New beekeeping with AZDuffman

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May 1st, 2015 at 12:08:59 PM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Quote: AZDuffman
Just what is in my cabinet. I only started the hive yesterday. I will be lucky to get any the first year.


I might be able to capture a couple of these "African queens" [the bee kind], they will have the whole neighborhoods under their control in a few months. Might be hard to get in and out your doors though?

If you do get to selling honey, maybe have a few copies of articles like this one :http://www.picassodreams.com/picasso_dreams/2011/11/fake-honey.html

I thought I was doing my body a favor and using honey for sweetener when I ran into this phenomenon. Seventy percent of honey sold in the US is not honey at all. Apparently honey doesn't have to be made by bees. So after all I had done to get processed white sugar out of my body I find out the product I went to [faux honey] was not only not honey, [probably processed sugar] but the other ingredients the "Karo" syrup or whatever they use may have come from gutter oil in China.

So much for our FDA. So much for all the creeps that work there, pass more lenient food laws and then go to work for Monsanto who I believe owns "Bayer" who is a suspected culprit in the colony collapse disorder.

Have you read any of the articles about CCD as pertains bees? We have lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 40% of our pollinators. If you sell honey and leave parts of the comb in the jar, you will easily be able to charge a premium just for selling "real" honey. And then of course "royal honey" the essence of long life and good health.

I very much disagree with Bob about honey. Tribes going back to BCE have lusted for honey. To this day aboriginal tribes are walking the outback, or Africa, or the rain forests of South America searching for bee hives and it is a highly sought after energy source. Other sweeteners have always been highly sought after, whether it came from cane, or fruit, or even grain or bees. Recipes from hundreds of years ago list honey as an ingredient.
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
May 1st, 2015 at 2:33:02 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: petroglyph

If you do get to selling honey, maybe have a few copies of articles like this one :http://www.picassodreams.com/picasso_dreams/2011/11/fake-honey.html


That is effing scary. How simple a food is honey? And big food effs it up for us. Here is what I *do* know. Honey is not a uniform color. It takes the color of the pollen from whence it comes. A local hive will vary a lot in the same year. From near the color of Miller Lite to a very dark Amber. But go to the grocery store and it will all be the same. So they are either blending it, coloring it, or doing what this article says. Thanks, BTW, I will be using it!

Quote:
Have you read any of the articles about CCD as pertains bees? We have lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 40% of our pollinators. If you sell honey and leave parts of the comb in the jar, you will easily be able to charge a premium just for selling "real" honey. And then of course "royal honey" the essence of long life and good health.


I have, and it is part of why I looked into it. Not a bad idea on the combs.


30 HOUR UPDATE


The ladies are really coming and going



Note how small the opening is:



This is to keep predators and robber bees out. When they get a little more established I will remove the reducer and replace it with a mouse guard.

I went out at dusk last night when it was getting kind of cold, near 50F. One bee kind of guarding the entrance, might have been dead. Even though I knew what was happening there was that moment of doubt that they all left or died. Just as quiet this morning when I left for work. No need to worry, though, they appear to be going strong.

I keep trying to get the courage to look closer at the hind legs to see if they fill up with pollen. It might be early for that, though. Just some clover out around these parts. I am tempted to spray some of the sugar water near the hive entrance to feed. There is almost 5lbs of sugar in water inside, though.

Next thing is to check for queen release probably early Sunday morning. That is the time to be careful, very careful. A very fast check to see she is out and laying eggs. Then seal it up for a few weeks.

Watching the coming and going remains fascinating and relaxing. I was a little sad that the guy at the deed office was on a PTO day (maybe for May Day?) today. Guy is a trip. Had been asking about the things since winter.
The President is a fink.
May 1st, 2015 at 3:42:48 PM permalink
TheCesspit
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 23
Posts: 1929
Mead: I've made a couple of batches. I think 10lb of honey into 2.5 gallons of water was the ratio I used (would have to look it up again).

I boiled the honey and some of the water together, let it cool and decanted into the carboy. Then added the rest of the water (after boiling) into the carboy and waited for it to cool. Then pitched in champagne yeast and some yeast nutrients.

I added about a pound of grapes into the boil in one batch. Three days later I had to refit the airlock, as the foam and grapes had exploded the rubber bung out of the top. Least I had active yeast and stuff going along. Left it to ferment for about 6 months, bottled it and let it condition there for about two weeks before trying.

It was very dry from the time I let it ferment, but tasted pretty good to me... like a dry white wine, with less acidity, and slight sweet mellow smoothness of the honey. The non-grape batches are less dry. I've tasted another guys batch, and it was sweeter, with a more complex taste profile. Simplest thing I've found to brew, much less hassle than beer.
It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die.... it's called Life
May 1st, 2015 at 5:19:43 PM permalink
Ayecarumba
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 89
Posts: 1744
Does the door need to face a certain direction?

How long do worker bees live? I'm guessing 10 days, but is it longer?
May 1st, 2015 at 6:36:46 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Ayecarumba
Does the door need to face a certain direction?

How long do worker bees live? I'm guessing 10 days, but is it longer?


Can face any direction but best to be facing south. The workers live a few months.
The President is a fink.
May 1st, 2015 at 6:52:56 PM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Aren't the worker bees "drones" and male? Like society : )
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
May 1st, 2015 at 6:57:24 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: petroglyph
Aren't the worker bees "drones" and male? Like society : )
'

No, worker bees are all infertile females. Drones are males and do virtually nothing until mating. The queen will mate with several who die immediately after. A certain amount of drones are always around but near the end of fall the women decide they are not needed and will eject them from the hive.



Worker Bee



Drone
The President is a fink.
May 1st, 2015 at 8:10:35 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Quote: TheCesspit
Simplest thing I've found to brew, much less hassle than beer.
See there! Fleastiff can come up with good ideas!

Upthread someone mentioned Colony Collapse...and for some reason Monsanto does not admit its solely the effect of Round Up.

I understand that Strawberry growers are the ones most desperate for renting bee hives and instead of a few hundred dollars will sometimes be paying up to three grand for the required pollination. So you might indeed be looking at some dollars for a sideline.
May 1st, 2015 at 8:32:33 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: AZDuffman
'
The queen will mate with several who die immediately after.


That's happened to me, only I just wished
I was dead.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
May 1st, 2015 at 9:05:20 PM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Quote: Fleastiff
See there! Fleastiff can come up with good ideas!

Upthread someone mentioned Colony Collapse...and for some reason Monsanto does not admit its solely the effect of Round Up.

I understand that Strawberry growers are the ones most desperate for renting bee hives and instead of a few hundred dollars will sometimes be paying up to three grand for the required pollination. So you might indeed be looking at some dollars for a sideline.


I read in Europe some believe it is Bayer that is the culprit, with "neonicotinoids" ? I'm sure Monsanto has done their part as well.

http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/Bayer.html
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
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