I'm still on pins and needles. Is there an egg? Ha ha😂
@pbest504014 күн бұрын
Hi Phillip What is your average honey yield there in your Newfoundland climate ? What is the nectar flow pattern by flora ? Cheers...
@phillipcairns157714 күн бұрын
It varies widely considering that the island of Newfoundland is larger many European countries combined with dozens of local climates that play a role. 2024 has been a better than average year for most beekeepers on the island, though beekeepers furthest away from the ocean seem to do better. In hives that I keep in the location shown in this video, I get about 2 medium supers of honey a year. I have hives in other locations, though, that get three, even four times as much.
@ScottPurcell20 күн бұрын
Even in the heat of central Texas, my bees (kept in Layen's hive) tend to propolyze any extra ventilation holes I provide for them. Top insulation is crucial to prevent comb collapse in the heat, but ventilation doesn't seem needed. Thanks for the video! Oh, by the way I'm Scott @blacklandprairiebees.
@mudsongs20 күн бұрын
The hard insulation up top was a hold over from my winter setup. I left on because I didn't want it taking up space in my shed. But leaving it on seems to have worked out well. The bees propolyzed every little crack in the hive (and there were many). Even the insides of the corks that plug up the drilled holes were coated with propolis. It seems, if they could, they'd seal in every hole like you described. I was always taught that upper ventilation in the summer will reduce the amount of work the bees need to do to cure honey and to regulate the brood nest temperature, but having cut off all upper ventilation for a couple summers now (with hives that happen to be painted black), I don't see any evidence that they're overworked or stressed or anything detrimental. The bees are curing and capping the honey just as quickly. I can't tell if they're fanning more than they would with upper ventilation, but if they are, it's not exactly taxing the workforce. A dozen or so extra bees having to fan near the entrance? That's nothing. The temperment of the bees seems more relaxed too. That could just be me projecting, but I don't think I've ever gone so long in the summer without a sting before. I did most of my beekeeping wearing shorts and a t-shirt and no gloves. The bees just show any defensive behaviour. Again, that could be coincidence, but an enclosed hive with no upper ventilation might keep all the happy pheremones contained inside the hive instead of evaporating out the top entrance. Maybe? Neither of my hives are in full sunlight all day long, so maybe this wouldn't work for everybody. However, I've seen plenty of commercial beekeepers whose bees don't get any shade and seem to do fine with no upper ventilation. So... It seems like upper ventilation isn't necessary. It only took 14 years to figure that out. I'm getting there.
@johncarew8093Ай бұрын
Great content
@johncarew8093Ай бұрын
Love it
@vigab9601Ай бұрын
I gave up on foundationless frames due to the large number of drone cells produced. I sell nucleus colonies so want to pass on to customers well drawn out combs with few drone cells in it. However, If I was just keeping a few hives for myself I might give the foundationless method another try.
@mudsongsАй бұрын
They definitely make more drone comb at first, but do seem to switch to normal worker comb eventually. At least that's what I'm seeing in my hives as I gradually cycle out the frames with standard plastic foundation. When I started backyard beekeeping in 2010, about half of my frames were foundationless. I got so many drones, it was kind of nuts. So I switched to using mostly plastic foundation. I've reached the point now where I'm sick of buying foundation and having to wax it myself, so I've got my bees making more foundationless comb again and it's working out okay. I have specific hives with feeders dedicated to foundationless comb production. With that set up, they're drawing out worker brood in the middle and drone comb near the edges of the brood nest. My plan is to keep doing that and move the foundationless worker comb into my regular hives. Two things I like about foundationless comb: 1) I rarely find drone comb between the supers in the spring like I used to. 2) I can easily cut out queen cells from foundationless frames and move them into nucs of whatever else want to do with them. That being said, I don't think foundationless frames are practical for most commercial beekeepers, especially on deep frames.
@KambizNazirАй бұрын
I keep 1-3 frames of foundationless frames precisely for drone cells. I have found that the bees don’t make as much of a mess under the frames with plastic foundation when I provide a place for them to rear drones.
@emmavann8796Ай бұрын
The purple bell flowers are Campanula, also known commonly as Canterbury Bells, and also called Bell Flowers
@gallowaylightsАй бұрын
Looks like something from the spice cabinet... yummy😊
@gallowaylightsАй бұрын
It would be interesting to see how the polen trap is made. The entrance is less confusing than others I've seen 😊
@mudsongsАй бұрын
Here you go: hbrc.ca/resources-for-beekeepers/ kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmPLoHWQaatpl5Y
@gallowaylightsАй бұрын
@mudsongs * your so awesome. Thank you, 😊 Thank you,🫠 Thank you
@gallowaylightsАй бұрын
No bees😢 seaweed
@Rickytricky01Ай бұрын
Thank you I think you have a very special role we need bees for plant pollination as well as giving us their so so sweeeeeeeet honey
@inharmonywithearth9982Ай бұрын
Why do you think we wouldnt like keeping bees there? You dont have African Small Hive Beetles or Varroa Destructor mites. You have strong nectar flows and a mild cool climate. Bees are made for that.
@mudsongsАй бұрын
I can see the Labrador Current from my house. Google it. It's one of the coldest ocean currents on planet earth, and my bees are stuck inside most of the time because of it. In this particular location, Flatrock, the nectar flow is TRASH. Plenty of pollen. Not much nectar. In the location that I call the Magic Forest, it's a completely different story. Don't be deceived by what I post from that location. But the location that's shown is this video is JUNK. 1/3 of the bees' foraging area is the North Atlantic Ocean. The rest of it is mostly spruce trees. It's the worst place on the island of Newfound to keep bees. I have no doubt about that. Not having to deal with Varroa or most of the other diseases that beekeepers in the rest of the world have to deal with is great. But keeping bees in the worst climate for honey bees kind of cancels out all those benefits. I know beekeepers in Iceland who live in a more honey bee friendly climate than I do here in Flatrock, Newfoundland. maps.app.goo.gl/PNVTDGbbvV2sYj116 Trust me, you wouldn't want to keep bees here.
@johncarew8093Ай бұрын
Great video brother..
@inharmonywithearth9982Ай бұрын
Your queens have very unique colors, not the common yellow of most. Good genetics for colder winters are always dark. You got them!
@johncarew80932 ай бұрын
I got bees brother! Thanks
@mudsongs2 ай бұрын
Perfect! Good luck!
@johncarew80932 ай бұрын
Great video brother
@johncarew80932 ай бұрын
brother, i am new to beekeeping. i never thought i would be drawn to this, but here i am. Never saw myself as a beekeeper....i live in St.Johns, and i am putting out some swarm traps......Is it the right time, will they be attracted.......
@mudsongs2 ай бұрын
There may not be as many swarms as media attention might make it seem, but over crowded colonies tend to swarm in June, July and August. The best place to set up a swarm trap in St. John's is probably the Waterford Bridge Rd area. That place is a haven for honey bees and swarms.
@johncarew80932 ай бұрын
Thanks. , I was thinking the old Bally Haley golf.course
@johncarew80932 ай бұрын
I love your content. Nothing really out there for this province. I am a retired Military guy. And I did an introduction to 🐝 at Avalon Homestead. I really liked it. I am on the list for some Nucs from the Bearded beekeeper. For some reason, the noise the bees make help my PTSD from Afghanistan, weird..so, I have a swarm trap out in North River, and looking at what you said .this may be presumptuous of me, but if you ever need Anny help, iam retired, and love in St.Johns
@johncarew80932 ай бұрын
Anny place in particular on that road?
@mudsongs2 ай бұрын
A good swarm trap contains drawn comb of some sort, preferably old drone comb. I don't know why, but swarms seem to like drone comb. A six-frame nuc with deep frames I think is the standard size used for attracting swarms, though don't quote me on that. It's not uncommon for swarms to move into old empty hives, which have nothing special in them except old dried up comb. A tiny dab of lemongrass oil goes a long way. Commercial lures work too, but lemongrass oil is much cheaper. Apparently the buzzing of the bees, when they're not trying to sting you in the face, has a calming effect. I've spent countless hours over the years just hanging out with the bees, watching them, listening to them. You're not the first person I've talked to who has found beekeeping helpful with their PTSD. If you have all your beekeeping gear and hive components, I know other beekeepers, not members of the beekeeping association, who produce nucs for sale if you can't get any. It's getting late in the year for new orders, but I can pass the word on if you think you're ready for some bees now.
@Juksemakeren2 ай бұрын
why paint it black if you're concerned with heat?
@mudsongs2 ай бұрын
I mention the black paint in the original version of the video, but I had to cut that part out for the video to meet the 60-second maximum length of KZbin Shorts. These short videos are killing our attention spans. In any case, the hive is painted black because for 90% of the year, the weather is freezing cold. I painted my hives black for that reason, but after painting them black for a few years now, I don't think the colour of the hives -- in my local climate -- makes much difference.
@rtxhoneybees2 ай бұрын
Natural pollen is the best choice for those new queen cells. I believe you'd have been better served to leave that pollen and move capped brood with that queen. What you are trying is a fly back split. I did this once but with a large hive. It was amazing how quickly the original colony drew out the comb but I was really disappointed in the quality of the emergency cells. I went back to moving the queen and letting the original colony raise the cells. Good luck to you. I hope you have better results.
@mudsongs2 ай бұрын
I couldn't get them to make swarm cells, which I prefer, so I went with emergency queen cells. All the brood, including fresh brood, is in a box by itself now, with all the nurse bees and honey, but minus most of the foragers. I put in a pollen patty afterwards. Being queenless, I expect them to take in the pollen and fill some emergency queen cells with royal jelly. The old and failing queen, who I really could have just "dispatched," is in the original hive location to receive all the foragers. I'll keep her as a spare queen and maybe get a few more frames of brood from her. I've never heard of a fly-back split before, but I'd say that's what most of my splits are. I suppose an artificial swarm is similar. All the brood and swarm cells are moved to a different hive and the queen is left behind with empty comb and a bunch of foragers and no brood.
@fishbulbnation2 ай бұрын
What are you spraying them with and why?
@mudsongs2 ай бұрын
I'm using a fine mist of slightly sweetened water just like I would use a smoker. I explain it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/paXPmYlvp7V0otksi=HkhGj8NtSQpI7rfC I use a spray bottle, or mist bottle, when I need to do something quickly and don't have time to light a smoker. I normally wouldn't use it for any kind of major beekeeping, but it's fine for quick peeks inside the hive if used properly. I should have had a smoker this day.
@fishbulbnation2 ай бұрын
@@mudsongs great, thanks!
@fishbulbnation2 ай бұрын
This was excellent - thank you!
@inharmonywithearth99822 ай бұрын
There are very few videos on pollen trapping. Probably less than a dozen.
@ginch64483 ай бұрын
It would not be Newfoundland without a bunch or rain , drizzle and fog. Maybe a warm day soon so the bees can get to any surviving flowers.....we hope....
@peterg25693 ай бұрын
Why feed them with a super on them?
@mudsongs3 ай бұрын
Because the weather forecast for the next 2 weeks calls for rain, drizzle and fog and the bees might not be able to forage. The population is expanding and they could run low out of honey in those two weeks. They may not need any sugar or pollen, but it doesn't hurt.
@gallowaylights3 ай бұрын
Why are comments disabled eventually? 00:15:15 I've tried using chicken water heater in the bottom all winter
@mudsongs3 ай бұрын
How do it work out for you?
@cindypoitras-farahani80273 ай бұрын
Did they dye?
@mudsongs3 ай бұрын
No. They did extremely well.
@cindypoitras-farahani80273 ай бұрын
Bloody good job fellow Canadian
@MrGregfurey3 ай бұрын
Oh my goodness what a load of slugs! Nasty!
@jennymartin84483 ай бұрын
Would you ever think to rewax them? Maybe paint on another layer with a brush?
@mudsongs3 ай бұрын
I've never done that, but it could work.
@wendycolflesh3 ай бұрын
Absolutely beautiful 😍
@inharmonywithearth99823 ай бұрын
Slugs cannot cross copper
@mudsongs3 ай бұрын
I tried copper tape to keep them out once, but that didn't stop them. I used a row of pennies instead, which did work. I wonder if I can get a copper plated bottom board. Ha.
@gallowaylights3 ай бұрын
Because it's close to the ground? Does that help?
@mudsongs3 ай бұрын
I don't think being close to the cold damp ground helps. Mostly I'd say it was the large population going into winter with so much honey that I didn't need to feed them. Big clusters going into winter usually turn into big clusters coming out of winter.
@user-wf8gu7mt7d3 ай бұрын
I have wintered bees directly on the ground and they did great. I have seen other people do it as well. I don’t think it helps them but it don’t hurt them. can have other problems like snow or ice blocking them and flooding at all would be bad. The old timers would use Soiled bottom and they used an empty box under. It would keep the frost down and that could help. They sell them landing board things and that’s where it comes from. Nowadays people will have those on stands. that doesn’t make sense to me. It’s supposed to go right on the ground to get that effect.
@gallowaylights3 ай бұрын
My strong hive got weak... Three swarms😮
@ginch64483 ай бұрын
I have never mowed before they turn to fluff. As you noted, there are many opinions on bee need or no bee need. We do know that the bees are taking a beating in the U.S. I have watched a bee keeper in the Southern U.S. that has, with other bee keepers, transported the bees to California to polinate the almond trees. (Sorry about my spelling). If the bees were not taking a beating, they would not need to be sent here, or there to get the flowers polinated.
@inharmonywithearth99823 ай бұрын
An apis mellifera fossil was found in 2017. In a dry salt lake bed in the Nevada desert in North America. The researchers said it appeared to be exactly the same as a modern day Apis Mellifera Mellifera black honeybee found in the isles of the Gulf stream and in northern Europe. They named this find apis mellifera neoartica. I have found evidence they are indiginous to North America.
@gallowaylights3 ай бұрын
My community fines me if they get over 10" tall😢
@mudsongs3 ай бұрын
Are you saying you have dandelions that grow 10 feet tall?
@klombi_72313 ай бұрын
@@mudsongs i think it's inches. :)
@gallowaylights3 ай бұрын
@@mudsongs * If they are in flower pots on the roof! 🫠
@diegovd72153 ай бұрын
Hi, even an hour before it starts raining, I see slugs nearning the entrance of my hives. They feed on dead bees. They know in advance that there will be dead bees dropped out by the cleaning bees. I have never seen slugs inside my hives (most are styrofoam). About mice: I leave on purpose a small empty styrofoam box (Apidea, mating nuc) on the ground, free for any mice that would seek shelter. I give them a dry and warm place to build a nest and they do not bother the hives, that my experience. I have checked in winter and there is usually 2 to 4 mice living in there. They build the nest with leaves and other materials. My entrances are 3D printed with PLA, in winter I keep a very small entrance, height is like only 7 mm. No mice ever got in. About condensation water: I tilt my hives forward 1.5 to 2.5 degrees to help water to evacuate, and help the removal of dead bees. Good luck and cheers.
@jackhammer01014 ай бұрын
Now you've introduced artifical sugar, and ruined the honey.. The health benifits stem from honey derived from natural sources.. Ie nectar.
@rudeawakening214 ай бұрын
You say in the vid that it's too cold for them to fly right now, a bee climbs out when you open the top, and instead of opening the top to put them back - you fling them away. Ffs.
@mudsongs4 ай бұрын
I know. I'm a terrible person and I'm going to hell for that.
@ewanfuller57424 ай бұрын
What does the anise in the syrup do ?
@mudsongs4 ай бұрын
The anise attracts the bees to the syrup.
@wendycolflesh4 ай бұрын
So sorry this happened to you and your bees 😢
@wendycolflesh4 ай бұрын
What do you use the dead queen for? If you hadn’t been sick, what would you feed them? Some pollen? Where would you get it?
@inharmonywithearth99824 ай бұрын
Mold has antibiotic properties and they'll clean it up
@inharmonywithearth99824 ай бұрын
Often my frames and entrance reducers are a tiny bit too long so I keep some rough sandpaper near the hives to sand off the edges. It takes surprisingly few swipes to make them fit. Sometimes it's just propolis on the ends.
@mudsongs4 ай бұрын
Not a bad idea. I've had propolis make frames tight, and you can see me scraping propolis off one of the frames for sure, but the box is homemade and too tight. I think one of the frames of was homemade too, and too long. But yeah, having a piece of rough sandpaper in my kit would be handy.
@inharmonywithearth99824 ай бұрын
I recently found out that bees become very cold they climb into cells and that is how they warm the area inside. They each vibrate inside the cell. A small colony cannot warm the hive enough and freezes to death. Up until last year I thought dead bees inside cells upside down meant starvation and I thought that for decades. Maybe it froze to death. Maybe not.
@mudsongs4 ай бұрын
It's both. They get stuck in the cells trying to stay warm and trying to eat honey.