10: Sometimes Beekeeping Goes Wrong! - Stewart Spinks at the Norfolk Honey Co.

[@johnowen9831]

Hi Stewart. I bought 2 queens and they were marked white . The bees had manged to clean the markings off within the week. The type of bees you have there seem to me quite capable of doing the same thing. The strange queen would prompt the bees to give her more attention. Do you remember if the queen did look something similar with the red spot taken off ?. A touch of too much hygienics !. It might be a good idea to keep her and see if she can mange to calm the colony down. Nice video

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi John, Thanks for the comments and describing your experiences. To be honest, I think I'm now over-thinking the whole situation! I've had some great feedback and suggestions but with producing all the videos and trying to keep on top of the bees I can't honestly say for sure if this one is totally different. I think it is a different queen but as you say I'm going to leave her for the rest of this season and see if her genetic positively affect the traits of the colony. Fingers crossed she turns out calmer! Stewart

[@barryduke8329]

Hi, thanks for all your videos. It's great that you are willing to show that things don't always go to plan even for the experienced bee keepers. I know it's said that bees don't read the books, this video proves it.

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Barry, Thanks for commenting. I've never pretended to be an expert or a beekeeper who knows everything or gets everything right every time and as such, I wanted to show beginners it's ok to get things wrong sometimes. You and the bees can always put things right another time. I have a bookcase full of beekeeping books none of them has been written by a honeybee! Stewart

[@denniswood231]

I would move that foundation comb in one or two positions towards center...I usually draw foundation in the honey supers...right in the middle or one on each side of center which is my preferred configuration...if I have a frame with granulated honey I put it right in the center between the foundation...the wax hangers with clean out, eat and process the granulated honey and draw the foundation quickly!

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

A water mist spray would do a much better job of calming those bees than a smoker. If the queen you found was laying, I wonder why they had not torn down the emergency cells? I wonder if the red mark had worn off in the wire cage? Or it is possible that a newly mated queen landed at the wrong hive and was allowed past the guards. It's things like this that makes beekeeping so interesting!

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Phil, Thanks for the suggestion, I'm definitely going to give the water spray a try next time, always happy to give something a go if it makes things a little easier on me and the bees. Regarding the red mark, I don't think it was rubbed off, I seem to recall the queen I was introducing being a little smaller and darker than the one that is currently in the colony and certainly calmer. Of course, I realise I have probably made a mistake along the way somewhere, when in doubt it is usually the beekeeper who has messed up, the bees generally know what they're doing, they've had plenty of practice! As you say, it's things like this that makes beekeeping so interesting. Stewart

[@Labeeman]

"Regarding the red mark, I don't think it was rubbed off, I seem to recall the queen I was introducing being a little smaller and darker than the one that is currently" Queens that have been shipped to you will be smaller and darker but after being fed by the bees will increase in size and will be lighter in color.

[@stephenmarchant5532]

Stephen Marchant Hi I am new to bee keeping and have just the one colony. Just before going on a weeks holiday I did my weekly inspection and removed a Queen cell before I had checked to see the Queen big mistake. On my return from holiday on inspection day I could not see my Queen or any sign of eggs just capped brood. My apiary is in my garden and is netted like your allotment apiary so I think I would have seen if my Queen had swarmed. So with now sign of a Queen I purchased another following the instructions. This week a week after the new Queen was introduced I do my inspection and see no Queen no eggs most of the brood has hatched. So yes things do go wrong Do you think I am going to run out of bees ?

[@kaistumer198]

Sometimes you will find cells just left by the bees, it cools down and dies and gets torn down after the flow is off. Else maybe they wanted to superseed? If so you will find a new cell the next week

[@christopherhindle1174]

Good morning Stewart, I wondered why you used the wire cage for the introduction in this case, rather than the plastic introduction cage with candy in the end?

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Christopher, It was a technique that I had seen and wanted to give it a try. I usually go with the yellow plastic cages but with all the concerns over plastic right now I thought I would try something alternative and see how it worked. On this occassion, it didn't work out so well. Stewart

[@christopherhindle1174]

Thanks Stewart. I also tried this wire cage introduction method once, with similar lack of success!

[@josephwoodall832]

The thing that concerns me about these honey paw hives is the lack of a top vent I imagine I could rig something up.

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Joseph, I've not found ventilation a problem on any of my poly hives. I fact on a lot of my wooden hives the bees use propolis to cover any vents that they find in the roof spaces and around the hive generally. Stewart

[@josephwoodall832]

@@TheNorfolkHoneyCo it can't be drier there than northern New York is it? There are very few beekeepers here but the ones I know go on and on about ventilation maybe the poly allows them to regulate the temperature well enough to prevent excess condensation? It seems with bees at least the more I learn the less I know.

[@cqammaz53]

Do you think that because there was 2 queen that was the reason for them to be so aggressive?

[@StephenBiggers]

Presently I am re-queening a hive that was from an aggressive swarm. I caged the queen in a queen clip and will keep her in the hive for 5 days before removing and adding the new one. Is this proper? Will I not have to worry about removing queen cells. The viable eggs should be eliminated by that time. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for the help.

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Stephen, Was trapping the queen straight from capturing the swarm? Caging her will certainly prevent egg laying and with any luck, they will have enough drawn comb for the new queen to lay into when you requeen. Good luck with it. Stewart

[@Fisherman2k]

Great content as always Stuart. Just a quick question with the double brood box method - why did you initially leave the queen excluder on and then later remove it when alternating frames? Was it to ensure the Queen had a supply of food around her in case she did travel up? Thanks

[@patmcphillips2530]

Hello from the Canadian prairies. Two years ago I was a new beekeeper, only to find out too late that I am highly allergic to bee stings. When the last sting landed me in hospital, I sold my hives. After seeing a specialist who says bee stings will not kill me, but will make me very miserable for a very long time, I am considering getting back into it. I loved it and miss it terribly. I would make changes, mistakes caused by inexperience led to most of my stings, but I was disheartened to see that you still got stung despite being a fully geared up professional. How did you get stung, were there gaps in your protective gear? Did you let your guard down? Do you have any advise for me?

[@josephwoodall832]

This is all very cool I wish I could take a class from you

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Joseph, Come to Norwich! Stewart

[@josephwoodall832]

@@TheNorfolkHoneyCo I've never been I do live in the town of Norfolk however. How much would said class set me back?

[@rebeccastirling3010]

Hi Stuart, could it be that they have cleaned/ groomed the mark from the Queen?

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Rebecca, I don't think so the queen that I introduced was mostly dark without any light colouring. Of course, it is possible, I'm known to make a few mistakes through the season! Stewart

[@joebrown116]

Could you just put another brood between the brood and super?

[@ahorsley1027]

Wonderful video quality. I am surprised no one has cried foul at the use of the term “checker boarding.” It usually refers to alternating honey frames. Ala Walt Wright I believe. Great video! How were you stung whilst wearing a bee suit?

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi a horsley, Thanks for the comments. The checkerboarding, like many other procedures in beekeeping, has changed and adapted I guess so that now it refers to a frame of foundation sandwiched between two frames of drawn comb etc. whether honey frames or brood frames. I get stung regularly through my suit over the course of a season, usually because of beekeeping incompetence! Stewart

[@ahorsley1027]

Thanks Stewart. I am distressed at hearing they can sting through a suit. Maybe I will forgo my plans to keep bees.😩

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

@@ahorsley1027 I have just a standard bee suit, check out this one (www.bbwear.co.uk/clothing/bee-suits/ultra/ultra-ventilated-bee-suit) and speak to the guys at BBWear for more information if you are interested. Stewart

[@manolisran]

Hi Stewart ! Whats the night temperatures you can perform checkerboard technique?I suppose in summer time. It look like a good way to build up frames and adding supers at the same time.Keep up the good work..that was perhaps a virgin queen at previous inspections.

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Manolis, Yes, high nighttime temps are the key I think and also a strong colony with plenty of resources such as a nectar flow or sugar syrup to keep them producing wax. Regarding the queen, it may well have been a virgin queen from somewhere, who knows, one of the fun things about beekeeping really. Stewar

[@dallasbarrow]

Mate, you probably have such aggressive bees because you keep squashing them, evertime you pick up a frame and place it on top of other bees. One of the first frames you place down you crush 5 bees in one go. I would sting the crap out of you too if i you treated my family like that. Get some frame holders and some stamina in your arms and hold the frames in the air. Do it for the bees. Btw that 2nd queen had a great brood pattern. I would keep her.

[@PabloTBrave]

In all your videos you seem to destroy all queen cells before checking if you have a viable queen isn't that a little dangerous

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Paul, I always check for eggs prior to destroying queen cells, maybe not always on video but I do always ensure I have a laying queen or eggs that the colony can produce another queen prior to destroying queen cells. Stewart

[@Labeeman]

I have raised many queens (breeder queens) and that paint mark is only temporary Many a queen has lost its mark due to the bees removing the paint the best mark is to clip a wing as they will not grow a new wing. Very important that a breeder queen is the one you put in the hive so a clipped wing is insurance that is the right queen.

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Charles, Thanks for commenting. Yeah, I'm not sure exactly what happened here. I do think it's a different queen though. I don't clip any of my queens, something I'd prefer not to do. I realise this may mean I lose a few every now and then but it's the way I've gone. Having so many different options in beekeeping is what makes it interesting I think. Stewart

[@Labeeman]

It is only necessary to clip the queen if you are trying to change the genetics of the hive and want to be sure that is what happened all other hives need not have the wing clipped the bees changing the queen happens more often than you realize in some hives and I have had some queens for five years.

[@TheNorfolkHoneyCo]

Hi Charles, Thanks for your comments, I've certainly noticed supercedure queens on a fairly regular basis over the recent seasons. Do you think it is on the increase or just something we beekeepers are more aware of these days?

[@Labeeman]

I think it is on the increase due to all the pesticides.