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Camile · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:27 pm Post subject: Bees !

Hello,

Here are a few pictures from the arrival of the new "livestock" ..

The OH came back on friday evening with this in the trunk of the car:

so far nothing too worrying .. except that:

the mesh blocking the hole on top (using for a feeder, with is sugar mixed with water) is fine enough for them to have their head through .. but luck enough they can't escape !

So the hive had been set up the night before, in an idyllic spot which seems to be a very old pathway in between fields:

We can see the bit of foam that was blocking the door on the side ..

And basically the nucleus (smaller box) has to be left at the exact spot of where the hive will go .. because bees are fussy, you could move the hive within a 1 ft or so without problems, but further than that and they won't find it anymore .. and the solution is then to move the hive 3 miles away from the original spot and only then they will find it again .. so we took the easy option of setting it on top of the hive.

And the thing is crowded, the bee keeper that helped us wanted me to stand on front of the hive to take the pictures .. even though I was the only one without a suit . guess what I answerred Laughing

The thing is crowded, about 30/40 thousands bees in there .. and full capacity will reach the 50 thousands or more ..

You need to leave the nucleus to settle for a day or two, so this morning the OH should have normally moved the frames from the nucleus into the hive. Apparently you have to find the queen from the nucleus frames, and shake it gently into the hive .. she will then attract all the others once you move the rest of the frames ...

Some bees will stand in front of the hive to call the others ...

And no stings so far ...

Camile

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1163 Location: Campile. Wexford

Nice one Camile. I guess you brought the nuc hive as well. Can you tell me what the cost of a three frame nuc coloney costs here in Ireland. Without the hive. cheers.
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Camile · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject:

I'll ask the boss what she paid for them because she's the one in charge of them (the white suite !)

and you've kept bees before didn't you wayland ?

yesterday we transferred them into the hive (but you don't shake the queen off like I thought) ..

The sealed cells are filled with honey, the yellow ones at the center are brood cells .. so it's a sign that you have a productive queen:

And you have to put the frames from the nuc in the same order as you took them otherwise you are completely messing up the nest

Can you spot the queen in the picture ?

Camile

Camile · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject:

quick update ..

it was 90€ for a nuc with 6 frames ..

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1163 Location: Campile. Wexford

Thanks for the info. 90 Euroes is about the same as we might pay in the UK. i have brought over my empy hives and was hoping for a stray swarm to set up residance but its been a no show here. There is a tradition where by it was thought as being unlucky to buy bees. Not a problem with you though as you brought the hive and got the bees free Wink

There seems to be a lack of honey bees in these parts. Did you mark your Queen? and maybe clip her wings?. I have done both and with the Queen clipped I saved my bees from swarming but lost the queen. Not a problem as the coloney would have already set about rearing a replacement. It would be interesting for a number of us on this forum to hear how you are getting on.
#
Wayland.

P.S. What colour are your bees? I have noticed that most of the honey bees that I have seen in Ireland are black.
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Camile · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

Wayland .. your need your glasses ..

the queen is clearly marked and impossible to miss on the last picture !

I don't know if she's been clipped though ..

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1163 Location: Campile. Wexford

Indeed I do. Shocked

In my defence I only looked at the thumbnail.
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Rebecca · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 9:53 pm Post subject:

Great your OH got her bees. I got mine a month ago. Its been an exponential learning curve!

Have to say I was terrified about first looking in, but I spent an afternoon with a very obliging and kind local beek (term for 'beekeeper'!). Since then, I LOVE doing my hive inspections ... its absolutely fascinating, mesmerising, tranquil, and an honour to work with such exquisite creatures. I may not be so complimentary once I get my first sting though!

I had to do an artificial swarm on my first inspection, a week after they arrived, which was a test of nerves, memory and knowledge (I lacked in all 3!). It all worked out, and as a result I have a newly mated queen heading up the new hive, and the old hive is also going strong and didn't swarm. Touch wood.

I've just been to the Irish Federation of Beekeepers Association conference in Gormanstown. It was on for a week, I managed to get there for a day. I'd very highly recommend attending. There were a number of signs offering bees for sale. You will also find adverts for bees in An Beachaire, the IFBKA newsletter/journal. Its a good read. Or try your local Association club?

I write about my bees on my blog. I must do a bee post soon.
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Rebecca · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 9:57 pm Post subject:

ps Glad you didn't shake your queen! I've been told to move her on her frame. If she must be removed, then when replacing her, walk her slowly onto the centre of some brood, where workers are more likely to expect to see her, and hopefully will begin to groom her, rather than ball her and kill her! I'm dreading marking and clipping my new queen .. how gutted would you be if she was balled after weeks of waiting for her to hatch, fly, mate, then finally lay!
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Relocation to the sticks.
Moving smoothly from one crisis to the next on our rural Irish smallholding www.sallygardens.typepad.com
Sustainable Living bookshop, forum and courses
eBooklets ; pigs, goats

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1163 Location: Campile. Wexford

Its great to read your posts guys. Keep them comming Very Happy

. A point about getting stung Sad

. In the first few months of the new bee keeper, you are unlikley to get stung because you will naturally be paying great attention to your protection gear. After a while we get a bit more confortable and find that working without gloves is far better than suffering the ristrictions of them. So now with skin exposed !!!!. You will notice that the bees will ignore your movements across an open hive providing you take it slow, and especially no jurks. A jurky reaction will put the bees in a " I`m going to get you mode". So while lifting a frame and you get stung you must not react to the sting. This will set alot more at you if you jump! You must gently put the frame down and deel with the sting if you need to. I know you guys are getting good advice from your local beekeepers but I thought I would add my two pen`uth. When I started beekeeping I would get stung every now and then as should be expected. I reacted like most others with a bit of pain and then quite sever swelling. Not at all nice in the face Crying or Very sad

. The swelling would go down in a few days of course but a pain none the less. I was always told that beekeepers get immuned to the stings. I wondered how long this would take as it seemed to take me fore ever. Then I had an awful day with a coloney that in the past were quite docile went absolutely mad! They even attacked the smoker and could be heard sizzling inside it. Me now being a bit cocky and working without gloves, recieved twenty seven stings on my left hand Crying or Very sad

I had to stop the inspection and close down the hive and retreat. My hand went white and I could not imagine what state I would be in the following morning. The answer was nothing. Just the little red dots where I was stung. From that day forth I have been 1mmuned. I am not trying to put people off taking up this fascinating pass time of course. It is great and once hooked being stung occasionally is just part of it. Good luck with your bees, and like I said . "Keep us posted". Smile

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