Ahhh, trying to stay low and change jobs without coming to grief in a number of ways. And being exhausted enough that I'm not very coherent when I get home most days, so haven't been posting.

However, things are looking up. I think.

"Well, I don't know, Billy. It's been a while since I had it out. I guess we could uncovGAAAAH!!!!"

Attachment 60573

The bad news is, in the US 33% of the honeybee colonies collapsed in the last year.
They said this doesn't all the bees died but it's still a pain in the ass for bee keepers and bad news for we gourmands.

The good news is, the bees, tired of waiting for humans to get their shit together, have started their campaign against
certain human institutions cough monsanto cough, recruiting their best and brightest to brew up a solution.

I guess in the Netherlands a lot of people bought bees, for the honey I presume.

Mr. Clod just picked up an avocado honey, which we haven't cracked open yet. It is almost black, and very thick. Seemed very odd to me because I don't picture the avocado plant as having blossoms.

A guy up in Newark Valley does Linden honey, super dark with a really complicated flavor. Is yum.

There are so many types of bees out there it's confusing.

Appreciate them...

I just want to give my ladies some props here. I lifted the lids on them to vent the last few days because of heat. Tonight with a storm coming in I replaced the lids which is a huge no no because bees are pissy before storms. They were totally cool about it. "Thanks Mr. G, we didn't want to get wet."

The bees know you're the ladies minion, therefore cool.

Attachment 64210
Here's a really nice frame of brood from a nuc that was gifted to me by another beekeeper that was hurt and can't work for a bit. Fortunately, she is better now.

The bees have been busy, looks great.

All you honey fans and beekeepers, be sure to thank Queen Liz for keeping it all together. ;)

Attachment 65969

A victim of AI editing, should have called Glinda. :D

If you beekeepers and wannabeekeepers need information, this book is online here.

Attachment 67736

All 856 pages.

McDonald's just opened a tiny restaurant for bees —
here's what it's like inside



• McDonald's has opened its smallest restaurant in the world as a haven for bees.

• The tiny eatery, which is a fully-functioning beehive, was handcrafted by a woodworker and has "room for thousands of important guests," according to a video of the finished product.

• The restaurant is complete with a McDonald's sign, "drive-thru," patio with seating, and advertisements on the windows.

• McDonald's commissioned the project to pay homage to its restaurants in Sweden that have beehives on their rooftops.

• Other McDonald's franchises have contributed to efforts to save bees, which have been dying at an alarming rate in recent years, by planting flowers outside their restaurants.

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What a great way to attract children to bee hives.
If the bees are eating at McD's will honey still be healthy?

I guess this means McDonalds doesn’t source from heavy pesticide users. I crack myself up.

4-17-19 IOtD

So I had two dead outs this spring. I made a couple swarm traps. The first I put in a huge oak tree on the edge of a field per the best practices. The second I left in the barn door until I could get to it. So yeah, I caught a swarm in my barn.

My bees looked very good today. They're making honey at a nice clip and have excellent numbers. I'll have to do a mite check but visually everything seems fine.

Extracted 70 lbs on Saturday, picked up jars on Sunday. Figuring to bottle this weekend. Going to be too ***!!?? hot for anything else.

It'll flow like water!

Personally, I think it's a gimmick. If honey is thin enough to flow, the moisture content is probably too high, which would promote fermentation. Honey reads around 18% on a refractometer, down from the 80+% moisture of nectar. Extraction is done by either cutting off the cappings and spinning the frames in an extractor or by "crush-and-strain", whereby the combs are cut from the frame and either hung to drain or crushed with something resembling a potato masher. I also don't see what happens to the bees on the frames that are pierced - do they get pierced as well? Interesting concept, but something for those with extra cash to play with. Rev. Langsroth (developer of the currently used 10 frame hives and discoverer of "bee space") had it right.

Are you AI or are you responding to something from long ago?

Hi misiks, if you use the quote feature to respond to something, people will understand what you are saying better. You seem to be responding to old posts, which is fine, but hard to follow of you don't quote them.

Well if you put it that way it almost sounds welcoming. Sorry if that sounded surly. :)

Nah, you were right. It's a copy and paste job of on old post in this thread.

Now if I can just remember how to ban someone...

I guess it's a good sign that you forgot, since spammers seem to be less frequent these days?

Indeed

Bee careful hive keepers...

2/24/20 55F
Live hive!

Those are yours, Griff?

Yes ma'am, alive and well... at this time.

I'm digging the color scheme.

My ladies were flying last Sunday, 53 degrees. All hives look good. I will begin feeding next week (syrup and pollen patties.)

Slo-Mo satisfying, sound up!

That's slow motion?

Lol I’ll fix that in the morning

Weird. My youtube app alters the video so no slow mo.


https://www.facebook.com/gerard.grif...action_generic

There doesn't seem to be a pattern when they come out, they fly off in all directions.

If you took a sight line down the pipe (from left to right) the hive is off to the right a little. The traffic seems to come from that general direction but a lot of them appear to orient to the house first.

Probably the cool kids don't fly directly in and out, none of that oh boy food, I'm making a bee line for it and I'll come straight back with a take out for you too.
No, it's just wandering around, we bad, we bad, what's this, oh food, I could eat a bite. That's enough I have to watch my wasp-like figure. Let's wander and doo wop our way back home.

Bee keepers and anyone concerned about helping all the pollinators.
If you're planting flowers or shrubs why not plant what's good for the pollinators in your hood.
If you are not planning on planting... get your ass out there and plant anyway! :haha:
You must know where there's a vacant lot or idle land where you can stick them.
Even in pots if you want but that means keeping a close watch on them so they don't die of thirst.

This information is for Mid-Atlantic, NC, VA, WV, DC, MD, DE, NJ, and half of PA. The other half of PA is
in the region that goes out to MN. This is just a sample, but no matter where you live the Xerces Society at
https://xerces.org/ will give you the straight poop.
Do it for your honey.

All that we plant are native for pollinators and butterflies. Mrs Nowhereman also raises monarchs and will be tagging them this year. Installed some new packages of bees this morning in the snow flurries. The other hives look good. Crazy weather.

Hey, I'm a beekeeper too! I have two bees. Here's one, the other has a home hanging above the deck.

Attachment 70283

Cute little dude, do you know what kind?

My ladies are hauling heavy loads into the hive. I have no idea what they've found.

checking....


in the meantime, let me just say I hate Pinterest.

google is not helping


but~~!

That looks like one of those venomous Nigerian Murder Bees that reproduce exponentially under decks. :eek:

All you bee keepers who are worrying about the future of not only your bees but all bees, I have the answer, plant pot.
Would I lie to you, my oldest and dearest friends... except for money or sex.

While trimming the grass around the irises I noticed this guy flying around. There were a few of them, not aggressive and seemed to be more interested in what they found down on the ground much more so than the blossoms in the area. Based on what I've learned from you guys here, I'd say this is a carpenter bee.

I have a couple other pics of him crawling on the ground but I like this action shot the best.

Attachment 70431

Yup...

I spotted these ladies on a large rock out-cropping in the woods. I think they're drinking water.