# What's the biggest mistake (s) you made starting out?



## trance (Mar 29, 2013)

I can watch a Million Youtube Videos on "How to" but IMO another important learning tool that many keepers don't post on youtube is their mistakes (some do) when starting out. Everyone seems so eager to show you how well they are doing and how you should do it but what about mistakes? I know people come on forums for help and what did they do wrong and that helps to a point but as a new Bee Keeper (myself or others) sometimes even when we think we understand the basics, we don't always understand. Getting your hands wet, jumping in and all that is fine but I would love to hear some stories of things that went wrong solely for the purpose of learning and trying to avoid making those same mistakes (Learning from others mistakes).

If anyone is willing to share some embarrassing moments.:shhhh:


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

#1 thing I did wrong, and it cost me my first 2-3 hives, is I gave my first bees I got (from cut-outs) too much comb for them to fully cover/guard. The bees were left too weak, and the poorly guarded stores attracted Wax Moths, Small Hive Beetles, robber bees, and worst of all, the Fire Ants...between them, I almost gave up on beekeeping before I figured out what I was doing wrong!


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Used a Boardman feeder. Waste of time, they never could build up properly and ended up starving to death. Southern raised Italian queen is also not a good fit for my climate, they eat all their stores raising brood in a dearth.

Two big fat hives this year from swarms, doing great, will pull splits in a couple weeks or whenever it warms up enough.

Peter


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## GLOCK (Dec 29, 2009)

Mine was ventilation make sure you have ventilation.
And ware your bee suit the first year your hives are building they get more aggressive as time gos on don't think you become one with your bees it take years. Still lots to learn here.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

1. feeding (following the advice of others) is totally not necessary in my area.

2. Offering advice too early. Most of which was taken the wrong way.


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## Wyvern (Jun 4, 2011)

A better question for me would be "What did you do right?" The amazing thing is, they survived anyway!


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## trance (Mar 29, 2013)

Edited... Got my answer


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

My mistake was increasing colony numbers before I had the knowledge necssary to properly care for them.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

I thought:
I could solve the mite problem if I tried every new thing that came along, or, experimented enough 
The bees were not doing what they were supposed to and it was up to me to fix it
Every book written about Honey bees applied to me and mine

I'll contribute to this thread in installments LOL 
Rick


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## the doc (Mar 3, 2010)

#1 mistake - underestimating the destructive force known as varroa destructor (well named)


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## Michigan Hobby (Feb 24, 2005)

Wishing I had heard about using ALL medium supers for ALL my hive bodies when I first got started instead of buying and using deeps/medium/shallow. Would have been so much better for uniformity and ease on the back lifting those deep brood boxes full of bees and honey.


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## the doc (Mar 3, 2010)

The use of all mediums was probably the smartest decision i made (purely by luck)


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## alchemybees (Feb 10, 2013)

My very first install ever was a package. In my excitement, I didn't zip up the suit properly and got bees inside. After several stings I took off the suit but by then had the smell on me. Bees followed me and got in my hair. After 3 stings, I got my Warre hive closed up and got far enough away. Note to self: zip up properly.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

I have of course done a bunch of stuff that is instantly recognizable as a mistake. Those kind of mistakes are usually easier to correct and learn from.
I think the biggest mistake that I may have made is unrecognizable as a mistake now. I'm sure I'll see I once I'm in really deep. Is it box size? The cleats I put on boxes and the goofy lids I use with them? 

An example, I'd like to one day hot dip my boxes there is a few different ways with a few different ingredients. It may take 20 years to know if the method I choose was a mistake.

If you need one to avoid now....
Moving strong hives on a warm night without strapping them together or screening them in. That didnt go smooth!


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## Buzzen (May 13, 2009)

Not paying enough attention the second year. Didn't want to disturb them as much as the first year, so ended up losing to varroa. Also lost one this winter due to moisture, didn't get them set up for winter in time. Will be starting again this spring.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

When I put up the electric fence around my bee yard I didn't take into account that it should be convenient for the lawn tractor/trailer; I've been stepping over a crotch high fence for a couple of years carrying full supers. Sometimes I remembered to turn it off...
Today, I did the grown up thing and moved it. I can't say that I have not had time to fix it before, but I find myself making stuff I want to make in my shed instead of doing the things I should.


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## BigGun (Oct 27, 2011)

Listening to one of the local experts. He advised me to cut swarm cells out of a hive that went queen less after swarming.


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## oldfordguy (Dec 5, 2009)

Leaking feeder started robbing.


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## smith (Mar 7, 2009)

This wasn't a starting out mistake, but a mistake none the less: We run about a dozen hives and have never experienced robbing. We heard about it, but never have had it occur. UNTIL...One night in our haste to finish up we accidentally left a top cover slightly ajar. That started it and we ended up losing two hives once robbing got established. And it was a tough habit to break. Moral of the story: Don't rush!


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

1) Shoulda went all deeps- I dont really move my hives anyways

2) Shoulda got into using nucs sooner and northern queens, not the generally inferior queens sent in packages 

3) Worry with small cell , and regression. I tried to fix a problem I never had 

Things I did right were, keep a record of blooming plants in my area, and did start using plastic foundation, never wasted money on a extractor, figured out hive condesation problems, and bought a table saw to make some basic beeking wooden ware- oh and Tite bond : }


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

I made many big and small mistakes being a new beekeeper.
And will continue to do so until I have learn them all. Life is a never ending learning journey for me I think. 
Here is my long list to share as a beginner beekeeper. Hoping others will not make the same mistakes like I did.
Getting the bees.
1. Not wearing any protective gear to carry
the bee hives not realizing that they have multiple entrances. Got zapped 6 times in one night.
2. Not properly covering the hives when brought them home thinking a breathable car cover will do. Bees flying all over at the farm.
3. Not having enough people to help carry the bee hives out of my truck while the bees got out by the hours. Another big mistakes there.
4. Set 2 hives on top of an ant hill. Got both killed my first season. 
5. Sprinkled DE under the hive stand which does not prevent the ants from killing my hives. 
6. Open up the brood nest in late Fall when they should have been building up for winter. Did not know this method is call checker boarding on beesource later on.
7. Smoking the nurse bees when not needed. Thinking all bees should bee smoked on a hive check. 
8. Dumping the nurse bees on few frames of open honey not knowing they cannot fly but thinking they can clean up the whole mess afterward. What a bad mistakes!
9. Feeding too much sugar syrup in a big gallon bottle inside the hive. The syrup leaked all over the bottom while some bees got stuck on the syrup.
10. Punch a small hole on the gallon bottle thinking that will help to get the syrup out faster. A disaster end result.
11. Releasing another queen too fast into an aggressive hive without proper waiting period. They balled on her alright. Lose queen #1
12. Releasing a frame of aggressive bees into a queen right hive thinking this will help to increase the population. The poor queen got killed the next week right in front of my own eyes. Lose queen #2
13. Expanding too fast on splits without enough equipments to support when they grow.
14. Not feeding enough when it is time for them to grow.
15. Not keeping my hives close enough for a close monitoring.


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## DRAKOS (Oct 17, 2011)

My bigest mistake is managing hives without a plan.
Wanting to increase my hive numbers, and have some honey also.
Ended with no hives and no honey.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

beepro said:


> I made many big and small mistakes being a new beekeeper.


Choosing "beepro" as your username should be added to your list...



For me, not recognizing robbing was my largest, first mistake. With hives being 22 miles away it wasn't easy to observe.


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## DonShackelford (Jan 17, 2012)

DRAKOS said:


> Wanting to increase my hive numbers, and have some honey also.
> Ended with no hives and no honey.


I did the same thing last year in the worst drought in our history. Paid the price. Now putting Mann lake feeders with caps and ladders in all hives.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

This would make a good Bee Keeping Book. Not based on regional bee keeping.  Huummmm,,,,, Let's call it,,,"These Bee Mistakes" 
Rick


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Spending more money on equipment I didn't really need when I should have bought a second hive. Starting with one hive gives you no extra resources and nothing in comparison to the one you're managing. Having a second hive makes the yard almost "easier" to manage. I still have most of that old equipment laying around just waiting to be used someday.....


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## NCbeek (Mar 23, 2011)

1.Thought my hives were building up so quickly in the spring that surely I would get a bumper crop, so I left them alone without an inspection. I was wrong, they were building up to swarm in front of me and I didn't know it. After second swarm, that I know of, I started learning something.
2.With my bees, which tip the scale on the agressive side, any fast movement promotes a prompt response. Had to learn to slow down or deal with many angry bees on my gloves, veil and hive tool. Slow deliberate motions and standing without casting a shadow over them helps. Oh, and never let sweat drip in the hive:no:


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

1.) Not fully understanding seasonal changes throughout the year and the corresponding shifts in colony goals and behavior. I experienced swarming frustration, lost a lot of honey production, and was sometimes late getting the colonies prepared for winter. It's imperative to know your bloom dates and local weather patterns very well. Once that is achieved you have a baseline to tie your beekeeping management strategy to.
2.) Thinking that I had enough equipment ready to go.


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## alchemybees (Feb 10, 2013)

trance - best thread ever! Thank you.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

This is what I think is the bigest, OR at least the one that had the most profound effect.

I got started in bees Way over 30 years ago. I was in FFA and a fellow advisor was a beekeeper. Him and I became friends and he shared his bee keeping with me. A few years later he passed away his wife had to sell out, and she gave me his bees, and equipment. Old bob had instilled the interest in me but had not given me near enough education on bees. Suddenly I had 4 hives to take care of. I moved the hives to my place. (the whole reason Karen gave them to me) got them set up. And began enjoying my new girls. I often sat by the hives reading books on beekeeping.. I had placed the hives on a hill in the pasture only 100 yards from a spring fed pond. So my girls would have ample fresh water. When fall rolled around I could not wait to harvest the sweet rewards of my new found hobby. I made sure to leave ample stores for the girls on each hive. Winter came and went. On the first nice spring day my wife and I went to the apiary to check the girls and put on feeders, switch the hive bodies and whatever needed done to get them started for the year. Now mind you this was in the days before varroa mites, and CCD. ALL THE HIVES WERE DEAD!! May heart sank as my wife stood beside me sobbing at the loss of our beloved charges, what happened? What went Wrong, What Have I done? I spent that entire summer bee less. Rather than ruin more colonies, I spent every Tuesday and Thursday at the community collage taking courses on bee keeping, the management, the science, and the marketing. The best $400.00 I ever spent… 
I learned the hill with its north west exposure was not a good choice for an apiary especially for unwrapped solitary hives. The wind simply pounded the hives until the girls could no longer stand it. Thirty years 3000 hives and 30,000 pounds of honey later I still attend every seminar I can, I take mini courses at university extensions and community collages. I have over the years lost many colonies, starvation during hard winters. Poor producing queens, reasons no one can explain. But only 4 to sheer ignorance. 
I share my experiences and the bits of information I have been taught or have scraped out of my experiences with 4-H clubs, FFA members, Boy scouts, and any organization, group or individual that will have me. I do so for the love of bees, for those who will save them, and as pennants for those I killed.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

GETTING STARTED! Now........ I'm addicted. lol


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## OzarkBee (May 1, 2011)

Really enjoying this thread! Since I'm just three years in, I feel sure there are many more mistakes to be made...but so far:

1. Starting with only one hive. I started a package in brand new equipment and bare foundation and they absconded shortly afterwards. Felt terrible, but also couldn't find any more bees to buy by then, till our bee club president gifted me with a caught swarm that did great. Would start with two hives if I had it to do over, mainly to be able to compare the two during inspections, also to have a backup if one is lost. 

2. NOT starting with all medium equipment, despite my mentor's suggestion. I've nearly rotated out all the non-med equipment. There's just no substitute for being able to mix/match everything as needed.


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## trance (Mar 29, 2013)

alchemybees said:


> trance - best thread ever! Thank you.


 Thank you!


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## seal62 (Apr 17, 2011)

Sent a check to Russells .


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

Mistake,,,sorta,,,,Not finding/using this forum when I got back into beekeeping after 30 years! Books are fine,,,but,,,nothing like a problem stated and a point by point answer, advise, opinion from someone who has been there. It is good to get humbled. 
Rick


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Books are one point of view and you have to read all the gobbledy **** wording because they have to reach some quota on word count to get paid it seems to me. That is what I like about beesourse, just spill your guts and get it over with.


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## dleemc1 (Dec 31, 2012)

learn that the queen can be any where in the hive, on the lid or on the inner cover look them over closely to start with


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Cool story ten bears, I enjoyed reading that post.


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## trance (Mar 29, 2013)

I don't have any bees yet but I'm sure I'll make my mistakes but one thing that bothers me (And could lead to mistakes) is watching Youtube videos that are titled, "How to" do something regarding bees and after the video is over and I'm thinking I learned something only to read the comments below that people are making correcting the person in the video. The person in the video who is teaching you "How to" replies, this is my first hive at day 1X. (ERRRRRRRR!!!!!)


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

trance, how come you don't have a bee hive yet?
Do you need help to get it started? 
I got my first 2 hives after watching you tube for almost 3 weeks.


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## trance (Mar 29, 2013)

beepro: I have 2 Bee hives but no bees. I came late to the party this year. My expected delivery date is Mid May for 2 packages. I could have purchased local bees but I went the Hygiene route so I'll see how that goes. Trust me, waiting has not been easy lol. 

I'm sure it would be great to have someone come by and give me a hand/pointers from time to time (A mentor) or help them but I don't really know anyone that well yet plus I'm the type (like my grandma) who doesn't want to put someone out of their way. For now it's reading the forums, watching youtube and going to meetings/classes. There is a class my son and I are signed up for this Saturday so it will give me a chance to ask questions and interact.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

trance said:


> plus I'm the type (like my grandma) who doesn't want to put someone out of their way.


In general, I think you would find a local beekeeper to be more than willing to provide a little guidance, and it's real handy to be able to share resources when needed. You can also offer to assist with inspections, manipulations, or harvesting... Your mentor could be very happy to have some motivated help. 

Don't be afraid to ask.


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## MelanieWoosley (Nov 11, 2012)

1) never inspect a split which is rearing its own queen in 100+ degree weather: I thought I'd wait til evening when it cooled off a little...bees somehow got into my veil, crawled up my neck and into my ponytail... Duct tape now has a permanent spot in my bee tool box...
2) wear protective gear as a newbie, until you get over your own awkwardness. 
3) move quick enough to get the job done with a purpose but slow enough to not provoke mean tempers.
4) I assumed my "strong" colony would be the one I didn't have to worry about. It's now dead, having been robbed out by what I thought was the "weaker" colony. 

Thanks for starting this thread.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

So far it is not being able to keep up with equipment as my apiary grows. It seems that before I can get the boxes and fraems I need now. I need even more. I have spent the last three weeks or so getting 9 med boxes ready. in that time I could have used two more complete hives.

Other than that is has been to hold onto a dud swarm all last summer waiting to see if it would improve. It is still in my TBH and I am still waiting.


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## SRBrooks (Jun 24, 2012)

I was such a doof at my first install, I didn't know that you still have to remove a cork on the queen cage for the bees to get to the candy plug. This may have worked in my favor, however, because the bees had plenty of time (more than enough time...TONS of time) to accept the queen while their beekeeper developed one iota of sense.

I use top bars, and now know I should have ensured that all my hives had the same size bars. I can't switch things around between hives like other beeks can.

Sondra


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## StacieM (Dec 13, 2012)

I started with one hive. I should have had two. I started it from a swarm, it produced lots of honey, overwintered well until our erratic freeze/thaw cycle got it and they starved/froze. It has been a pain in the butt having one. I bought a package of bees to replace them, and the queen either died or left. I just had to buy a queen to replace her. Wish I had more than one hive to get brood from and have them make a queen. Fingers crossed the three new packages I just installed take off and do well, and that I can catch some swarms this year to fill some more hives. I don't want to ever been left with one hive again.


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

Mistakes I made:
1. Experimenting with foundation pins and such instead of wiring them up correctly like people have been doing for many decades. Caused massive problems that took years to fix.
2. Trying to do a trap out without the benefit of an experienced person on hand.
3. Not learning the mechanics and techniques of expansion early on, being afraid of grafting.



Things I did right, purposely or not:
1. Starting out with a whole bunch of hives (20 packages first day).
2. Starting treatment free and staying treatment free.
3. Built a lot of my own equipment from the beginning. I have never purchased a lid or bottom board. I have built all my own boxes for a number of years now.
4. Following an established beekeeper's model until I could figure out how to do things myself. I did everything the way they did it without a lot of trying to do things on my own without any experience.
5. Getting on BeeSource long BEFORE ordering bees.
6. Asking questions for years before starting to answer them.
7. Starting with and sticking with a single size of box and frame. However, I think it would have been better to have started with mediums as now I am switching over, but like I said before, I was following a model. Switching in the other direction I believe would be a bit more painful.


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## trance (Mar 29, 2013)

I'm not sure I understand this switch to Mediums many are doing. Is it mostly because of the weight of a 10 deep? I also read swapping parts, can't you swap parts with a 10 deep if that's all you have? I think I am missing something here. Can someone clear this up, this has been on my mind but I have not been sure how to really ask.


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

Much of the reason for switching to mediums is for the weight, at least for me and quite a number of others with whom I've communicated. It's certainly not for cost savings because if you do the math, per area of comb, it costs a little more. My extractor also handles twice as many medium frames as deeps which increases the honey production capacity of a single spin-out. Other than the cost, another downside is that you have about a third more frames to go through when inspecting or doing other tasks. In my case, I am buying new frames, making some new boxes, selling old frames in nucs, and then cutting down old boxes to medium size.

A further step would be going Michael Bush's route with 8-frame mediums which are even lighter and offer other characteristics of which you can read about on his website.

As far as swapping goes, you can put medium frames in deep boxes, but the bees will build comb off the bottom of the frames. And you can use deep frames by stacking up two medium boxes with similar effect. The benefit comes in when moving frames around, adding honey or brood from one hive to another. I don't use queen excluders, so honey/brood frames are already interchangeable. It is beneficial for all equipment to be of the same size and interchangeable so things can be moved around with ease without having to concern yourself with frame size and box size matching.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

You can swap within equipment as long as it's the same size. Medium frames will fit all medium boxes since only the height is different. There are some nuances though and some manufactures spec a little differently so you may get more bridge come etc... but most are switching to mediums for the weight issue and they're a little more compact unit to deal with. For example, 3 deeps equals two mediums, economics says 2 deeps is cheaper but when you look at the use per unit, I believe the bees will use the 3 mediums more efficiently, especially for honey supers. Say you get an ok flow, they will fill and cap one deep, then the second deep will be started and probably mostly uncapped honey, some unused frames. But if you had 3 mediums on there, most likely they would get two mediums fully capped and the third will be mostly uncapped nectar leaving you with more frames of capped honey than a single deep. For brood, I would prefer larger frames, but for making splits etc... the same thing applies, you will have more frames available to use with mediums than deeps.


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

Checked hives at night with a flashlight, so they would not bother the neighbors. They didn't and for a couple months I was okay. One night they got a hold of me and that was my last 'night ops'. I was warned but figured I had found a 'Revolutionary New' inspection method. Boy was I red, in more was than one. LOL


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## the doc (Mar 3, 2010)

lol! you can use a red light to look in the darkness. Man are they defensive at night though!


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## honeydrunk (Dec 29, 2012)

Assuming beekeeping equipment was like anything else and I could order it off the internet and have it shipped to Canada!

Also up until now, no mistakes... just "learning experiences" that "build character"


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## Talvez (Jun 12, 2013)

I'm loving this thread although it is starting to lose its momentum. I'm sure there have been many more mistakes. I'd love to contribute but I don't know enough to know I've made mistakes!


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

Michigan Hobby said:


> Wishing I had heard about using ALL medium supers for ALL my hive bodies when I first got started instead of buying and using deeps/medium/shallow. Would have been so much better for uniformity and ease on the back lifting those deep brood boxes full of bees and honey.


Me too.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Solomon Parker said:


> 4. Following an established beekeeper's model until I could figure out how to do things myself. I did everything the way they did it without a lot of trying to do things on my own without any experience.


That is a point worth repeating, Nancy Green ( famous Canadian skier in the 80's) is quoted in saying, and Im para phrasing a bit here "she won by doing what the winners were doing"


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

Michigan Hobby said:


> Wishing I had heard about using ALL medium supers for ALL my hive bodies when I first got started instead of buying and using deeps/medium/shallow. Would have been so much better for uniformity and ease on the back lifting those deep brood boxes full of bees and honey.


I'll second this one....


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## falls pa (May 20, 2013)

my biggest mistake was buying everything, before I knew anything. More to come.........................


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

My biggest mistake was not feeding my 4 new nucs to help them build up. Once I realized my mistake, I started feeding 1:1 syrup and pollen substitute, and they finally started growing. Three of the hives grew enough to survive the first winter, the fourth one froze/starved before spring when the tiny cluster split in half looking for food.


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## bison (Apr 27, 2011)

My list:

- Opening a hive at night with a flashlight. Just not smart.
- Not acting quickly enough when I saw ants on my hives in January. Both dead a few weeks later.
- Not re-queening a mean hive soon enough. I noticed one backyard hive was aggressive in early spring, but it was only when I had to cancel my Mother's Day BBQ that I took action. Hot hives take all the fun out of beekeeping.


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

My big mistake was not following this method. Now I have much retrenching to do.

Originally Posted by Solomon Parker 
4. Following an established beekeeper's model until I could figure out how to do things myself. I did everything the way they did it without a lot of trying to do things on my own without any experience.


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## Lisa Traulsen (Apr 2, 2013)

We live by a river and placed the two hives in a "perfect" spot. Sun hits the opening first thing in the morning, trees keep them shaded in summer, hill blocks the heavy wind, river was several feet below them. Was not counting on the flooding and river levels reaching record levels. We did get the girls moved to higher ground, but several of them couldn't find home. We would have lost one hivem the other would have made it. Building a cement/rock base with steps to move them back. 
Lesson, the rail road tie that is between the hives was not "dropped" off and may have floated there from another river rising. Ya think? :scratch:


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## Kamon A. Reynolds (Apr 15, 2012)

I started off with packages the first few years. that was a mistake that cost me a lot of money.


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## podunk (Jun 14, 2013)

Putting a pollen patty on top a new package at week 4. Thought I'd give them a boost. Immediately became full of SHB larva, just covered with them. Pulled it out and put it in the freezer and figured I just let the bees do their thing. So far so good.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I've had almost 40 years to make mistakes.... too many to count or remember...

Some of the just frustrating ones:

Going into a hive to find that I forgot to pull the plug blocking the candy on the queen cage. Dead queen. The bees had raised another to replace her anyway.

Finding you don't have a lighter to light the smoker after you drove 40 miles to get to the beeyard. Of course you do your work anyway, but the bees are decidedly not as nice.

Finding you don't have your gloves, so I used some fuzzy cloth work gloves. The bees hated them and stung them so much that the venom, even though they never stung through it, made my skin break out. on one finger where they kept hammering it.

Getting to a beeyard and finding out you don't have enough equipment for the splits you were going to do or whatever you planned...

Wondering why the observation hive isn't flying and not raising brood anymore and then realizing you left the entrance blocked from last time you worked it, a week ago...

Some of the heartbreaking ones:

Opening a top feeder to see tens of thousands of drowned bees and then realizing you have a inner cover on it with a notch and the bees were getting in the top...

Closing up a hive because of robbing etc. and losing track of time. Finding it several days later dead from suffocation and heat.

Vacuuming up bees on a hot day at a cutout and opening the vacuum to find sticky, wet, dead bees...


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

trance said:


> I'm not sure I understand this switch to Mediums many are doing. Is it mostly because of the weight of a 10 deep? I also read swapping parts, can't you swap parts with a 10 deep if that's all you have? I think I am missing something here. Can someone clear this up, this has been on my mind but I have not been sure how to really ask.


I grabbed my first full deep at chest height about 3 weeks ago. Started a thread here on it. It was an eye opening experience. I'm moving my deeps to just the first brood chamber and buying nothing but mediums from now on. Will replace the deeps with meds when I need to, Or I'll cut them down as I get them empty.


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## ginkgo (Apr 26, 2013)

1. Not being prepared for disappointment ordering packages (packages tipped, bees drowned).
2. Buying equipment before understanding what was needed -- or not.
3. Skimping on cost of woodenware/missing free shipping deals.
4. Not understanding need for a number hives to increase sustainability.
5. Expecting to be able to find a single "correct" answer for most issues. 
6. Not understanding that colonies can be as different as... say... people, including regional differences. 
7. YIKES -- the worst -- Destroying all queen cells in one hive "to prevent swarming," then opening next hive to find it queenless (was able to salvage removed intact cells tossed on ground).
8. Not building a real fence with easy access gate to keep skunks out. 
9. Not anticipating and defending against human saboteur.
10. Not connecting better/sooner with local beeks. They are a special breed of best, including one who has been a great help this spring.:applause:


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## Grizz270 (May 2, 2013)

1. Thinking I could use some red welders gloves instead of beekeeping gloves.
2. Thinking I need to use gloves.
3. Keeping a bee escape on too long.
4. Not thinking about moisture in the winter.
5. To be continued...


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## Luterra (Sep 7, 2011)

1. Failing to treat for mites my first year.
2. Failing to treat for mites this spring, thinking a fall treatment would be sufficient. (Got them treated anyway, but it cut into our honey season.)
3. Keeping hives adjacent to a golf course. (Lost ~40% of population in three weeks from most hives, presumed pesticides.)
4. Killing queens before their replacements have been accepted.
5. Shaking out laying workers near hives with virgin queens. (Laying workers entered the hives, swarmed with the virgins, then balled the virgins and continued right on laying in their new homes.)


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## NewbeeInNH (Jul 10, 2012)

I had a Bee Buddy and that really helped my first year. This is now my 2nd year.

On the advice of my elderly father, I scraped the queen cells on my new hive, and then realized I might well be queenless. Turns out it was okay, but it was a scare. I will no longer scrape queen cells.

Did not winterize my 2 hives, and almost lost both of them.

Reducing one of my small spring clusters to just one medium super, I removed several frames from the hive. Later I realized there were supercedure cells on one of the frames I removed, that I figured were left over from last year, but probably would have hatched out a new queen.

I didn't give the small clusters enough time to regroup in the spring, lost a queen on the ground while nosing in one of them, and having given up on the hive, combined it with the other small cluster. However, the other small cluster seems to be gaining enough ground now, so I'm thinking both small clusters actually might have been saved.

Interfering too much in the hives, and thwarting their work.

That would be my main mistakes so far.


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## trance (Mar 29, 2013)

False sense of security or something like that now that I have bees. I watched too many Youtube Bee videos where the person in the video didn't wear protective clothing and even some who stated when you install a new package that's the one time you don't need a vail and all. OUCH! Note to self, don't jump off a bridge because someone else did and was fine.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Michael Bush said:


> Finding you don't have a lighter to light the smoker after you drove 40 miles to get to the beeyard.


I am guessing you drive an oldish vehicle ... maybe I am wrong. It is pretty easy to start a fire with a cigarette lighter.

If all else fails a clean dip stick down the gas tank might get a few drops of gas out of the tank to easily ignite a wad of dry grass from a spark from your jumper cables.

Disclaimer: Be careful. This is not suggested for the idiot types.


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## treeWinder (May 3, 2013)

Using foundation pins and not wire while making up a hundred deeps. Bowed foundation is a mess. Watching full robbing and think hey that is really cool what they are doing. Especially the neat little balls they make.


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## honeydrunk (Dec 29, 2012)

Michael Bush said:


> I've had almost 40 years to make mistakes.... too many to count or remember...
> 
> Finding you don't have a lighter to light the smoker after you drove 40 miles to get to the beeyard. Of course you do your work anyway, but the bees are decidedly not as nice.
> 
> Sounds like what I did last week, however I ingeniously macguyered a lighting device using two dead lighters (flints), a blow torch (with no ignitor), and a carbon steel knife... pain in the ass, but did the trick =)


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

"Vacuuming up bees on a hot day at a cutout and opening the vacuum to find sticky, wet, dead bees..." M. Bush

So true. Hard to solve this problem in Tx.


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## GLOCK (Dec 29, 2009)

Forgetting to zip all zippers on my bee suit I one time forgot to zip the zipper under the veil and I was digging in the brood nest and look down and saw I was not zipped I about craped myself it was back when I was not real good about staying clam with the bees so I just grabbed the opening and walked out of the bee yard and zipped up. now I all ways do a zipper check all ways fun :thumbsup:


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## Talvez (Jun 12, 2013)

Ahhh, McGuyver. Now that was TV you could learn from!


honeydrunk said:


> Michael Bush said:
> 
> 
> > I've had almost 40 years to make mistakes.... too many to count or remember...
> ...


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Sounds like what I did last week, however I ingeniously macguyered a lighting device using two dead lighters (flints), a blow torch (with no ignitor), and a carbon steel knife... pain in the ass, but did the trick =) 

I'd come up with many tricks to start a fire when i forgot a lighter. But most take some time, and I didn't have that much time. A bow drill will always work in a pinch, but I've also done a rag with a bit of gasoline on it and a spark from a jumper cable on the car battery...


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## dadandsonsbees (Jan 25, 2012)

I was out in the beeyard checking some hives. I had placed the bricks that I use to put on top of the hives on the ground and was trying to be as quick as possible do to the fact that my wife and son were in a hurry to go to town and wanted me to go. I didn't see two of the bricks in front of me and tripped and fell on one of my single hives, knocked the cover off, pushed the hive over on to the ground. Did I have my jacket on?,,,NO....Did I have a veil on?,,,,NO.... Did I have gloves on?,,,,NO....Did I get my butt lit up?,,,,,,*YES*!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I was to say the least a little embarrassed. My wife and son laughed until they cried. I failed to see the humor.:scratch:


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## honeydrunk (Dec 29, 2012)

Michael Bush said:


> >Sounds like what I did last week, however I ingeniously macguyered a lighting device using two dead lighters (flints), a blow torch (with no ignitor), and a carbon steel knife... pain in the ass, but did the trick =)
> 
> I'd come up with many tricks to start a fire when i forgot a lighter. But most take some time, and I didn't have that much time. A bow drill will always work in a pinch, but I've also done a rag with a bit of gasoline on it and a spark from a jumper cable on the car battery...


LOL a bow drill seems like quite the commitment, but I do like the jumper cable idea!


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## chr157y (Feb 14, 2013)

Don't make top bar hive legs out of plywood.


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## Gila (Jun 20, 2013)

dadandsonsbees said:


> I was out in the beeyard checking some hives. I had placed the bricks that I use to put on top of the hives on the ground and was trying to be as quick as possible do to the fact that my wife and son were in a hurry to go to town and wanted me to go. I didn't see two of the bricks in front of me and tripped and fell on one of my single hives, knocked the cover off, pushed the hive over on to the ground. Did I have my jacket on?,,,NO....Did I have a veil on?,,,,NO.... Did I have gloves on?,,,,NO....Did I get my butt lit up?,,,,,,*YES*!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I was to say the least a little embarrassed. My wife and son laughed until they cried. I failed to see the humor.:scratch:


I enjoyed reading this story. I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time but the way you explained it made me lol as well. How many stingers did you end up pulling out of your epidermis?


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## dadandsonsbees (Jan 25, 2012)

Gila said:


> I enjoyed reading this story. I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time but the way you explained it made me lol as well. How many stingers did you end up pulling out of your epidermis?


Gila, I got about 16 stings. Most of them were in my *Gluteus maximus * due to the fact that I was leaving the scene of the crime in a hurry.


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## Gila (Jun 20, 2013)

dadandsonsbees said:


> Gila, I got about 16 stings. Most of them were in my *Gluteus maximus * due to the fact that I was leaving the scene of the crime in a hurry.


lol. Classic!


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## bsteineman (Mar 26, 2013)

Worst mistakes... 

1. Not providing a water source at residential apiaries and having to deal with neighbors because the bees were drinking pool water.
2. Making my own bee vacum, and not testing it before using it on an extraction  80% of the bees were dead.
3. Treating bees instead of building up treatment free survivor stock.
4. Feeding bees that didn't need it and attracting ants.
5. Leaving frames of honey sit in storage too long (2 months) and coming back to find a complete mess that the wax moths left.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

Not starting out,,,,STILL DOING. I have a brain gas attack sometimes when it comes to attention to open frames of honey. It is like opening a bag of heroin in front of an addict. 
Just did this today,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Took two frames out of a hive to add two frames of brood and eggs for a queenless hive. The two frames out had some honey and I put them in a two frame box with lid. Some of the capping ruptured in the transfer. Put them in my garage and for wha reason I don't know, took the lid off. Got distracted and went into the house with the garage open. Couple hours later, "Oh yea, I need to lock the garage up for the evening. As I got close, Hey, that sounds like a swarm!Thousands of bees all in and around the garage. I put the lid back on the honey, opened the windows, and closed the garage door. I stood there and had a good laugh at myself as the bees bailed out the windows.  When it calmed down I took the box outside to release the captives. I popped the lid and ran as hundreds of bees bailed out, circled and went home. 
Seems I do do something along those lines once a year. Sharpens me up LOL
Rick


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## Jed (Feb 23, 2013)

Acebird said:


> I am guessing you drive an oldish vehicle ... maybe I am wrong. It is pretty easy to start a fire with a cigarette lighter.
> 
> If all else fails a clean dip stick down the gas tank might get a few drops of gas out of the tank to easily ignite a wad of dry grass from a spark from your jumper cables.
> 
> Disclaimer: Be careful. This is not suggested for the idiot types.


i have forgotten my smoker before ... put some pine needles on the exaust pipe ... :applause::applause:


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## delber (Dec 26, 2010)

WOW in good old fashioned southern draw "Y'all are nuts"!!! I wouldn't start a fire in my car. This is indeed a great thread!! I think the worst thing I did was buy HBH. I used it with my first 2 hives, then one of my splits was a little weaker so I figured I'll suppliment them and started a major robbing frenzy that lost me about 2 or 3 splits. (This was before I read Michael Bush's suggestion of "if you feed one hive in a yard, feed them all) Well I didn't follow that and lost about 2 hives due to this. 

I can think of others. . . 
Not holding on to a container of sugar syrup as I turned it upside down to put on top of a hive. Yep 1/2 of a gallon of syrup down through the bees and on the ground. Thankfully it rained that evening so I didn't set off another robbing frenzy. 

Trying to work a hive that's 4 deeps tall that I thought it'd be a great idea to spread the frames out too wide in the upper box so there were 7 frames in a 10 frame deep. I tried to cut them down to the regular 10 in the box, so cutting capped honey, making a total mess, this in about 95 degree weather took about 4 hours and 1 heat stroke later and calling my wife to "come rescue me" and "come with water" (I had ran out not thinking that I would have been there so long and sweated so much. My suit was soaked and I was in jeans also). I had to stop (I wasn't done with the hive yet, but I was done) 

It took me a while to figure out how to keep priorities in line with family. Needless to say my first year as a beekeeper She was TIRED OF BEES!!!! (I was so excited I just wanted to talk about them, but she wasn't nearly as excited) 

Those are a few of the firsts for me. I'll think of more I'm sure.


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## D Semple (Jun 18, 2010)

I sold 4 cutouts before owning a vale and even knowing how to light a smoker. :scratch:



Don


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

Yeah, I was scratching my head too.


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## Ardilla (Jul 17, 2006)

A few of my highlights:
1. Not isolating/burning a hive at first sign of foul brood - it got robbed and wiped out 5 hives.
2. Finding out a hive went queenless without a veil on - hives can be docile until they aren't.
3. Assuming the electric fence charger is working without testing - a bear tested it for me.


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## sticbow (May 29, 2011)

Beautiful Ross Rounds and I forgot to put the rings in!!! Lord grant me the serenity.......................


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## schmism (Feb 7, 2009)

not haveing enough wooden ware. 

hives wanting to expand, not having supers to put on because wooden ware is expensive, hives swarm, creates "setbacks"


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## georgiabees (Feb 2, 2010)

Using a road flare on starter fluid soaked dry grass is good.


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## Connie1 (Jun 19, 2013)

My problem is very aggressive bees in my #2 hive. No matter how proficient and gentle(and unobtrusive) I try to be they get very agitated. I tried smoking a little then a little more? Any suggestions? Sometimes I get a little "scared"! My weaker colony #1 is easier to manage.


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## kldreyer (Sep 8, 2009)

1. losing two hives to skunks/raccoons year before last- too dumb to realize why my nice bees were so very angry all the time. Top entrances now.
2. hive blew over in a snowstorm- bee sicles. Straps through the cinder blocks now.
3. not treating aggressively for mites. 
***There's a book on this very topic- 'Confessions of a Bad Beekeeper' written by Bill Turnbull***
Oh--- and the big chunk I took out of my finger last week prying the lid off the smoker, and then burned myself on the lid....................... duhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......................


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

"If I only knew then what I know now" 

I actually think that on the way home from Elk hunting every year. The ride home I reflect on what I did right and what I did wrong. If I had only taken that trail instead of this one. If I had only shot it for 40 yards instead of 35. The whole hindsight thing is painful sometimes. But did I choose that trail in dumb luck or because it was to a north facing slope with a nice bench? Now, maybe AM learning something. 

So for me, each winter after a season of beekeeping was like the ride home from hunting. Reflection of the previous season. So sure the next season would bring success! And you are more successful with each new season. 
In my hunting spot I know the area better and the habits of the animals when they are pressured. When I get home I get on Google Earth and view the area I hunted to get a better grasp of the lay of the land.

With beekeeping, in the winter I spend time on Beesource, reflect on what worked and what didn't work the previous season. I am then more aware of the colonies behavior at any given time considering seasonal changes and hive health, etc. I make my plans-then the bees have their way with those bright ideas!
But did my bees overwinter well because of my screened bottom boards or in spite of them? When you are pretty successful right from the start but not sure why, you are afraid to make any changes. 

So other than being ignorant, no big mistakes for me to mention. The dumb luck? Well that is entirely possible.


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