what's SHB?

[teezbeez]

reading that a lot, haven't come across the term before....

also i gather from reading here that i supered at an awkward time and should hope for a good goldenrod flow. is that probably the reason that although i stuck the super on, w/syrup--- they did not draw any wax out at all in 6 days? (i did not replenish the syrup---ought i to?)

also, 1st year, mostly new frames and such.... what is my best route for disease and mite treatment? i'm thinking about those foil thingys--they seem easiest. i'm trying to go as chemical-free as possible.

thanks as ever...

[sc-bee]

shb--- small hive beetle!!!! Very Nasty:mad:!

[Troy]

Never feed syrup with a super on the hive. You'll just get sugar syrup honey.

As for SHB, I could easily send you about 50 of them. Just put hem in your hive and watch them go.

I'm kidding - you are lucky if you don't know what they are and can keep them out of your hives.

[Dr.Wax]

How I wish I was innocent regarding SHB but I know them all to well.

I am attempting beetle genocide as we speak.

[riverrat]

Never feed syrup with a super on the hive. You'll just get sugar syrup honey.



Dittos on this never feed with the super on you will end up with sugar water in the honey

[BigDaddyDS]

Now, let's wait a moment here!

If I'm reading this correctly, the goldenrod flow hasn't begun for TeezBeez (far western New York state) yet, and TeezBeez is a first year beekeeper with new, undrawn foundation in their honey super.

If TB's climate is like mine, which I think it is, we're in a "nectar lull" right now. (The Star Thistle and clover flows are both coming to an end, afterall.) NOW is the perfect time to super with new foundation, and feed as much light sugar syrup as they'll take to stimulate wax production and brood rearing.

And, of course, quit feeding once the nectar flow begins to prevent sugar syrup honey.

But, if I had foundation to draw out, why make them use the honey they've already made just for wax production? Especially if you're between flows, you want them to be building wax to store goldenrod (and aster, probably) nectar. Plus, by feeding you'll be stimulating the production of new bees, which 6 weeks from now, will be your goldenrod field force! (21 days from egg to emergence, plus another 21 days of nurse bee duties.)

I say feed! (And we have yet to touch the medication aspect of TB's question, which is it's own can of worms...)

Good luck,
DS

[riverrat]

Im going to have to Disagree on feeding with a super on. If you have a super on drawing out foundation there is going to bee syrup in the super if you are feeding. The bees will not wait for it to be 100 percent drawn out before they start storing stores in the drawn comb. The only way to avoid adulterating the honey would be to pull the super and extract the syrup just before the start of the flow. My advise would be to put the super on at the begining of the flow they will pull the super out quick if they need the space.

[SCBEEKEEPER]

I put a super on 2 of mine just to draw frames out. I keep tabs on them and pull them and replace them with a new one before they are completely finished so there is no syrup in them. I keep them in the freezer and when starting off supers next spring I will be giving them mostly drawn comb. It just depends on what your goals are. Before it gets too cold I will take the super off.

[BEES4U]

:mad:The SHB is from South Africa. It must have had help from some one to swim accross the Atlantic or the southern oceans or-----simply ?????

Regards,
Ernie Lucas Apiaries

[BigDaddyDS]

Im going to have to Disagree on feeding with a super on.

And we can still be friends!

TeezBeez, this is a good example of differing opinions with beekeeping techniques. Take our information, digest it yourself, and make your own decisions.

On the SHB, I heard once (and I haven't researched this) that SHBs came over on ships loaded with melons. Whether it's true or not... [Shrugs shoulders]

DS

[ekrouse]

TeezBees:

Don't over manage your hive. The Goldenrod is just about to hit here in Central New York. If your colony is strong, the bees will draw wax faster than you can believe once the flow is on. Don't risk messing up the honey by feeding sugar, just make sure they have enough foundation. Also don't medicate... every. I've never used any of that poison and my hives have been fine for years. Cut some of the red Staghorn Summac flow pods from the trees and let them dry in the sun a few days. Add them to the smoker the next few times you work the bees. Lots of thick smoke that is reported to cause mite drop. Don't know if it works for sure, but hasn't hurt so far.

-ekrouse

[sandesoils]

[QUOTE=teezbeez;341602]also, 1st year, mostly new frames and such.... what is my best route for disease and mite treatment? i'm thinking about those foil thingys--they seem easiest. i'm trying to go as chemical-free as possible.
TeezBeez

To go as chemical free as possible, you may want to start thinking about small cell frames & foundation. Please read Michael Bush's website and posts. He has excellent, and fully explained techniques. A little research on this forum will probably give you many fine answers for disease prevention & mites. - Sande