Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Woody Roberts on March 15, 2014, 12:15:39 am
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I see a lot of posts on different forums that people say they can't see eggs.
I suspect a good many of us have that over 40 thing going on with our eyes and need one pair of glasses just to find our glasses.
I generally don't have an issue. I put my readers on when I'm in the hive and can usually make them out.
However now the reason for the thread. I bought a small LED flashlight that I keep in my jacket pocket.
It has the same effect on eggs as the old black lights had on white clothes. You do remember those don't you Jen?
This works so well I just thought I'd pass it on. $3.00 at wal mart.
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WHAT!?! You think I'm a hippy or sumthin'???? :o
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Actually, I think that LED flashlight is a very cool idea. I'm in my hives tomorrow and we have a couple of those lights around here somewhere....
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I bought a small LED flashlight that I keep in my jacket pocket.
It has the same effect on eggs as the old black lights had on white clothes. You do remember those don't you Jen?
This works so well I just thought I'd pass it on. $3.00 at wal mart.
I'll have to try that out. That's a great idea! With that and my magnifying glass, I should be able to see something.
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Great tip. I don't have a problem as long as I can get the sun to shine into the bottom of the cells. the trouble is my big head gets in the way and blocks the sun. A forehead band light would work good? Well maybe not if you wear a veil.
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I do need good light to see larvae well or eggs at all. The kind of veil you use can have a significant part to play is this also. My old alexander veil with it's black metal screen and wider mesh will allow you to see much much more detail than any of the veils made with fabric material with the tighter mesh.
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very good point Tec. I might have a harder time if I had to look thru a veil. but with out one I am still good at seeing them.
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I agree, the type of veil you use definitely matters. The new ones are much harder to spot eggs through, the old metal screen is easier. I have to take my glasses off to be able to see them and that is not always convenient when you have a veil on.
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The veil is how I found this. With my old metal veil with big screen I was fine. Got a new jacket with small fabric mesh and couldn't see thru it.
I tried a regular flashlight but it wasn't that much help. Tried the LED and the light come on so to speak.
It actually works better if the sun isn't shining in the cells. The eggs appear to be phosphorus.
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I bought a head strap magnifier with lights at Harbor Freight that works good, but is hard to keep on under the veil. Thanks Woody i'll try the LED light. Jack
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Good tip Woody, I have several of those lights. I can't wait to give it a whirl.
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this is a fab idea gonna see what i can find and add to my supplys :)
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I find it of course it's probably nothing new, but if you tip the frame upside down with the sun over your shoulder, the lights up the bottom of the cell and finding eggs and tiny larvae is not a issue.
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Note nectar will dribble out if you take too much time upside down lol
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woody~
"I suspect a good many of us have that over 40 thing going on with our eyes and need one pair of glasses just to find our glasses."
....... :D and over 50 too! i have to wear readers, and also use a magnifier.
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Riv ""....... and over 50 too! i have to wear readers, and also use a magnifier.""
Ditto
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Lol tri focals here 20/35
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by the way when I inpected the hives today and photographed the brood frames, on my cell phone you can see eggs in the bottom of the cell, but something is lost in clarity when you get it to the site
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I was hoping someone tried this out today.
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Woody, i was going to yesterday, but went to the club auction and by the time (3:00pm) i got home the temp. had dropped and the bees had quit flying. The queens hadn't started laying much in my outyards up north, only 2 hives out of the 26 had more than two frames of brood. Thanks for the idea, maybe these old eyes can see eggs again, i can still read without my glasses, but with them on it's alot easier. :) Jack
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I'm rigging up a Plastic Tool Box to hold all my Beekeeping tools in one place and now I get to add a mount for an LED Flashlight...Mounted to the side or back of the tool box, turn it on and hold the frame over it! 8)
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This is the one I tried yesterday, not enough light while standing in the sunlight. I'll purchase a larger one and give that a try ~
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs30.postimg.cc%2Fegfop0km5%2FDSCF8998.jpg&hash=2a7642209db597bfdd53cab7255cbf6db9c3f0d0) (http://postimg.cc/image/egfop0km5/)
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What a basic idea that I did not think of. It is all about the light. I did a couple of hive checks when it hit 55 here this week and the sun was low and shining on my veil and I could not see through it very well, much less see eggs. I had capped and uncapped so did not give it concern but I carry a LED mag light and would have been easy to pull it out and push the button.
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Jen
That looks just like the light I use. Yes if the sun is on the frame the light don't help much. All my hives set close enough to the trees I can get in the shade. Works great there.
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Minz ""I had capped and uncapped so did not give it concern but I carry a LED mag light and would have been easy to pull it out and push the button.""
My two veiled beeshirts have a handy pocket right in the front, perfect place for small flashlight.
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Woody- ""All my hives set close enough to the trees I can get in the shade.""
See, if that means moving over to the shade with the frame in hand... I was taught to not move the frame away from the top of the open hive, cause if the queen drops off.... you're scr---- ! I'm thinking this one over tho...
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I use +3 reading glasses when I work my hives I see every thing fine.
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Glock
Yeah, I use 1.50 but carry 2.00 in my bee jacket
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Jen
You have a viable concern. I look the frame over good before I step away from the hive. But I do it on a pretty regular basis.
As far as getting the light to work I can usually just shade it with my body though.
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I have safety glasses with small led lights on the sides I was usiing for sme drilling lst week ishould give them a try
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Woody, Glad you started this thread. Now I don't feel like the only beekeeper that can't see eggs! I had a unique experience this spring. It's been so cool here, that the queens are very slow to start laying. I checked my 4 hives and found brood in one. The other three, although packed with bees, appeared to be queenless. I couldn't find queens, eggs, larvae or capped brood. I ordered 4 queens. Three queens for the presumed queenless hives and the 4th for requeening the last hive simply because those are the meanest bees I have ever encountered. (little stinkers) My supplier lost a bunch of the queens in transit so I only got 2. That turned into being a stroke of luck. When I went out to check the hives before introducing the queens I still couldn't see eggs, but found lots of larvae. One hive had about 7 frames of brood, so I did a split and used one of those queens. The other had 3-4 frames of brood and the last truly was queenless. So, all's well that ends well, but I don't think I can see eggs even with the sun over my shoulder.
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the 2.5 power reading glasses will do wonders for your ability to see eggs, as will an inexpensive magnifying glass. Jewelers goggles with the light on them are also invaluable.
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I just about have to put my nose on the comb to see eggs.
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While wearing my reading glasses I'll see a few eggs. When I use the LED light I'll see eggs that I missed before.