The Way To Bee with Frederick Dunn

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 104 April 2nd get ready for swarms and splits.

This is the audio track from a YouTube video:  https://youtu.be/pRsX7U_eNms

 

www.TheWayToBee.org 

 

Pinned by Frederick Dunn

Adam Holmes 

 

 Time links are courtesy of Adam Holmes

 

1) Would making beehives from OSB work to cause the bees to make propolis on the hive interior? 3:25

2) When a new colony is being installed, should I use Honey-B-Healthy, or should I stick with smoke? 8:15

3) Do you harvest any fruit, or are your trees just for the bees? What are some organic products that could be used to protect fruit trees, but not harm bees? 11:56

4) What must the condition of a hive frame be for you to put it in the fire pit? 15:40

5) I have a Flow-Hive 2 and the HyfeGate won't fit in and lay flat. Have you tried this on your Flow-Hive 2? 21:36

6) I have a nucleus of honey bees coming this spring, the frames are medium depth, not deep frames. Should I put them in a medium box above or below the deep box? 25:48 7) Can Varroa Mite droppings be present in capped honey? 32:36

8) Not following... find heavy mite load and then saying workers just died after normal life span. 36:54

9) We have flower pots and the bees are face down in them in the dirt. They have done this several times now. What are they doing? 48:27

10) What tools do you carry in your beekeeping toolkit? 55:20

 

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Backyard Beekeeping Question and Answers Episode 103 with Frederick Dunn

Thank you for stopping by.

This is the audio portion of today's Youtube:  https://youtu.be/zDCrLTkHmk4

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Time stamps and links brought to you by the over-achieving Adam Holmes

 

 

1) Have you had a chance to open your Long Langstroth Hive yet? 2:00

 

2) There is too much space between lower frames and upper frames, more than the recommended 3/8" "bee space", could I shave off the boxes to get them closer to that ideal space and eliminate the burr comb issues? 10:10

 

3) You have talked about not using Queen Excluders and using a honey-bridge in Flow-Hives to prevent the queen from laying. My confusion is, what is preventing the Queen from expanding her brood into a medium super? 17:55

 

4) Do you re-queen feral bees, swarms that you catch? And if so, do you recommend waiting 3 days? 26:20

 

5) I have a hive with a laying worker, confirmed by only drone brood present, should I allow them to dwindle away, or combine them with another active hive? 30:17

 

6) One item that still perplexes me, is how the boxes just merely stack on each other. We have high winds etc... 40:55

 

7) Is there a downside to taking a frame of honey and brood from another hive to help keep swarms in their box? I have a colony that isn't completely dead, but has only a few bees coming and going. Should they be helped? 45:30

 

8) How did the Broodminder function over winter for you? 52:20

 

9) How do you deal with a very small colony if you also have large ones? 55:50

 

10) I built a long Langstroth hive, I put a nucleus colony in it and they did not survive. I used all plastic Acorn Frames. 1:04:04

 

11) Why do you put your Long Lang hive entrance elevated from the bottom, why not have it level with the interior floor? 1:09:04

 

12) I have 4 hives that are doing great, is late March, early April too early for making splits? 1:15:09

 

13) Will a queen lay workers that vary in appearance? Or is this likely due to bee drift? Thoughts? 1:17:41

 

14) Do you recommend reversing boxes? The lower box has only drawn comb. 1:23:09

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Backyard Beekeeping Questions And Answers Episode 102, package, nucleus, or swarm, things to consider.

This is the audio recording of the YouTube episode 102 of Backyard Beekeeping with Frederick Dunn

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Questions and time links are courtesy of Adam Holmes

1) If a hive dies over winter, do all of the varroa die as well? Can I do an Oxalic Acid treatment in spring? 3:11

 

2) Can I keep the hive as a single brood box? 11:56

 

3) I have Ross Rounds on my hive, and they aren't finished. Can I treat with Oxalic Acid, or should I use Formic Pro? 21:10

 

4) Please explain why you decided to raise your own stock of treatment-free varroa resistant bees in your backyard. And move treatment required bees to another location? 27:52

 

5) Will bees still use old pollen? If I froze and stored them, but now wondering if I can put the frames in a nuc. 37:18

 

6) What measures do you take with newly hived swarms? 40:50

 

7) I am a new beekeeper and am interested in catching a feral swarm. I'll be using a Layens Hive. Would prefer not to rob anyone near me of their swarms. Do you think I will be in for lots of disappointment? 47:47

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Here is the full video: https://youtu.be/nHk5--03kEg  I invite you to visit the main website for more links and information:  www.TheWayToBee.org

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers 101 when you start feeding, keep feeding, and more tips.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o6XkGqJQXU

 

Timestamp references provided courtesy of :

Adam Holmes 

 

1) Can I rub ultra bee dry pollen sub directly into the combs for the bees when the weather doesn't permit foraging? 7:51

 

2) Looking at building 2 Long Langstroth Hives. Can I install two colonies in each end and use queen excluders to allow workers from both colonies to work the same honey frames, or will they fight? 16:18

 

3) Is it too late to move my beehives? If I do, is sun or shade better? What about orientation flights in the new location? 22:20

 

4) My hives are building a lot of drone comb, should I remove it, or shift it to another position in the hive? 29:35

 

5) Do worker bees clean varroa mites off the queen, or can Queens die from mites as well? 34:45

 

6) Both of my hives died due to starvation, I'd like to hear your ideas on why this happened? 39:21

 

7) I'm interested in the beekeeping mittens you put on your grandsons, I can't seem to find them? 47:45

 

8) I'm starting 3 layens hives this spring. I have questions about how many frames to use and how to arrange them. 50:16

 

9) We're having some recent warm weather, my bees are flying and bringing in some pollen. They have pollen patties, but don't seem to be touching them so far. With nothing in bloom, where are they getting the pollen? 57:21

Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 100 with Frederick Dunn

Thank you for joining me for another episode of The Way To Bee

This is the 100th episode of the YouTube series:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n94_gFHvc3w

Time stamps and question summary is coming soon!

Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 99, How to keep a newly hived swarm from absconding, and more!

This is the audio portion of the full YouTube:  https://youtu.be/qh_kZGQcoQg

Pinned by Frederick Dunn

Questions and Time-Stamps are listed below, courtesy of Adam Holmes 

 

1) How do you safely handle frames? As you inspect? 3:30

 

2) How do you keep from harvesting unripe honey with your flow-hive frames? 14:19

 

3) Do you pull hives apart and clean bottom boards in spring? 23:30

 

4) How long do you wait to transfer a newly trapped swarm from trap to hive? 25:21

 

5) I purchased Hoover Hives, there is space in the 8-frame box for a 9th frame. Is there a reason not to put a 9th frame in the box? 29:12

 

6) You have said to make sugar syrup by weight instead of volume, did you have unsatisfactory results when using the volume method? 34:05

 

7) Why not have a medium as your brood box? 41:36

 

8) When do you start changing feeds from emergency to 1:1 etc. 44:21

 

9) I'm going to start an observation hive, I've got a ton of questions. 50:37

 

10) Do you clean / replace bottom boards in spring? Would you consider mixing dry spirulina with dry emergency sugar? 59:51

 

11) Do you think the Asian Giant Hornet could fit through a Hyfe Gate? 1:02:32

 

12) I'm getting my package bees next month! Should I use lemongrass oil drops, peppermint, lavender oil? 1:06:36

 

13) What feeder do you use to feed in spring? Would the super be added immediately after my 8 frame flow hive is full? 1:12:41

 

14) I'm a treatment free beekeeper, one of my colonies has some crystal bits in the brood cells, will the bees clean that up? 1:14:40

 

15) A guy that has had bees for 20 years told me today that he just buys new bees every year. 1:19:56

 

16) I was wondering if you could talk a little more about the BeeWeaver Bees? How is their temperament? I have read that they can be hotter than other bees. 1:23:12

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Episode 100 May be a LIVE-Chat Session!  Undecided at the moment.

Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 98 winter feeding and did my honey bees starve?

This is the audio track of the full youtube video:  https://youtu.be/QVvdwGrZPXM

You are invited to share and learn from one another at The Way To Bee Fellowship:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/3062274013832702

Support The Way To Bee and wear something that will start a beekeeping conversation:  https://freds-fine-products.creator-spring.com

Time stamps are provided by Adam Holmes 

 

1) Can I put a bar of beeswax in the hive as a resource for the bees? 3:30

 

2) How do you reduce the size of a hive going into winter? 5:33

 

3) How do you determine the size of your brood boxes? You seem to favor one deep and one medium. Can you talk about the factors that go into that decision? 8:45

 

4) What is the point of the slats in the slatted rack? Wouldn't a 5cm shim work? 13:37

 

5) I feed 2:1 sugar syrup and pollen sub patties. My bees starved to death and did not appear to have touched the dry sugar. Is there something better than dry sugar to use in winter? 17:25

 

6) What is the difference between summer worker bees and winter workers that live so much longer? Is it metabolism? 29:45

 

7) I will be receiving packages in mid-April. Once both boxes are full, I was thinking of putting a Flow-Super on one and a Ross-Round super on the other. any thoughts? 34:00

 

8) Every day lots of bees come out of our hives and die. Lots of poo, so could it be dysentery? Probably thousands have died in the last two weeks. 40:05

 

9) I have 4 Layens Hives and want to switch them to Long Langstroth Hives I just built. The problem is that it won't be far, between 3 to 6 feet. 45:14

 

10) What is your favorite smoker? Or Which would you recommend? 50:22

 

11) I'm trying to find more information on how to feed spirulina to my bees. When do you usually feed pollen patties? Should I wait another week or two? 55:35

 

12) I have a local beekeeper selling nucleus colonies, but can't get them to me until the first week of June, is this too late? 1:10:15

 

13) I cleared the entrances of my hives and most, if not all, had their tongues out. Is this an indication of starving? 1:14:17

 

14) What are the positives or negatives to using a canvas inner cover compared to wooden inner covers? 1:15:59

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Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 97 Let's talk about honey bees!

This is the audio version of the YouTube beekeeping question and answer video episode 97 by Frederick Dunn

Episode questions and time links will appear below in the future. Thanks for listening! 

 

https://youtu.be/IzUUvMw970E  This is the associated video. 

Tim stamps are courtesy of Adam Holmes

1) Considering the HyfeGate, got me thinking about my own hive designs. I wonder why you allowed 1.5" of open space at the bottom of your Horizontal Long Langstroth Hive? 2:44

 

2) I was hoping you could give a shout out to Heroes to Hives: 15:50

 

3) I'm getting two packages of Saskatraz bees this March. When would you test or treat for mites? I only have quickstrips. 19:08

 

4) With spring right around the corner, I'm wondering about feeding my bees. If they have plenty of leftover from their winter stores? 26:02

 

5) I have 32 colonies and so far every one has made it. I have been feeding them dry sugar. They have not consumed their winter stores, I feel like they do not have enough space for laying. What would you recommend? 30:20

 

6) Inspired by your anti-wasp entrance, I have SHB issues and am wondering if I could close my hives at night, or how to reduce the SHBs from getting in. I've seen 30 an hour on hot humid evenings. 36:40

 

7) What is your take on hive insulation to help the bees in all seasons? 45:50

 

8) How long after hiving a nuc and a swarm should I continue feeding? 59:47

 

9) I was going to leave grass beneath my hives, but have concerns that a mower would upset the bees: 1:02:20

 

10) My new hives are Layens design. I was planning to treat with oxalic acid vapor through a port hole. Would this work or should I consider another treatment? 1:04:54

 

11) I remember you mentioned that you picked up a Layens Hive. Did you get the insulated version? Will you be able to raise it high enough for the skunks and still be able to lift the frame out reasonably easily? 1:13:41

Bee Keeping Questions and Answers Episode 96 how to STOP wasps from robbing hives and more!

Welcome!

This is the audio version of today's Youtube video, Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 96

It's  long one!  

Time links below are courtesy of Adam Holmes 

 

1. Could we mix salt and sugar as an early spring supplement? 2:00

 

2. Will wax moths take over drawn comb in my swarm collection boxes? 6:04

 

3. I have left over honey from last year that crystalized, will the bees still use it? 10:26

 

4.Thoughts on an alternative bottom board configuration to combat wasp 17:32

 

5. Can you explain why people suggest starting with 2 haves? Should I source bees from Randy Oliver? 36:32

 

6. I need to replace an existing hive, any advice for swapping frames and their order? 42:57

 

7. If someone caught a late season swarm could they fill drawn comb with honey and paint melted wax to cap them? 48:24

 

8. How do I go about replacing old comb and setting up a schedule for that? 52:37

 

9. You mentioned a queen could fly up to 9 miles to be mated, source? 55:25

 

10. If you were to redo your long lang what would you different? 59:35

 

11. Thoughts on marking and clipping queens? 1:02:53

 

12. I have 3 hives, I want to requeen to provide a brood break and reduce swarming. Can I rotate the queens to other hives? 1:08:25

 

13. Will long wire snake camera disturb the bees and interfere with their winter survival? 1:13:49

 

14. Can I save bees I find in the snow? 1:19:05

Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 95 are you ready for spring? Get your watering stations ready to go!

This is the audio track from The Way To Bee on YouTube

Backyard Beekeeping Questions Episode 95 you can view the entire episode here: https://youtu.be/txkVNKiqI4k

Do you have a question? Here is the form:  http://www.fredsfinefowl.com/thewaytobee.html

Time stamps generously provided by Adam Holmes

 

1) Could you place drone combs to hyper produce them and mate with Saskatraz queens as they make new ones? 1:34

 

2) Does the variety of honey bee change the flavor of the honey they produce? 11:28

 

3) How important is the space you leave above the frames and below the cover boards or inner cover? 18:13

 

4) How do you keep a queen bee alive when you remove her from the hive and want to replace her? 26:58

 

5) When is a good time to replace a deep with a medium super, and also replace the spacer boards with frames? 29:58

 

6) When you catch a queen from the swarm, can that queen bee worked in the same bee yard? 35:02

 

7) I live in South Australia and our summers are hot, suggestions for what I can do to help my bees with watering? 38:10

 

8) What's your opinion on feeding Direct Feed Microbials (DFM)? when do you feed it? 46:40