Last year I gave almost a whole box of plastic frames 4.95 mm cellsize with natural positioning, http://www.elgon.es/diary/?p=384 This colony was a very nice colony, but needed some thymol as it came up with some wingless bees. It gave an
Swarm draws foundationless combs
Larry, the excentric beekeeper in Indiana, shares with me many of his experiences. Here’s one I share with you readers: Friday afternoon, 23 May, I just happened to be present at the beginning of a prime swarm cast from my
Taking home the breeder
A week ago I brought home the breeder queens for ease of grafting. They should at least have been treatment free last year (2013) and they should not have been a new colony 2013. The queen should be at least
Producing varroa resistant bees from a local population
Erickson and Hines in test apiary 2003 Dr Eric Erickson did a great job in the 1990’s in Arizona together with A.H. Atmowidjojo and Lenard Hines (commercial beekeeper with 700 colonies), first showing it’s relatively easy to identify more resistant
Swarm trap in April of May
Weather has turned to April when May arrived. Freezing nights and barely flying weather in days. But solar wax melter works, in the middle of the day. Though development of the bees have begun strong this spring. They have grown
Tussilago farfara
Second day checking for increase after winter I now came to some apiaries inside my Elgon area and almost all colonies needed a super above the excluder. The weather had turned warm after winter and the colonies demanded me to
First increase, the first apiary
A couple of days ago I started for the new season, to check colonies for need of food and for increase of space for bees and brood. I want to give you some glimpses. I checked four apiaries that afternoon.
Spring after winter in Indiana
Larry from Indiana wrote me March 30 about spring approaching at his side of the globe on about 39° latitude: Mother Nature continues to exact her winter revenge in the Midwest USA. Once again rain mixed with snow dominates the
Multitest colony prepare to boom
You know the MT-colony – testing natural positioning, plastic frames, mostly honey as winter store, and a mouse nest… A couple of days ago, about 12°C (52F) and sunny, still no fresh high value pollen (some from early blooming trees).
Honey for winter
In US I understand it’s more common than in Europe to let the bees keep honey for winter. On the other hand I’ve heard more and more beekeepers giving sugar for winter. And the discussion which sugar is the best