Bee Keeping Frequently asked Questions 13 Beginning with Bees

[@Adam.Holmes.]

1) What are my thoughts on a single deep brood box with a queen excluder and multiple honey boxes? 2:05 2) What about Record Keeping, some beekeepers write on covers etc... What kinds of information is noted? What about Hive Scales and Sensors? 8:40 3) What do I do if it starts to rain, will the bees be ok? 21:23 4) Do you have any thoughts on or experience with Horizontal Hives? 24:43 5) What is the best glue to use when putting bee boxes together? 31:30 6) I burned a hole in my bee suit veil, Can I buy some mesh to fix it? 34:53 7) Why don't you want your bees to rob out failed hives? 39:22 8) Where do you get package bees? 43:48 9) How did your hives fair during the recent storm system? 49:10

[@ProfessorAV]

I’ve been following you for about 2 years and this tutorial that you are offering through this year is going to be the exact thing I’ve needed. I am so grateful. Thank you!

[@FrederickDunn]

It's going to be fun Aimee, thank you for being such a faithful viewer :)

[@RaySarasin]

I could and do watch every video you put out my friend I personally thank you for your time I learn so much from you to help me with my hives @@FrederickDunn

[@kraftybee]

Cornell university has a free beekeepers calendar with monthly things to do list and what’s in bloom in the northeast. Just type in Cornell beekeeping calendar. I printed the whole thing out. I’m just getting started with 2 flow hives. Great channel thanks!!

[@MarekArawn]

Your FAQ answers are just as insightful as your videos!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks Marek!

[@charbee2025]

Like your videos Fred(erick?) I'm a Top Bar Hive user in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Also use Langs and starting to use AZ hive... slovenian style... you really should look em up... I think they might be the future of beekeeping. I was there last year and learned all about them...very impressed. But back to your request, I've been using vented top bar hives for a dozen years and also overwintering in tb nucs... they're great for all the reasons you sited.. but they're easier on the bees too. I find them to be great show & tell hives and then for production, I go to stacked box (or AZ) solutions. I've not had as much luck with my FLOW hives... got two and bees would rather swarm than work those frames... Do you do anything to "inspire them"? What I like bout vTBHs compared to Stacked Box is how gentler the bees are... because you are not tearing their hive apart floor by floor to inspect... they are less defensive and able to continue working mostly... so I think you get to see more bee-ing behavior than just what a hive looks like when its freaking out. They're good for queen rearing too. reply if you want... keep making great videos and doing right by the bees.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for watching and for your comment! My mind is always open to considering all hive designs/types. I have a Flow-Hive Video coming up this week which is partnered with a Saskatraz update. All of the flow-supers are filling up, even with new package installs this year. I personally don't do anything to prime the flow-frames and I've just been fortunate that the bees just do their thing and I'll explain my setup in that video. Glad your bees are doing so well there in Wisconsin! Always nice to get some good news!

[@carolynfranke6690]

Best FAQ yet. I am particularly excited by your offer to video a colony from prep to installation to how it all goes this summer and fall. I am planning on running 2 hives this year on my roof in downtown Toronto; tons of trees and garden flowers in this old Victorian neighbourhood, come summer. They are well strapped down to a pallet and I plan to install some kind of shade umbrella and a wind break up there for them. I have ordered 2 nucs from a local beekeeper with this year's queens; alas they won't be ready until mid-June but they are born and bred in S. Ontario and have proven themselves to be hardy. Roll on Summer! Thanks again for sharing so generously such valuable information for us new beekeepers. This is my 3rd year; I think the cold killed my first colony fairly early in the winter of 2018, despite being well-wrapped, as there was a ton of honey left in the hive bodies. Last fall I think I inadvertently drowned them in sugar syrup; what a tragedy that was. This year I hope to do better. Regarding the beekeeping calendar, please let us know if anyone posts about one. However, I gotta say it sounds like y.o.u. are the perfect one to create the template for one and I know any of the beekeeping magazines or supply houses would be falling over themselves to publish it if you were the author! Give it some thought! My question, if you have time; is there really such a thing as a singular breed of bee in North America? Wouldn't they all be essentially hybrids, with genetics from many breeds? Thanks again and looking forward to the next installment.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Carolyn, such a nice comment! As for there being a single breed of honeybee, I think many genetics labs are finding that most if not all of our managed bees here have several contributing lines. The more genetics that mix-in, the more challenging it will be to predict performance and control the genomes that improve apiculture overall. Thank you again and I wish I had the time to produce that "Bee-Planner"... I'm doing 12 hr days as it is...

[@TheFarmacySeedsNetwork]

glad you mentioned salyx discolor again... my Mom and Grandmother used to get so excited every spring to go get them for a bouquet aka (Pussy Willows) I have 1 Topbar hive on the other farm... it is inhabited... at some point I have to open it and have a look. Man I wish you were closer. Glad you came through that storm well. We didn't get hail from it, but high winds and heavy rain. Thanks again Fred!

[@georgegarcia5052]

Suggestions for future topics: queens. How long do they live (eg., your Weaver queens)? A lot of the data on queen longevity has to do with commercial operation. How, when and why requeen? And an issue that I believe you mention in another video, how to destroy a hot hive ... the first bees I had was a swarm 2 weeks ago and they, as it turns out, we’re attacking the neighbors when they went queenless (she got stuck in a nuc’s queen includer). Trying to destroy the swarm, which had by then occupied a horizontal hive, really set them off. The first attempt, by sticking the bees in soapy water let thousands get away to terrorize the neighborhood. The second attempt, by using a water nozzle to methodically remove frames and drown them worked. I’ve heard that one can use dry as, but that risks an explosion. Anyway, the only good thing that came out was that the Guardian Bee Apparel was amazingly effective... I believe it was on your recommendation that I bought it. 😃👍

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks George, I'll discuss Queen longevity in my next FAQ which comes out tomorrow! I've already covered how to destroy a dangerous beehive in another video about when bees attack livestock and people: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6qToXybq9Gbbc0

[@weasleoop]

Wow Fred. So I installed the three beeweaver nucs yesterday. The population is explosive. They jumped on the acorn frames before I even got them into the hive. They drank a gallon of sugar syrup in less than 4 hours. Also one nuc was so strong I had to remove the entrance reducer. They could not get in fast enough. The patio table hive still doing well also.

[@FrederickDunn]

That's awesome news! And your patio table hive is a puzzle to say the least. I think this is going to be a GREAT honeybee year! :)

[@weasleoop]

@@FrederickDunn Yeah it was crazy. The feeder was going glurg glurg glurg, constantly because they were draining it that fast. The bees are super chill except the biggest nuc. They were chewing my screen rolled entrance reducer trying to make it larger and pushing it out, I just removed it and they just got even more busy. And then a drone landed on my 4 year olds hand and he was just petting it with his veil on. He calls himself a bee hiver now. He goes, time to get my hat, I got to go bee hiving. Super great bees. My 3 and 4 year old and the entire family was out in just veils installing these. No gloves, suits, nothing.

[@weasleoop]

@@FrederickDunn Its about to get better. I am going to order a Saskatraz package for May 6th delivery. From Mann lake. Can't have you stealing all the glory. I may just put them in a top bar hive as well. If I can raise bees in a patio table I can do a top bar.

[@FrederickDunn]

@@weasleoop I was out in the bee yard all day yesterday getting things ready for them. Pretty excited here also.

[@weasleoop]

@@FrederickDunn These beeweavers are something else. Checked to see how the queens were laying today. They totally drew out 4 complete frames of comb in the acorn frames and already putting stuff in the cells in 3 days.

[@popquizzz]

Having lived in Arlington Texas for a good part of my life I can relate to your storm casualties both property and life, and like you I had spent a great deal of time filming cloud rotations and have actually gone chasing after a tornado only to end up in it debris coming crashing down around my car. With age, I have gotten wiser but some would question that really as they cannot fathom why I would ever keep bees. Thank you for this series as it is my new Friday night ritual, there are the obvious questions that you answer and give credence to, but the are also some questions and discussions that come up that I would have never thought of, so hats off to you for chartering this new format and sometimes new territory.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much Glen! I really appreciate your comment. Yes, storms offer a strange epic scale energy that just makes people like us want to capture some aspect of it. It's awe inspiring and I've also been at sea in heavy weather and wanted to capture that, but the wind and weather were just too extreme for video work. If I had GoPro cameras back then, I could have had some truly great captures! Thanks again!

[@weasleoop]

I grew up in North Texas. What he says is legit. Crazy storms down there. Ive never once got a storm in Maryland that rivaled a Texas Thunderstorm.

[@gsmWF360]

Oh, love your videos! Thank you for taking the time to post them. I know they have been really helping me. Thank You.

[@fezwhy]

A beekeeping calendar is a great idea! That would be extremely helpful. Maybe they could put the bloom times for certain plants on the calendar as well. Have you done any testing on plants that bees favor? I read an old magazine from bee world 1951 that mentions Phacelia produces a lot of nectar for the bees and they supposedly go to it over other plants. I keep hearing coriander and lavendar repel mites. A few beekeepers swear by it that planting it near the hives reduces but doesn't eliminate mites as they don't like the smell.

[@MarekArawn]

A group in Montreal actually has one online (Montreal is Zone 5). It's general, but gives a good idea (mind you, this year is absolute cac! So the dates are a little off). www.alveole.buzz/en/learn/articles/the-beekeepers-seasonal-calendar

[@mikes1345]

We dodged the hail but got some flooding. In my area hail, tornados, and summer drought are common. However we don't get maybe a day or 2 of snow. I don't know which is worse snowbelt or tornado belt. Guess it's what we are used to. Thanks for info on Mann Lake. I have made 2 requests for a catalog in last month but haven't heard a thing. Dadant had theirs here in less than a week. I think that Bee Weaver is a four hours away from my place so is probably a good place to try. Good luck and stay safe!

[@stanholloway8774]

Good Lord Mr. Dunn...years and years ago, I went up to Grayling Michigan to go to a bowhunting camp that Mr. Fred Bear sponsered. While I was there it hailed like I'd never seen. Till just now! I live in South Florida but watch everything that you put out on KZbin. All pro. Thanks. But I'd move I reckon...

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Stan! If I told my wife we're moving to Florida, she'd be out waiting in the car honking the horn! I personally LOVE it HERE :) We had a home in Florida with a pool.. I made my wife sell it :)

[@stanholloway8774]

@@FrederickDunn Mr. Dunn, if you can make your wife do anything at all I congratulate you! I however, have no such luck. Keep the videos coming, they seem to be the only thing that hold our attention for any time at all. We cast them to the big tv. Excellent work, beautiful country. Ya'll are wrelcome here any time...hope you have a good year. Maybe sometime you could do a video on cell punching for queens. I'm trying to get the grandkids interested in something other than Fortnite.

[@cluckingbell5396]

Thank you for sharing so much information. I am getting my first hives on Monday and next weekend my first bees from my mentor from my local bee group. I am so excited and can not wait.

[@FrederickDunn]

That's fantastic, I hope you have a really great first experience with your own bees! I'm also very happy to know that you have a mentor to walk you through it.

[@davefoc]

It was nice to hear you call the joints, box joints. In several videos I've watched lately they have been incorrectly called dovetail joints. I use Titebond III for general wood working repairs and wood construction. Years ago I used epoxy and found that it didn't stick as well as I would have liked over time, then I moved to Gorilla glue which sticks great but is also a little more difficult to apply because you need to spray stuff with water as part of the process. Also it expands as it sets and unless stuff is well clamped this can push stuff apart. I do still use Gorilla glue at times.. I think it works better for gluing wood to non-wood than Titebond.

[@FrederickDunn]

All excellent and there is also Gorilla Wood Glue which does not expand. I really dislike having to carve off the expanded fizzy fill from the original amber colored Gorilla glue - I made the mistake of using that on bee frames once and it looked like bubble gum. Thanks for sharing! :)

[@danieltaylor8113]

Hello Mr. Fred i am from Georgia and about a year ago my granddad got a few hives and i thought it was cool, since then i have been nonstop researching bees and your page since i found it a month or two ago has become my favorite. I am in the military and currently in Germany for 3 years. I started trying to find a way to buy a package or a nuc but havent had any luck, do you or any of your contacts know people who sell bees to Americans in Europe?

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Daniel, thanks for the compliment. As for keeping bees in Germany, you'll have to source your bees locally as there are strict international restrictions on live organisms such as bees. German beekeepers will want to preserve and protect their European stocks. Any chance you can visit a local beekeeper and see what your options are there? How's your German? Enjoy your time in the military, it will be over before you know it! Thanks again for watching and taking time to comment :)

[@danieltaylor8113]

@@FrederickDunn Mr. Fred my family and i love it so far, it is a great place to be for traveling. In the time it takes to drive across Georgia, i can instead drive to an entirely different country. I have only been here 6 months and my German is awful, i tried learning when i first got here and my teacher told me my accent would make it very hard to speak German correctly. Many Germans speak English but some are not interested in doing business with service members. I tried to look online but keep finding websites that look great and then when i click buy package they say the page doesnt exist.

[@danieltaylor8113]

Update: i might have found someone who will ship packaged bees from italy, their webpage didnt work on my phone but did on my computer

[@FrederickDunn]

@@danieltaylor8113 I lived in Italy for three years :) lots of great beekeepers there, but lots of problems also. I hope you can get them!

[@waltertchapman32]

Excellent video, very informative.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Terry!

[@wendybachman6224]

I have a question regarding winter feeding of solids: what is the benefit of feeding a fondant vs. dry cane sugar?

[@FrederickDunn]

The fondant is already inverted... bees take sucrose ( like granulated sugar ) and then convert it to glucose and fructose for digestion. Offering fondant takes that step out, but in my opinion the advantage isn't significant and some people overheat the sugars in the process which can make it toxic to the bees.

[@Mindandaway]

Thank you for sharing this information. This is my second year and these have been great! I started watching your channel even before I had bees. My Saskatraz package arrived this week. I hope your weather gets better and that your package comes soon.

[@Mindandaway]

Also, for my shipping date, the original estimate was April 9th. I didn’t hear anything and emailed on the 10th. They said they would be shipping on April 15th so I guess they are a week behind. They did ship on the 15th but they did not send me the tracking info until the 16th. I see where they say estimated ship date for Pennsylvania is May 6th so maybe the following week? I agree that’s frustrating they couldn’t tell you more info. And yes, they were expensive. Also, I was disappointed the package came with the queen in a California mini cage. I am pretty nervous to do the direct release which they recommend around day 3.

[@FrederickDunn]

Ohhhh, if they send them in May, that would be PERFECT! If you see the bees feeding that queen through her cage, a direct release isn't going to be that terrible :) When I see them acting calm around her cage and a collection of nurse bees attending, I generally let her out or scoop away most of the sugar plug to make her release quicker. Thank you for that information about Mann Lake! I wish they would post a date range, where did you find that information?

[@Mindandaway]

Frederick Dunn On my invoice & order confirmation I never saw a date listed and I just came across the info by chance. www.mannlakeltd.com/shop-all-categories/bees/delivery/nationwide-delivery/package-bees-with-queen-saskatraz-shipped If this link works, scroll to the very bottom. So if they have it listed on their web page I wonder why they were so cryptic in their email to you? Also thanks for the info about the queen release!

[@FrederickDunn]

If those shipping week statements are accurate, I'm in GREAT shape, thank you so much Mandy!

[@billbaskin4631]

Mr. Dunn, a deep with a medium on top, a queen excluder then a super. If I understand your many videos then this can be considered a “common” configuration. If bees travel up to the medium during winter...please explain how to get them re-started in the brood box in Spring, please. It seems like the medium size frames would be an issue as they would not be compatible with a deep. I just installed my first three NUCS a week ago and am thinking ahead how to solve this situation come next Spring. Appreciate your sharing knowledge through the videos. Thank you.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Bill, I think I'd like to add this to my FAQ 14 and better illustrate the answer with hive bodies. As the weather warms up, they tend to migrate back to the lower deep on their own, if they fail to do that, you "can" rotate boxes if they are using the honey super for brood. I'll explain that in detail. Thank you so much!

[@davefoc]

How common is it for a colony to go queenless and how does it happen? It seems like in a natural colony if the queen dies or leaves the bees sense this and raise some queens out of the existing brood. What causes this not to happen?

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Dave! THAT is a GREAT Question and I'm going to discuss it in FAQ 14 - there are a lot of factors that can contribute to a colony becoming Queenless. This time of year, many beekeepers are opening hives to find lots of bees, yet no evidence of egg laying and no "fertile" Queen present. If they produce a replacement Queen, she only has so many days to fly out and succeed at mating with drones. BUT, if the weather is terrible, too cold, or hive resources are down, she may not succeed and the colony runs out of open brood to produce queens from. It's also a problem when and if Queens are not cold tolerant. I'll share what I do as part of my security measure against that very event. Watch for it on Friday!

[@davefoc]

@@FrederickDunn Thanks for the response. Lack of drones at the right time seems like a very plausible explanation. It seems like hives in cold climates might be really at risk if the queen dies at the end of the season. I live in California. I wonder if there are drones flying around for most of the year here looking for love. Thanks for mentioning FAQ 14. I'll be watching.

[@mohammadsalah3319]

now this video is a special it is great to have the idea of making a calendar for the bee keeping process I work as HSE Manager and consultant and I made a big daily calendar on my office wall in a construction project (L'OREAL Egypt Factory) but I would have never thought of doing this in bee keeping thank you for the remark and send my thanks to the question issuer if possible

[@gsmWF360]

Just hitting my 1 yr mark in beekeeping. I host Italian bees. They have been very docile through last year. Within the last 4-5 weeks though they have become aggressive, not merely defensive as you can be 100’ from the hive and shortly there will be bees in you face headbutting and such. We find we must wear a vail now when outside in the garden within that 100’. Worried a neighbor may get stung! I live near Raleigh NC. Their numbers are high as queen is laying excellent. A full super on a single deep brood, started a flow deep on top of that which they are filling, so not food/pollen related. Last week set humane trap to see if that produced anything. Caught 2 possums and a racoon! Nothing sense. Bees still aggressive, maybe slightly better (hopeful feeling?). Place Lavender trigs near entrance reading it may calm bees, they eventually removed them by day 3. Any advice?

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Greg, I would definitely be keeping a close eye on those defensive bees. How many colonies do you have? Is there any chance they have swarmed and re-queened? When you are directly next to the hive, does the colony send out an extraordinary number of guards to run you off? They sound "hot" and I'd watch to see if they calm a little as your nectar flow goes into full swing. You may have to re-queen that colony. If you're keeping them in a residential area, you really can't afford to put neighbors at risk. Italians are known to be aggressive towards other hives/colonies and rob them out, but generally, they should be moderate in the defensive category. Keep us posted. You shouldn't have to put out lavender or take other measures to calm them. You really want bees that aren't threatening you 100 feet away. That's unusual unless you've been in their brood frames and really disrupted their infrastructure.

[@gsmWF360]

Thanks for replying. They have not swarmed. As I saw my marked queen while checking for swarm cells just last week. Own 2 8 frame hives and a freshly started 5 frame nuc. Hoping to build up nuc to replace a weak hive. I have a problem hive that keeps requeening since last year. A deep with About 3-4 frames of bees. Survive winter, but never strong. No sign of robbing. This one not appearing to be overly defensive. Fed brood frames last year from my strong hive to boost it for last winter.

[@FrederickDunn]

@@gsmWF360 Sounds like you're on top of everything. Please share how and when you resolve your "sassy bee" issues.

[@gsmWF360]

@@FrederickDunn will do. Thank you again for your instructional/informative videos. I have been watching in preparation to beekeeping and have 2 Flow Hives thanks to you. Love beekeeping! It's like being a landlord though, sometimes you might get unruly tenants! Lol

[@georgegarcia5052]

Greg, my introduction to bees happened almost 2 weeks ago with a swarm of bees ... the swarm lost their queen when she got stuck in a Nuc hive’s queen excluder... for 2 days they were inanely crazy and aggressive as they tried to get organized. I had to destroy them ... my only regret is that I didn’t destroy them earlier as someone could have been hurt ... on Saturday I got an Italian bee package.... so much calmer! 😃🐝

[@pompeii1275]

Idk if you have gone over this topic or not. Pollen patties or substitute? Do you recommend using them? If so, is there a specific brand or are they all equal?

[@oddgato3540]

Your videos are helpful man. Thank you

[@FrederickDunn]

You're welcome and thank you for watching.

[@sojourner57]

Just a curiosity question: when the bees clean out the dead bees in you bee yard, what happens to them? Do your chickens eat them or are they scavenged by other critters? Do they have to be cleaned up to keep people from being stung, even though they're dead?

[@FrederickDunn]

They disappear as ants, mice, wasps etc carry them off. My chickens won't eat bees dead or alive. The remnants just decompose if not taken by other insects. I've never received a sting from a dead bee and I consider that a non-issue. Normally, the foragers will take the dead bees and fly them well away from the hive.

[@mandog2142]

Fred, another informative video and interesting FAQ's from your viewers. Have to say I have never seen hail that large being followed by snow! Pretty incredible. With regard to the beekeeper manual, it would be nice if by region it noted traditional flow dates and flowering plants as well. Glad you made it through the storm without too much damage. What a pain though. Whole gale winds, 2" hail and then snow -- "go figure"!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks so much! Yes, a beekeepers calendar/binder could have lots of useful information in it. They would sell like "hot cakes" :)

[@eddieosama]

I am in Allentown pa . where are you in pa and when should I start making splits in this area ? I mean how old the drones has to be for them to be able to mate ?

[@FrederickDunn]

Drones are ready to mate as soon as they appear on the landing board. Making splits, if that's your goal, can be done anytime you find large healthy brood frames. I like to see 7 or more full frames of deep box brood before attempting a split. With hopefully, so many nurse bees that you can't see the surface of the comb. You of course have the option to simply expand the hive by adding supers instead of splits. I'm up near Erie County.

[@58Kym]

Gee I am sorry to hear about your house damage, Fred. Hope you can get it repaired wihtout too much stress. that hail was chunky!

[@FrederickDunn]

$12,000.00 in damage... not bad considering my neighbors!

[@58Kym]

That’s substantial! Ouch!!! I am doubly sorry to hear its so much.

[@karenbytherideau]

Loving this series! Sorry to hear about your weather station-- was that the new one you installed last year? My question would be what do you use on the exterior of your cedar flow hives? Looks like whatever you are using is working despite the bad winters. Also I have done some pyrography and used water colour pencils, haven't sealed them yet. Perhaps there is a specific spray I could use to seal (at least for the first coat). I'm concerned that if I use a brush seal the watercolour will be ruined. (I guess I didn't think that one through ;) )

[@FrederickDunn]

HI Karen! It's always so nice to see your comments. Nope, it was one of my old weather stations, The Atlas model is my newest one and it took it like a champ and it was funny because there is a lightning detector with it and that thing was beeping almost non-stop 97 lightning strikes within 15 miles. OH... watercolor? I use MinWax Helmsman's marine quality exterior varnish and when I added color to my pyrography work, I used oil pencils. I shared about that on one of my videos. I am very worried that your watercolor work won't be "fixed" and may bleed when the varnish is added. Are you going to KZbin that? :) I would really enjoy seeing your art! Have a wonderful Easter Break. :)

[@karenbytherideau]

Frederick Dunn Yikes! Glad to hear the new station worked well but 97 lightening strikes is crazy! Ya, I realize I may have an issue with the watercolor. Hopefully I can find a spray version of what you recommended. A local pyrographist ( new word 🤓) recommend I try a spray to set it before I brush on the varnish. I’m having fun with the pyrography. I may try to video this experiment. I’ll let you know how I make out. To be clear, you varnished after it was assembled, correct? Happy Easter Fred, God bless you and your family.

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes after assembly, the varnish seeps into all the little cracks and seals those corner joints really well :) If I haven't subbed to your channel, I'm going to so I can see that artwork!!! :)

[@FrederickDunn]

I'm back! and, I'm your only subscriber (';')( ';')... as I used to say to my students after a demonstration "make with the art" :)

[@framcesmoore]

Another great video, I am sorry about all the damage from the storm. I hope u have insurance to cover it. I think it is also cool about u being on solar I want to get that but way out of my price range. Maybe one day. About the bees do u use a brood builder for your self or do u just try to experiment , do u think they work. I hope u understand what I am asking sometimes I have a hard time explaining very well. The packages u are getting I got some of the queens coming from queen right colonies I am going to do some splits and re queen them I had never heard of that breed of bee until u said it on here. I hope u have a wonderful Easter and thanks for the videos I look forward to them cant wait till u do some with u working your bees it is going to be great.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Frances! Yes, I already have the estimate from the insurance adjuster so all it looking good. Sounds like you have a busy bee season ahead of you! I don't use a brood-builder, I think the environment is bringing in plenty for them to use. I will be doing essential oil open feeding observations to see if the bees show a strong preference, but other than that, I have no plans to use that inside any of my hives.

[@johnmcneill923]

Hey Fred... is the calendar something that each bee “club/district associations should tailor for each district based on a core of base information?

[@FrederickDunn]

That would be most effective, but as with all beekeeper groups, there are generally a handful of members doing a LOT of the work, but if you have the right people available, that would be ideal! :)

[@LarryLeesBees]

Happy Easter Fred! Hope you and the family are having a magnificent day. Quick question. I did my 1 week inspection of my hive this morning and everything looks amazing! Comb is being drawn, Queen looks fantastic and appears to be laying already.. So far it looks pretty darn good. They are however making bridge comb from the first to the second frame away from the feeder. Should I be removing the bridge comb as I find it, or leave it alone for the time being? Thanks again and have a great day!

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Larry, keeping hives level side to side is important - bridging and burr comb with a new colony is something I always allow down in the brood box as they are really getting going. The only time I remove those frames, is if they are not drawing comb directly from the face of the foundation and are running 90 degrees straight out. WE don't want that as they will not draw on the face of the comb if that wasn't accomplished first. I suggest pulling and replacing those frames, or scraping the bridge comb off right down to the foundation so the cell-starter outlines are apparent. So if they are covering the face of the frame properly and then bridging some parts, I leave it for new colonies, I hope that makes sense?

[@LarryLeesBees]

Thank you Sir! Makes complete sense. I appreciate the quick response. 😃

[@FrederickDunn]

@@LarryLeesBees You're welcome Larry!

[@coptotermes]

Thanks for producing this series of videos, i'm finding them extremely informative. I was wondering if you could put timestamps with the list of topics in the video descriptions?

[@FrederickDunn]

OH Man! That's a lot of work - ! (';')( ';')... ok, I'll start doing that with FAQ 14 Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment :)

[@wendybachman6224]

Bee Maniacs is where I'm getting my Saskatraz package from! They're about 1/2 hour from my home, and really good people there!

[@mihaiilie8808]

Question: Do you use otther beehive products as well ,asside honey? Im thinking especially at pollen.Here people use pollen collectors and im planning to use them also in the future after i finish breeding my bees.Bee venom also and its the most expensive product you can collect without harming the bees (if you can sell it at a fair price).There are somme electric landing boards that give the bees a little shock and they leave a bit of venom on them.

[@mihaiilie8808]

Pollen colector. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXqlqZWqorKCi5Y

[@FrederickDunn]

I don't collect any resources from the hives, I do scrape out the burr comb and use that for starter strips etc. But I'm not planning to harvest pollen or other hive resources. The honey is enough for me :)

[@expatconn7242]

Such a well thought and informed vid . Things I never would have thought to ask about. Well I found a flow hive for sale .. offered $200 . Is asking $250 it’s 2 , 3 hours away . What should I ask him when I go look at it. Other then why are you selling it . ty mr Dunn

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks Anthony! As for the FlowHive, lots of people never get around to putting them together and others never seem to get around to putting bees in them. If it has been occupied by bees that have failed/died out. I'm not sure I would want it. In some regions/States, you cannot buy or sell used "unoccupied" beehives. They have to be sold with living bees in them. Bee... careful on that one.

[@expatconn7242]

Frederick Dunn well after watching this vid. I had redirected questions to him about the flow hive. Look like he never put together . Also asked if I had bees 🐝 in it. No response yet

[@FrederickDunn]

@@expatconn7242 Ohhh, if he never put it together, snap that thing right up! :)

[@elihere]

Hello! I've been wondering if it was feasible/realistic for a gardener to house a hive in a greenhouse (15+ft)?

[@weasleoop]

You could. People have multiple hives in buildings to protect from bears up north. They do use bees in greenhouses. As long as there is a good entrance and exit for them they will find a way to the hive.

[@FrederickDunn]

So long as they have access to the outside beyond the green house. A green house and its plants wouldn't provide enough forage. Some people are keeping solitary bees, or even bumble bees in green houses.

[@chrisswoboda6732]

Mr Dunn, what are your thoughts of a 10 frame double nuc box method.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Chris, thanks for that question, I don't personally ever use nuc boxes at all. When I'm doing splits etc, I go straight into 8 or 10 frame full boxes - deeps. I never use intermediate sized boxes and am not into Queen Rearing, so Nuc boxes have no practical purpose for me. I think Vino Farm uses them and he would probably be a great resource in that regard. His KZbin channel is called "Vino Farm".

[@kennethherrin2044]

your thoughts on when to feed 2:1 syrup and when to feed 1:1 syrup. Thanks

[@FrederickDunn]

2:1 i the fall - 1:1 spring, summer dearth, late summer prior to the nectar flow. Withdraw all feeding when a nectar flow is on and when planning to remove honey supers.

[@robertmathurin2544]

Thanks for the info Mr Dunn 🇱🇨👍

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for showing up to watch Robert! :)

[@opman711]

Fred, how do I keep my bees from going to my neighbors hot tub? I even built a pond for them in my yard but still they go crazy trying to get in the neighbors hot tub.

[@FrederickDunn]

I shall answer this question with a video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYSco4B6gNt7las

[@hughjazz3847]

I was wondering wat would happen if you didn’t completely extract honey from one of the tubes on the flowhive

[@FrederickDunn]

Once you start, you have to finish the frame. You can open it in sections starting at the end and working your way in.

[@Trolling_X_Gaming]

Thanks ...for information....u r good creators...Thanks a lot sir...

[@Psyche8D]

What do you use to wash bee suits, jackets and gloves? They are still sticky and dingy looking with wax and propolis after a standard wash. I’m not sure how to wash leather. My gloves got thinner somehow after a wash and the venom drips through.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you for this question Dannielle! I will include this in my FAQ #14 video that will release next Friday! I've never heard of venom dripping through gloves... wow. What brand of bee suit and gloves are you currently using? And are your gloves goat skin or leather?

[@Psyche8D]

Frederick Dunn My suit is the 3 layer, OZ Armour. The gloves do not have a brand on them, but they are goat skin. I washed them with a little water and lay flat to dry. After washing, the bees could get their stingers through just enough to affect me. I swell significantly after stings, so I’m guessing they penetrate just a few cellular layers of epidermis or drips on my skin. The cow gloves, by OZ armour are just too clumsy. Given the cost of another pair of goat skin, I’ve been debating on going disposable with nitrile gloves.

[@FrederickDunn]

@@Psyche8D Thank you for sharing about that. It's not helpful that you have a sensitivity to bee stings. I wear those nitrile gloves more than anything else and it's extremely rare for me to receive a sting when wearing those. Thanks so much.

[@Vladviking]

I suppose you could "reweave" a veil pretty fast. A rare trade now but very simple for such a large weave.

[@johnmenocal1633]

Do you have a source for bottom "legs" for the bottom super that hold oil to keep ants out?

[@FrederickDunn]

www.honeyflow.com/shop/flow-hive/flow-hive-2-araucaria-7-frame/p/532 Not sure if they sell the base as a separate unit, but here is the manufacturer site.

[@ArtistBrianSheffield]

A hornet got in my very first hive and killed my bees. that articular hornet can kill 50,000 bees in a single day. I went to work and enjoyed seeing them doing what they do. I came home and there was no activity at all. When i inspected i discovered the hornet in the hive covered in dead bees along with the dead hornet. My beginning mistake was having the landing board to open and they could not defend such a larger opening into the hive and have since adjusted my hive to a single small opening into the hive. I live in an area where the human population is at a minimum in southern Alabama. The advice and obsersvation you give has been spot on.Thank you for that. I swear your voice could be compared to none other than Mr. Paul Harvey. Please continue with the REST OF THE STORY. Page Two. I was given ten hives but these hives have built in spacers in a NINE FRAME HIVE. Have you ever seen this type? I am curious as the bee space between frames seem to be built in to the metal spacers so no guess work is how far to space frames for optimum bee space between frames I would be curious to see how bees react to these spacers in your area. I would be happyto send you these spacers on some of my unused hives to add to your bee yard. If you have a po box i will send you these spacers for a single hive to see what you think of them.

[@FrederickDunn]

I've never heard of that wasp! I would like to know more and were you able to locate the nest? As for the spacers which provide centering for 9 frames in a 10 frame box, that's normally intended for honey extraction and as I use Flow-Frames for my honey extraction, I don't use that extended space which allows the bees to draw out deeper (more honey filled) cells while using less wax. The "bee space" doesn't matter between the frames as they will draw out comb from both frames until around 3/8 of an inch remains between them. Irregular/wavy comb will often be the result. Thanks for sharing!

[@wendybachman6224]

Mr. Dunn, thank you for the information. If I may suggest, since you have such amazing photography skills, why not publish a Northeast?/Midwest? (wherever you hail from) region bee keeping calendar and donating a part of the prophets to pollinator conservation efforts? You are plenty articulate, I'm sure it would turn out amazing!

[@colemarshall2476]

Wendy Bachman that is a great idea

[@FrederickDunn]

Cole! You should have stopped over here the last time you were visiting! Sending a FB message isn't a good way to get ahold of me :)

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks Wendy, I was trying to GIVE the idea to one of my viewers and think that maybe an association could definitely turn that into a fund raiser for a good cause that supports pollinators and bio-diversity. Much appreciated!

[@Vladviking]

I've seen enough to realize bees take advantage and maximize use of about any situation offered. Hive preference is mostly about the keeper.

[@FrederickDunn]

ok

[@linusritter9280]

It's funny I watched this video and I had just sent a email to mann Lake and told them there prices were outrageous natures nectar sold the same bees for 70.00 less. for me both are pick up. I am going to try the Palmer Queen bees, 25.00 a piece (cross between Russian,MN hygienic ,Palmer)this year, the seller is only 40 miles from me and they are suppose to be mite resistant and bred for northern climate so I will do some splits and see how that works out. I do believe in multiple bee strains for diversity. they say they are gentle so I will find out.

[@FrederickDunn]

I think Mann Lake is confident that they can consume most smaller bee suppliers and are becoming larger by the week, including absorbing chicken stocks and supplies. I do hope they find a way to improve their customer service end. I think they have subcontracted bee-breeders and therefore don't have a lot of control over shipments. If there was another source for the bees I wanted, I would have used that. Thanks for sharing.

[@markheslin8745]

The Warre and delen hives are top bar but not horizontal 😎

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks Mark.

[@meloneycrews]

Mr Dunn..My husband and I are just getting into bees...only purchased a swarm trap so far lol! Patiently waiting...and we will purchase a package or nuc next spring if we dont catch one. You are by far the best teacher we have watched and we have watched hundreds of youtube videos! We have watched probably over 1/2 of your videos so far in just a month! We are old and dont sleep alot so you are our best bud!! we live in north FL and have found that Univ of Fl has a bee calendar that includes a little of what to do each month along with what flowers and trees are blooming each month...is very interesting. Also just wanted to let you know in Florida a great calendar is published by the University of Florida at volusiabeekeepers.org>bee-calendar Thanks again for all you do...we love you!!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Such a wonderful comment! Thank you so much and I'm so glad you are enjoying my videos, it means a lot. Also, please feel free to post a link to that calendar so others can check it out. I have since put together my own version, but it's bulkier than most will want to deal with as I have a tendency to overdo things a tad. I hope you get that swarm!

[@MarekArawn]

"Does anyone use a Blackberry anymore?" ROFLOMAO!!!! A good friend does, but he's a lawyer. ;) LOVE IT!

[@testpiloterb1828]

I think I’m about done watching every single one of your bee videos, lol I really enjoy your channel. But I needed to comment about the Mann lake thing with delivery dates.. I ordered 3 nukes and I thought it was really weird that I can’t get a date, at least a ball park date. I am also going to pick them up in Wilkes-barre, pa so it’s very frustrating that I can’t plan for the drive. it’s only 2 hrs but I work full time if it’s during the week what am I supposed to do call in sick.. yeah ok. Common Mann lake get with the program everyone else has date windows to select I wish I bought from better bee... oh and get this the Nucs are random you don’t even know what kind of bees you’re getting and for the price of them they should be the Surviver line.. you can only pick what kind of bees you want with the 3lb crate, but I wanted nucs to start with and I was very disappointed to hear that it could be any kind of bees in the nucs, especially for the price like I said.. I don’t think I’ll ever be getting bees from them again..

[@FrederickDunn]

It's a frustration for sure, but they are the middle man in that transaction as they are coming from the Olivarez breeders who don't direct sell anymore. Hmmmm standby to standby... as the time draws closer, they will give an arrival week on their website, so it's not just going to show up suddenly. Thanks for watching my videos! :)

[@wendybachman6224]

When I last checked Mann Lake's site they said they were getting their Saskatraz packages from Oliverez. The spring weather @ Oliverez Apiary has been awful for guaranteeing a mated queen. They are unwilling to commit to a date to their commercial distributors at least until 4/24/19 due to the varying weather circumstances which have caused it to be impossible to verify the queens are mated and laying properly. I don't think this is a Mann Lake issue, I believe the problem lies with Oliverez Apiary's unwillingness to ship out something they cannot guarantee because their reputation is extremely important to them. I have gone through this with my local source at BeeManiacs...Frustrating, but they assure me they are worth the uncertainty and wait. They also tell me this is not the typical experience with Oliverez Apiary's Saskatraz bees. Just our crazy spring over here.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for that information Wendy :)

[@MarekArawn]

Beekeeping Calendar (basic): www.alveole.buzz/en/learn/articles/the-beekeepers-seasonal-calendar [ 'cause Canadians do things a little differently, eh?] Also, B&K Bees (Michigan) offers one for sale (It's a physical calendar) - just located it. This link leads to the purchase page. [No, I don't work for them.] bkbees.com/product/2019-beekeeping-calendar/

[@mikedarkow7788]

woow

[@yankdoodlediesel2574]

I was here at 410

[@SpiritBear12]

Got it. You want to make darn sure the failed hive didn't fail from a nasty disease that you don't want your other bees to get. If there is nothing dangerous in the failed hive then the other bees can have at it in another location. Makes sense. Good heavens, this company ships live animals (bees) and they're not even thoughtful enough to care when the customer can get the bees? Man, Amazon tells you when you'll get your stuff and it's usually not even alive! That's outrageous! Sorry, I still haven't found that guy from Maine who breeds cooler weather tolerant bees. I literally have to just bump into his videos on KZbin, but I haven't forgotten. Perhaps he isn't be so haphazard about shipping bees.

[@FrederickDunn]

His Bees are Sold Out for this year, he's truly a wonderful beekeeper and is well known in northern Vermont. He also never insulates his hives and is working with survivor lines. He does lots of workshops and has influenced my own beekeeping methods. Thanks so much SpiritBear! www.frenchhillapiaries.com/

[@SpiritBear12]

@@FrederickDunn Ah, then I guess you were already aware of Mr. Palmer. Yes, I read that he has many people clamoring for his bees and he cant quite keep up with demand. I would assume he's probably doing a "first come, first serve" method, which is only fair. You're welcome.

[@FrederickDunn]

Annnnd being a Vermonter... he probably caters to other Vermonters first. :) My family comes from Craftsbury, Greensboro (just east of mr Palmer) and Morrisville... and Chester. He's in a great spot other than the deep snow, which I also get here as strange as that is.

[@SpiritBear12]

@@FrederickDunn I like Vermont, so much more relaxing to drive through than Eastern Mass. As soon as I get over the border I chill out. Also the scenery, smells and people are generally nicer. LOL

[@edgreywolf]

Look up horizontalhive. Com

[@rebeccafoust2963]

I was just over there reading about their workshop they are holding in May. Reading through the program schedule it reads to be very comprehensive for beekeepers interested in horizontal hives even those that are dreaming of their first hive. I may just have to start saving money for a nice vacation in another part of this country. Thanks for the info. I keep dreaming- life continues to happen... hoping to get my first hive before I turn 70.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks Rebecca, I will certainly check in with them. I'd rather check in with people who are using them in colder climates and who are not profiting from the information/sales. I think they may work well in warmer climates. Lots to learn and discover. Thank you.

[@rebeccafoust2963]

@@FrederickDunn I certainly understand that. I thought of that workshop idea as a way to see another part of our great country, staying with remote rural areas (my love) and learning more about a well loved subject. I was very impressed with the amount of detail they put in the info for prospective visitors, even down to where to locate groceries. I most likely will not make the trip but I am enjoying that dream for now. All the best to you, your family and your bees. Thanks for all the great information.

[@georgegarcia5052]

In your video you mention not having heard of people in Pennsylvania having success with horizontal hives. In horizontalhive.com they discuss the Layens horizontal hives which they apparently use on bitterly cold Russia. The walls are thick and the honey frames have 30% greater surface area than a regular deep frame ... they are longer than a deep as well. I made a regular horizontal hive from the site’s free plans ... it’s great in Los Angels and it uses regular deep frames.