# Trying to figure out what kind of hive I have.



## BrianTurner (Dec 28, 2011)

I caught some wild/feral bees, made a hive and some frames, started with just bees no wax no comb not anything, my frames are rectangular that are open on the inside with a few lines of thread between them [==] <- is about what they look like. my bees filled them in with wax now, so they are a rectangle filled with comb, they live in their hive, and do their thing, I have never "fed" them, haven't ever added anything to the hive (chemical or else-wise) and about the only thing I've ever done that was not natural was killed a few wax moths I saw hanging out by my hive and crushed a few SHB when I checked on my bees. I also have a wax moth trap hanging in a tree about 40 feet from my hive. I am wondering what category of Bee keeping do I fall into? Thanks for the help.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Can't say.

What is your wax moth trap like?


----------



## BrianTurner (Dec 28, 2011)

a banana peel rotting in water, inside of a 2 liter bottle with a hole in the side of the bottle.


----------



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

> I am wondering what category of Bee keeping do I fall into? 

The 'frugal' category.


----------



## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

If you fall into a category, you might just be clumsy.

Crazy Roland with a Crazy answer


----------



## BrianTurner (Dec 28, 2011)

I wouldn't say I'm "Frugal" as my reason is not that I wish to save money, I have no problems spending, I think bees have gotten by just fine in nature without human intervention and since I am not commercially producing anything I think that they can continue on their natural life-cycle without my interference. 

"fall into" :lpf:


----------



## Daddy'sBees (Jul 1, 2010)

You are just a naturalist, which is cool. I too run feral bees. I am into saving the feral bees in my area. They are really sweet and do well, when we are not in a major drought. Then I feed them, to help them after a cut-out, or etc. Check it out: http://www.daddysbees.com


----------



## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

I like this thread - my kinda beekeeping


----------



## Daddy'sBees (Jul 1, 2010)

Thank you Gypsi !!!! We just love saving our feral bees from certain death!!!


----------



## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

You just reminded me where I started from, and I believe I'm going back there. I don't want to be a commercial beek. I just like bees.


----------



## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

Brian, you remind me of the kind of person who keeps birdhouses. A nice little house here, a bird feeder there. It's refreshing.

Carry on.

Watch out though. There are those who would classify you as a bee-haver. It's alright though. I get called all kinds of things.


----------



## BrianTurner (Dec 28, 2011)

Gypsi- Thank you, I'm flattered. I love bees, ever since I was a kid, and it really made me flip when the Florida utilities guy just wanted to blow torch the ones in my water meter, so I hastily threw together a hive, made some frames and the rest is history. 

Solomon Parker- haha that's quaintly something I have done. you got me pegged. May I ask what is a "Bee-haver"


----------



## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

I think a bee-haver is where I started when I paid a local beek to set up a hive on my lot. 

A beekeeper is what I became when the situation hit crisis.


----------



## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

> It's alright though. I get called all kinds of things.


I'd offer to call you a ton of things, but unfortunately, most of them are derogatory. I much prefer to stay out of that "category" since as Roland pointed out, I might be construed as clumsy.

DarJones


----------



## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

A cool hive - that's what kind.


----------



## BrianTurner (Dec 28, 2011)

Fusion_power said:


> I'd offer to call you a ton of things, but unfortunately, most of them are derogatory.


 If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all


David LaFerney said:


> A cool hive - that's what kind.


 Thanks

Bee-haver is fine by me, I do have bees after all. I have only harvested honey once, and without proper equipment, it was a nightmare I care not to repeat.


----------



## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

BrianTurner said:


> If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all
> Thanks
> 
> Bee-haver is fine by me, I do have bees after all. I have only harvested honey once, and without proper equipment, it was a nightmare I care not to repeat.


I cannot imagine trying to harvest honey without proper equipment, at least a suit. That would be a nightmare!


----------



## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

I have two bee suits in my closet. Neither has been used in so many years I've forgotten when last I had one on. 

BT, I wasn't offering to call you names, just pointing out that calling someone a bee haver is pretty bad around here.

Harvesting honey is relatively easy if you have some clean 5 gallon buckets and some time. Make a strainer out of some nylon cloth, you can even use a clean nylon if you choose. Cut the honey from the colony and place it into a bucket. When finished harvesting, carry the bucket indoors and squeeze the honey out of the comb by hand. Pour the liquid honey into a second bucket with the nylon strainer tightly tied over the top. Let it settle for 2 days and skim any foam off the top and jar up the honey.


----------



## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

Well, with AHB buzzing around Texas, on unknown bees I'm wearing mine, although I'm dreaming of an ultrabreeze jacket and just blue jeans and boots some day.


----------



## BrianTurner (Dec 28, 2011)

Gypsi said:


> I cannot imagine trying to harvest honey without proper equipment, at least a suit. That would be a nightmare!


 I work a cotton hoodie, some shorts, and saftey glasses (cause you gotta be safe) I got stung twice. not too bad, they were sure mad for day after that though. 



Fusion_power said:


> I have two bee suits in my closet. Neither has been used in so many years I've forgotten when last I had one on.
> 
> BT, I wasn't offering to call you names, just pointing out that calling someone a bee haver is pretty bad around here.
> 
> Harvesting honey is relatively easy if you have some clean 5 gallon buckets and some time.


 I thought you were talking about Solomon, So...Bee-haver is bad? Oh thanks for that tip, you can call me whatever, it's probably true. 
well I had both of those(time and bucket), I used an unused suction device from when I was a Paramedic and went cell by cell to get honey out. quite tedious... why does honey foam if you filter it through nylons?


----------



## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

BrianTurner said:


> why does honey foam if you filter it through nylons?


It's mostly just the entrained air bubbles rising to the surface. I leave it on, more natural that way.


----------



## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

With the way things have been in recent history with bees, being a "bee-haver" can't be such a bad thing. All of my bee journals are always talking about how bad the overwintering is and about how packages will be scarce every spring. If they can survive without your intervention, you are ahead. Bees didn't need our intervention for hundred's of thousands of years, perhaps people could just call you cool.


----------

