A FULL Day Of Work In My Apiary! Road To 100 / Beekeeping 101

[@brucesbees]

Drones are a sign of a strong colony IMO. This would be a way to flood the area with quality genetics. I personally would leave that one alone That queen looks like a keeper! But you could also freeze them as you mentioned. As far as wax foundation… I stopped using it a long time ago. Cool video Emily. Beekeeping…what an adventure!!!

[@beefitbeekeeping]

Thanks Bruce ☺️ I appreciate ya watching. Your bees that came back from almond pollination look great! The hives I got were pretty light in terms of resources too. From what I hear almonds only provide pollen? No nectar? I may be wrong but that’d explain why they came back so light 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@eugenenelson1707]

You should leave the drugs be they should be 20% of your hive in one frame is that 20% it would take two frames to be 20%. I would leave it be.

[@lindafox4065]

One of your best videos. Thanks

[@ГеннадийФиногенов-ж4о]

It's very interesting, don't stop.

[@raymondrobinson5251]

According to my studies, you're correct on the mindset of bees being zeroed in swram when queen cups are loaded. Interesting on the drone comb find! Apparently, they wanted drones! That's very interesting.

[@Moderatelydisagreeable]

I ran double deeps for a few years. I found that the outside frame on the bottom double deep was reserved for drone comb and would fill with drone brood shortly before swarming. Then they would backfill with honey or bee bread. I use small cell wax foundation in my brood frames because I want smaller bees that pupate slightly faster to interrupt mite reproduction.

[@angelalott9370]

It is cloudy here we got our bees today

[@davidryle1164]

They know, pollen is coming in nectar is going to start coming in, time to start making queens!!!!!

[@DougMassengale]

that is drone comb that has been put in on purpose. It is a form of Varroa controll. Them frames with wacky comb is plastic that doesn't have enough wax for them to work with, which to me is a waste of money. It's nice that you keep trying but i would slow down a little. The bigger it gets the faster things move, I'v been there. Good luck and i wish you success.

[@T289c]

Full frame of drones is a very good thing in a big. colony like that. They are telling you they are super healthy and have PLENTY of food to feed them. They are also preparing to swarm. The queen makes sure there is plenty of her genetics to spread around by those drones before she takes off. I would take the queen out put her in a new box with food, brood and a few empty frames, then make a few splits with the rest of the hive. Every queen cell is a potential colony!

[@glenhealy8304]

Bucket look behind you

[@markbee5787]

Sometimes I’ll put a frame with no foundation in my hive. And most times they will draw out all drone cells. So I don’t have to buy green drone frames. In 3weeks I can pull it As a IPM method. Also with that many hives forget the wax foundation go plastic you’ll never look back😊

[@garycasey991]

I like listening to you because you talk like a beginner and you are not an I am both I use to help my dad and he did everything but the hard stuff stuff and that is what I did he took care of his bee's I stood at a distance and watched and watch alot of bee people and learn about things to do thank you.

[@johnhudson412]

Those hives look totally awesome!!

[@wadebarnes6720]

And keep in mind you got to have drones to. Make your Queens

[@christianshannon3943]

It’s a high probability that wax foundation was embossed with drone size cells. The bee manufacturers make three different embossing sizes , drone size , standard brood worker size and small cell size . I have had only one frame that was like you have . Let those drones emerge.

[@christianshannon3943]

Divide the top box into two five frame nucs making sure each nuc has a frame of eggs . Scrap off every swarm cell/cup you find . Once those frames don’t have any primed queen cell or cup at the bottom they will begin to make them midway on the comb . I split my hives in March (18 splits) 17 hives successfully raised and mated queens . One absconded. Folks are lining up to buy these splits already . Sold two today and two more tomorrow. Oh , by the way these new splits have filled two five frame deeps already . A complete nucleus colony is selling for $320 for ten frames of bees.

[@zakheintzelman9570]

Looks like commercial bees aren't so bad after all.

[@demk818]

Hello, do you have information where you buy the pollination beehives in California?

[@stevenkawano9746]

Okay, ur commentary is💯Amazing❤👏🤣👏#holysmokes #stupidstrong #frickin Year 3 holy Smokes indeed I didn't realize it had been that long🤯U have Definitely come a long way and as always I Love that u take us on ur journey and own up to the mistakes uve made along the way and use them to make not only urself but others Better at beekeeping👏🐝👏Oh that queen bee orientation is Wild and how if ur there when she comes back it can actually throw her off nature is Wild! Interesting about the wax foundation and I had a few questions, why do they eat the wax foundation and why do they build wonky comb? And then u take it off and then they build it correctly🤔Ur winged friends are Fascinating! Well I'm Excited about next episode Hope everything is ok😬Thanks for another Great video and I will see U in the next one my Favorite Keeper😊 #emilyisthebeesknees #beefitbeekeeping #beefitapiary #beefithoney #beefit #beekind #holysmokes #year3 #queenbeeemily👑

[@jhayes5143]

When a hive typically looks to have 10-15% drone population. They also look to have them in a swarm. If your hive was light on drones that would be the reason. You could freeze that to help control mites if you haven't treated. All depends on if you have hives outside a 3 mile area for mating. If you need them for that purpose keep them otherwise pull them and recycle the frame. Also for the wonky comb... make sure you wax the plastic frames to help the bees draw them out properly. If you don't wax the frames you run the risk of the wonky comb. Even of you buy the "waxed plastic frames", I would still rewax them as they usually in my experience not draw them out properly.

[@subsy83]

100% on this! Great response!

[@tamarafacchini2]

Emily, you have moved where resources are plentiful. I’m in Ontario Canada and I watch the southern beekeepers and I just don’t think they have the flow that we have up here. Three high is not unusual. We have a long winter, but when that is over, we have to pay attention. Don’t worry about the drones. Let them be. Your season is only just beginning and you may not even have a dearth. Watch some Michael Palmer videos… your area sounds like it might be similar to his (as is mine).

[@beefitbeekeeping]

This area is definitely plentiful in resources! These same hives now have every empty cell full of nectar this week. Only took a few days 😱 thanks I’ll look into more of his honey flow stuff! Thanks for being here ☺️♥️

[@iowalayensbeekeeping]

You could pull that drone frame, freeze it, and feed it to thr birds for varroa control. Or move it to a drone production yard. When they build a drone frame like that there is usually less drone burr comb in the box. Three positive things about that drone frame.

[@KaizenEnergyUS]

Hi, what part of Michigan?

[@christianshannon3943]

One more tidbit: use a propane torch and sterilize your hive tool periodically. All it takes is one colony with an onset of a brood disease to cause several to have the same disease.

[@shawnboutersebouterseurban387]

Problem with wax foundation bees like to make drone comb on it rather than worker

[@Ittiz]

@16:20 My guess is they lost their queen. Started to go into laying worker mode. And something happened, maybe they managed to hatch a queen or something.

[@absolutbill12345]

I think it is too nice of a pattern for a laying worker.

[@drumgerry]

Unless that's a colony that has genetics you're looking to propagate removing that frame of drone brood will deal a massive hit to the colony's varroa load. You probably know this Emily but for those that don't varroa females prefer drone brood as they can produce more progeny from the longer development period of drones. I've seen it suggested that each drone cell on average can produce 2.2 mites per cycle whereas with worker cells on average it's 1.3 mites. Drone brood culling is a recognised method of integrated pest management

[@billc3405]

You say its wax maybe it was a large cell foundation.maybe they chew it away because of the cell size as well. So the queen doesn't lay all drones.

[@christianshannon3943]

Don’t discard that drone frame . Let them emerge. There needs to be hundreds of drones flying to get all virgin queens mated . Segregate several hives with these type drone frames and move those hives a half mile away from where you will have those five frame splits. The other yard will develop a Drone congregational area for the virgins to mate .

[@tlonghorn19]

Did I hear you correctly, 1:4 sugar syrup mix?

[@beefitbeekeeping]

Yes you did! It’s one of the tricks I was taught by a commercial beekeeper. 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. It’s thin so it simulates nectar and makes the bees build up FAST. Like really fast! Makes them think a nectar flow is coming in.

[@tlonghorn19]

@@beefitbeekeeping Thank you for replying, definitely gonna give that mix a try

[@jasonbeckwith4655]

Russia bee are good for the cold