Beekeeping from Jamaica

[Duhaje Jennings]

Just to share some photos from my small island

[RAK]

I don't see any photos?

[Duhaje Jennings]

I know. I'm having problems posting the pics here. I'm using my phone so I think that is the problem

[KQ6AR]

I find it easier to upload photos to a free server like www.photobucket.com.
Then I just post a link to the picture in my post.

[Duhaje Jennings]

Thanks I'm going to try that

[Duhaje Jennings]

<a href="http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/kk224/digi_2008/?action=view&amp;current=IMG-20120313-00701-1.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk224/digi_2008/IMG-20120313-00701-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Duhaje Jennings]

[Duhaje Jennings]

[Brian Suchan]

How do those hive stay on those hive stands??? What is in the containers underneath the legs on the metal hive stands???

[KQ6AR]

The metal one appears to be for nuc production. & the cups for ant control.

[Duhaje Jennings]

The exact location I am at have some very large ants that we call red ants. The containers are filled with water and/or old engine oil so the ants can't crawl onto the boxes. These ants will kill even a strong colony in a few hours. I have seen these ants team up and fight colonies colonies in batches. Sometimes they come for honey sometimes for brood.

[Duhaje Jennings]

Theses hives are mmuch closer than I would prefer as well but with the lack of space as well as this apiary being a feeder for smaller apiaries they seem to be doing fine. I use different colour boxes so only two boxes beside eachother can look alike on a row.bees seem to be able to tell the difference between 2 similar boxes but have problems with 3 or more. Even if the bottom boards alone are differnt seems to help.

[Duhaje Jennings]

That particular stand was just an experiment my neighbour made it for me. The others are stronger because of slanted legs. Stands that will hold honey producers are just metal pipes on top of blocks.

[Duhaje Jennings]

I reap small quantities very often. Gets the bees constantly building.

[danmcm]

constantly building? are you crushing the comb or extracting... Jamaica is a beautiful place lotsa flowers year round what a wonderful place to have bees no winter down time. hmmm honey glazed jerk chicken i am inspired.

Daniel

Maryville, Tn

[Lburou]

I like your apiary

Do you have any mites or beetles or other pests that plague the bees (other than the red ants )?

[Duhaje Jennings]

Since year, the beekeeping industry in my country haas taken a big blow. The mites have taken over.The beetles have moved in on the weaaker hives. Truth be told though, I broke my brood cycles and then continuously did splits. So I'm one of the few beekepers smiling. Most of the older guys just go by routine and even when I've tried to share with them some are not receptive.

[Duhaje Jennings]

Thanks Lburou!

[Duhaje Jennings]

Well I started off with 10 single brood chambers and 20 5 frame nucsss in February as an experiment. I am now at about 90 with a feww nucs. Soundss crazy but I'm trying to reach 200 before december. I don't let them go lazy on me and I give them lots of work to do by building fresh combs to expand. I extract not crush the combs. I havnt fed once for the last 2 years can u imagine if I did?

[Duhaje Jennings]

Oh apart from the mites, bettles and ants we have foul brood. I had it about 5 years back but I shook them down phased out those beess and purchased this new stock which I have tested for being hygenic and they are in majority. My queens are replaced after a few months and they out breed most pests...oh ya we have some birds we call pitcheries. I pay my little cousins for shooting them with the sling