The Way To Bee

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 120 with Frederick Dunn

Thank you for joining me for another session of backyard beekeeping topics.

This is the audio portion of today's YouTube Video:  https://youtu.be/pQ-RyIVd8vQ

 

For more information, I invite you to visit my main website:  www.TheWayToBee.org 

 

Topics and time stamps are provided by:

Adam Holmes 

 

1) I hived a swarm last week and eight days later they are all gone. Is there a reason they would leave so soon? 1:55

 

2) I usually wear gloves when I inspect my hive. is there a good way to clean propolis off of my hands? Also is there a way to clean my leather gloves? 7:58

 

3) How do I deal with a defensive hive? 12:24

 

4) I was told that if I scrape plastic foundation all the way down, the bees will not use it, is that true? 18:45

 

5) I'm getting three nucleus colonies in spring, will better comb actually help them build faster? 23:22

 

6) Why do foraging bees disappear well before sunset when there is plenty of time and light to continue? 27:54

 

7) Do you have a suggestion as to how to get bees to move honey down from a super into the double brood chamber I want to over winter with? 32:18

 

8) Any tips on how to make sure new colonies make it through winter? Especially when the year has not had a lot of nectar and pollen? 35:18

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 119

This is the audio file from today's YouTube presentation!

 

Associated questions and time reference codes are provided courtesy of -

Adam Holmes

1) How much should I feed my bees? I have 5 Gallon Bucket Feeders and the bees drink that in a day. 1:53

2) I'm in Texas the the bees never filled the Flow-Frames, I took them off since we in a dearth now. 7:00

3) Do you think feral survivor stock might just be able to withstand higher mite loads? 12:01

4) I pulled my Ross Round supers and found them to be a haven to hive beetles. 20:54

5) What's the best way to store my pulled honey supers when I don't want to make but one mess a year? 25:33

6) I did mite washes with the soap check method, I have purchased Formic Pro. Should I remove the HyfeGate? 32:00

7) I have a new queen in my hive and she's not laying yet, I'm worried about laying workers. 43:08

8) How do you plan to treat mites in your Long Langstroth Hive? I had problems with formic pads. 51:05

9) With everyone going through a dearth period, why aren't my bees having the same problems? I do see robber activity at the back of the hive. 55:30

10) I used bettercomb in my hives, they chewed it down to the wire that was embedded. Will they build it back out? 58:46

11) I have seen hornet attacks on beehives and 20-30k bees massacred in hours. Why do bees not leave the hive with the queen? 1:03:57

12) I am treating for mites even though they are just at the borderline of requiring it. With formic pro, it says to provide a top box for bees to go into. Should it have frames or be empty? 1:08:02

13) How many cells are in your favorite Acorn Frames? Does it really matter in your opinion? 1:09:11

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Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 118 with Frederick Dunn

This is the audio track from this YouTube presentation:  

 

Topics and associated video time-links are provided below, courtesy of -

Adam Holmes 

 

1) When is the best time to put the HyfeGate entrances on the hives? How long should it take for them to adapt to it? 1:16

2) If I take a frame with eggs, I have bettercomb, will the bees stay put even though it is only a few feet away? 6:00

3) Wondering if I put a solar path lights around, will the honey bees see well enough to defend the hives at night? 11:42

4) If a forager brings back nectar that the taster bee doesn't like, what does the forager do with the rejected nectar? 14:48

5) Do bees react to lightning? How do they respond to electricity? 18:40

6) I have a quarter frame of brood in ten frame double deep. Didn't see eggs, but pollen coming in. need to order queen? 23:37

7) What's the best way to introduce a new queen? I tried it a week ago with a split, they started balling the queen. 26:20

8) What types of honey bottled would you recommend? 39:08

9) I have a ton of drone frames filled wall to wall. It seems excessive. Any insight? 33:51

10) Do you sell honey? Do you use glass or plastic, what is your sterilization process? 39:08

11) I received my covid shots and then was stung by a bee on the elbow. I had a stronger reaction than normal, is there a connection there? 45:36

12) How long can I stun, paralyze, some of my bees with cold and revive them? I can't find time, temp parameters. 51:07

 

You are invited to visit my  main website:  www.TheWayToBee.org     Or our Facebook Backyard Beekeeping Fellowship:  https://www.facebook.com/The-Way-To-Bee-102407687877468/

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers with Frederick Dunn Episode 117

Welcome to another Friday episode of backyard beekeeping questions and answers, this is the audio of today's YouTube which can be viewed here: 

https://youtu.be/V0OliPAc2TM

www.TheWayToBee.org  

 

Pinned by Frederick Dunn

All time stamps and question links are provided by Adam Holmes 

 

1) I have small hive beetles on my frames along with larvae. Is it wise to put them in the freezer and then replace in the hives for the bees? 1:26

 

2) How can I handle/tread mold on the inside of my telescoping cover and on the landing board? 10:09

 

3) I would like to create a large pollinator plot with 2+ acres. What would be the best for feeding the bees? 12:11

 

4) Should I have a bee-escape in the lid of my HiveButler so the bees can get out? 18:25

 

5) I stored unused hive frames (triple wax coated) in the garage and was surprised to find that roaches and wax worms were eating them. A tale of warning for your listeners! 24:01

 

6) Would it be worth it to paint my swarm trap hive the same color(s) as the hive they are coming from in order to encourage them to occupy it? 28:30

 

Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 116 uncapping tools and much more!

This is the audio track of today's YouTube video.  

Watch here:  https://youtu.be/TVrWPKHKoVw

 

Video links with time-stamps are provided courtesy of:

Adam Holmes

1) Do you use starter strips with your foundationless frames? If not what do you do to keep the bees building straight comb? 1:51

 

2) How do you restrict the number hives/bees if you don't want to expand beyond your ability to care for the bees and space allowed? 4:56

 

3) Japanese Beetles are eating all of my pollinator flowers, how do I get rid of them without harming the bees? 8:47

 

4) How do I tell the difference between eggs being laid by a laying worker or a queen that's also just laying drone eggs? 15:54

 

5) When I put a bee escape under my honey super, the super was robbed through the groove in the inner cover. 20:37

 

6) My HOA bylaws are restricting beekeeping. Should I just keep them and not ask, or try to change the rules? 23:41

 

7) When you super a hive with another honey super, do you place it above or below the brood box? 29:50

 

8) If your goal in beekeeping, honey collection, or is it the thrill of the chess game? 32:57

 

9) I have heard lots of beekeepers talk about how important a lot of ventilation is to keep bees from bearding. What are your thoughts? 37:00

 

10) Honey dew is often claimed to be more nutritious than Manuka honey. Should we be planting trees and plants to produce more honey dew? 43:08

 

11) What's the most efficient way to remove wax cappings from honey frames? 49:28

 

12) During a heat wave in our area, there was an accumulated pool of nectar in the drain tube of the flow-frames, how should I get that out without kicking off robbing? 58:03

 

13) I have four and a half built out frames of brood, pollen, nectar and honey. They are not filling out the remaining frames, can I put the super on? 1:01:24

 

14) One of my hives is in trouble, can I start a new queen from eggs? Or should I try buying in a new laying queen? 1:04: 13

 

15) We are planning to plant bee friendly plants, if we put them right next to the hives would we be attracting competition? 1:08:33

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Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 115, making your own queens and more.

Thank you so much for joining me!

This is the audio track from The Way To Bee YouTube question and answer series.

See the video here:  https://youtu.be/s2Pgsoxh2c0

 

Time stamps and topic links are provided courtesy of: 

Adam Holmes 

 

 

1) What do you think of using Elmer's glue to seal up small hive beetle hiding places, AND, would it be a better idea to mow and trim at night when bees aren't flying? 4:46

2) Curious about your take on using the Checker-boarding technique to prevent swarming? 10:46

3) I had a flow-hive colony swarm as I was told not to use the second brood box before adding the flow-super. Did I do the right thing? 16:29

4) I would like to make some new colonies from a 3 year old queen as she's very good. How can I do that when they don't make swarm cells? 23:27

5) Please describe how you keep extra nucleus hives in order to have emergency queens ready to go? Please describe the procedure. 29:13

6) Is there a reason that the entrance on a Long Langstroth Hive can't be on the short end instead of the long side? 39:07

7) I started with two hives in February and now have 8 hives. I will be changing to long hives and want queens with traits that include expanding a colony horizontally instead of vertically. How would I go about finding such queens? 41:24

8) Have you published your Long Langstroth Hive plans yet? 46:29

 

 

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 114, why don't the bees fill my Flow-Super? and much more!

Welcome to the audio recording of today's YouTube Video!

https://youtu.be/fnHZDpn4j0s

 

 

Time links below are provided courtesy of Adam Holmes

 

1) I know you can purchase Ross Round frames for chunk honey, but is there a way to do that without special equipment? 1:36

2) I have two queen cells in my hive and they are both capped. I squished the one along the bottom and left the supercedure cell to buy some time. Should I let nature take its course, or is it time to make a split? 4:53

3) Our local crop duster is going to dust. My bees are bearded on the outside of the hive, what can I do to keep them from flying during dusting? 10:14

4) Can you give some information regarding what you think it happening with my hive? Lots of resources and I found the queen, but no eggs, what's going on? 12:56

5) I see that there are multiple sizes for Layens Hives. I plan to build my own, how many frames should I be able to include in the hive? 16:31

6) When it comes to Flow Hives, I can't find any information regarding harvesting wax from them. Isn't this also a valuable commodity for flow hive owners? 19:22

7) I need to inspect my hive, and the problem is that they are bearding on the outside. Can I go ahead and inspect? 23:29

8) What happens to bees that are producing wax, but the hive doesn't need new wax such as with the Flow Hives? 25:18

9) Tried numerous different strategies for getting my bees to work the flow-frames and store honey in them. Nothing is working. 26:31

10) My plan is to have and keep only two hives! I do not want more than that. I don't want a lot of gear and have limited space. I just want to enjoy my bees. How do I keep it at two hives? 34:35

11) Bee Weaver Queens are now back in stock: (tell them Frederick Dunn sent you!) These are my favorite treatment free stock: 40:52

12) I recently captured a swarm, now it's in two parts and won't leave the side of a tree. I did not observe the queen during transfer into the hive. Any suggestions? 41:23

13) When should I remove the entrance reducer from my hive? What size should it be? 46:40

Backyard Beekeeping Question and Answers episode 113 with Frederick Dunn

Welcome to another episode of Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers!

Time stamps and question links are provided by:

Adam Holmes 

 

1) How soon after receiving a nucleus colony of bees should I be doing a mite-check? 1:25

 

2) Can you explain more about cutting back hives without splitting them? 9:31

 

3) I received my first sting after not keeping bees for 10 years and experienced a strong reaction, should I be keeping bees? 17:07

 

4) I plan to do an Oxalic Acid Vaporization treatment in a Hoover Hive, do you see a problem with the heavy waxed bottom board? 21:51

 

5) We've recently been having discussions about the difference between using HBH with sugar syrup VS smoking the hives for inspections. Can you explain that a little more? 25:36

 

6) Can you explain more about how you prepare hives for transport? Comments about formic pro for mite control. 34:28

 

7) What's your take on the new fungus strain that's effective against varroa mites in honey bee colonies? 43:35

 

1

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 112

Welcome to another episode of questions and answers related to backyard beekeeping.

This is the audio track from the YouTube Video found here:  https://youtu.be/6Lm-xJ90mfk

 

Video and topic time stamps are provided to you courtesy of:

Adam Holmes 

 

 1) Why do you only use BetterComb in brood boxes, why is that? 1:50

 

2) Would you discuss swarm traps. I blew it by not having my swarm trap where my bees are going to be kept. Now I have to move them 2 miles or several feet a day. 8:16

 

3) I introduced a new Queen Honey Bee on Monday. My mentor suggested they were ready for me to release her into the hive. What are your feelings about this? 14:10

 

4) My bees are not building new wax comb. Are we being way too impatient? We don't have one flake of new wax. 18:32

 

5) I can use better comb in a medium super right? 24:52

 

6) How do you feel about clipping Queen wings as a swarm management strategy? 25:39

 

7) Is there a known diameter that allows a single honey bee to pass through? 30:42

 

8) I had queen cells hiding down in and under my slatted rack! 33:00

 

9) Would you mind mentioning Dr Samuel Ramsey to your viewers? 38:12

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode number 111, just two inspections a year?

This is the audio extract from Fred's YouTube Video Episode 111:  https://youtu.be/w8FDtGItcWw

 

learn more at www.TheWayToBee.com

The time stamps are provided courtesy of:  Adam Holmes

1) You've talked about skunks in the bee yard, what about raccoons, possums, or other animals? 1:46

 

2) Is there an update on the HyfeGate evaluation? I can't make a facebook page to join the group. 5:59

 

3) In Australia we have to check for mites as part of the early warning even though we don't currently have them. Is the bottom board a good way to check for mites? 11:03

 

4) If I lift the inner cover and frames are stuck to it, can that hurt the queen? 17:04

 

5) There is a swarm high in a tree with lots of branches in the way. I set up a nuc box in the tree hoping that will draw them in. 19:10

 

6) I am interested in learning minimal maintenance beekeeping. 25:35

 

7) I am making a split and have a new Queen coming, how early can I release her from her cage? 34:35

 

8) Wanting to know more about deformed wing virus in bees and comb. 42:19

 

9) Do you have any favorite honey bee skin balm recipes? Any favorite ways to use old wax? 45:22

 

10) I have a long hive, removed 24 out of 28 frames. What do I do with the frames? 48:38

 

11) I hived a swarm, does this behavior mean there is a virgin queen that hasn't mated? Should I order a new queen? 52:18

 

12) I have questions about how many feeders to put into a recently hived swarm box. What about the useless nurse bees? 56:18

 

13) I put new bee frames with bees inside my observation hive. I noticed the bees are not increasing. How do I increase the brood? 1:02:31