# Sad thing about equipment



## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Another piece of "equipment" might help to cheer you up... 

A stethoscope can be handy during the winter to check on your colonies.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

If you happen to get a extremely bad case of the Van Winkle hive tool blues purchase yourself a ticket to CAli where we can get your elbow and wrist a moving really easily all year long. 

"A break from bees" is a concept has become foreign to us since growers appreciate (demand) 8 frames of bees in every box going into the almonds.


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## RudyT (Jan 25, 2012)

'Tis the season to watch bee videos.


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## jcolon (Sep 12, 2014)

Pretty Sad. But we are hitting 60 tomorrow. Im gonna have a little time to peak and put me at easy.


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## Hogback Honey (Oct 29, 2013)

Bee curious, I have tried that, and my stethoscope is of pretty good quality, and I cant hear a darn thing. Very frustrating, so I just get my ear close to the vent holes in the quilt box and can hear them. I may try putting the stethoscope next to the vent holes see if thats any better. I tried the stethoscope on the box before putting insulation around the hives, couldnt hear a thing. One of those mysteries.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

I was listening to the bees the other day and had a thought; wouldn't it liven things up if one crawled into your ear? Makes me shiver!


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## mrflegel (Mar 23, 2014)

Had an employee that got a lighting bug in his ear. Said it was hard to sleep that night. The light flashing on the wall bothered him. I had to ask how many walls it was flashing on.
Mike


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

good idea


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

mrflegel said:


> Had an employee that got a lighting bug in his ear. Said it was hard to sleep that night. The light flashing on the wall bothered him. I had to ask how many walls it was flashing on.
> Mike


I was wondering where that guy went!!! Sometimes it takes a bit to get the dim bulb to burn a little brighter. No lightning bugs here in CA....


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

crofter said:


> I was listening to the bees the other day and had a thought; wouldn't it liven things up if one crawled into your ear? Makes me shiver!


Been there, done that. One of the rites of passage to being a true beekeeper I think. Had one in an ear for an hour or so one day, never did sting me but it was a pretty weird sensation. Afraid I was going to have to go the doctor but she finally back her way out far enough for someone to get ahold of it and pull it out. 
Here's another beekeeper test showing the different stages of becoming a seasoned beekeeper. What to do when a bee flies into a partly consumed can of soda. What do you do?
A. Throw it away. (Sorry, you've got a long ways to go)
B. Pour it into an open container so you can pull the bee out and salvage the drink. (Much better, you're getting there)
C. Just drink it through your teeth and figure you can "filter" her out. WE HAVE A WINNER!


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

jim lyon said:


> Been there, done that. One of the rites of passage to being a true beekeeper I think.


One of em anyway, eh Jim.


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## laketrout (Mar 5, 2013)

I think Michael might be hinting about a bee in the britches !!!!!!!!! not sure which would be worst !!!


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

jim lyon said:


> ...
> Here's another beekeeper test showing the different stages of becoming a seasoned beekeeper. What to do when a bee flies into a partly consumed can of soda. What do you do?
> A. Throw it away. (Sorry, you've got a long ways to go)
> B. Pour it into an open container so you can pull the bee out and salvage the drink. (Much better, you're getting there)
> C. Just drink it through your teeth and figure you can "filter" her out. WE HAVE A WINNER!


What did I win? That happens so often I can tell the bees from the yellowjackets by taste.

Laketrout - That's only ONE of the many rites of passage. Hearing a Mormon beekeeper "not cuss" after a bad batch of distilled mead is another. Jeff Foxworthy should get in on this..."If your router table is a beehive box with a linoleum top and a 2x4 fence clamped on with C-clamps, you JUST MIGHT be a beekeeper...If you've ever hauled beehives in a Ranger bass boat to your tupelo barges, you JUST MIGHT be a beekeeper...If you've been stung where you can't even show your girlfriend, you JUST MIGHT be a beekeeper...If you get your bee truck pulled over by a smokey and he asks where you're going and you reply, 'I'm too tired, officer, I don't know - am I headed North or South?', you JUST MIGHT be a beekeeper." How about getting stung in the britches and not really caring anymore? Or spinning so much honey that you get dizzy form NOT looking at something going round and round?

That's a pretty long list, rites of becoming a seasoned beekeeper, I'm afraid. See you on the other side when we get there, huh?

dsegrest - Try getting out in the wood shop and making some equipment. Robber screens, Laidlaw queen introduction cages, a nucleus seat, a beekeeper's sawhorse (aka "superhorse") for honey supers, insulated fondant inner covers, a bunch of new frames, swarm traps. That's the best winter depression fighter I know, go cut some wood.  After you're done, sip some mead by the fireplace and roast marshmallows, or chesnuts, if you can find 'em.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Go to VT and go skiing w/Michael Palmer.


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## acbz (Sep 8, 2009)

jim lyon said:


> Here's another beekeeper test showing the different stages of becoming a seasoned beekeeper. What to do when a bee flies into a partly consumed can of soda. What do you do?
> A. Throw it away. (Sorry, you've got a long ways to go)
> B. Pour it into an open container so you can pull the bee out and salvage the drink. (Much better, you're getting there)
> C. Just drink it through your teeth and figure you can "filter" her out. WE HAVE A WINNER!



D. Filter it through your bee veil <--- Works every time!


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

kilocharlie;1194559
dsegrest - Try getting out in the wood shop and making some equipment. Robber screens said:


> That is pretty close to what I do.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

I found that getting together with another beekeeper or two in your area fights off those wintertime blues. Hanging out and making woodenware around the woodstove, mixing protein patties, mixing mead recepies, processing honey into bottling, etc.

This year (spring) we are donating complete hives to a few local residents that are wanting to keep bees. Assembling the woodenware will take some time this winter.


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## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

jim lyon said:


> Been there, done that. One of the rites of passage to being a true beekeeper I think.


I managed to get one in my ear the very first time I put on a bee suit to work with bees. I forgot to zip it up all the way and got 6 or 8 inside with me.......never got stung by the one in the ear either. I think she probably couldn't get her butt cranked around to the angle needed to sting......either that or she was stocking up on some free wax.  However a couple of the others didn't let me off that easy. inch:


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## jdmidwest (Jul 9, 2012)

Tie a tiny little Go Pro on a mouse and run him in the hive.


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## CajunBee (May 15, 2013)

http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-inspection-camera-67979.html


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## ehrichweiss (Jun 19, 2014)

jim lyon said:


> Here's another beekeeper test showing the different stages of becoming a seasoned beekeeper. What to do when a bee flies into a partly consumed can of soda. What do you do?
> A. Throw it away. (Sorry, you've got a long ways to go)
> B. Pour it into an open container so you can pull the bee out and salvage the drink. (Much better, you're getting there)
> C. Just drink it through your teeth and figure you can "filter" her out. WE HAVE A WINNER!


Oddly enough the band Negativland addressed this dilemma in "Nesbitt's Lime Soda" many years ago. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za6LXo3YSiY


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

jdmidwest - How about bombing Guantanamo's water boarding chamber with AHB's? That would be a good depression fighter too, hey?


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