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Author Topic: Sugar roll test on a package  (Read 4794 times)

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Offline Bakersdozen

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Sugar roll test on a package
« on: April 13, 2022, 10:45:00 am »
I got a call a week and a half ago from a friend who is a supplier.  He had extra packages of bees on the premises and asked if I wanted any.  I took one because I knew the supplier from Texas. He also gave me a discount. I didn't realize that there wasn't a cork in the cage, just sugar candy.  They released her but I didn't know when exactly.  My friend said the bees had been treated for mites before the packages were made up.  I decided to test anyway out of curiosity.  Yup! 0 mites!  Also tested other existing colonies and got 0 mites.  I was feeling pretty good at this point, then I checked some drone brood and discovered a mite moving around with a drone pupae.  :'(
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Offline Jen

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2022, 03:23:22 pm »
DANG! Just when you think it's all good for awhile. The bees are always teaching us not to get too big for our britches.

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There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2022, 10:42:59 am »
Quote from: Jen on April 13, 2022, 03:23:22 pm
DANG! Just when you think it's all good for awhile. The bees are always teaching us not to get too big for our britches.

They certainly keep me humble.
Another windfall last night.  I got a call from another beekeeping friend who works for UPS.  It seems that one of the major beekeeping suppliers was shipping packages with UPS and a package was damaged in transit.  Bees were flying everywhere and UPS would just let the insurance claim take care of the whole delivery. They called my friend, she picked them up so she was looking for homes for them.  I took 2 of them.  She had a lot more and they found a good home. It's just above freezing out there, but I got to get these packages in a hive PRONTO.  They have been in there for quite a while.  I am just going to remove some frames, place in the queen cage on the frames, dump a few bees on her, and set the package down in there for an in hive installation.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2022, 04:06:52 pm »
Great job! Now Don't Forget That You Took Those Frames Out! I'm famous for this...


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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2022, 09:10:06 am »
Quote from: Jen on April 14, 2022, 04:06:52 pm
Great job! Now Don't Forget That You Took Those Frames Out! I'm famous for this...

Don't you just hate it when that happens?  :D
Those feeder cans were bone dry.  My friend recommended spraying them with sugar water when she brought them over and I am sure glad I did.  Those bees had been in that box for a long time and were drawing wax on the cans.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2022, 05:40:48 pm »
I have found that Italians stuff wax everywhere they can if they have the opportunity.
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2022, 11:49:37 am »
Quote from: Jen on April 16, 2022, 05:40:48 pm
I have found that Italians stuff wax everywhere they can if they have the opportunity.
:D
I got another call from the same beekeeper again last night.  She hadn't noticed at the time, but those packages were all different hybrids of bees.  I hadn't noticed they were labeled either.  I got one Carnolian and one Saskatraz.  I was able to retrace my steps and properly label the colonies.  I am excited to see how the Saskatraz performs in regards to mites.
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Offline iddee

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2022, 04:27:13 pm »
I don't know about mites, but a friend of mine lost all three Saskatraz hives the first year.
He won't be buying any more.
Inexperience? I doubt it. He has been keeping bees over 50 years.
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“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2022, 11:29:37 am »
Quote from: iddee on April 17, 2022, 04:27:13 pm
I don't know about mites, but a friend of mine lost all three Saskatraz hives the first year.
He won't be buying any more.
Inexperience? I doubt it. He has been keeping bees over 50 years.
Sorry to hear that.
Did he say what went wrong?  Advance warning on what to watch for would be helpful.
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Offline iddee

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2022, 01:57:11 pm »
The queens died of unknown cause, two in the fall and one in late winter.
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“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Sugar roll test on a package
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2022, 12:18:13 am »
We have a supplier near here, and I have heard mixed reviews on them.  If they overwinter, apparently they are great coming into spring... If.
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Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
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