Inspecting a hungry package (IN MAY!!!) and last years split.

[@HeartPumper]

Laurel, good eye for catching those dancing bees on camera ;) Guys, slowly you're gonna make it. Agriculture & beekeeping depends so much on the weather. We can't "book" good & sunny days with mother nature at all :). It's huge stress factor for family life & future plans. But do not despair, you're standing on the shoulders of giants - your ancestors. They're survivors of all those bad times in history of mankind. Improvise.Adapt.Overcome 😄

[@Tunaslayer1]

I love your comment on fragrances!! I used to work with "person" that used so much of it.... I would comment "That's very nice perfume, must you marinade in it?"

[@MrBeachbums5]

I so much ENJOY and APPRECIATE your commentary and your wife's OUTSTANDING video work. You make a great team. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your life with us. Never mind Disneyland, Hawaii or a Caribbean cruise - my dream in life is to come and visit your bees. Regards, Lance :-)

[@tifreire1]

Rain, rain, rain. I'm west of Chattanooga and everyday has at least 50% of rain through the entire Weather Channel forecast. Sourwood blooms around the first week of June so I've got my fingers crossed. Good luck to you man.

[@TheStone2531]

Same here, bout 2 hours south of Nashvegas, 3 west of Nooga. First year keepin bees. Any advice for new keeper with new colony in these less than ideal conditions?

[@tifreire1]

@@TheStone2531 if you started with nucs or packages this spring it all depends on how quickly they've built up. If you're not trying to pull honey, which is probably the case due to having new hives, it won't set you back as long as you feed them. Just keep your entrance reduced if you're feeding and watch out for robbing. You can put some pollen patty if you want just to see if they take it but use a small piece so they can keep the beetles out of it. If they've completely filled a brood box and started in a second you might get lucky over the next couple weeks and they'll make some honey. The weather forecast as of today looks great through the first 7-10 days of June.

[@slavkei]

Kamon, I live up in Seattle and don't have the space to safely keep 3 colonies on my property because of how tightly packed it all is around here. But I've taken inspiration from you and DirtRooster and JP and started feeding the locals. We don't have any honeybee colonies in my area- our yard is full of flowers from spring to fall and we have yet to see one- but we do have lots of bumblebees. I've noticed that their numbers are really low compared to what we're used to seeing, so taking an example from all of y'all, I've started leaving some small dishes of sugar water mixed with honey out and taking photos and videos of the bumbles all gathering. I'm hoping to see their numbers start to explode- I can't do much for them pollen-wise with what I have on hand, but i can ensure that for all the pollen they gather, they have tons of nectar to go with it. Even non-beekeepers can do a little to help, and I would never have thought of it if it wasn't for all of y'all. Keep up the good work and stay strong.

[@Makermook]

I have a couple regular sized hives, but I've also made some small mini hives. The mini hives are designed to only have about 10,000 bees, so not nearly as big as Kamon's colonies. You could look into something like that.

[@BloodyKnives66]

Not sure where in the city you are but in New York city bee keeps just use the roof tops

[@NewEnglandgardening]

It was 82F here on Friday and today the High was 63F and the expected low is 43F. I put a shim on the hive with some ventilation holes on Friday and promptly removed it the next day. If the new queen I introduced started laying eggs they probably got chilled.

[@ginomorris4873]

This is a good problem to have Kamon ..I'm so unprepared for this pleasant problem I'm also having as a new bee keeper it's draining my pockets but I got the answers I needed today thank you as usual .. Good grief I have so much to learn still ..My wife is going to have me move in with the bees if I keep spending lol..

[@donbearden1953]

Kamon, as always you make your videos educational to help others. Don’t give up on the honey crop just yet because God is in control! You still have so many bees and so many folks wanted your nucs is it too late to sell some late season nucs? How is Kathleen and Jimmy? They both are adorable, I wish you would make a short video with both of them. I love children, currently have 3 grandchildren and on 07/05/20 is the due date for the 4th. Thank you and Laurel for the video and keep the faith!

[@davidflower9678]

Great video as always. Our new nuc colony (we're first-timers) was filling up so fast with nectar and syrup that there was no open laying space. Even though our local club said to keep feeding them until all the foundation was built up, we pulled the syrup and yesterday we had nearly a full frame of eggs in the top box. She got some room, was happy to move up, and we're back in business.

[@lorindarenteria]

In a prior video, you asked what you should plant. Plant spearmint. It grows like crazy and spreads. It stays blooming for months. My bees are loving it. They're bringing in pollen and nectar. I'm in very hot south eastern Arizona, and as long as I water it, my mint grows. It's over 3 ft tall now and bees are extremely attracted to it and greatly benefit.

[@makingdreambees2209]

I hope some day my bees get big enough i need to put a bale holder around them to keep them in

[@Doxymeister]

LOL, your comment about trucking and body products made me laugh. I was a security officer for a huge distribution center, with both receiving and dedicated store traffic through my gate. For the most part, I loved truckers, and got along with most of them pretty well. But occasionally, you'd get one that would lean in that window with paperwork, and...oh boy. Would much rather they stand back a bit and just hand their paperwork through the window rather than lean in with elbows on the sill, LOL. Sorry, that just brought back memories when you said that--very good memories mostly! I loved working with truckers!

[@Doxymeister]

And I just loved the footage of those girls doing the "Waggle Dance"!

[@jameslissaman8331]

After a great honey season last year 2021 in Canberra, the bush capital of Australia, 2022 is a disappointment similar to yours (not sure which year your video refers to) so wet on east coast people are being flooded out multiple times in one season, the bees need gumboots. It's the third La Ninya in a row, hardly any eucalyptus blossom and not many sunny flying days. Bees are finally bringing in some nectar probably from ground flora, clover, flatweed and suburban gardens but it doesn't look like it's going to be a great honey surplus, at least at this time. I've bought feeders in case the bees need syrup to keep from going backwards but we don't normally feed so it will be an experience. Interesting to see how you're reacting to the poor season, useful hints, you can't make honey without strong bees.

[@trichard5106]

Thanks !!!

[@ohiorenegades7999]

Now that's a box of bees!!!!

[@wayneshoneybees5439]

Last year was my 1st and wow. No fall flow and now no spring flow. Zero tree flowers. I guess I'm learning the tough way. Cover looks good this year.

[@russellkoopman3004]

Your weather has sucked this year as it has for many others. But plants work of off GDU (growing degree days) and so if it has been cooler than normal your plants will be delayed and you may get a better late spring flow than you think. Now the freezing of buds is just bad. Here in MN we have yet to reach 80 F this year but we have been dry and just warm enough to let the bees out to work for 5-6 hours most days. By the way getting 2 splits that you can sell for $300 will give you close to the same returns as 50 lbs of honey right? You sold out of nuc this year so up your nuc sales by 25%. Just an idea. Thanks so much for your videos. Only a few KZbin beeks can talk and explain each frame like you do. Most stand there and look at it and then go on to the next without telling what they are thinking.

[@DavidLaFerney]

Nice brood. It's a shame that by the time they are foragers there probably won't be much to forage even if the weather improves. It's a tough year.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thankfully some of our other yards are fairing better but yeah this is a downer year but hey next year could be normal! haha yeah right!

[@3Beehivesto300]

NASA web sight predicted this year being colder. Low number of solar flares compared to normal.

[@marlinpruett8343]

In Texas we have Rain, rain, Yp we have rain now Sunday5/24 Moving your way. We checked our Russian bees yesterday and not much nectar . Looks like it going to be a bad year for me, Wont make much honey. Really like you chancel You do a very good job explaining every thing, . Have fun Marlin

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

When Kamen said "look at all that brood", all I saw was cells 1/2 full of nectar. A lot of cells.

[@MohamedUAE]

Totally agree "If the hive is not good, then it's not good"

[@arendey4446]

Putting cleets around the rim of the cover so it helps form a seal when combines with the foamies to add bee space should help prevent crushed bees. (couldn't see if the cover was flat or not)

[@LazyDogsRanch]

I've had lost seasons like what you're having. It sucks, but we do what we can for them.

[@flipflopbeefarm8112]

Hello Kamon , Thanks for all the videos! I am only 6 months into beekeeping, but always eager to learn. At about the 4:15 mark in this video, the cells appeared to have multiple eggs/larvae in each , isn't that a sign of laying workers? Just asking for a friend ! ;-)

[@OklahomaBeekeeper]

Here in Oklahoma it rained yesterday and today I started feeding because tonight rain is expected to start and end 6 days from tonight, with flooding warnings too! No honey sales this year for me. I'm going to just make nucs for overwinter and take my best to feed up for my personal hives next year. My wife says she is going to look for land in middle of Florida and have us go into the queen business lol.

[@johnnypatti8752]

Happy 4th

[@abdennournahal6852]

What kind of bees you raise?what are its characteristics

[@kevinj.monfelt9760]

Which queen excluder do you prefer?

[@kamonreynolds]

Metal Kevin but the plastic will work too

[@kevinj.monfelt9760]

@@kamonreynolds have you found certain brands of plastic and metal too be better?

[@FloryJohann]

Thank you very much for the video. You are feeding sugar water to build them up, right? Do you feed them pollen patties as well, even though they bring pollen in?

[@highstandards6226]

When the queen has that much of her cells laid, why would you not checkerboard with some of the more bare frames above? Just to give her more space to lay, without weakening the entire hive by splitting?

[@paulawaldrep3760]

I will ask my Lord to give you a week of great sunny weather, if it could be HIS WILL!!! Hang in there! :)

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks Paula we have had 3 sunny days straight and the bees and I are just ecstatic! :-)

[@paulawaldrep3760]

@@kamonreynolds My Lord has heard my Prayer! I am almost 60 and HE HAS NEVER FAILED ME , even though I have completely failed HIM! HE says Ask and you shall receive! I have been watching the radar map too! :)

[@pennymyers8636]

Hi penny pooh here im a new bee keeper my package was picked up April 7 and has 5 frames filled i think queen cups there was a bee in cup feeding It i think what do I do

[@PhillipHall01]

Kamon I can see the advantage of the bubble material (innercover) up North. But my concern here in the South would be a great hiding place for Small HIve Beetles. Have you noticed this or is that question not accurate? Thanks, Phillip Hall

[@jeremytillman500]

I’m a new beekeeper. Did an inspection yesterday and all 10 frames are full. Adding a medium today. My question is it if just to put 10 undrawn frames on top as I do not have any medium frames of drawn comb as I’m a new bee keeper. Thx for any input.

[@bryanwages3518]

Its best to put a brood frame in the new box and it draws them up to that box.

[@paulchristu996]

And if you only have deep frames with brood, knock together a 3” shim to put under the medium box, giving sufficient room for the deep frame. In a week or so, once you see comb being drawn, you can pull off the shim and replace the deep frame with a medium.

[@lenoretalon9958]

July 10 for seven years I need to feed pollen. What do you think of my recipe pollen sub for a small be yard? I like to freeze bee bread frames for late fall. This helps-1-5lb unbleached flour ,2 cornmeal rounds, 1 cup brewers yeast, 8 freeze dried eggs powdered. 4 cups dry milk. Mine love it but am I missing anything.

[@stackingforfun9216]

How often do you mite treat a hive that you don’t plan on harvesting any honey off of . I was thinking on 30 splits I did every other week . Your thoughts please .

[@swamphillfarmapiary-dan810]

Kamon. Just a quick question. I grafted some queens. 11 of the 15 cells are capped but none of them have any Royal jelly left at day 10 after grating. All cells look great. Is that a problem. Will the queens hatch? Thanks for your time.

[@ECP]

Hello Kamon, did my first full 4 Hive inspections... one a Swarm Catch, 2 packages and one a full established hive I bought... all doing well.... swarm hive has newly mated young queen low numbers but progressing any suggestions to help move them along... just added a brood and resource frame from established hive to boost them... Thoughts? BTW both Queens in the packages are Superb.... got 🍀lucky

[@rexlancaster661]

I came in could you possibly give the dates that you are in your Bee Hive I think it would help a lot thank you in a Vance

[@romoshka1]

What are your thoughts on the plastic vs metal QEs? When I look at the plastic, the edges of the slots are sharp and knife-like while metal variety is made up of round bars. There are those that say QEs reduce bee life by rubbing their wings. It seems that the smooth edges of the metal bars would be easier on the wings than the sharper edges of the plastic variety. Your thoughts?

[@kamonreynolds]

The 50 plastic I have from mann lake work really well. However my metal ones are my favorite. They are better in every way but the plastic do work and they are "supposed" to not have sharp edges

[@jtelander]

I may be mistaken but I thought I saw a couple more mites crawling around near that drone larva

[@12ArmyNavy12]

Hey Kamon, do you glue your frames as well as a single staple? Also, is their any clover in your area? Surely there will be a lot of nectar left for them to forage and produce honey?

[@ECP]

Maybe you will get lucky 🍀 and get a good fall flow

[@joer5627]

Rain starts up here in Atl & looks like it will be for most of the week. No honey here.☹️

[@monstermechanic8670]

Around 10 - 12 minutes, is that the queen piping?

[@primitivedaisy]

Yes, I heard it too!

[@StephenBiggers]

don't think so, when he set the frame down he trapped a worker causing her to buzz. perhaps...

[@cherimolina2121]

HELP! My bees aren't drawing much comb. Been feeding them the syrup (rain here like crazy) and they are bringing in tons of pollen when they get out. I saw in this video where queen possibly run out of laying room...due to the bee bread. If they aren't drawing comb, what can I do? 10 frame...3 frames just..nothin. Not drawing them out. No drawn comb to be had around here. I do have some drawn med frames. Do I throw a super on simply to give her room? I don't expect any honey. Im fine w that. My initiative is to build the colony strength to make thru winter. Both hives are like this.

[@bwakel310]

Idk if this is true but I heard the best ratio of sugar syrup is 1.3 parts water to sugar. I've also heard the best ratio is 78% sugar to water. Try different combinations and find out.

[@FloryJohann]

Bees will draw the comb out if they needed, Bees will not draw much if they do not needed or if the population is low or if they do not have the resources. If you have syrup and pollen in some frames already, I would not feed them right now. Right now it would be better for bees to utilize the cells with brood rearing instead filling them with honey. This will increase your amount of bees and those bees will bring in more resources to build your combs and to bring more food in and to rear more brood. Watch your honey flow. High mite counts can reduce wax production and bee population. If pollen comes in, it usually means that you have brood and it may take a few more weeks before more bees bring more syrup and food in to make more combs. If 70% of the frames are used, then it is time to add a super. If you ad a super then take 1 brood frame and take it to the super this way the bees will start to build the combs on the super. You can take 1 or 2 outside frames which should have no build comb or little comb and put them in the middle of the brood box. Do not checker board, since this may chill the brood and may kill your brood. Do not take more than those 2 frame to the middle for now. the bees should start to build those 2 frames in no time.

[@cherimolina2121]

@@FloryJohann thank you. I have considered the possubility that..as we've had temps down to feezing to 50's the last 2..3 weeks that they aren't drawing cause they can't cover that much brood yet. I have beetle buster bottoms and pulled some capped drine larva..saw no mites. Just trying get my girls numbers up. Lost my first pkg queen to robbers wnd day in. Half the colony left w robbers. Got a nuc and they're doing well yet still...as you mentioned..think the coverage of eggs and larva is a factor too. Have been checking in once a week as weather permits. SO MUCH RAIN!

[@craigjackson9485]

I know we're getting ready to go into a dearth. Just wondering if you've had experience with your bees feeding on soybeans during the summers.

[@fionmor4893]

what do you think is causing this lack of production?

[@kamonreynolds]

No nectar due to foul weather.

[@LarryLeesBees]

Hey Kamon! The weather has been crap up here as well. Two week of rain and cold. Been feeding like crazy! Suppose to get up into the 80’s this week... We’ll see. Question for you; With the weather being as bad as it has been, if it turns around in your area, would the nectar flow kick in, just later than normal? Or is it a done deal and nothing will happen this year?

[@kamonreynolds]

There is a week or two of delay sometimes but for the most part it is set in stone

[@LarryLeesBees]

Kamon - OK, that sucks... Good to know tho... Thanks for the quick reply my friend!

[@DavidLaFerney]

@@kamonreynolds If we had really excellent weather - not too hot, not too dry, not too much rain - and if that persisted all the way to late September, we Could still get a decent honey harvest. It isn't very likely. Possible though. I say "we" because I live in the same region as Kamon.

[@sipesta62]

Kamon, any thoughts on washboarding?

[@kamonreynolds]

Can't make any sense of it

[@shanerich2776]

How could it hurt to feed pollen patties right now???

[@bobchenevert9286]

So I'm new to beekeeping this year. I watch alot of your videos. Are you running pellets in your smoker now? I watched the fuel video, I use pine needles but I notice you get a good amount of smoke really steady.

[@kamonreynolds]

I use pine needles, hay, grass clippings, and if I get ahold of other things I will use them. The USA made dadant smoker makes a big difference. Keep in mind my smokers don't always just smoke away some take 2-3 pumps to start going again

[@bobchenevert9286]

@@kamonreynolds thanks. I have a mannlake smoker. I'm up nort I'm Massachusetts so my lawn is just starting to grow. I'll stick with stuffing the pine needles then. Thanks for the reply. Your videos are a great help. Thanks.

[@keithworrell2253]

How can I boost my hive? It isn't moving

[@PhillipHall01]

Kamon, Sorry your season is not looking very bright as far as honey production. I feel for you. Phillip Hall

[@jenbyrne6831]

Hi kamon,i have a question. I installed a package of bees two weeks ago,yesterday I opened them up and they are making comb on the hive cover and not in any of the frames,should I cut the comb off are leave them alone?

[@paulchristu996]

Jen Byrne If using plastic foundation, cut the burr comb out, crush it into a solid block, then vigorously rib it over the foundation. Follow that by spraying the foundation with 1:1 syrup.

[@jenbyrne6831]

I was able to cut the comb off and get it on the frames where it should be. What was wrong was I put the cover on wrong, live and learn I guess. Thanks for all your help. Jen.

[@FernvalleyFarm]

hopefully you get some honey im in northern illinios my supers are going on this week

[@lucasprohaska8882]

What do you burn in your smoker?? Always seems to be burning perfectly

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey Lucas this video can sum up the hows and whys more than I can typing. I use 3-4 types of fuels depending on what I can get for free. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGbPYqOtpq-Za5Y

[@lucasprohaska8882]

Kamon Reynolds - Tennessee's Bees thank you! Love your videos!

[@BarbsNgarden]

Thanks for the video! Please tell me, what is the plant behind you? Sure looks like poison ivy, but I’m not an expert.

[@kevinjackson1840]

Been feeding a little as waiting for tar weed to bloom

[@justinmitchell1704]

I got a mean give how can I get them to calm down?

[@haydeng9314]

You can requeen it with a gentler queen.

[@daviddowen3887]

Sugar syrup... easy for you to say, LOL!

[@duanehankins7077]

When it comes to deodorants jokes...... I would say don't loose your day job? Lol. great video

[@cg3251]

HOLY MOLY the Ads.....😩

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey CG thanks for bringing that to our attention. Obviously we do have some adds in our video but that one was excess by about 9 ads. If we forget to set them ourselves KZbin automatically places them and they always put a stupid amount in. They had a grand total of 12 on this one too many

[@cg3251]

@@kamonreynolds Yes, KZbin does that. Love your videos...the ADs were worth it. 😂

[@skooterbumm]

absolutely nothing in bee keeeping is easy..... Ive come to realize..... got a laying worker colony to deal with myself

[@brianreid5607]

Don’t think I have ever seen you looking so downhearted ☹️

[@ginomorris4873]

Oh yeah crunch crunch and I still cringe sorry bees..Your sound is so sharp you can hear the crunch ..what happened to the kitty star..