Author Topic: At Last! I have bees! (Read 7818 times)

Wandering Man · « **on:** April 23, 2016, 06:28:56 pm »

It was a 2 1/2 hour drive to RWeaver in Navasota, TX. Wife and I looked around a bit and resisted the temptation to buy more Bee Stuff. I did succumb to the temptation to meet Risa, the lady who was always standing in the middle of the field when I called to ask questions.

Then we picked up the bees and made the journey home.

We got our two nucs installed without incident. I hived the first one and Wife did the second. There was only one bee death, as far as I can tell. When wife took off her gloves and stuffed them in a pocket she had a bee crawling around on a finger. We found it later, with its stinger stuck in the glove.

Our two dachshunds seemed curious, but mostly ignored us. I think it helped that the hives have been sitting in the back yard for a month.

It looks like a lot more bees made it into one hive than the other. There are a lot of bees doing orientation flights in front of one, but not much activity in front of the other. However, I am seeing bees flying in and out of both hives.

Now we just sit out on the back porch and watch!

Wandering Man · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2016, 06:30:48 pm »

Well, there does seem to be one problem.

Wife has been feeding the birds in our neighborhood for the last couple of years.

I think some of her birds think she just added bees to the menu. Everytime I see a bird swooping low through the crowd of orienting bees I want to run out to the hive and shoo them away.

Jen · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2016, 06:35:48 pm »

Happy For Ya WMan and Wife

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #3 on:** April 23, 2016, 07:17:19 pm »

Quote from: Wandering Man on April 23, 2016, 06:30:48 pm

Everytime I see a bird swooping low through the crowd of orienting bees I want to run out to the hive and shoo them away.

Annnnd when you mow the yard and see a bee on a dandelion you will want to stop and wait, yes, remember that feeling!

Jen · « **Reply #4 on:** April 23, 2016, 08:13:15 pm »

And I have two lizards in my yard that get a bee lunch every day...

neillsayers · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2016, 09:06:10 pm »

congrats and good luck!

Lburou · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2016, 09:53:45 pm »

Congratulations on your new bees!

If you keep switching the hives back and forth, the bee populations will equalize. Think about why that works. Right now, one queen's pheromones may be a bit stronger and attracting more bees.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #7 on:** April 23, 2016, 10:36:48 pm »

Quote from: Lburou on April 23, 2016, 09:53:45 pm

Congratulations on your new bees!

If you keep switching the hives back and forth, the bee populations will equalize. Think about why that works. Right now, one queen's pheromones may be a bit stronger and attracting more bees.

Just move the whole hive in the middle of the day? I might do that.

The two nucs started out with different numbers of bees in them. The stronger hive has a queen with a green mark. The weaker hive has a white queen.

After your suggestion that one may be a bit stronger, I looked at the color chart. Should I be concerned that one of my queens is already two years old?

Lburou · « **Reply #8 on:** April 23, 2016, 11:04:19 pm »

The reason you would consider switching the hives (any time of the day, it won't matter) is to keep the populations about equal to reduce the chance of a stronger hive robbing the other.

My philosophy about the different age of the queens has evolved over time. I wouldn't worry about the different colors. The older queen (or, any queen) will be replaced at the proper time (Supersedures need flying weather and availability of drones -Meaning, it can't happen in winter time, except maybe in south, south Texas

) with little or no negativity for the hive.

My RWeaver queens were superseded in two weeks. That upset me at the time, but if the supersedure goes smoothly, the hive keeps growing and it all works out in the end. Be advised, opinions range widely on these subjects. HTH

Sorry, I was revising this post as you replied

Wandering Man · « **Reply #9 on:** April 23, 2016, 11:05:51 pm »

Quote from: Lburou on April 23, 2016, 11:04:19 pm

The reason you would consider switching the hives (any time of the day, it won't matter) is to keep the populations about equal to reduce the chance of a stronger hive robbing the other.

My philosophy about the different age of the queens has evolved over time. I wouldn't worry about the different colors. The older queen (or, any queen) will be replaced at the proper time (that does not mean winter time without drones) with little or no negativity for the hive.

My RWeaver queens were superseded in two weeks. That upset me at the time, but if the supersedure goes smoothly, the hive keeps growing and it all works out in the end. Be advised, opinions range widely on these subjects. HTH

Thanks for the reassurance.

efmesch · « **Reply #10 on:** April 24, 2016, 01:22:02 am »

W.M. says: "I think some of her birds think she just added bees to the menu. Everytime I see a bird swooping low through the crowd of orienting bees I want to run out to the hive and shoo them away."

There's no real reason for concern when a few birds eat a few bees. The time to worry is when virgin queens are gong out on mating fights. Then you've got a potential real problem. But from the looks of that beautiful queen, your bees shouldn't be thinking in the direction of replacing her for a good while.

Best wishes for success to you and our wife as you start out on a wonderful adventure TOGETHER.

riverbee · « **Reply #11 on:** April 25, 2016, 12:45:39 am »

lol! welcome to bee 'addiction' wm!

and what ef said:

"Best wishes for success to you and your wife as you start out on a wonderful adventure TOGETHER".

.........

...............

one of the best adventures in life!!!

Wandering Man · « **Reply #12 on:** April 25, 2016, 08:30:28 am »

Riverbee, when did they move El Paso to Wisconsin? It used to be in Texas!

riverbee · « **Reply #13 on:** April 25, 2016, 10:56:02 am »

...............

lazy shooter · « **Reply #14 on:** April 25, 2016, 11:02:57 am »

Wondering Man:

I am traveling to Navasota to pick up three hives of bees on May 10. Please keep us posted on how your bees progress. I have the 10 frame colonies ordered. I have bees, but I wanted to have a few calm, peaceful bees.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #15 on:** April 25, 2016, 03:52:05 pm »

Quote from: lazy shooter on April 25, 2016, 11:02:57 am

Wondering Man:

I am traveling to Navasota to pick up three hives of bees on May 10. Please keep us posted on how your bees progress. I have the 10 frame colonies ordered. I have bees, but I wanted to have a few calm, peaceful bees.

Things are looking good for the first two days. Heavy rains yesterday, but the bees were out between every raindrop getting acquainted with their new environment. Wife and I wore full suits to move the nucs into the hives. I did the first one. Wife installed the second with me taking pictures. The only stinger that was unleashed was afterwards. Wife took her gloves off and stuffed them in her pocket with one poor girl exploring the leather. No one was hurt but the bee.

Wife and I and our two dachshunds were able to walk close to the hives yesterday between downpours, despite rough weather.

One hive has more bees than the other, there are fewer bees doing orientation flights. I want to wait until next Saturday before I make any changes or peek inside. There seem to be enough bees, just not as many.

The man who was in charge of handing out nucs at RWeaver told us he was worried about what to do with "one of the nucs." He didn't seem to be indicating ours, but now I wonder. He said he arrived at 7 that morning with a 56 degree temperature. It was later that he noticed that the bees had already started foraging. He closed up the nucs at that point, but was worried that one of the nucs may have half of its workforce out in the field.

Now I'm worried that the nuc he was worried about was ours. If things don't look right on Saturday, I may give Risa a call and see if she can find my bees and ship them to me. They'll be the ones that look homeless. Growing beards, hanging on the street corner begging: "will work for pollen and nectar"

Truthfully, I'm not really that worried. There are bees coming and going, just not as many.

We've given both hives a quart of sugar water, and they are drinking it slowly.

The bees are all over Wife's bottlebrush plant and her squash. We've got horsemint that some are working. Most seem to be headed out toward our neighbor's wildflower pasture.

The Dachshunds seem relaxed around the bees, and the bees are ignoring them.

Only one complication. I seem to be getting ready for work and ready for bed later than before. I spend all of my time on the back porch watching the hives.

apisbees · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2016, 03:59:06 pm »

The more discerning factor is the amount of brood, if the 2 nucs are equal in the amount of brood, In 3 weeks you will not be able to tell.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2016, 06:07:40 pm »

I think they were both the same.

Thanks.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2016, 02:48:42 pm »

Quote from: lazy shooter on April 25, 2016, 11:02:57 am

Wondering Man:

I am traveling to Navasota to pick up three hives of bees on May 10. Please keep us posted on how your bees progress. I have the 10 frame colonies ordered. I have bees, but I wanted to have a few calm, peaceful bees.

Lazy shooter,

Wife and I went out last night and replaced our open screened bottom boards with solid bottom boards. The bees were a bit confused, but no problems. The first hive went well, probably because I was able to add a little smoke first. The smoker died before I attempted the second hive, and I stirred up a lot of bees, but no one attacked.

The hives are right outside my workshop, and I had the bay door open with the lights on. As wife and I retreated back into the workshop, I found a couple of dozen bees buzzing around the lights. We left the door open and turned off the lights. An hour later I checked on things in the dark, and it looked as if all the bees were sleeping on the floor. I closed the door and said goodnight. This morning I found the bees still dozing on the floor at daylight. I opened the bay doors and an hour later they had all left. I guess they thought I had given them an overnight camping trip.

This morning was lawn mowing time, too. I pulled out my gas engine push mower with a pitted and unbalanced blade and set out in my bee suit. I stepped off five paces from the hive and started the mower. I kept the grass blowing away from the hive, mowing progressively closer to the hives. They totally ignored me, even when I mowed right up against the entrance to the hives.

Next, I tried my gas powered weed eater. No problem. I trimmed the grass around the hives with out a problem.

I'll continue to wear the bee suit, or at least a veil while mowing around the hives, but it is good to know that they tolerate the loud noise and vibration well.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #19 on:** April 28, 2016, 10:40:49 pm »

I mow right past the hives.. have a vid of it somewhere.... anyhow.. I dont usually have any issues mowing until fall. They can get a bit more testy in the fall, so If I start getting nailed I go put the suit on to finish.