TBH Bee Keepers

[rbridges00]

Got bees in my porch soffit. Hoping to set up a trap soon. Looking at buying supplies from Mann Lake in Marshall. Is there a better supplier?

Anybody in the Longview area? IM me.

[hog_down]

Mann Lake or Dadant are good places, I think, for mail order. I want to say Dadant has free shipping if your order is over $100, but double check that. If you can work a cordless drill and have some wood glue, you can buy unassembled hive boxes and save a lot of money. I used low VOC exterior paint on the exterior only. I would suggest finding a local beekeeper to shadow and learn. I'm in the west Houston area.

[Sharecropper]

I took your advice and reached out to Wood county Beekeepers to share my place . . They got back with me and the result is a member moved her hives to my place . . Should be good . . I've got a good pasture of crimson clover . . Christmas will be home grown this year . .

#fillthepipeline

[MASTERS]

First swarm of the 2020 season. Found them accompanying an unmarked queen on the side of one of my hives. Moved them, gave them some syrup and pollen sub and will check on them this weekend

[MASTERS]

We checked our hives again today, a little too late. We lost one of them. All of the honey is gone in the lost one and most is gone in the good hive. Hopefully, most of the bees from the lost one went to the good one for feed, not sure if it works that way though ??
Anyway, we had to start feeding immediately so maybe they will be OK till the blooms come out fully. We were planning to split both hives later but now we'll have to re-strengthen this one first, maybe split next month.
Has anyone ever had success in splitting a hive multiple times in one year and they all become strong enough for the winter?
Evidently we've had so many warm days lately that they just were very active and consumed all their honey quickly. I noticed a lot of it crystallized at the hive entries as well, that should've been a sign for me but I didn't know what it was at first. Live and learn.

I've had good pollen coming in for several weeks, but very little nectar. Brood pattern expands, A couple of cold days a week when all the foragers have to skip work and stay home and a hive if not supplemented can get dangerously light on food stores in no time. Feb-March I anticipate feeding a ton of sugar and 200 pounds of pollen sub to my small apiary. Its just part of it. Makes my splits fat and healthy when I make them the end of march. I often split the original hive again after the last of the honey is pulled in June, and treat for varroa aggressively for three following weeks as well. Never have a problem wintering them either. I don't "guess" if I need to feed them though. I feed for a purpose when I determine range conditions require it during my weekly inspections.

Id be glad to help if you ever have any questions or concerns, pm me anytime

[sharkhunter]

Well I think one of my hives came out of winter queenless and I have laying workers :-(.
I’m going to give them another week and if all I see is more drone brood I guess I’ll combine them with my good hive and split them off when queens become available.

[MASTERS]

Well I think one of my hives came out of winter queenless and I have laying workers :-(.
I’m going to give them another week and if all I see is more drone brood I guess I’ll combine them with my good hive and split them off when queens become available.

Seeing multiple eggs per each cell? They wont be queenless for too long before they collapse....

[sharkhunter]

Seeing multiple eggs per each cell? They wont be queenless for too long before they collapse....

I’m going out today to look. With the sun out good I hope to be able to tell. I saw no worker brood the other day all drone. I’ll report back on my findings.

[hog_down]

I’m going out today to look. With the sun out good I hope to be able to tell. I saw no worker brood the other day all drone. I’ll report back on my findings.

I had the same problem with the laying worker last year, and good luck to you, I lost that hive.

MASTERS has always been very knowledgeable and forthcoming with information and extremely helpful answering my questions.

[rjtkdplus]

Did my first cut out of the year today.

.

They were inside here, next to the chimney.



Good sized hive, I caught the queen on the next to last piece of comb in the middle.



Going back to pick up the box full of bees after dark.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tdwinklr]

Did my first cut out of the year today.

.

They were inside here, next to the chimney.



Good sized hive, I caught the queen on the next to last piece of comb in the middle.



Going back to pick up the box full of bees after dark.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

WOW! they look awesome. I have equipment, just have never done removals.

[Ferg]

Good job

[sharkhunter]

Seeing multiple eggs per each cell? They wont be queenless for too long before they collapse....

Ok I just did my inspection and it wasn’t good. No worker brood and spotty drone brood on 3 frames. About 10 to 15 on each side. A few larvae and I couldn’t see any eggs at all. There might be a few there but I can’t see them. So my plan is to stack them on top of my good hive with brown paper in between. Give them a top entrance I’m thinking and an obstruction in front of the top entrance so they reorient. What are your thoughts on my plan of attack? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[lovemylegacy]

Did my first cut out of the year today.

.

They were inside here, next to the chimney.



Good sized hive, I caught the queen on the next to last piece of comb in the middle.



Going back to pick up the box full of bees after dark.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You get much honey?

[lovemylegacy]

Bump one time