And the addiction grows.
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You going to overwinter in the Nuc's? G
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I agree with the others, don't split them to death...
Have you contemplated using some different colors or geometrics, even if just the landing board, or on the hive lid, to help the bees figure out which hive they belong to? I'd hate to bee a bee and fly into a yard of 20 nearly identical hives and try to remember which door I am supposed to use. I use the Rustoleum "Painters Touch" (made for wood, plastic, and metal) spray paint to add color easily, and quickly, over my main base coats of paint/primer. Just a thought!
Good luck! Go for strong hives, not more numbers. My two cents. Good luck! :applause:
Have you contemplated using some different colors or geometrics, even if just the landing board, or on the hive lid, to help the bees figure out which hive they belong to? I'd hate to bee a bee and fly into a yard of 20 nearly identical hives and try to remember which door I am supposed to use. I use the Rustoleum "Painters Touch" (made for wood, plastic, and metal) spray paint to add color easily, and quickly, over my main base coats of paint/primer. Just a thought!
Good luck! Go for strong hives, not more numbers. My two cents. Good luck! :applause:
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Hey it looks like you count like my 2 year old nephew. After he gets up in the teens he starts skipping around.
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Certainly it becomes an addiction. 
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(Some early splits I have done.)
(Some early splits I have done.)
I ran out of numbers
5 frame nucs deeps. I use only deeps.
I won't split to death I have 14 Dbl. deeps and plan on doing my splits out of around 7 hives .
I pull my queens out of all my Dbl.deeps when the flow is about to peak so that takes care of 14 nucs and plan on making 6 more splits out of QCs when I pull the queens so all hives should be strong by the end of SEPT. That is my goal to have strong healthy hives.
I pulled all my queens last year this way and it work out great got 13 nuc out of 12 hives last year had a brood break and no swarming out of my DBL.deeps and ended up with 12 DBL deeps and 13 nucs { caught 2 swarms out of my nucs}. And around 80 QTs of honey so I am going to do the same thing . As far as color go's I'm not sure if bee's really use color to find there hive I think it's more pheromone and one thing I have learned in beekeeping if ya really want to know if something works or not just try then you know .I plan on making my nuc yard all black this year then i'll know if it's a good idea or not. But I am off to a good start.
Here's my first test of this year I made a split out of a hive that had supersedure cell so I tried a split early for these parts with supersedure cells and set the nuc on top the mother hive facing the opposite directions that was a week ago and all is well so far.
Good luck everyone hope you all will have a great year I know I will.
That's great. looks like you love what your doing.Certainly it becomes an addiction.
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(Some early splits I have done.)
Nice nuc yard any big hives?
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better get the bee suit on to mow the front strip(bee gauntletCertainly it becomes an addiction.
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(Some early splits I have done.)
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Yes it sure can suck you in. Lets see if I can post some before and after photos.
My wife after installing two packages.
It was totally her hobby and I did not want any thing to do with it as "bees are too hard to keep alive"
Here is our yard five years later:
I was quickly smitten and the three total packages really did grow once I learned how to raise queens the second year.
81 in the home yard as of today. Half are nucs about to be picked up....thank goodness.
My wife after installing two packages.
It was totally her hobby and I did not want any thing to do with it as "bees are too hard to keep alive"
Here is our yard five years later:
I was quickly smitten and the three total packages really did grow once I learned how to raise queens the second year.
81 in the home yard as of today. Half are nucs about to be picked up....thank goodness.
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167 Posts
Oh but it really can eat up some time. I spend about half my days in the spring working in the bees or making equipment. The payoff is certainly not great on the money side yet but it is one of the most satisfying side occupations.
Brood frames like this in my nucs with homegrown queens always make me happy!
Small outyards are so much more manageable. I can remember what is going on in each hive. The driving time is the drawback though.
Sharing the bees with others is always fun...even if I forget to bring them gloves!
But it is the quiet peaceful moments with the bees that really has me hooked.
Brood frames like this in my nucs with homegrown queens always make me happy!
Small outyards are so much more manageable. I can remember what is going on in each hive. The driving time is the drawback though.
Sharing the bees with others is always fun...even if I forget to bring them gloves!
But it is the quiet peaceful moments with the bees that really has me hooked.
that is beautiful.
Brood frames like this in my nucs with homegrown queens always make me happy!
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