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2018/19 Journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

56K views 614 replies 22 participants last post by  Gray Goose 
#1 ·
Many of you read that I lost my hives. I have two nucs on order locally and will be putting swarm traps in two locations, more if I can. I'm going to try to keep this post updated in hopes that my mistakes will help someone else succeed.

My first concern is setting myself up right not this year. I would like to end the yer with 40 pounds of honey and as many hives as I can split out. My goal is 10 at the home location. I currently have drawn comb for 1.5 deep boxes and about 3 mediums. I will be running 10 frame deep with 9 frame mediums over it. I have an addition 100 new frames of ritecell mediums. The nucs are expected to be ready at the end of February, start of March.

I think one or two of my absconded hives is still in the area. I found bees one a box of frames on my porch and some equipment in the back yard. Hopefully I will catch a swarm. I've put a nuc box with empty comb about 9-10 feet off the ground on an oak branch. The branches around it created an open space of several feet around the box. The box has some lemongrass oil dabbed on the entrance and the back wall. The opening is just a bit smaller than the hole on the disk as the original hole was too low for the disk, but I want to be able to easily close it when moving the box.

As to bringing in queens for splits, I'm trying to get my hands on some tf queens from Florida.

How do my more experienced beeks suggest I approach production and splitting this year?
 
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#108 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Today, we put two frames of brood, one honey and pollen, and a few extra shakes of nurse bees in a 5 frame to be used as a finisher. Released the queen from the nicot, but left it for them to start the larvae stage before moving larvae to the five frame. I expect to set up the cups in the nuc Saturday. My three queens I ordered from a long term tf keeper should be ready for pick-up at the post office Saturday morning. I suspect they won't wait around to call me. ;) Plan to put them in a 3 frame to get some egg laying started before moving them to a 5 five. We saw three queens while checking hives today. I'm running into problems setting up the nucs due to still having deep frames that are being rotated out and cut down. Hive 2 also took it upon themselves to build comb on the bottom of all the mediums so they fit the deep box. LOL, Cool with me. I'm spinning the honey, cutting the extra comb off, installing it in empty frames and giving it back to the new boxes. Helps out as I rotate out the deeps. Now if they would just move the queen into the lower box and back fill with honey, I could finish up the rotation. Darn girl went and laid on several of the deeps, so I can't pull them.
 
#111 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Our tulip poplar flow got wacked by high winds and lots of rain. So not only are we going to get less per hive than last year, it will be a different floral makeup. Hope it is as good as last year's.
 
#112 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Checked on the three mated queens that were added yesterday and it looks like they are accepting them. Too soon for them to have released her, but looks promising. I took my first try at using a grafting tool. Ten larvae moved. The box we set up for them had started some of its own queen cells, so those had to be torn down. Fingers crossed that I have some success. Hopefully they were all young enough. Queen right count is now up to 9, including the three frame boxes queens are being introduced in. Now I need to build some more boxes this week. FBM says that stacked 5 frames will produce more honey than 8 frames. Has anyone had experience with that?
 
#115 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

FBM says that stacked 5 frames will produce more honey than 8 frames. Has anyone had experience with that?
I keep a 16 stacked 5 frame nucs every year. I can tell you that they SWARM a lot faster than any other kind. The limiting factor on honey is you can't stack them very high, after the 3rd box they are very unstable. I overwinter in doubles. The real advantage to nucs is having strong double stacked nucs in the spring to replace a production hive that is failing or died over the winter. It's also the item you can sell. I do take honey from really strong nucs. But my strong, 10 frame production hives produce 20 to 50 frames of honey. Takes a lot of nucs to match the output from a strong hive.
 
#113 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

I doubt that box configuration has anything to do with honey production. What is the rational? Happy to hear you are 9QR. Confirmed today that I am at 12. The mating nuc that was iffy does have a laying queen and I saw her. Moved both mating nucs to 5 frame equipment and added a feeder and pollen sub. Grafting tomorrow so I will have queens for the nucs I plan to overwinter and sell next Spring. Did it take long to get the hang of the grafting tool? I smushed about six before I got the first one to come out whole.
 
#114 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Good Morning !!!! , glad to hear all is well , and qr !!! Hope the grafting works for you.
I hear that the smaller boxes do mature faster too. I'm thinking that the more bees in a smaller space may make them mature faster, mabye make a bit more honey, and mabye brood improves too. More bees in less space, more getting done faster? Keep an eye out for swarming, as im shure they will want to swarm sooner, as congestion happens. Add boxes sooner, and checkingnoften....Mabye? . I did a few nucs yesterday myself, and looks like i got queen cells ready to hatch next few days.... fingers crossed.... more in my post.glad yours are working out great. I'm needing more equipment built too. Looks like the dearth is coming fast here....
 
#116 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

jw, He says the heat rises in a concentrated form, helping production, and that a 5 frame is closer to a natural tree trunk. I'm interested in possibly running both to see the results. But that is for another year. Congrats on 12 confirmed! I didn't squish many larvae, but I had trouble getting some onto the end. I'm just hopeful that I picked out young enough larvae. I went for the smallest. I guess I'll know if a few days. Hubby wishes that I didn't get rid of the queen cells that the nuc had started to build. I wish I had been able to switch it out to start another nuc, but it was one of the remaining deeps and I only have two nucs that they fit in.

Rich, I think that is the idea behind the nuc towers. Glad to hear you are having good results as well. Yes, I think the heat is knocking the nectar down here.

Robbin, Thank you for sharing your experience. I suspect that even if they do product more honey, keeping up with more than a few is prohibitive vs. the time for 8 or 10 frame boxes.
 
#117 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

*$&*^&$ first robbing of the year and they go after my new queen nucs. I had to restart two of them with a new frame of brood and one of honey and pollen. Queen have not been released and were still running around. Quick run to the store and a few building moments and all three now have robber screens. This may not have happened if I had remembered to put the reducer on the entrance. Time to build more screens for future boxes. All the small entrances were fine. The graft nuc still had two queen cells that I missed, but I think they are feeding the grafts. Fingers crossed that they are raising them as queens. Other than moving them, any suggestions?
 
#118 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

I put entrance reducers on every box, and robbing screens on also. Before I put bees in now. #8 screen, bent into a z , 1inch folds. 3 staples at top, then if I have to move a box, not any trouble, just fold it up, and take 3 staples out, and restaple to new bottom box., and unfold
 
#119 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Robbing screens are great prevention, but when a full fledged attack is under way. A wet sheet all the way to the ground brings it to a halt.

one thing about nucs. If you steal frames to start a nuc and you put a honey frame in it. The fliers will go home and tell the hive where they found honey at and bang, a hive comes after your nuc.
If I'm strengthening a nuc, I will move just the brood. If I'm starting a nuc, I move the nuc to a different location, a 100 feet will do, let the fliers go home at dark, move the nuc to the location I want it and add the honey frame on the second day. I learned this lesson the hard way, bet I lost 10 nucs before I figured out what was triggering the attacks. You can probably skip the extra hive move and just add the honey after two days so the fliers have all gone home. But I did it with the move and it works so that's how I always do it.
 
#121 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Jade, I start all my nucs with robber screens or entrance reducer from day one. Something I noticed too is that a robber screen forces a reorientation and some of the foragers return to the nuc. My first split attempts last year all got robbed out and killed. Learned that lesson the hard way too.

Bee Chicken coop Apiary Agriculture Insect


Working on building 20 deep nucs for the summer splits. Now if BM would get me my frames and foundation!
 
#122 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Is it a must to have brood to do a split? I haven't fully split down either of the original nucs. We have only stolen frames from time to time. Have you found that they build faster in a 5 over 5 instead of a 10 frame? Looks like we will all be spending time woodworking. I plan to do some dives tomorrow, but maybe after that I can pick up the plywood and have Lowe's do the main strip cuts.
I'm surprised your frames haven't arrived.
 
#126 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Is it a must to have brood to do a split? I haven't fully split down either of the original nucs. We have only stolen frames from time to time. Have you found that they build faster in a 5 over 5 instead of a 10 frame? Looks like we will all be spending time woodworking. I plan to do some dives tomorrow, but maybe after that I can pick up the plywood and have Lowe's do the main strip cuts.
I'm surprised your frames haven't arrived.
I've always split with brood, bees don't live very long and their numbers dwindle FAST. Also brood will hold more of the bees in the new nuc. Especially the nurse bees. I've only had them abandon a frame of brood once.
 
#123 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

I'm doing all my splits with a frame of brood, frame of resources, and if no queen cell.... a frame with eggs. I leave the bees on the frames I pull, and try to add a shake or two from frames in strongest hive. So far so good...
As to making wooden wares... I'm doing something daily now. If I have something that I built , and not as expected, and needs modifying, and building new stuff along the way too. It's a real challenge to stay ahead of the game, especially being new, cause you have nothing but ideas, and the bees move faster than me it seems. I think ill get caught up before summer and fall. But winter will be build time for me for next season, and I'll have bunches of everything for next spring...
 
#124 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

I've never used more than a few at a time because I'm afraid that bees that learn how to navigate them can navigate them to raid another hive. So I only put them on hives I need to protect. But it may bee that the barrier slows them down enough for the defenders to be able to stop them. Just a thought.
 
#125 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

I always move a frame of capped brood and a frame of eggs and open brood when doing a walk away split. It will just be capped brood on my mating nucs. Like Rich, I try to do something every night. Last night it was cut and assemble 5 telescoping tops and 1 screened bottom board. Sunday night was 10 inner covers.
 
#127 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

I have a shortage of brood on the needed comb size, but I'm in the process of fixing it. I figured that I can't get away with broodless splits, but thought I'd see if anyone had tried it. I hope that the nucs are doing better today. Yes, building is a constant thing. Getting to it between storms has been the trick this past week.
Rich, Sorry, but we are sending more rain your way. Florida summer showers are in full swing. I prefer the way they used to be. Same time each day, lasting 15-20 minutes, total downpour, but sun still shining.
 
#129 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

The three queens were still not released today. At most, only half the fondant had been eaten. Way too much fondant. This was my fist shipment using the plastic cages and I know why all the others use the wooden ones. Any who, we released them and checked on the graft frame. The little stinkers decided to build one last queen cell and ignore those I offered. By now they should have no other larvae to pick from. So I hope. Try again. This time we brought the frame in for better light and to save my back. I found that removing the lower edge of the cell helps get a better angle for the grafting tool. FWIW, I'm using the chinese style ones. Eventually I will get this method figured out. My first attempt with the nicot landed me 2/10 queen cells, probably because I moved eggs. The showers here are making it hard to time things. I'm having to work in between showers. We did see a hawk land on the edge of our lot and then fly off. Probably checking to see if the chickens had chicks to snatch. Birds of prey are making a come back here, even with the development.
 
#130 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

To make the grafting tool work better, bend the blade in a tight curl towards the plastic slider. When it relaxes, it will look like the tip of a water ski. Perfect for sliding in and picking those suckers up, and makes it easier to deposit them in the cup too. The grafts I did Sunday are coming along. 13 of 24 and it has rained every day. Gave them a piece of pollen patty day one and they are tearing it up. Added a mason jar feeder today as they have already consumed most of the capped honey that was on the frames. I am really seeing how important feeding is. The nuc I made Saturday has one capped cell and five open ones. The capped one is too soon and will be removed, it is small anyhow. Going to put it in the incubator to see what happens. She'll get an alcohol bath regardless so her fate is sealed.
I'm suprised your bees chose to just make one cell of their own and ignore the larvae you provided. I would have expected some to be accepted, even if they were making another on a different frame.
 
#132 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

They had made more, but I tore them down. At first it looks like they started to raise the larvae as some looked bigger, but then dried out. They were bit noisy today, so I have my fingers crossed that I finally have the right mix.
 
#133 ·
Re: 2018 journal NW Florida Gulf Coast

Update: Three installed queens are doing fine. I quickly located them. Bee numbers are low, so I'll keep an eye on that. Hopefully they will be laying before all the current brood emerges. Looks like I will get 2 out of 10 on the graft. A third was started, but abandoned. I'll happily take the two and give it another try. Thinking of putting up a feeding station instead of a bunch of individual jars. Sugar water goes cloudy very fast right now.
 
#134 ·
Re: squarepeg 2015-2018 treatment free experience

Yes, Robbin has been very helpful. I'll put the feeder in the front yard. Unfortunately, I don't have the land you two have and must adjust for limited space. If I do well enough coming out of winter, I do have an offer to put some hives in a relatives yard. We are also looking into a few other options.

4 frame deep nucs overwintered is good information. As you mentioned, winters are milder here, but that gives me a number to work from.
 
#135 ·
Re: squarepeg 2015-2018 treatment free experience

Yes, Robbin has been very helpful. I'll put the feeder in the front yard. Unfortunately, I don't have the land you two have and must adjust for limited space. If I do well enough coming out of winter, I do have an offer to put some hives in a relatives yard. We are also looking into a few other options.

4 frame deep nucs overwintered is good information. As you mentioned, winters are milder here, but that gives me a number to work from.
Nope, not in the front yard in front of neighbors. You won't believe what it will look like when every bee you've got and then some are attacking the feeder... I think you will get complaints.
I love to stand next to my feeder and watch them when there are 10K or more all over them at the same time. You can stand 2 feet away. You won't get stung unless you swat one that lands on you.
It's an amazing sound, but not one your neighbors are going to appreciate. Unless they are bee keepers of course. Even where I live I don't let my long range neighbors know I keep bees.
 
#136 ·
Re: squarepeg 2015-2018 treatment free experience

One neighbor use to work for a commercial beekeeper, one is thrilled I have bees, and the other is fine. However, drivers passing by may be an issue. I'll put it behind the fence.
 
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