tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post4134578569357592027..comments2024-03-28T14:37:45.575-04:00Comments on 5 Acres & A Dream: The Death of HoneysuckleLeighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-61805026075269991602016-03-24T05:48:01.309-04:002016-03-24T05:48:01.309-04:00Ron, I can so relate to the overwhelmingness of wh...Ron, I can so relate to the overwhelmingness of what you and your wife are doing. House, land, critters, food, job, and trying to find a balance. The closer I live to the land, however, the more I feel a part of God's creation and less a part of the man-made system that is trying to replace it. It's a spiritual conviction more than anything, that this is the way we were created to live. Finding time to do anything else (like blogging) seems near impossible, yet I find myself doing it anyway.<br /><br />I have to say, though, that my blog is really more about journaling and record keeping than anything. It started when someone wanted to see pictures of our new place and I never dreamed anyone else would be interested in what we're doing. It's amazing to go back and look at what we were doing a year ago, or two or five years ago. When we are overwhelmed with what remains to be done, it's encouraging to look back and see what we've accomplished. It records our projects and accomplishments, also our mistakes, problems, and lessons learned. The bonus feedback from others is priceless (like losing my first bees).<br /><br />Every now and then I get to blog about what I really think is important - worldview. That our current bells and whistles, bigger is better, technology infatuated culture is way off track and truly living an illusion. That science, technology, and industrialization are not going to save the world. <br /><br />Anyway, if you feel you have something to say, it should be said. You never know whom you might impact.Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-74225579849386343162016-03-24T05:20:32.471-04:002016-03-24T05:20:32.471-04:00Rusty, hello and welcome. That could be, although ...Rusty, hello and welcome. That could be, although my varroa counts were fairly low earlier. I freaked out at first about the beetles and moths, until I started looking around on the internet and saw the kind of damage they can really do. I don't think the colony was every very strong. It seems they should have filled more than two Warre boxes between April when I got them and February. Of absconding in winter, that's a question mark in my mind too, especially since we've been having daytime highs in the mid- to -upper 70s since February (which was the last time I saw them.) No other hives to check as that was my one and only. :( Thanks for the link - it looks very useful. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-9208121441476166512016-03-23T21:18:35.077-04:002016-03-23T21:18:35.077-04:00I doubt I have enough beekeeping experience yet to...I doubt I have enough beekeeping experience yet to bother with a book. I still think the best beekeeping book has already been written. It is Fedor Lazutin's "Keeping Bees With a Smile."<br /><br />I have been tempted to start blogging, but I really struggle with finding enough time. The wife and I bought a 10 acre farm site about 4 years ago now. Paid a price comparable for what bare land was selling for at the time. It has been like skiing in front of an avalanche since then. The house appears salvageable and just needs sheet rock and paint to make the top floor livable. The main floor is gutted to the studs and I have one circuit for lights and an outlet wired. Once the main floor is wired, new windowed and insulated, the next step would be to dig a new basement to the east and move the house onto it.<br /><br />You've written about the topic of "Why live like this?" I think it is for the creative problem solving that you are forced to do when your resources are limited. Also, now that I raise our own chickens and garden there and am forced to deal with and pay attention to God's creation, the whole book of Genesis has become much clearer to me. That's a topic I could certainly write about. It would be a shame to get to the end of one's life and not have anything worth writing about.<br /><br />RonCUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217907729600918559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-9638842974012921712016-03-23T18:10:42.515-04:002016-03-23T18:10:42.515-04:00My two cents is the frames look typical of a colla...My two cents is the frames look typical of a collapse from Varroa mites. Absconding is rare especially in winter, wax moths and hive beetles are scavengers that take over a weak hive (they don't cause a weak hive). The bees worked hard all winter to keep the dead cleaned out, but in the end there were not enough bees to do the work. Many of the bees may have drifted to other colonies, so do rigorous mite checking on the others. Just my opinion. See: http://honeybeesuite.com/did-they-abscond-or-die-from-varroa/Rustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09739819958867220712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-54211949621083668492016-03-23T05:16:24.458-04:002016-03-23T05:16:24.458-04:00"Only going on what I've read" has b..."Only going on what I've read" has been me all the way this past year. Only I don't have much experiential knowledge to pair that up with. Really, Ron, you ought to write a book. :) I do appreciate the feedback, because every decision I've made in terms of management has been accompanied with a huge question mark in my mind, as to whether I did it "right." <br /><br />We can have some pretty mild winters here, so that Northerners laugh when I complain that 20°F is cold. Of course, offset that with 100°F summers, and then I'm the one laughing when folks are complaining that 80°F is too hot. Anyway, I guess what I'm getting to is that we often have things blooming all winter, with spring blooming starting in February. Theoretically, I should get a good honey harvest most years.<br /><br />The nuc definitely sounds like a good possibility for me, especially managing it that way. I read in David Heaf's book about that cutaway method you mention, but it seemed too messy!<br /><br />I plan to work on skunk guards this morning. We had skunk problems last year, so it's something I do need to protect against. <br /><br />Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-61778416305054074522016-03-22T22:57:56.251-04:002016-03-22T22:57:56.251-04:00I would let them build into two if not three narro...I would let them build into two if not three narrowed Warre Boxes. Bees build in walls all the time and this is what your hive will look like to them. The nuc box would have to be full of honey before you could remove it. Once the nuc box is off, I would pull the insulation blocks the next available Spring when you would be expanding normally. At best, if you started with a nuc now, you might be able to get at least two narrowed boxes and the nuc full of honey this season and the third box started for them to hang out in. Next Winter, the bees are going to eat up through their stores. If they don't reach the nuc box by the time things start blooming there, then pull the nuc box and the insulation the following Spring. I am speculating a bit about what is possible as I don't know your area and I've never done this procedure. Only going on what I've read and what I know about bees. When I transferred my bees to my Warre hives, I did what is called a cutout...That is, I cut the patches of brood out of the Langstroth frames and wired it to the top bars of the Warre. This is NOT for the faint of heart.<br /><br />Now, the honey in the nuc box is probably going to be built on old black combs. Go ahead and cut the comb out of the frame and mash up the honey. Let it drip into a bucket below and let it settle a day and skim the black specks off as best you can. It may look unappealing, but it is all edible and it is the GOOD STUFF as far as medicinal properties are concerned.<br /><br />I believe you expanded correctly this season. Empty space UNDER a colony is of no consequence It doesn't have to be heated. Heat rises. Just as long as there is plenty of honey above the bees, they will be fine.<br /><br />I would have knocked off with the sugar earlier. The bees can feed themselves just fine once they are established. I still firmly believe you are dealing with a skunk. I had a hive die out just like you did. The hive had plenty of honey in it...Just no bees. The next Spring I had a package dwindle. I got lucky though in that the skunk visited after a massive overnight thunderstorm and left his/her muddy paw prints on the landing board. Contrary to what everyone writes about skunks and bees, you will be lucky if you see any evidence that you've been visited.<br /><br />RonCUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217907729600918559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-8562005312848663212016-03-22T21:11:22.294-04:002016-03-22T21:11:22.294-04:00Okay, okay, that makes sense and sounds doable. Wh...Okay, okay, that makes sense and sounds doable. When would I start to expand the space in the Warre? Anyway, I'll research it. And if Honeysuckle is still empty next spring I'll try a nuc. (Or if one of the other hives doesn't make it, but hopefully they will. I came so close with Honeysuckle.) <i>sigh</i>Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-47611378641600089662016-03-22T20:10:42.039-04:002016-03-22T20:10:42.039-04:00Actually, fitting a nuc to a Warre box is pretty d...Actually, fitting a nuc to a Warre box is pretty doable. If you are fitting a full size Langstroth box to a Warre hive, you just need a 20" by 20" sheet of 3/4" plywood with a square hole the outside dimension of your Warre Box in the center of it. Then, two pieces of wood screwed to the plywood on edge so that they rest on the Warre box handles. If you are working with a 5 frame nuc. you would just need to set the nuc on one side of Honeysuckle and then a board beside it and then some small boards to cover the ends of the nuc that overhang the Warre. You would let the nuc build down into the Warre. I would probably block off part of the Warre box that is covered with the board with a sheet of foam insulation so the bees are confined to 5 bars of the Warre box under the nuc. Bees don't like discontinuities in their hive space so blocking the box below the nuc would help them move into the Warre faster. This is an operation that may take a year to accomplish. <br /><br />I've seen people blog about this. Google is your friend.<br /><br />The other option is to get the beekeeper to do a shook swarm into your Warre...Kind of how they make packages of bees but skipping the package step and transferring directly into your hive. An old comb would help anchor the bees.<br /><br />I wouldn't ask a fellow beekeeper to establish a nuc in your Warre hive. They'll just have to deal with adapting their equipment to your equipment at their end.<br /><br />I think if you protect from Skunks and maybe only feed the bees sugar for the first month you'll do fine this time around. I'm sure bees are like all other critters in that if you make their life too easy, they just get fat and stop working. Nectar and pollen is a better food for them anyway.<br /><br />RonC Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217907729600918559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-33485436747373966522016-03-22T04:41:43.020-04:002016-03-22T04:41:43.020-04:00Thanks Jake! Your analysis is logical and makes se...Thanks Jake! Your analysis is logical and makes sense. I agree there isn't enough strong evidence to conclude beetles, or moths, or even skunks. Mite counts were manageable. <br /><br />I ended up with 3 quarts of honey - post tomorrow on that. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-70283331810974424862016-03-22T04:38:55.195-04:002016-03-22T04:38:55.195-04:00Thanks Jackie!Thanks Jackie!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-1559332279700346792016-03-22T04:38:39.597-04:002016-03-22T04:38:39.597-04:00You're another on the list of package bee fail...You're another on the list of package bee failures, which is making me wonder how this years bees will do. I have found someone locally who keeps Russians, and offers queens and nucs. I considered buying from him except that he uses Langstroth hives, so I'd have to figure out how to fit a Lang nuc to a Warre hive box. One option would be to see if he'd establish the nuc in a box I supplied. I'll have to think about that pending this year's outcome. It's a kicker cuz' they made it through the worst of winter (mild here) and failed just before spring.Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-15800951263428926092016-03-22T01:18:13.541-04:002016-03-22T01:18:13.541-04:00*that should be rough around the UNcapped cells......*that should be rough around the UNcapped cells...Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05302653400986920552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-38225908510535004342016-03-22T01:16:53.748-04:002016-03-22T01:16:53.748-04:00I'm also not terribly experienced as a beekeep...I'm also not terribly experienced as a beekeeper, but I have had to troubleshoot some lost hives. (Actually, ALL of my hives so far, so take my opinion with a grain of salt!)<br /><br />Because there's so much honey left, I'd be surprised if they absconded unless there was a lot of external stress on them...the hive beetles and wax moths don't seem like enough to do it. The combs don't look rough around the capped cells, so I don't suspect robbers or yellow jackets were involved, either. How were your mite counts?<br /><br />If it were skunks, I feel like you would have been smelling them more regularly. But one thing you can do to deter them is to attach a board to the front of the landing strip with sharp things poking through the top every 1/2" or so (I have nails in mine). When the skunks scratch at the entrance, their paws get poked and they usually give up before causing too much damage. (At least, that's what they told us in the beekeeping class I took!)<br /><br />It sounds most like a failed queen to me; maybe she died at some point during the winter after all the brood from last summer/fall had hatched, so the worker bees didn't have any eggs to turn into a new queen. If there were warm spells, the remaining bees would have have kept removing the dead bees from the bottom as the population dwindled, so that could also be why there weren't many dead bees around.<br /><br />But I also agree with the silver linings--you got to taste a bit of your own honey, you're well set up for whatever bees move in next, and you got to learn something!<br /><br />Hopefully this year will be even better!Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05302653400986920552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-46696253414001999752016-03-19T05:58:18.317-04:002016-03-19T05:58:18.317-04:00Leigh, so very sorry to hear about your bees!"...Leigh, so very sorry to hear about your bees!"( Wishing you better luck with the next ones~<br />Jackie ")Jackie PNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03400208631365548141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-427493142872569062016-03-18T00:12:29.125-04:002016-03-18T00:12:29.125-04:00It is often hard to tell what killed the hive. Som...It is often hard to tell what killed the hive. Sometimes, it seems the whole world is out to kill honeybees. I think most of the suggestions already posted are plausible. If there were a few starving bees with honey just above them, I would guess that their numbers had dwindled to the point that the remainder froze. It could be a failing queen, skunk predation or a combination. I too never had any luck with package bees. If you are in a mild enough climate, they may do OK, but I never had a single package survive a harsh NY winter. One option that you might want to consider is to get let your package get a good start and then requeen the hive with a local queen a month or two later. That is how the beekeepers around here keep them going. They let those prolific southern queens get the hive started and then give them a survivor queen to get them through the year. <br /><br />I am very sorry about your hive and I hope your next one does better. Try not to take it personally if they do fail, beekeeping is tough. I know all too well how heartbreaking it is. I did just break down and order two nucs from a local beekeeper. I am going to give it one more try. Here is wishing both of us better luck! The Dancing Donkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16274299120708749101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-14097722072870367932016-03-16T09:52:56.154-04:002016-03-16T09:52:56.154-04:00Okay, thanks. I'll have to poke around and see...Okay, thanks. I'll have to poke around and see what I find. Most of the first one's I looked at were just pollen. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-60078818301412214122016-03-16T09:34:38.906-04:002016-03-16T09:34:38.906-04:00There is some brood in those pictures.There is some brood in those pictures.Jacobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03745307652533481582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-73694539045603858812016-03-16T09:28:59.475-04:002016-03-16T09:28:59.475-04:00Gill, that's okay, thoughts and opinions welco...Gill, that's okay, thoughts and opinions welcome! Abandonment does seem the most likely situation, but 'why' remains a puzzle. I've researched all the suggestions, but there isn't enough evidence of the signs and symptoms of those reasons to reach a conclusive answer. That makes it tough because I don't really have anything to work on for next time. We almost made it, too. I last saw bees coming and going in early February. A month later - gone. <br /><br />Thinking back over disassembling the hive, I did have one very aggressive bee in my face at the time. Now I'm wondering if it wasn't one of the original occupants, and that the random robber bees I'm seeing are my very own bees, coming back to rob their own hive! No clue as to where they've gone though. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-12418527438289673472016-03-16T09:24:39.085-04:002016-03-16T09:24:39.085-04:00Hopefully they aren't suffering, but off somew...Hopefully they aren't suffering, but off somewhere to a happier life!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-52619981161593338052016-03-16T09:24:12.914-04:002016-03-16T09:24:12.914-04:00It's a guessing game, isn't it? And a puzz...It's a guessing game, isn't it? And a puzzling one at that. My honey tastes just like the local raw wildflower honey I get locally, but that shouldn't be a surprise! <br /><br />I understand those Warre's with frames work very well, especially in areas where mandatory state inspections are required. My bees did a good enough job with the comb that the bars could be removed individually, although they and to be detached from the sides of the box because they were anchored there by the bees. That isn't always the case though, so the foundationless frames are good for inspections, just like you say. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-27468793644718987482016-03-16T07:57:11.768-04:002016-03-16T07:57:11.768-04:00Just seen this post!
As I have said before, put t...Just seen this post!<br /> As I have said before, put two beekeepers in a room and you already have at least three opinions on what is right or wrong!<br />My two pennyworth for what its worth. Abandoned hive there, though that drawn comb will give you a good start with a new colony. If you are buying bees ensure that they come from as close to you as possible, local bees will cope with local weather systems, flora etc. While it seems good to have a warm winter, it often means that the bees will be flying when they should be resting. There are only so many flying miles to each bee! Too much winter activity can mean that fewer workers survive to do the spring work. Bees often starve a few inches from food if for whatever reason they can't leave the cluster. <br />just realised that this could be a HUGE comment so will leave it there!<br />Good luck with this years beekeeping (I hope you get a swarm)<br />Gillx Frugal in Derbyshire https://www.blogger.com/profile/10221169113482164565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-33026524263771402612016-03-15T20:00:59.135-04:002016-03-15T20:00:59.135-04:00Awww that's so sad! I hate to think of the poo...Awww that's so sad! I hate to think of the poor bees suffering! Hope you will have better luck with the next batch! Debbie - Mountain Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18401931842031353732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-81631597958597019222016-03-15T10:06:12.397-04:002016-03-15T10:06:12.397-04:00My dad kept Langstroth style bees. Home grown hone...My dad kept Langstroth style bees. Home grown honey is the best! It's good at least you got a taste from your poor hive. My first thought was skunk, I see someone already mentioned that possibility. Dad would set his hives on a platform of plywood (overhanging) on top of dry stacked cinderblocks (sideways so you see the holes and no one nests in there) to keep the hives up out of reach.<br />My second thought was that's a lot of empty comb = lot of empty space to heat, were they not warm enough and moved somewhere smaller? Which I see has also been mentioned. Before I realized I cannot keep bees in my neighborhood (stupid zoning!) I looked at Warre and decided that although I liked the smaller size boxes, I think I would go fusion-style and use the Warre size & foundationless frames but like it was a Langstroth with regular intrusions like taking off boxes of extra empty comb, and meddling with them regularly to make sure they're not in trouble... <br />Because Packaged Bees.<br />Which is my third thought as to what might have happened to your bees. Some packaged bees just aren't equipped to deal, for whatever reason. Kiinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11842294398414449651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-48439100274810116222016-03-15T04:50:39.850-04:002016-03-15T04:50:39.850-04:00That's what I was hoping. There will be a few ...That's what I was hoping. There will be a few bars that I can reuse, maybe in my bait hive. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-45606722374056493222016-03-15T04:49:17.057-04:002016-03-15T04:49:17.057-04:00Thanks, 1st Man. At least one of yours made it! He...Thanks, 1st Man. At least one of yours made it! Here's hoping for a better bee year for us all. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com