Bees, wonderful bees!!

[JimWWhite]

Our Gals have been coming and going all day long because it's spring has done sprung here in central NC. Whatever it is they're finding they're bringing back leg sacks full of pollen. Almost every other bee has their legs coated with it.

On another note a friend asked me this morning would I be interested in taking four hives off someone's hands they know. From what she told me the husband passed away recently and the widow doesn't want to or know how to keep bees. I told her to tell her friend I'd buy them from her so I'm now waiting to hear back. That would be really cool to get four new hives already established to set out on the back of the property. Awesome!!!

 

[April Manier]

This thread makes me want a hive SOOOOO badly!

Maybe in 2012...if the world doesn't end...LOL

 

[lesa]

That sounds like a great opportunity, Jim! Fingers crossed! I love hearing about your bees flying- it is like seeing spring bulbs blooming, for me! Our bees are alive, but it is still below freezing here. Looking towards 40's and 50's for the rest of the week....
April, lets hope the world doesn't end! You would love having bees!
Vfem, you hive looks great! That hubby of yours is so good!

 

[Jared77]

Vfem you realize you have to start a thread and keep us updated on the top bar hive. I plan on setting one up eventually and HOPE that you'd be willing to share your experiences with us! PRETTY PLEASE WITH ORGANIC SUGAR ON TOP?!

 

[vfem]

Vfem you realize you have to start a thread and keep us updated on the top bar hive. I plan on setting one up eventually and HOPE that you'd be willing to share your experiences with us! PRETTY PLEASE WITH ORGANIC SUGAR ON TOP?!

Oooh... I had started one!

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=30451

 

[JimWWhite]

Here's a few pics of Teresa tending the bees this past week. We've got three new hives painted and ready to set up because we're getting three packages of bees next Saturday. That'll give us four for right now. Eventually we want to ring the property with at least twenty hives.

The hive was great. The bulk of the workers must have been out foraging because there weren't that many bees in the hive but there was a lot of uncapped nectar in the brood box they were drying out. She went ahead and added a shallow super to the hive in anticipation of the nectar flow which is getting heavier each day here in Central NC. The hive looked great. No signs of mites or hive beetles. Lots of brood and still a great deal of capped honey on the outer frames of the brood box. We saw no evidence of any queen cells which means we should be able to rest easy there won't be a split this year. We'll go back in once a month to check and be ready anyways. Here's the pics:

Teresa smoking the bees in prep to go in. The white hive is new and we'll be adding one of the new packages of bees in it.

Here she's about to go into the upper brood box which is where they store their honey as well as brood. Our honey comes from two supers we'll later this month.

Here's a frame from the main brood chamber. If you could look closely at the frame that's exposed that is still in the hive there you'd find the queen in the middle of all those other bees. All she does is lay, lay, and lay.

 

[journey11]

Lookin' good! Her painted boxes are very cute. Mine are plain white. Maybe I'll have to do something about that too.

Eventually we want to ring the property with at least twenty hives.

If all goes well, I'm sure you will. The pres. of my local beek club says that you can end up with 50 quite easily, at least around here.

I've got a field day next Saturday with the club to learn how to do splits. I'm really looking forward to it! I'm planning to split mine soon after to prevent swarming. Mine came through winter strong and I KNOW they'll want to swarm this year. This will be year 2 for the queen...she was a supercedure last year. Guess I just got lucky being a newbie. I'm glad all my bees didn't fly off!

Enjoyed your pics and the update!
:bee

 

[vfem]

Wow, that is so interesting! I can't wait to here about making the 20 hive accomplishment. We still haven't gotten our bees yet, but the hive is ready and waiting for someone to find it and bring a swarm our way!

A girl can dream!

We are planning on joining the local bee club that meets once a month in Lillington. We missed their last meeting on Thursday, hubby didn't get home in time from work... but now we know where it is so we'll be able to plan ahead for next month.

How exciting this adventure into bee keeping is.

 

[lesa]

Your bees look great! So glad your hive is healthy! We haven't been able to open ours yet- still a little cool and breezy- but the bees are coming and going and all seems well. Our chickens have been scratching around the base of the hive. We are hoping that they are getting the larva of the hive beetles....Enjoy your bees!

 

[thistlebloom]

Oh I'm so excited! Guess what?? I was checking out of Costco this a.m., and because I had snuck a" Bees and Beekeeping" book in with my groceries I got into a conversation with the checker.
He's an experienced beek and I mentioned that I would love to have bees but don't have a setup right now and he said just bring the lumber over and we could put one together! Then I asked if he sold bees and he said he gives them away! About 20 or so starters a year!
I got his number and I'm getting on his list! That was so amazing, it's possible that I may yet get a hive this year. Some of my other projects will get sidelined if this works out, but that's okay, it'll give me something to do in my dotage.