Backyard Beekeeping Q&A 264 LIVE Stream

[@Adam.Holmes.]

1) What is your favorite type of 5 frame resource hive? 4:14 2) How do you calibrate a refractometer to measure water content in honey? 7:53 3) How would you treat using Oxalic acid on a polystyrene hive without melting it? 10:45 4) How to you store your drawn comb? 12:17 5) Is it common for queenless splits to be robbed out? 14:52 6) Do you do anything to help bees manage temperature on really hot days? 44:22 7) Can you split hives during a summer dearth if you plan to feed them? 51:54 8) My bees have been exposed to poison how can I help them recover? 55:25 9) Can you tell us more about Nosema? 59:15 10)Do you get more honey from a nine frame super vs a ten frame? 1:12:54

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Adam, I left you with a reall challenge on this one and you really came through. Your contributions are truly appreciated!

[@kennith.]

Thank you Adam.

[@LizBarney2012]

Thanks for your response Fred! As always you're tremendously helpful 😊

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome :)

[@redfish440]

Thanks Fred, great live stream, I wish I could have been there in person but great information is great information live or played back. Have a great weekend!! PS my tardy slip just arrived in the mail ✌️

[@FrederickDunn]

:) Glad you arrived, even if late :) ;)

[@BrianCooper901]

I wanted to mention HillCo also makes an extractor that does layen frames. Heartwood is an american company that makes the oil tray to fit specifically for 5, 8 and 10 frame hives you can get a whole cypress bottom board or just the tray if you wanted to do a DIY style bottom board. I'm very interested to hear your thoughts on Randy Oliver's DFM research that was in the ABJ. I just wanted to share the above resources incase it is useful to you or anyone else. Good chat. Thanks for all you do!

[@Huntnlady7]

Oh darn, no fluff section with the live stream. Great podcast, really enjoyed it.

[@FrederickDunn]

And no fancy intro sequences... but, lives are fun :)

[@aaronparis4714]

We got hit with the rain in Nova Scotia also and we’re getting it again sun and Monday but for the most part This has been a great season so far

[@anthonyc9911]

Hi Fred, I love my polystyrene hives. For oa vapor treatments, I use stainless steel straws cut to appropriate size so it sticks out of the back of the hive at an angle pointing up into the bottom board area, barely sticking out inside, but an inch on the outside. I then gorilla glue it into the hole. I leave a screw or stick in the straw. As bee's will go through the straw as well. Two years and no more melt spots. Works great!

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Anthony, thanks for sharing... I like that idea but have some concern that the bees may propolize the interior hole in the straw, how do you verify that they don't close it up and how do you keep it clear? I get tha the outside part can have something inserted to serve as an escape block, it's the interior that I'd like to know more about. Thanks :)

[@sgradaigh]

More than 40 hives😮, I wanted to start with one, my mentor suggested two, now I am up to 5, in my first year. It must be a full time job taking care of 40 hives. Thanks for all the information you provide. I was going to inspect my swarm today but we are getting rain.

[@FrederickDunn]

Try to keep the number of hives down, and the quality of colonies high. You're right, we're getting past the "fun" stage and it's more like work :)

[@johncoleman6218]

Here in SE coastal VA, the flow on 6/30 is mimosa, white clover, mint, and catnip! Bonus= my goats don’t like mint or catnip! Cotton is about to bloom in a week. Supers ready!

[@FrederickDunn]

I'm glad you are ahead of that nectar curve! Let's hope you also get perfect weather for your foragers :)

[@seanrichardson881]

I had so many bees bearding on the outside during that heat spell a week ago that I swapped my inner cover for vented inner covers. I was happy because the bees all went back in the hive where I feel they're much more protected but I had not thought about me venting off the humidity inside.

[@Huntnlady7]

Fred, what a pleasure listening to your podcast. "A bubble gum sized piece of comb, on a slice of cheddar, on a cracker"; I've got to try that. Small cell size does not make any appreciable difference in verroa destructor infestation- good to know. Counting Nozema spores; dissecting or regular microscope? I could just go to the link and check it out, but all my bees are healthy. Propola hives- can't that be done with a wire brush? I've heard Caucasians make the most propolis of any breed of bee. Eight-frame hives fill up faster than 10 frames... I've been thinking of doubling up the walls of my 10 frames to make them better insulated and account for the fact that I have no 8-frame hives. You're at a sustainable bee level. I'm beginning to wonder if I can ever let my queens breed naturally.

[@schammond8993]

Thanks for your reply to my question about pesticides. I had some pro dfm and applied a dose of that to all 17 colonies. I have lost a good bit of my field force and it knocked my queens back. I'm keeping close watch on everyone. I had thankfully already pulled honey before the crop duster. Normally I would treat now but am giving them a little bit before I do that. Thanks again Fred.

[@FrederickDunn]

Please keep us posted as to what the final outcome was. I wish you all the best and hope your bees weren't damaged beyond recovery.

[@Huntnlady7]

Swarms are "free". And are frequently vicious and in need of eventual destruction in my area!

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, don't take a sack of cobras home... (';')( ';')....

[@raymschmidt6032]

Take the wire out of the layens frames before they build the comb, for comb honey.

[@FrederickDunn]

You can also pull the wire at the time of harvest and re-wire the frame once the comb is cut out. Thanks for sharing :)

[@Dimitri.Angelopoulos]

Hi Fred, Actually the mated VSH queens from bee weaver family cost 50$ including shipping. I just got one last week

[@FrederickDunn]

I was referring to their prices last year. I'm glad they are back in line now, thanks for sharing :)

[@Dimitri.Angelopoulos]

@@FrederickDunn yup. That's why I wanted to let you know that they dropped the prices now

[@HaroldKeiner]

Fred, The shirt is from Cowen.

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes! That's it! Thanks so much :)

[@michaelremsen2002]

Hey Fred, I have found that supers can be cleaned out completely. I start by placing an empty deep box on the inner cover with the vent blocked. Supers are placed on top of the empty deep and by the next day or two the bees clean them out and bring the honey down below the inner cover. This technique works very well in the fall with cooler temps at night. Robbing can be a real problem, once the Fever starts it can be hard to stop. My solution is to reduce the entrance down to a single bee. If that isn't enough then close the entrance completely for one night than open again to single bee entrance size the next day. This year I'm trying again the Italian method for Varroa control. It is a integrated queen cage into a deep frame. The queen is caged and placed in the middle of the bottom box. After 24 days she is released and the hive is sublimated with Oxalic acid. Since there is no brood at the end of 24 days the young bees become foragers and can give you a honey boost. All mites will be phoretic and get crushed by the OA. My fatal flaw last year was placing her in the middle of the top box. At the end of 24 days she was dead and since no brood no way to make another queen. Purchased queens to replace and found out that since she was up in the top box she had more contact with foragers which are not so queen friendly. Oops. Always learning... and thank you Fred

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much for sharing what you do, and what the results have been :)

[@zacmacpac]

Hi Fred thanks for all you do in regard to bee keeping information and knowledge. I currently have one colony in my backyard that is strong and growing. I want to split them early next week for an insurance policy in case I lose one colony over winter. I am south of you outside of Pittsburgh Pa. Any concerns with spitting during this time of the year? Anything I need to do to insure success with the split as we move towards fall and ultimately winter? I plan to install a queen into the split. Thank you

[@FrederickDunn]

I think you are still in time to do a split based on your location :) There should be plenty of forage still ahead.

[@johncoleman6218]

Re cut comb: there are one or two customers out of 20 who demand cut comb in my area. I would suggest Quinn find one or two “concierge cut comb customers” and tailor his production to their consumption.

[@FrederickDunn]

They are high in demand at the VA, but Quinn is stuck in his own neighborhood. I think he should host a tasting, something like a lemonade stand :)

[@johncoleman6218]

@@FrederickDunn or a stand at the local feed store chicken swaps. I got mobbed at Tractor Supply when the staff heard I was loaded with cut comb.

[@aaronparis4714]

I love poly hives I don’t use any wood hives it’s like putting bees in a freezer hear were I live lol

[@FrederickDunn]

Local climate is important when it comes to housing :)

[@zakadslusarskikatarzynapie5635]

👌

[@weregonnabzzz4648]

A question ... Regarding comb honey. My granddaughter and I harvested three frames of foundationless comb honey and placed them in the freezer. After thawing, cutting the combs and boxing the product, does comb honey have the same shelf life as regular honey? Our county fair is early in the summer, before the honey harvest gets going and my granddaughter is wanting to show comb honey next year instead of just liquid honey. I'm also curious how long it can remain frozen prior to processing it. I can't tell you how much I value your expertise. Thank you!

[@FrederickDunn]

I'm going to talk about this on Friday! It's interesting and important. I keep the comb honey in the freezer and never take it out until about 24 hours prior so sale or gifting. The freezer keeps it from crystalizing in the comb.

[@weregonnabzzz4648]

@@FrederickDunn Do you freeze it for pests (48 hours), thaw it, cut and box it and then refreeze? Should we have cut it and boxed it prior to refreezing? It was a damage control/swarm prevention measure in my observation hive. They seem to be my most prolific honey producers. Go figure. Bees bein bees. I, as always, look forward to your presentation on Friday.

[@amandaliberty08]

34 colonies. I am laughing remembering you claiming that 10 was your limit not long ago. I'm glad you have enough stock to continue to observe, photo, and share.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks, Amanda :) We're well over 40 hives now but I do have a new helper :0

[@amandaliberty08]

@@FrederickDunn Wow that boy is quite the energiser. It is quite heart warming to see and hear about the amazing mentorship you have.

[@chinsmith1174]

I saw the part about using a wooden dowel and drilling.25 in hole thru it. But what O.D. Dowel are you using? And are you just butting it up to the entrance? Thanks

[@FrederickDunn]

I use a 3/4" dowel with a 1/4" hole drilled into it. With Apimaye, I open their dial to full and it fits perfectly, with other poly hives you can use it right at the entrance unless the landing board is in the way. If there is a landing board then you'll need to drill a 1/4" diameter hole that enters the hive between the frames, and I find it's best if you install that at the back of the hive.

[@michaelshelnutt3534]

I have the same issue with not having a demand for comb honey.

[@FrederickDunn]

I think we need to introduce it in a way that helps people understand how it can be eaten. :) My Grandson is working on his comb-honey presentation skills. :)

[@kennith.]

Thx Fred.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome :)

[@johncoleman6218]

Alarm pheromone has been likened to banana smell. The assumption is that someone chewing bananas smells like alarm pheromone. I thought this was debunked, but who knows?

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi John, I also thought the bees didn't care about bananas, but the story sounds interesting... and I might add, easy to replicate :)

[@Huntnlady7]

No. No way. When an Africanized colony exudes that alarm/attack pheromone, it goes right through me to the base of my skull. It is not just a smell, it is an airborne hormone. I've worked with other experienced Beekers who expressed the same feeling of dread. The bees are coming at you by the thousands and it makes it difficult to see through the sweat in your eyes and the black bodies covering your head. They target your CO2 exhalation and if there is any hole in your armor, they'll find their way in. I've got a couple of the GoPros that have been simply covered with stingers. They are no longer black, the brownish colored stingers make them look like some crazy porcupine. In discussing this with Fred Dunn in an email, I'm thinking about paint my GoPro's with white enamel paint.

[@valentinabernardi1771]

Frederick, i have 2 new hives that came from a split, they have been doing well, queen laying and size of colony grew exponantially, infsct i now had to put a super on it as they were running out of space(after about 1 month or 6 weeks after split), we moved them last week to the final location, on sunday we moved them, on tuesday all was ok and so on wednesday, i went in yesterday , saturday and one of the hive had about 60 or so dead bees in front of the hive, evethign else loos perfectly fine. Queen present and laying, brood apperance all good, no sign of deseases or pest( that i can see) and they seem to be drawing comb and storing honey very quickly. Hive was calm and relaxed, clean. Do you recogn is something to worry? Could have been a attack from some predator? Some of the dead bees looked like they have been dead for a while other looked fresh, legs under their abdomen, look perfectly healthy, no tongue sticking out, wings look good. Any idea? The other hive has no desd beas only ome or two.

[@FrederickDunn]

Doesn't sound like something to be alarmed about given the entire presentation of that hive. I'd just check to see that they have plenty of resources and if they do then just keep an eye on them.

[@valentinabernardi1771]

@@FrederickDunn ok thanks!!

[@aaronparis4714]

We got hit with the rain in Nova Scotia also and we’re getting it again sun and Monday but for the most part This has been a great season so far