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Frederick Dunn shares his experiences with backyard honey bee keeping and management. Viewers of his YouTube Channel send in their backyard bee-related questions and Fred responds. Join us won’t you? Visit the Frederick Dunn YouTube Channel to see Fred’s video content covering a wide range of topics.
Episodes

Friday Jul 14, 2023
Friday Jul 14, 2023
This is the audio track from today's YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/p4FqyXf-UhQ
Please follow this link and fill out the form to have your own topic considered for future podcasts: https://www.fredsfinefowl.com/thewaytobee.html
Topics and time-stamps below are generously provided by Adam Holmes -
1) Is it too late in the year to make a split from my established colony? 3:23
2) I have one Layens Hive, the frames are wired from Dr. Leo, three frames of the honey have collapsed. Should I add horizontal wires before I put it back in the box? 5:49
3) Can you please explain the various methods to remove workers from honey supers once they are ready for harvest? How should I store the frames after extraction? 12:12
4) Wondering if you could talk about mite treatment. Are you using OA Vapor on your Layens hives? I'm curious about the time of year to treat. 19:17
5) You mentioned that drones are flying around at 3 days old and visiting other hives for a handout. Seems like the obvious vector for varroa mite spread from one hive to another. Would putting a queen excluder on the entrance of a hive be another varroa management tactic? 28:00
6) I was reading an article about alternatives to using the smoker. Where we are in the forest they are a fire hazard. 32:28
7) We are having a mild winter in South Australia, what would be the minimum temperature to open the hive to harvest the honey and replace the frames with empty comb? We are having a mild winter, min 8012c max 10-17c. 36:14
8) I have heard that old pollen and bee bread are only used by bees for about 6 weeks. If I should pull or replace unused pollen frames, what's the best way to extract the unusable pollen, can I do it and save the comb? 41:35
9) I removed bees and comb from a house and moved them into a Layens 22 frame insulated hive. They have a frame of honey in the middle of the brood. Should I move it to the outer edges? 46:15
10) I know you are testing the Apimaye new entrance, Any update on that work? I've got a couple of Apimaye hives and like them but find the entrances to be very restrictive. 49:48

Saturday Jul 08, 2023
Saturday Jul 08, 2023
This is the audio track from today's YouTube: https://youtu.be/WqhB00C4p-8
Topics and related time-stamps below are generously provided by Adam Holmes
1) You mentioned that you have an inner cover without the vent notch. Did I get that right? What does this do for moisture and air flow? 3:21
2) Do varroa prefer nurse bees over the working foragers? Do the nurse bees go up and feed in the rapid round feeder? 18:47
3) I bought a bag of seeds from Eden Brothers pre-spring but never go them planted. Will they be fine for next Spring? 26:34
4) I bought a Varroa EasyCheck and in the directions it talks about CO2 mite checks. Have you done this? Did it work? Does it kill the bees? 30:31
5) My husband was a Master Beekeeper for over 35 years. One morning he was stung on the lip and he went into anaphylactic shock. 45:36
6) I found a larva on the landing board of my hive. Later on I noticed two dead varroa mites next to it. Maybe the queen is VSH? 51:13
7) We are in the process of building a Long Langstroth hive based on your plans. Thinking ahead to making legs and wondering if the hive should be level or have a slight tilt as the common Langstroth Hives have? 54:48
8) I have an observation hive, and have a question about pollen storage. I noticed they store dry pollen and wet pollen. Does the dry pollen have a much longer or indefinite shelf life? 1:03:40
9) Sometimes swarms hang onto locations outside and make comb and if no one messes with them, they stay there. Why is that? 1:07:51
10) Why do bees occupy an intermediary location to bivouac? I wonder why the scouts don't identify an share the location of the new location prior to departure? Why don't scouts figure it out and fly directly there? 1:11:14

Friday Jun 30, 2023
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Welcome to another episode of beekeeping topics.
This is the audio track from today's YouTube video: https://youtu.be/4rCAlQuqL4o
This list of included topics and associated video time-stamps are generously provided by Adam Holmes.
1) I'd like to know how to inspect a hive without killing bees. 7:11
2) Can I mix bees from two different hives? For example, making weaker hives stronger by adding bees. 20:41
3) I always thought keeping hives close to/directly on the ground wasn't a good idea. But I see videos of people putting their hives on the ground. Is this a method of catching a swarm advised? 32:55
4) Can you share about the new water wall? Mist or Fogged? 43:48
5) I was watching Naked and Afraid today, one participant was a beekeeper who smoked the entrance. He said they can't bend their abdomen to be able to sting you (when smoked). Is this true? 48:17
6) We must be in a dearth. My colonies are not allowing drones into the hives. Is this normal behavior? 51:37
7) It's been very hot here lately, I've noticed that my bees are bearding which is no surprise. But I have seen little activity with one particular hive, should I be worried? 57:55
If you would like to support this podcast or youtube channel, I invite you to shop The Way To Bee merchandise: https://www.fredsfinefowl.com/mystore.html

Friday Jun 23, 2023
Friday Jun 23, 2023
Welcome to another episode of beekeeping topics. This is the audio track from today's YouTube: https://youtu.be/K0S-qhsxpyg
You can show your support for this podcast by shopping here: https://www.fredsfinefowl.com/mystore.html
The topics and associated video time-stamps are generously provided by Adam Holmes.
1) Can you explain why some metal queen excluders are labeled "This Side Up"? 3:56
2) I am hoping that you can discuss the Demaree Split on your Friday Way to Bee Channel. 13:00
3) My hive entrance is covered in bees at 11 pm, at 67 degrees and 81% relative humidity. Why are they not inside? 28:07
4) Bees are collecting on the front of the hive, even though there is plenty of space. What are your thoughts? 33:30
5) I'm building a Long Lang Hive. Is there a benefit to having it deeper than your plans? An opportunity for some cut-comb? Do you think this would be worthwhile? 34:54
6) When introducing a queen to a new hive, is it recommended to remove all attendant bees? 42:05
7) When a hive absconds, or exits in times of danger, how is it they all can leave when at most times 40% of the hive are young nurse bees? 48:07
8) I was going to harvest a super this weekend. It has rained daily for the last four days. Is there a risk that the moisture content in the honey is higher because of all the rain and humidity? 55:08
9) Since Better-Comb is synthetic wax, is it more resistant to wax moth damage over regular beeswax? 58:51
10) I'm having problems with two colonies. One lost its queen so I combined that hive with a queenright colony. Then no evidence of eggs or larvae. I hate to loose all the bees. Will they accept a cages queen? 1:02:31
11) I would like some advice on queen marker pens/numbered queen marking disks. Where can I buy these and what adhesive should be used? 1:08:10
12) My queens are never just laying in the brood box. I have eggs above the queen excluder and below the queen excluder. I would prefer to keep the queen only in the brood box. Any advice would be very much appreciated. 1:12:58

Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
This is the audio track from today's YouTube video interview.
You can follow the entire video series of interviews right here: https://www.fredsfinefowl.com/interviewsyoucanwatch.html
Thank you for watching, and I hope you will enjoy this discussion.

Friday Jun 16, 2023
Friday Jun 16, 2023
This is the audio track from today's YouTube: https://youtu.be/bQPWKVBDEvc
Topics and associated video time stamps are generously provided by Adam Holmes
2) I'm interested in learning more about your experience with BeeWeaver Queens. 5:40
3) Should I pull some supers, or leave then on and just add more? 15:06
4) I have a BeeSmart designs insulated inner cover. Ants have tunneled into it. Do you think expanding foam could be used to repair it? 24:45
5) Question, what certification makes a Master Beekeeper? 29:00
6) I have one hive and will be adding a second one. Question, how far apart should they be? 42:09
7) I purchased Bettercomb to support two nuc hives we are to receive in mid June. Are some of the bettercomb cells larger for drone brood? 47:49
8) I have one hive that is particularly aggressive. It is my largest and most established hive. I replaced the queen. Even after 30 days, they are still aggressive. What could possibly be going on? 52:14
9) What would happen if you were to combine a laying worker hive with a healthy hive? 57:41
10) If a swarm already has a queen, why would they go to a QMP noodle? 1:02:00 11) Is the High Price of Apimaye hives worth it? 1:06:49
12) Is a 5 QT Crock Pot a good size for a 3 Hive Setup? If so, what are the steps for processing wax with bee parts? 1:16:47
13) Is juicing water melon or plumbs and feeding this to the bees rather than Sugar Syrup more natural for the bees? Will it be less inclined to cause dysentery? 1:24:26
14) I purchased a 5-Frame Nucleus Hive in April. Bees seem to be doing great. I've done sugar shakes and drone mite counts with zero mites. Should I treat with OAV anyway, since it doesn't seem to hurt the bees? 1:30:00
15) Have you experimented with headlamps to better find larvae in foundation? My hives are shady and my eyes aren't getting any better. 1:33:20

Friday Jun 09, 2023
Backyard Beekeeping Questions And Answers Episode 211
Friday Jun 09, 2023
Friday Jun 09, 2023
This is the audio track from today's YouTube video: https://youtu.be/5GeF-INaW6s
https://www.fredsfinefowl.com/mystore.html Thank you for your support! :)

Friday Jun 02, 2023
Friday Jun 02, 2023
Welcome to another episode of backyard beekeeping topics. This is the audio track from today's YouTube video: https://youtu.be/URxHZ0qSaA8
Question and video time stamps are generously provided by Adam Holmes
1) One of my two nucleus hives is lagging behind the other, should I be concerned about the weaker colony? 3:55
2) I have several leftover frames that had unripe honey in them. Are they safe for bees? Would the residual fermentation ruin my honey crop? 10:16
3) I have a very hot hive, we cant even work it. I tried to find the queen but couldn't. What are your thoughts, is there a cage or pheromone? 12:39
4) Would moving frames from a white hive into one that is treated with Eco Wood cause a big problem for my young colony? 18:12
5) Why do you want your nucleus hive to have a screened bottom board, aren't you against screened bottom boards? 20:20
6) The place I purchased my bees from said that no bees are pure bread anymore, so does it really matter what type I get when ordering? 29:50

Friday May 26, 2023
Friday May 26, 2023
This is the audio track from today's YouTube video: https://youtu.be/qLPPidpbQtU

Saturday May 20, 2023
Saturday May 20, 2023
Welcome to another episode of backyard beekeeping topics.
This is the audio track from the YouTube presentation: https://youtu.be/ktuwJPmZeD8
Time stamps and related topics are generously provided by Adam Holmes
1) What are your thoughts about misting bees with 30% vinegar as a mite treatment? 10:29
2) Should I keep or remove brood frames from a hive that I want to attract a swarm to? 19:11
3) Do I have to remove my frame feeders if I want to treat the hive with Oxalic Acid Vapor? 29:06
4) I have several hives that have swarmed this year, my question is can I combine two swarms if I remove the queen from one? 32:01
5) In one of my hives, the bees chewed down the queen cells, not the way they do when the queen kills the others. There is only one remaining capped queen cell. Should I requeen them from my swarm occupied resource hive? 41:21
6) I'm looking at your plan for the Horizontal Langstroth Hive, my wife wants to put plastic foundation in it, is this a problem without holes? 48:27
7) I have a hive with a screened bottom board. The bees are collecting under the hive even though the temps are very cold at night. 55:10
8) I have some frames with wonky comb that gets ruined if I pull the frame straight up. What should I do? 59:13
9) How soon after installing a package of bees could I treat them with Formic Pro? On the bottom board I counted over 200 mites after just four days. Any advice would be great. 1:02:39