to keep the temperature up comfortable for them, fondant ina super and let them fill up the brood for a week.

    They'll be closed in to the nuc.

    A strange situation but I have to give them some chance.

    How long is too long to keep them locked in


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    #217
    Mellifera
    Registered Users Posts: 249 ✭✭Mellifera


    Danzy wrote: »
    Unusual problem.

    I was given 2 nucs by a person who wasn't looking after them, they are reasonably strong, healthy but they haven't resources to see them to Spring.




    I was thinking of putting them in to an old house, to keep the temperature up comfortable for them, fondant ina super and let them fill up the brood for a week.

    They'll be closed in to the nuc.

    A strange situation but I have to give them some chance.

    How long is too long to keep them locked in

    Would it be worth combining them to make one strong one?
    Aside from that, why lock them into the nuc? Why not just keep them in the old house but able to get out? Wouldn't they need to be able to get at water if they have fondant on? Asking more questions than offering solutions, sorry!


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    #218
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Mellifera wrote: »
    Would it be worth combining them to make one strong one?
    Aside from that, why lock them into the nuc? Why not just keep them in the old house but able to get out? Wouldn't they need to be able to get at water if they have fondant on? Asking more questions than offering solutions, sorry!

    They do not have enough resources either way. They're strong enough as is, well, have overwintered the likes before comfortably .


    I could black out a window and leave it open on top n, would they fly out, hopefully.

    Maybe feeding a very thick syrup in a feeder might be better.

    I could jig up an entrance pipe through the window, keep the colony warm enough to draw down and cap but still go for cleansing flights, water etc.

    It's an unusual situation, at the least I'll have 2 poly nuc boxes but I feel I have to give them every chance to survive.


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    #219
    victor8600
    Registered Users Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭victor8600


    Danzy wrote: »
    They'll be closed in to the nuc.

    I would slap a bag of fondant on top of the frames and check if they have taken it again in 3 weeks.

    If you have spare frames of food, then add those and leave them be.


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    #220
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    The reason I want to put them inside is that it is meant to get cold. My concern is it might be too cold for them to take it down.


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    #221
    Thud
    Registered Users Posts: 2,547 ✭✭✭Thud


    Danzy wrote: »
    The reason I want to put them inside is that it is meant to get cold. My concern is it might be too cold for them to take it down.

    I've one hive still taking syrup down, if they need it and you add it to feeder warm they will take some of it down

    then try the fondant after that


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    #222
    yosemitesam1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,945 ✭✭✭yosemitesam1


    Danzy wrote: »
    The reason I want to put them inside is that it is meant to get cold. My concern is it might be too cold for them to take it down.

    Put fondant directly on the frames over the cluster and they will have no issues taking it no matter how cold it gets


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    #223
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    They are flying and pollen is going in.

    All but one of my 17 colonies survived the winter.

    I merged weak ones pre winter.

    Surprised at the success rate, wettest 9 months I've seen.


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    #224
    Mellifera
    Registered Users Posts: 249 ✭✭Mellifera


    Danzy wrote: »
    They are flying and pollen is going in.

    All but one of my 17 colonies survived the winter.

    I merged weak ones pre winter.

    Surprised at the success rate, wettest 9 months I've seen.

    Happy days! Did your nuc that you picked up towards the end survive?
    I have 7/7... think they're safe enough at this stage although it's to get quite cold over next couple of weeks I think.


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    #225
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Mellifera wrote: »
    Happy days! Did your nuc that you picked up towards the end survive?
    I have 7/7... think they're safe enough at this stage although it's to get quite cold over next couple of weeks I think.

    It did, doing quite well.

    Should be building strongly for the next 10 days. You'd expect it to be over the greatest risk now, unless all of April is cold.


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    #226
    ezra_
    Registered Users Posts: 1,363 ✭✭✭ezra_


    Danzy wrote: »
    They are flying and pollen is going in.

    All but one of my 17 colonies survived the winter.

    I merged weak ones pre winter.

    Surprised at the success rate, wettest 9 months I've seen.

    Great to hear.

    Our two (a nuc and a full hive) seem to have survived, seeing plenty of pollen going in.

    I had fed them with fondant, and have just replaced the nuc's fondant as they had eaten most of it. Hopefully, both queens are still there and laying, and it doesn't get too cold over the next few weeks!


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    #227
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    My hives in North Cork are heavy, my hives in Cork are lighter, alive with bees, had to put fondant on one of them.


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    #228
    Hillybilly4
    Registered Users Posts: 609 ✭✭✭Hillybilly4


    My mentor said never feed fondant after St. Patrick's Day. If they need feeding after that date it's to be syrup. (Am in North Cork).


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    #229
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Probably right, they are hungry bees and I was concerned that they would be hungry and dead.

    They are buckfast, by God but they eat and eat. I have them in Cork City. Would never keep them in Duhallow, to not taint native strain but also because last year you'd have been feeding them with a shovel to stand still. Some bees aren't built for months of rain.

    Had he reasons for that, I can guess it is that it mimics natural flow for the time of year while fondant is long term.


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    #230
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,504 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    I have a guy putting some hives on my land and plan on being with him while he's working to try learn a bit.

    Do I need a full suit or would a jacket and net be enough?

    I don't want to spend a fortune. Can someone recommend a supplier?
    Tia


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    #231
    Genghis Cant
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,980 Mod ✭✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    I have a guy putting some hives on my land and plan on being with him while he's working to try learn a bit.

    Do I need a full suit or would a jacket and net be enough?

    I don't want to spend a fortune. Can someone recommend a supplier?
    Tia

    I only have the hood/net face cover. I wear it over a boiler suit. And a jacket when they're nasty!
    Herself has the full kit.


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    #232
    Hillybilly4
    Registered Users Posts: 609 ✭✭✭Hillybilly4


    Danzy wrote: »
    Probably right, they are hungry bees and I was concerned that they would be hungry and dead.

    They are buckfast, by God but they eat and eat. I have them in Cork City. Would never keep them in Duhallow, to not taint native strain but also because last year you'd have been feeding them with a shovel to stand still. Some bees aren't built for months of rain.

    Had he reasons for that, I can guess it is that it mimics natural flow for the time of year while fondant is long term.

    I guess so. It was texted so he didn't elaborate. I shall ask him when I see him next!


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    #233
    Thud
    Registered Users Posts: 2,547 ✭✭✭Thud


    There is no hard rules in beekeeping, what works for him may not work for you a few miles away. Also weather patterns are changing so Patricks day one year you could be snowed in and 20 degrees the following.


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    #234
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    There is about 6 weeks of a difference between hives in Cork City and North Cork.

    Honey bound, starting swarms, seen in Cork in a nice April. Have one hive that I will give a deep to in another week, weather permitting.

    Not a chance of that in the north of the country.


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    #235
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Time for me to start posting soon about how it will be a massive year for bees.

    Get your Syrup ready for emergency feed in July..


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    #236
    Mellifera
    Registered Users Posts: 249 ✭✭Mellifera


    Question for ye:
    Do you remove supers when they are filled or do you leave them to the bitter end?
    I've seen some that say remove when capped and others that leave them on. If you have a particularly productive hive and get, say, three to four supers on them, if you keep them on then you'd have to be lugging them off each week/fortnight to inspect...not good for the back. Or is it a case that if you get that far that they are unlikely to swarm so you just let them to it?
    Interested in the feedback.
    Thanks


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    #237
    Mad Benny
    Registered Users Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Mad Benny


    Mellifera wrote: »
    Question for ye:
    Do you remove supers when they are filled or do you leave them to the bitter end?
    I've seen some that say remove when capped and others that leave them on. If you have a particularly productive hive and get, say, three to four supers on them, if you keep them on then you'd have to be lugging them off each week/fortnight to inspect...not good for the back. Or is it a case that if you get that far that they are unlikely to swarm so you just let them to it?
    Interested in the feedback.
    Thanks

    An experienced beekeeper told me to remove when capped. I'll try it this year. I'm interested to hear others' opinions.

    It's cold in Dublin today. The bees aren't flying now


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    #238
    victor8600
    Registered Users Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭victor8600


    Mellifera wrote: »
    Question for ye:
    Do you remove supers when they are filled or do you leave them to the bitter end?

    I would remove when capped. Usually, the two frames adjacent to the walls are not fully capped, so I would stick them into another super to be capped.


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    #239
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,504 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    How much honey would you expect to get from a hive of native bees?


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    #240
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,308 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    How much honey would you expect to get from a hive of native bees?

    It really depends on the year.

    Think 55lb was the average given by Teagasc.

    Last year, nothing and they had to be fed.

    You live in North Kerry, if I recall from other threads, you'll have a longer and earlier season than many.

    I've had 70lbs in Cork City and 25lbs in North Cork.

    This is only my 3rd Summer so limited experience and very bad weather.

    12 cold and/or wet months here since June 10th last year.


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    #241
    ezra_
    Registered Users Posts: 1,363 ✭✭✭ezra_


    Seems there are AFB reports in Kildare; specifically in Newbridge and Leixlip.


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