# Bee hive



## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

Split a bee hive for the first time last Sunday, as of now they seem to be fine but I'm wondering how a queen is doing, maybe I'll know in another week.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Sometimes the hardest thing about keeping bees is just leaving them alone. It can be so tempting to always be opening up and yanking out frames to make sure everything is ok but often that can cause more harm than good.

There are definitely some tricks that can help out, for instance a hive without a good queen will sound very different than a normal one.

Anyways, congrats and hope it works well for you. I know a couple people who have kept bees for many years and never done a split in all that time.


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## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

cowboyhermit said:


> Sometimes the hardest thing about keeping bees is just leaving them alone. It can be so tempting to always be opening up and yanking out frames to make sure everything is ok but often that can cause more harm than good.
> 
> There are definitely some tricks that can help out, for instance a hive without a good queen will sound very different than a normal one.
> 
> Anyways, congrats and hope it works well for you. I know a couple people who have kept bees for many years and never done a split in all that time.


I agree that sometimes leaving them alone is good, it's hard to make decisions some times, here there are so many pest problems the general consensus is expansion so losses aren't as big of a hit. From professionals I have heard that they loose 30% in the fall 30% in the winter 30%in the spring and 30% in the summer, of course that means a loss of 120% which you can't have without growth in between. Over all here you can expect to loose 1 out of 3 hives, if you have three you can bounce back if you loose 1 but if you loose 1 and only have 1 you are done. Anyway I split because I was trying to build up numbers and thanks for the well wishes.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

sgtusmc98 said:


> I agree that sometimes leaving them alone is good, it's hard to make decisions some times, here there are so many pest problems the general consensus is expansion so losses aren't as big of a hit. From professionals I have heard that they loose 30% in the fall 30% in the winter 30%in the spring and 30% in the summer, of course that means a loss of 120% which you can't have without growth in between. Over all here you can expect to loose 1 out of 3 hives, if you have three you can bounce back if you loose 1 but if you loose 1 and only have 1 you are done. Anyway I split because I was trying to build up numbers and thanks for the well wishes.


Ouch, that is rough. We don't have nearly those kinds of losses but a lot of people here rely on packages. I have nothing against them, most come from new Zealand or Australia up here and are very clean, but it isn't exactly sustainable. It probably makes more sense financially up here as opposed to other places because we have some of the highest yields per hive coupled with some of the highest over winter consumption levels (6 months of winter down to -40 makes the bees go through a lot of honey). But being able to maintain your own supply of bees is a huge step towards self-sufficiency.


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

*Picked up new NUC on Sat*

I picked up a NUC(new 5 frame hive for newbies) on Sat to replace one that was abandoned earlier this year, but looks like a swarm inhabited it in the mean time. 
I set up a third lathrop hive body for them, I have just about given up on the TopBar hive I built a few years ago.

BB


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## ClemKadiddlehopper (Aug 15, 2014)

Bees are very resilient. I lost two of my three hives this winter. I think it was because of mid winter extreme temperature swings. A few weeks ago, I got a jump on clean out to get the failed hives ready for new nucs. There was plenty of honey left in both hives. I left a few frames of honey and pollen in them for new nucs next month.

I had forgotten to block the entrances, and it looked like the remaining hive was robbing them out a few days later. During the evening when they should all have gone home, I went to block the entrances and was met with guard bees. Someone had already moved in. I added back some honey I had taken for personal use and left them to it. Now I need to build some more hives for the new nucs that are coming; a fine example of common core math. 3-2=5


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

bunkerbob said:


> I picked up a NUC(new 5 frame hive for newbies) on Sat to replace one that was abandoned earlier this year, but looks like a swarm inhabited it in the mean time.
> I set up a third lathrop hive body for them, I have just about given up on the TopBar hive I built a few years ago.
> 
> BB


From Hove I gather? They are pretty good to deal with and a bit lower stress than packages.

I don't know if it is our climate or what but I don't know anyone who has really had an unqualified success with top bars around here. There is a lot to like about it, sure makes things more sustainable, but it has it's issues.

The willows sure have the bees happy around here the last couple days.


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

Is Hove a supplier, I got these from Wildflower Meadows in Fallbrook, CA, about an hour from us. Nice Italian queens, very gentle and clean, helps with the mite problem without chems.

BB


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

bunkerbob said:


> Is Hove a supplier, I got these from Wildflower Meadows in Fallbrook, CA, about an hour from us. Nice Italian queens, very gentle and clean, helps with the mite problem without chems.
> 
> BB


Lol, I am way too distracted lately. Got you mixed up with someone else :nuts:

Curious, did you find that the top bar hives made any real difference with parasites? Some people feel it does but we don't have too many problems to begin with and a small sample size.


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

*auto honey gatherer*

I was sent this today, check it out... https://www.facebook.com/renaudmargry/videos/1071501276198227/?fref=nf

BB


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## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

The bunker bob post was cool. I don't always wear much stuff in the hives but did today, good thing cause the hive I went into was ticked off!


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

bunkerbob said:


> I was sent this today, check it out... https://www.facebook.com/renaudmargry/videos/1071501276198227/?fref=nf
> 
> BB


Thanks for posting this. I ran across this video a bit ago and I have been thinking about it since. I have been thinking about getting into bee keeping and I would like to hear the opinions of experienced bee keepers on this hive.


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

*Scam????? Maybe or not*

Careful with this, the other forum I belong to has already investigated and have not come to any conclusion yet to it's authenticity.
Just heard from them.
There is a few professional beekeepers in the group that look at it with a cautious eye and have a lot of questions on the mechanics, sorry I f I got everyone excited.

BB


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

bunkerbob said:


> .... one that was abandoned earlier this year, but looks like a swarm inhabited it in the mean time.


Is that good? Are congrats in order?

I'd love it if a swarm of honey bees "took up new home" in an abandoned hive I owned!


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