# So my Husband wanted bee's



## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

_"...a couple bee hives and they are coming today."

_Oh man!! To start, I think what kind they are [honey bees] and whether they have been treated or not is the least of your concerns right now. Do you want these bees!! Hopefully you will enjoy having bees once you have had them for a while.

_"..on a good note my husband has been building new hives for the future" [ has not done any research on them so i have been doing it_].

On another "good note", [or the bright side] you will be the "supervisor" and your husband can do all the "heavy lifting",..


Maybe you could start by asking a few questions to get the ball rolling; it is hard to type a lot of stuff that you may already know. Do you have sugar syrup ready? How are you going to feed them to get started? You will probably have a lot of questions after 3 - 4 days, a week or two, with the bees.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

Things I woudl want to know.

Not so much what type but how are they coming. Are they a package, nuc, a full hive?
Who are they coming from. Seriously I would probably be most concerned about this. The idea that a beekeeper woudl unload a couple of hives of dying diseased bees on someone is pretty much a given in my opinion. I would bet money no beekeeper is going to sell their best. Most will sell their worst at best. 

About the bees issues. is the queen healthy and a good layer?
Are the bees good tempered?
Is there any future support from the supplier of the bees such as queen replacement or can they come by and take a look if there are problems or concerns of problems?

Otherwise learn all you can about how bees behave what it looks like and why they behave that way. this gives you the best chance to figure things out for yourself and how to get the bees to change how they behave. like what it looks like when they are getting ready to swarm and what can you do to stop them. Why are they angry when there is no flow on? how do bees behave when they have been getting robbed, etc.

Good luck.


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## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

You have a very low opinion of your fellow beekeepers Daniel Y. I know there are bad apples in any group, but I would like to think most beekeepers who are selling hives or nucs or packages are doing the best they can to put out a good product. I know that when I sell a nuc I try to make sure it is rocking and rolling with a queen who is laying a good pattern. You might make a quick but selling junk, but you won't stay in business long doing that.

Rod


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

The first piece of advice I would give a beginning beekeeper is,leave them alone for at least a week after they are hived and set up properly.If they are existing hives being moved to your property the same thing applies.That old saw about curiosity killing the cat applies to queen bees as well.
FWIW I also disagree with Daniel Y's post.99% of the beekeepers I have met over the years are honest and helpful folks.


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## ccar2000 (Aug 9, 2009)

rweakley said:


> You have a very low opinion of your fellow beekeepers Daniel Y. I know there are bad apples in any group, but I would like to think most beekeepers who are selling hives or nucs or packages are doing the best they can to put out a good product. I know that when I sell a nuc I try to make sure it is rocking and rolling with a queen who is laying a good pattern. You might make a quick but selling junk, but you won't stay in business long doing that.
> 
> Rod


+1 Rod!

Tazcan,
read, read, and read some more. My first bees came with no instructions and I had a bad start. Absolutely join a bee club if you can and attend the meetings. Beekeepers as a whole love to share success stories. One very important thing that I try to keep in mind is my specific micro-climate. The bees will only cover a two mile radius (8,000 acres) and things can be entirely different for someone keeping bees a half an hour's drive away. Learn to read your hive to be sure they have stores so you can supplement as needed. Watch and take notes of the local flora as well. If you study the plants you can learn what to anticipate in your hives. 

Best of luck, don't get discouraged and enjoy your new hobby!


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## toekneepea (Jul 7, 2010)

I would suggest you do the following:

Get a copy of Beekeeping for Dummies, the Complete Idiot's Guide to Beekeeping, or other beginner's manual.
Join your local Beeclub. Is there a beekeeper in your area that you could go out to and assist? See how things are done, and learn?

And read, read, read. Fast.

Tony P.


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## KelpticFest (Apr 19, 2011)

*VERY FIRST THING*: if the bees aren't already on your property: Get online (or even in the yellow pages) and try to find an experienced *mentor* nearby and let them know this is an emergency! You need to do all those other things too, (plus set up the hive location and level the surface the hive will sit on) but with no experience at all and apparently not much help from that other one (!), the easiest way for you to overcome your timidity and learn things _fast_ is with a little handholding. Look for your county's beekeeping group - they may well have a message board or local listings. Look online here to see if there's someone nearby - post your town so you can get responses from usably close beeks. Despite all I "knew" when I started last year, the presence of somebody who knew what he was doing got me over the threshold. And even after one year, I'm able to do the same for somebody else now. Then take a breath and go read all that information.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Daniel Y You were so helpful! Heeeres your sign! Hopefully your bees are coming in a hive all ready to add boxes to. In that case, you just need to watch them and give them some more room when their box is mostly full. If they come in a narrower version of the hives your husband built, Give them a little smoke from your bee smoker and put the frames with bees in the middle of the hive and add the frames of foundation on the sides to completely fill the box and space them evenly. Ask the person you get them from if they need feeding and any other questions you can think of and write down the answers. For better or worse, sounds like you are the beekeeper! You are just going to have to buckle down and do it. I hear Texas women are good at that.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

Wow great advise..
So here is what i know, he ordered them back in December.
Both hives are new setups from when he split his hives and he has 100's from what my hubby said.
I believe the setups comes with a super.
I should have ordered a small suit and all cause it looks like they will be under my care and that extra large suit is gonna drowned me.
I will be fine with them, i like critters of all kinds.
Only thing i am concerned with is the seller will not be delevering them (just found out), his helper is so i am not sure he will be able to answer many questions hopefully they have been doing this a while.
Ok gonna go reread these post , yall keep um comming.
Thank you.
Taz


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

Have you decided where to place the hives; a spot of level ground? What are you using for hive stands? If you don't have a wood pallet or something like that, you can use a couple of 2x4's or 2x6's for the hives to sit on [preferably temporarily] rather than just on the ground. Maybe you are all prepared for this, I'm not sure.

_"I will be fine with them, i like critters of all kinds."

_That's a good start. Sometimes, people that want to keep bees nowadays have very little experience with these kinds of things. If I were a mentor, that's one of the qualities I would like to see.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

If you haven't found Michael Bush's website, here is a link:
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm
Lots of useful info here. 

If you prefer to read in book form, "The Practical Beekeeper" is available in several forms, here's a link to one of them:
http://astore.amazon.com/thepracbeek-20/detail/1614760616
According to Michael, much of the book is available for free on his website.


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## MeriB (Mar 15, 2010)

As far as a suit goes, I have kept bees for three years now. I wear a long sleeves, fairly heavy shirt and jeans. Be sure you have a good hat with veil. A good fitting pair of oldfashioned dishwashing gloves is fairly sting resistant, give great coverage and doesn't make your hand sweat like medical gloves! Find a mentor, even a starter hive can be scary if you have never worked a hive before. Take your time and dont forget to breath!!
Blessed Be!
Meridith


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

Another good book is the new "First Lessons In Beekeeping" by Dr. Keith Delaplane. It is the latest revision of Dadant's classic book. A great book for a beginner.

http://www.amazon.com/First-Lessons-Beekeeping-Keith-Delaplane/dp/0915698129

Best wishes,
Ed


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

Oldbee said:


> Have you decided where to place the hives; a spot of level ground? What are you using for hive stands? If you don't have a wood pallet or something like that, you can use a couple of 2x4's or 2x6's for the hives to sit on [preferably temporarily] rather than just on the ground. Maybe you are all prepared for this, I'm not sure.
> 
> _"I will be fine with them, i like critters of all kinds."
> 
> _That's a good start. Sometimes, people that want to keep bees nowadays have very little experience with these kinds of things. If I were a mentor, that's one of the qualities I would like to see.


He set up a spot with cinder blocks with sheet metal on them just inside the tree line, it is shady there. It is not where I would have put it but this is suppose to be his thang.
The bee keeper is sending a helper with the hives, i hope he knows stuff cause i got lots of questions for him when he gets here. and i don't know when he is getting here, my hubby is working night right now and i got to pump him for information.. guess he is tired.
What is recipe for sugar syrup 1to1 ?


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## MrHappy (Feb 10, 2012)

If you have a little money, a jacket with a zip on hood is the first thing I'd get. I had a hat\veil that just went under my arms and I had 3 bees get under it in a week. After 5 stings in a week I got so fed up with them that I sent the hive back to the person that I got it from the first week. I know now that is was because I got them in Sept and they were mad that there was no food and stuff, but if I had a suit or at least a jacket, I would have had the confidence to keep them. Gear to me is the biggest. It turns a like into a love.

Hive setup stuff... Like others have said, just set it and forget it for a while. I've heard a few people say that you should stick grass or straw or something kind of like an entrance reducer for the first few weeks. This makes it so that if you have invading bees, they have to make their way through a maze and then the guard bees can get to them before they make it through. The other idea though is to make the queen feel like she is safe and that she can't get out. The bees will move the grass to get themselves out so that isn't a problem.

If you get a good area, in the sun but with a bit of noon shade since you are in Tx, and have them put the hive there, you should have a few weeks to do all the reading and ordering you want.

I found I got way to much stuff, but I think it's better to have to much than not enough. I got 6-7 med boxes with 10 frames each, for each hive. If you are going to be the one doing the keeping of the bees, you might want to make sure you get mediums for the honey area, unless you are SuperWoman. A med box with 10 frames, filled with honey, can weigh 50-80lb. If it's the larger deeps, then it can be about 100lb. Some just take out a few frames at a time though and move them that way so weight isn't a problem.

Hope you have fun.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

MeriB said:


> As far as a suit goes, I have kept bees for three years now. I wear a long sleeves, fairly heavy shirt and jeans. Be sure you have a good hat with veil. A good fitting pair of oldfashioned dishwashing gloves is fairly sting resistant, give great coverage and doesn't make your hand sweat like medical gloves! Find a mentor, even a starter hive can be scary if you have never worked a hive before. Take your time and dont forget to breath!!
> Blessed Be!
> Meridith


Good info thank you, see the suit is an XL and i am 5.1" foot tall and small so it would probly be really baggy.
I I work around bees in my gardens all the time, never been stung buy them just them darn guinea wasp when we meet while i am cleaning up an area.
You folks are my mentors, i got no desire to travel out of my confort zone unless i just have to, honestly i do better learning things on my own , it just sinks in better so that little light comes on in my head and i go "OH now i understand.


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## MrHappy (Feb 10, 2012)

There is a big difference between a forging bee coming to your flower and a guard bee when you go to her hive. I would order a jacket for yourself ASAP. If you ever want to go out with your hubby you are going to need it anyways. Bees land on things and crawl up. That is one reason you should make sure your pant legs are tied\rubber banded and your hood is under your shirt. This also means that if your jacket isn't tight at the waist, then they will crawl up and get inside the jacket. You can read all kinds of people that have started stripping in front of people with a bee that got up their pant leg. lol

As for the questions, you can just make up a few posts here and we can try to answer anything you have. I know I started 30-40 the first few weeks I started. I also emailed my mentor about 20 times a day. Try finding out where the local beekeeping guild is around you and email them to see if someone can be your mentor. Yes, I learn better by just doing it, but if you have 20 bees just walking around on the ground it's really nice to be able to just ask someone too.


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

MeriB said:


> As far as a suit goes, I have kept bees for three years now. I wear a long sleeves, fairly heavy shirt and jeans. Be sure you have a good hat with veil. A good fitting pair of oldfashioned dishwashing gloves is fairly sting resistant, give great coverage and doesn't make your hand sweat like medical gloves! Find a mentor, even a starter hive can be scary if you have never worked a hive before. Take your time and dont forget to breath!!
> Blessed Be!
> Meridith


Meridith is right.A suit isn't necessary when working just a few hives.I am going into my 52nd year with bees and have never owned a suit nor felt that I needed one.I wear jeans and a tee shirt unless the girls are testy.In that case I add a white sweatshirt.Oh,and a hat and veil always. 
Now,I will be the first to say that if I had hundreds of hives to manage,a suit would be at the top of my list.If you get gentle bees you may be surprised at how easy they are to work.Slow,easy movements and no slamming boxes,tops and supers.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

One part sugar to one part water is fine. Since these are established hives, they should have a couple of frames of honey inside so, no need to worry about feeding right now.


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

I would second the advice on reading a book like Dummies Guide to Beekeeping. It answers most of the questions you will have in your first year and you can refer to it as a reference when needed. Perhaps the best $12 you can spend right now.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

rweakley said:


> I know there are bad apples in any group, but I would like to think most beekeepers who are selling hives or nucs or packages are doing the best they can to put out a good product. I know that when I sell a nuc I try to make sure it is rocking and rolling with a queen who is laying a good pattern.


Same. I don't even sell old frames, eventually they'll get junked.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

gone2seed said:


> Meridith is right.A suit isn't necessary when working just a few hives.I am going into my 52nd year with bees and have never owned a suit nor felt that I needed one.I wear jeans and a tee shirt unless the girls are testy.In that case I add a white sweatshirt.Oh,and a hat and veil always.
> Now,I will be the first to say that if I had hundreds of hives to manage,a suit would be at the top of my list.If you get gentle bees you may be surprised at how easy they are to work.Slow,easy movements and no slamming boxes,tops and supers.


 Thanks for the info, is there a reason the shirt is white?
I am good with slow easy movments, i have lots of free range peafowl, guineas,geese and other fowl here and i walk amongst them all threw the day.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

If you are going to use Beesource in place of a mentor, may I suggest that you plan on learning how to post photos here. Its usually much easier to figure out a solution to a problem when you can show us the problem.

A convenient way to post photos is to open a _free_ account at Photobucket.com (or a similar service), and then post a link here. Photobucket will even create the link for you to easily copy and paste. You might want to practice this before you have a crisis.

_Oldbee_'s sugar water recipe is correct, but it helps to know that ratio is by weight, i.e. 8 lbs of sugar to 1 gallon (8 lbs) of water. The sugar will dissolve better with very hot water. You may find it convenient to put 5 lbs of sugar in a gallon jug, then top off the jug with hot water, the ratio is _close enough_.


There is some reason to believe that the bees will tolerate white clothing better (less stinging response) than dark clothing. Some believe that this might be related to _dark _bears seeing hives as a delicious food source, and the bees not very much into that program.


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

MrHappy said:


> Bees land on things and crawl up. That is one reason you should* make sure your pant legs are tied\rubber banded and your hood is under your shirt.* This also means that if your jacket isn't tight at the waist, then they will crawl up and get inside the jacket. You can read all kinds of people that have started stripping in front of people with a bee that got up their pant leg. lol


Sage advice, as there is no such thing as modesty when a venomous stinging insect is buzzing around "down stairs".
Enjoy the bees read, read and you guessed it read some more. Do not be afraid of making mistakes, we all have and will make more. Experience, guided by knowledge, is the best teacher.


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## Spark (Feb 24, 2011)

Taz there are some TexIcan's (I know but its funny) beekeepers here Lazy Shooter, Avalonweddings and a few others you could find out if they are close to you they would help you out if needed. I will say I wear my boots now when working the hives because the bees got down into my sneakers last year and I didn't come out on the good end of the stick inch:


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> If you are going to use Beesource in place of a mentor, may I suggest that you plan on learning how to post photos here. Its usually much easier to figure out a solution to a problem when you can show us the problem.
> 
> A convenient way to post photos is to open a _free_ account at Photobucket.com (or a similar service), and then post a link here. Photobucket will even create the link for you to easily copy and paste. You might want to practice this before you have a crisis.
> 
> ...


 Ok i am trying to post a painting i did a while back.


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

And you are wasting your time with bees? 
That is amazing.:applause:


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

RiodeLobo said:


> Sage advice, as there is no such thing as modesty when a venomous stinging insect is buzzing around "down stairs".
> Enjoy the bees read, read and you guessed it read some more. Do not be afraid of making mistakes, we all have and will make more. Experience, guided by knowledge, is the best teacher.


 Well i don't have to worry about neighbors see me if i have to get out of my cloths cause i don't have neighbors out here.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

RiodeLobo said:


> And you are wasting your time with bees?
> That is amazing.:applause:


AW thanks i love critters.
Here is the photo i took for my painting.








Guess i will be painting bees soon LOL


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

Tazcan said:


> Well i don't have to worry about neighbors see me if i have to get out of my cloths cause i don't have neighbors out here.


Yeah but at some point you will probably want to show off. I got my chance to when my brother and his teenage sons (and female friends) were out with me. They got the live version of the "dance with no pants". Last time I ever forgot to strap my pant legs snug onto my boots.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

RiodeLobo said:


> Yeah but at some point you will probably want to show off. I got my chance to when my brother and his teenage sons (and female friends) were out with me. They got the live version of the "dance with no pants". Last time I ever forgot to strap my pant legs snug onto my boots.


How funny.
The bees are going on high ground by a pond i swim in so if worse comes to worse i can jump in the pond.
Sure my ducks and geese would love for me to go swimming with them. LOL


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

The bees are supose to be here within an hour but the boxs will remain closed till tomorrow when the bee keeper will come and show hubby what to do, i have to keep my guardian dogs away so i will be getting second hand info from hubby i guess.
There was a bee club here once called golden triangle bee keepers but it went belly up from what i found but thats ok you all are helping me and i will get it figured out and have fun doing so.


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## Nantom670 (Jul 29, 2011)

There are a lot of nice utube video's on installing a package of bees. This one here is where the wife filming stands firm until the end, then she gets out of Dodge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5lzdKqdvE 
I believe you can just click on it or paste it into your search column, you will love it.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks natom670,
i have watch alot of videos but haven't seen that one.
The bees arrived safe and i helped the guy carry one hive with no problems, he took the top off and gave me a bit of info on them and they were as calm as could be no smoke needed.
Kinda freaked me out at first cause i thought he was just dropping them off as a helper and i only had on a tank top and jeans but he took the top off showed me some honey they were making.
I do however smell like a cow paddy, guess there was some Pooh on the truck or hive.
My journey has begun.. a new chapter in my book of life after i take a shower that is..this cow pooh is smelly


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

When you get a jacket or veil, I learned the hard way that you must tuck in ALL of your clothes and pant legs or bind the pant legs and sleeves or YOU WILL have a surprise guest or two crawl up them. Normally those bees crawl around lost and sting you when the clothing binds up and crunches them. Also, if you get a jacket, when you bend over and a gap forms, the bees WILL find it. My hives are pretty well established at this point and definitely not so gentle - mostly because they are jammed with bees and don't take any crud from those silly humans in white suits.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Nantom670 said:


> This one here is where the wife filming stands firm until the end, then she gets out of Dodge.


 How does that poor man get ANYTHING done with a wife like that?


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

Oldtimer said:


> How does that poor man get ANYTHING done with a wife like that?


 Ain't that the truth, That there is a drama queen for sure.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

I read you were concerned about the helper coming.
As a person who employs people to help with bees, I would never send a person who could not answer all your questions.
That said, having the beekeeper show up the next day...PRICELESS!!!! You have found your mentor. He might get busy so have another live person on hand incase.
Learn about the diseases and how to control them, the pests too...they are infact worse.
Recommend....go to this beekeeper's place and work hives with him for a day or two, beekeepers love to share information. Working for him for a time will give you more confidence and knowledge than you could imaging.
*
*
*
*
Get a suit!!!!!! You need one. Funny thing with bee...in the words of Pooh bear..."Christopher Robin, you just never can tell with bees!"
One day nice and calm, the next, a low pressure is on its way in and the bees are a crusty, or its a dearth and bees are aggressicve and defensive of *their* honey
Best of Luck


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks for the advice honeyshack,
I checked on them this morning, there were a few flying in and out, it's still pretty cool out.
The fella that came was suppose to be the helper but when i got to talking to him he led me to believe he was the owner so until the bee keeper shows up today i will be confused.
When he set the hives he opened up the entrance all the way and then told me to put 1 quart of syrup in the reservoir once a week for 3 weeks then add the super is this what you do also?


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

Oldtimer-
The same way _I_ get anything done...leaver her home when you don't absolutely need an assistant, and be prepared for her to "bug out" on you w/no notice at all times when she's assisting! LOL I get stuff done, but it often takes a LOT longer than planned, especially if she gets a sting or two!


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

I am in Manitoba Canada, so what we do is different because beekeeping is very regional.
That said, feed while they still take it but do not store it. Once they start storing it, they will become honey bound. When they start to store it, you will see several frames with clear liquid in it. Do not mistake that for feed close to the brood on the same frame.

New packages go through alot of feed. Drawing out comb takes alot of energy. What was it...7-11 pounds of consumed honey to 1 pound of beewax?. As well, feeding themselves and raising brood. Nutrition is everything at this stage.


The bees in the package are a mixture of young and old. When a queen lays an egg, it takes 21 days (there abouts) for the worker to emerge. Once emerged, it does not become a forager. Contrary to the bee movie, a bee does not get a life long job on the fly.
The bee goes through stages. When it emgerges, they clean and feed it. Then the bee becomes a hive cleaner, moves up to nurse bee which feeds the larva and the queen. There are wax cappers, feed packers and storers. Then life moves to security and scouts of the hive after the orientation flight. (I am sure i have missed many hive jobs) Then on to the final job, foragers for pollen and nectar. This process takes about three weeks, give or take on the hive needs. During the foraging season, bees live approximately 6 weeks. They work themselves to death.
During the winter months, the bees which the queen laid in August, live about 6 months. Reason, not alot of foraging happening. A slower pace.
This is the reason, hive health in the fall is paramount. Need the bees to survive a long time. Come spring when they start to get going, they are old and tired and need feed both syrup and pollen in the hive to keep them going.
A package is on double duty. A good package will have a mixture of foragers and nurse bees. A good bought hive, either nuc or single will have the same. This helps things along. But a package is at more of a disadvantage because not only do they have to build comb for the larva, but they need to gather food and raise brood to replace themselves in short order. A nuc or a hive which is purchased, has the advantage because it will have some brood and larva placing them ahead in the building process.
Now do not be alarmed. Do not wish you had bought one over the other. Packages if treated properly will become thriving colonies...just takes them a bit to get there. An advantage of packages over nucs or colonies is, less of a swarming tendancy if the space is = to the bees in the hive. Another advantage is the brood break for varroa increasing.
As for adding the super like clock work, with everything in life, things on a schedule work well. But remember, life also hands us curve balls. So look and learn and assess. What is that saying...If you want to make God laugh, tell Him you plans!


I was thinking on the beesuit thing. And thought...ya know as luck would have it, the day you need one would be the day the supply company was closed, mail is slow and life hits the proverbial snag. So, since life rarely goes as planned and we learn from our mistakes and experiences, I part this advice...having some sort of suit on hand is a necessity for a beekeeper. Might be rarely used, but really good when needed.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

Tazcan said:


> When he set the hives he opened up the entrance all the way and then told me to put 1 quart of syrup in the reservoir once a week for 3 weeks then add the super is this what you do also?


I usually only give a new hive about 1.5"x3/8" opening until they fill the box up a bit....BUT if they're his hives, he knows more about their strength than I do; maybe he gave you fully stocked hives so no need for the reducers? (How many boxes were there, and how many frames were "covered in bees" when he opened the tops to show you?)


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

robherc said:


> Oldtimer-
> The same way _I_ get anything done...leaver her home when you don't absolutely need an assistant, and be prepared for her to "bug out" on you w/no notice at all times when she's assisting! LOL I get stuff done, but it often takes a LOT longer than planned, especially if she gets a sting or two!


As the female beekeeper in this family, I am at a loss for words as to how to reply to this quote. Not sure if i should take it in a slight offense or in jest. I will say this, you are missing out on some great husband wife time if you send her packing. It could be a good couples hobby or business. A good way to spend time together.

"Honey, wanna go on a date and look at the bees with me?" You could either get a pot upside the head, or a pleasant smile and a thank you, and then have an amazing day together. All in the delivery and the moment.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

honeyshack said:


> Not sure if i should take it in a slight offense or in jest.


No offense was intended; my wife was laughing as she watched me type it. I guess partly because she knows there are VERY few times when I'm working bees and DON'T "absolutely need an assistant"...and that there have been dozens of times when I've been standing there, covered in bees (and stings, which I have a bad physiological reaction to), cursing because she dropped the light & ran, so now I can't see what I'm doing 'til she regains her composure. It's all a matter of knowing your spouse, and how to expect them to react to things I think. :banana:

Back _somewhat_ on-topic, if the OP ever has any BIG problems & wants someone to "come help!" or "come take a look," we live about 3.5hrs away from her, but my wife's been looking for an excuse to go visit her friends who just moved to Houston anywise.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

robherc said:


> I usually only give a new hive about 1.5"x3/8" opening until they fill the box up a bit....BUT if they're his hives, he knows more about their strength than I do; maybe he gave you fully stocked hives so no need for the reducers? (How many boxes were there, and how many frames were "covered in bees" when he opened the tops to show you?)[/QUOTE
> 
> From what i saw when he pulled out a frame from almost the middle had bees and cone,don't know what was in them but they were capped.
> From what i understand these hives were started in feb of this year but i will know for sure when i get to talk to him today.
> ...


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

honeyshack said:


> I am in Manitoba Canada, so what we do is different because beekeeping is very regional.
> That said, feed while they still take it but do not store it. Once they start storing it, they will become honey bound. When they start to store it, you will see several frames with clear liquid in it. Do not mistake that for feed close to the brood on the same frame.
> 
> New packages go through alot of feed. Drawing out comb takes alot of energy. What was it...7-11 pounds of consumed honey to 1 pound of beewax?. As well, feeding themselves and raising brood. Nutrition is everything at this stage.
> ...


Thank you so much for this information, it has helped me soo very much.
I was tring to learn how bees start and finish their life cycle and what their jobs are and this post has given me what i need to understand them, better and in simple terms.
See i have a few learning disabilities, one is if i read to much at one time it gets all mixed up in my head and never makes sense when i try to understand it, but crop it down in simple terms and i can understand it. 
with this i am able to use what i have learned and find out more things about them.
Hope that made sense to you.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

I am glad it helped. Did the beekeeper come out the next day? 
Reading is good, but until you actually get your hands in there, and see all of what goes on, it sounds overwhelming. 

Take a thought at helping that beekeeper guy for a few days. The amount you will learn will fill many many more books.


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

honeyshack said:


> I am glad it helped. Did the beekeeper come out the next day?
> Reading is good, but until you actually get your hands in there, and see all of what goes on, it sounds overwhelming.
> 
> Take a thought at helping that beekeeper guy for a few days. The amount you will learn will fill many many more books.


Well the keeper could not make it, he got stuck in a cow pasture(lots of rain here) anyhow i know he just moved away from my area from what my husband said (hate second hand info) and i no nothing about this person , only what i learned in 15 minutes and i am a girl so i am a very cautious.

The bees are really calm, i do wonder what kind they are.
Hey do you know of a Jeff Brack that is the person that has the bees.


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## larryskipper (Jun 8, 2011)

Tazcan I live in Orange county off of Allie Payne Rd. was wondering if you have the contact and phone # of the person who sold you the bees. I'm looking for a coulpe of more hives.
thanks.
Larry


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## mrobinson (Jan 20, 2012)

How peculiar. My wife and I love to work with the bees _together._ And to watch the bees _together._ It has always been the case. :gh:


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

larryskipper said:


> Tazcan I live in Orange county off of Allie Payne Rd. was wondering if you have the contact and phone # of the person who sold you the bees. I'm looking for a coulpe of more hives.
> thanks.
> Larry


Sent ya a PM


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

mrobinson said:


> How peculiar. My wife and I love to work with the bees _together._ And to watch the bees _together._ It has always been the case. :gh:


 We live on a farm and while we have lots of animals here my DH doesn't take any part of taking care of them, he likes to look at them but the upkeep and such is left up to me, so when he decided to get some bee's i was hoping it could be his thing and he is building hives for the future but hasn't done much reserch still so i am the one that looks up things for him.
I don't mind i like them but i think sometimes people need something that is just their thing kinda like the man cave thing LOL


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