I put a deposit down on some Honey Bees
After raising Solitary Bees for a few years I decided to buy two hives for some Honey Bees next year. I should get the actual bees in March depending on weather. But for now I got all the gear, hive hardware and put my deposit down on next years bees.
Now I have a bee suit I can go after yellow jackets better when they become a problem. And will be a nice shield between me and the Honey Bees. I don't need any protection from the Solitary Bees but the Honey Bees are new to me and want to really wear good protection.
The community on Hive has really encouraged me to further my bee husbandry and doing something with Honey Bees have always been in the back of my mind. Figured this would be a great time to start and document my progress along the way.
I found a bee supply shop a few hours from home. Brought along my Hive logo and the shop owners helped me out with a photo. They have a really informative youtube channel and made me really interested in the process. You can find them at Barnyard bees. The guy that does the video wears little to no protection and I'm not that brave.
The bee hives come in pieces and I have to put it all together and paint the outside. The inside stays bare and the bees prefer it that way from what I've been told.
I bought enough supplies to build two bee hives. Each holds eight trays. I'll need to let the bees build up their colany before I can get honey from them but should have some this year to try. Really excited to try local honey sourced by bees finding local sources.
The foundation trays, are put in every two trays to help keep the hive a consistant shape. I could smell the wax on them, encourages the bees to use them.
So next up is to build everything, paint it. And to prep the area for hives. I plan on using cinderblocks and 4x4 poles to set the bee hives on. I'll do all of that during the fall and winter when it cools off.
By next March I should have boxes of bees and the fun will start.
Heavy duty... now a real live Bee-man..🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟
Hah finally. Going from the Solitary Bees to these Honey Bees will be a completely different beast.
Awesome.. we'll soon have a honey vendor on HIVE
I hope to have honey before the end of 2021. Looking forward to it, I wonder how much ill have. I can eat alot of it but I have a feeling I'll have more than I can eat.
I'm looking forward to reading about your experiences in raising honeybees!
Me too! It's going to be a whole new learning experience. I'm planning on bringing my cameras along when I work on them.
Welcome to bekeeping, may you have many hives. Those black plastic foundations, get yourself a chunk of honey bee wax and rub those down really wel. The bees will accept them much more readily.
The frames With the starter strips and wires. I use starter strips with great success but I'm not sure how the bees will accept the wires in the way. Clip (cut, remove) the wires on a "test frame" and see what happens. Make sure you put the "test frame" in the center of the hive.
I use starter strips without wires, they works really well, the bees like them and draw whatever size cell THEY want. However you have to be careful for the 1st few years (until it firms up) and / or until the comb is attached to all sides of the frame. The new comb (without wires) is flimsy and if you hold it wrong it will fall out of the frame.
If you haven't had a full frame of bees plop at your feet, then climb up your pant legs and sting you in the crotch, then you've missed out on one of the more exciting things in life.
Some bees are meaner than others.
Thanks alot for all the tips! As for the foundation it smells like wax and has a feeling like it's already coated it in. I'll double check with Barnyard Bees if they coated them or not.
Okay I'll give one a try without the wire. Though watching Barnyard Bees YouTube videos, where I got them from use wires in their starter strips.
Hah! I got a full bee suit, a one piece. But I'll probably tape up the legs to the boots to minimize that. Sounds painful!
I plan on making posts on the bees as I go along. I'll mention you in the post if I have any questions. Glad to know someone out there with knowledge as this is all new to me.
I'm just trying to share my experience with you.
The one thing you can count on in beekeeping is,,, everyone has an opinion on how to do _____ the right way.
With that said..
The plastic frames ARE coated with wax thats why they smell, no need to double check with the vendor.
Rub EXTRA wax on those plastic foundations, the bees will accept them better. They don't seem to like plastic foundations in general. Plastic foundations DO have their place, I'm not discouraging their use.
Bees are picky. My guess is that they won't like wires in the way. I don't have direct experience with them drawing comb over wires but I have read that they don't like them.
You will see wires in wax foundations but they are usually sheets of wax. The starter strips with wires is new to me and if it works it would be very helpful.
And EVERYTHING works 10% of the time but you gotta get to 80% it be useful.
Just tucking your pants into your socks works too. Tightwad beekeepers don't waste tape. ;-)
I look forward to your future posts.