June 1, 2014:
I saw my queen for the first time today! Once you see her, it's hard to imagine that you haven't seen her before. She's so much bigger, and longer, and sexier than the worker bees.
Monday, July 7, 2014
May 30: Ants on the hive!
May 30, 2014:
In a quick hive inspection I discovered ants all over the hive, especially at the seam between the hive-top feeder and the hive itself. As I said on facebook, "Ants in my beehive, now. Luckily there are 8,000 active beekeeping websites with mounds of advice. Most of them say cinnamon and boric acid."
I made a paste of ground cinnamon and water and smeared it around those seams where the ants were busy. Then I made up a solution of boric acid and water, put it in plastic containers (that originally held very nice raviolis), and poked small holes in the top--small enough that the bees can't get in, big enough for the ants.
I also purchased a length of 6" diameter PVC pipe, which Ian Camera kindly chop-sawed for me into four equal parts. As per the advice of Ilse Ackerman, if the ants persist, I'll put the whole hive up on these pieces of pipe, with the pipe-legs standing in dishes of canola oil.
[later edit: this hasn't been necessary. The boric acid seems to have done the trick, and as far as I can tell the ants never made it inside the hive itself.]
In a quick hive inspection I discovered ants all over the hive, especially at the seam between the hive-top feeder and the hive itself. As I said on facebook, "Ants in my beehive, now. Luckily there are 8,000 active beekeeping websites with mounds of advice. Most of them say cinnamon and boric acid."
I made a paste of ground cinnamon and water and smeared it around those seams where the ants were busy. Then I made up a solution of boric acid and water, put it in plastic containers (that originally held very nice raviolis), and poked small holes in the top--small enough that the bees can't get in, big enough for the ants.
I also purchased a length of 6" diameter PVC pipe, which Ian Camera kindly chop-sawed for me into four equal parts. As per the advice of Ilse Ackerman, if the ants persist, I'll put the whole hive up on these pieces of pipe, with the pipe-legs standing in dishes of canola oil.
[later edit: this hasn't been necessary. The boric acid seems to have done the trick, and as far as I can tell the ants never made it inside the hive itself.]
jars of honeycomb
from Susan McBride:
An interesting way to harvest honeycomb. I wonder how hard it is to get the bees to do this?
An interesting way to harvest honeycomb. I wonder how hard it is to get the bees to do this?
Blue Honey!
from Wim Lockefeer:
Beekeepers in France discovered blue nectar in their hives. Turns out the bees were collecting sugar deposits from a nearby M&M's plant:
More here.
Beekeepers in France discovered blue nectar in their hives. Turns out the bees were collecting sugar deposits from a nearby M&M's plant:
More here.
May 24: A New Hive Body
May 24, 2014:
After a full inspection, in which I discovered brood in all stages (and thus evidence that my queen is laying well), along with new foundation and stores of nectar and pollen, I decided to add a second deep hive body. Still feeding 1:1 sugar syrup with Honey-B-Healthy added.
After a full inspection, in which I discovered brood in all stages (and thus evidence that my queen is laying well), along with new foundation and stores of nectar and pollen, I decided to add a second deep hive body. Still feeding 1:1 sugar syrup with Honey-B-Healthy added.
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