Joined
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139 Posts
two things just to get comment on.
It's May and I'm seeing drones being kicked out. Guess they are done with most of them. Some are still entering the hive, but the population of present drones has markedly gone down.
The other thing is I read that smoke just confuses the bees sense of smell, so I started using just lemon grass oil on my hands and now I can work the bees without smoke and bare handed. I have seen the videos of bee masters working with no veil or anything, but that has never been me. Still it's nice not to have to get the smoker ready. Admittedly, I don't tear my hive apart stem to stern, but even if I did, I think I would just keep my hands oiled and wait for them to calm.
Using a Carnie queen here in western north carolina and she is doing just as advertised. Removed the follower all together and checker boarded empty frames like-brood brood empty brood brood empty-pattern and it worked great. Comb is nearly all the way to the back of the hive. the Carnie queen gave me workers way back in March.
Everything has it's learning curve and now I guess I am going to have to learn how to get room into a full hive. I've thought about supering the top bar. We'll see.
It's May and I'm seeing drones being kicked out. Guess they are done with most of them. Some are still entering the hive, but the population of present drones has markedly gone down.
The other thing is I read that smoke just confuses the bees sense of smell, so I started using just lemon grass oil on my hands and now I can work the bees without smoke and bare handed. I have seen the videos of bee masters working with no veil or anything, but that has never been me. Still it's nice not to have to get the smoker ready. Admittedly, I don't tear my hive apart stem to stern, but even if I did, I think I would just keep my hands oiled and wait for them to calm.
Using a Carnie queen here in western north carolina and she is doing just as advertised. Removed the follower all together and checker boarded empty frames like-brood brood empty brood brood empty-pattern and it worked great. Comb is nearly all the way to the back of the hive. the Carnie queen gave me workers way back in March.
Everything has it's learning curve and now I guess I am going to have to learn how to get room into a full hive. I've thought about supering the top bar. We'll see.