From MAILER-DAEMON Sat Feb 28 08:50:18 2009 Return-Path: <> X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.8 (2007-02-13) on industrial X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-90.0 required=2.4 tests=AWL,MAILTO_TO_SPAM_ADDR, SPF_HELO_PASS,USER_IN_WHITELIST autolearn=disabled version=3.1.8 X-Original-To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Delivered-To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Received: from listserv.albany.edu (unknown [169.226.1.24]) by metalab.unc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0944F4906E for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:44:22 -0500 (EST) Received: from listserv.albany.edu (listserv.albany.edu [169.226.1.24]) by listserv.albany.edu (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id n1SDbKln012089 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:44:21 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:44:18 -0500 From: "University at Albany LISTSERV Server (14.5)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG0406E" To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Message-ID: Content-Length: 43360 Lines: 945 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 21:31:22 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bob Harrison Subject: Re: Silent spring in northern Europe? Comments: To: davehamilton@ALLTEL.NET MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: "DaveHamilton" To: Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2004 10:44 AM Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Silent spring in northern Europe? Bob Are you guys in Missouri seeing the same "lazy bees" we are talking about up here? I have one farm with hives setting on CRP land in acres of yellow sweat clover. The clover this year has stayed in bloom for a full month yet the bees in those 10 hives don't have 3 supers of honey between them. Looks like what we are seeing! Its been way cooler and wetter than most years here. Us also! Several other Nebraskans have said they are seeing similar. What's your ideas? I believe I am seeing a pesticide kill in certain areas with the foragers not returning to the hive causing low honey production and a loss of bees. I went out yesterday at dusk to check numbers of bees in hives and the volume of bees late in the day is down. I actually had a yard doing exactly as the above are the last two years but wrote off as unknown problem. I moved those bees into apples and then into a new yard and they produced a crop of honeythis year. I have got lots of locations (from downsizing) so I plan to move any yards which are not producing honey by next week into new locations for the last three weeks of the honey flow. Will keep you posted! Bob --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.711 / Virus Database: 467 - Release Date: 6/25/2004 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 07:19:14 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter Edwards Subject: Re: Silent spring in northern Europe? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I thought that wintering was good last year. Fed 159 colonies and 152 survived. The 7 that died were either small lots that were not viable or had queens that failed. A further 10 failed in the spring - all due to queen failure from poor mating last year. All colonies were fed on fondant, except for those that went to the heather - they were not fed in the autumn, but some were topped up with fondant in February. The stop/go weather caused a great deal of swarming and I now have increase to around 200 colonies plus 18 nucs. The crop is looking good and may well be above average this year despite the splitting of colonies. I am sure that there is always a good reason, or combination of reasons, for poor wintering - but do beekeepers always read the signs correctly? It is very often possible to predict poor wintering based on conditions during the previous year, e.g. poor weather when queens are mating may produce partially mated queens that fail during the winter, or early the next spring; long hot summers with queens shutting down early due to the drought and therefore fewer young bees to go into winter. Peter Edwards beekeepers@stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 07:11:47 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: cass cohenour Subject: Re: Queen Excluders Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed First of all, I cut a notch on the front of the inner lid to allow forager bees an easy access to the uppermost super and avoid the congestion of the brood chambers and added ventilation to evaporate the water from the nectar. It allows the bees to move in an out more easily and quicker which means more honey. With the extra ventilation less bees are required to fan the hive which means more bees may forage, equaling more honey. After two supers which contain drawn comb are atop the excluder, an Imerie shim is placed between the two supers which gives the bees yet another opening to avoid the congested brood chamber. Never use the shim between two supers of foundation or you will have an awlful mess of burr comb betwwen these supers. If a third and forth super is added and drawn out, a shim is placed between them as well. You can make your own shims, but the thickness of is to be no less or greater than "bee space". Or you can purchase an Imirie Shim from Brushy Hills Bee Farm in North Carolina. I make and use my own shims and roughly half of the forager bees will use these extra openings to fill the supers with the surplus while the other half will enter the main opening on the floor to maintain the level of nectar needed to rear the brood. _________________________________________________________________ MSN Movies - Trailers, showtimes, DVD's, and the latest news from Hollywood! http://movies.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200509ave/direct/01/ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 08:58:50 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dave Cushman Subject: Re: Queen Excluders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-2" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Jonathan & all > Queen Excluders = honey excluders. A sweeping statement, but let us look a little at the science behind a queen excluder. Queen excluders are available with different spacings, bees vary in size individually and more importantly there are racial differences in mean thorax size and spread of thorax size. So you can get the situation that a colony of bees may be averagely large so that only a small proportion of their population can actually get through the queen excluder provided... This gives the appearance that the queen excluder is at fault, when all that is actually wrong is that the grid is the wrong size for the bees concerned. Best Regards & 73s, Dave Cushman... G8MZY Beekeeping & Bee Breeding Website Email: cyberbeek@tiscali.co.uk or dave@dave-cushman.net http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman & http://www.dave-cushman.net :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 04:46:12 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: CSlade777@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Silent spring in Northern Europe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 29/06/2004 05:01:58 GMT Standard Time, LISTSERV@LISTSERV.ALBANY.EDU writes: > All had > several frames of food left - but it was solid. I believe my problem is > simply that the warmer climate resulted in bees collecting late honey from > new sources, particularly ivy which sets like concrete I lost only one last winter and most of the others came through very strongly with lots of surplus stores of ivy. Bees have been using ivy in Northern Europe for thousands of years. Just from the evolutionary point of view it seems unlikely that a plant that flowers late when there are fewer pollinating insects around will produce a nectar that is detrimental to the major pollinator. Perhaps we have introduced strains of bee from areas where ivy hasn't been so common and they are the ones that find it difficult to cope with. Does anybody running Amm colonies in N.Europe have this problem? Chris :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 19:46:29 +1000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: T & M Weatherhead Subject: container super storage MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bob Harrison wrote > Can a member of the list give pros & cons to their use. Either on list or > off. I use a container that is refrigerated. I run it at about -5 centigrade for a week, switch off but only run again if I add more supers or a month has passed. If it is not refrigerated, then you run the risk of getting a good dose of wax moth in the warmer weather. The containers tend to heat up slowly and hold heat. One beekeeper here uses one without refrigeration but in winter has to open the doors at night ( temperature gets as low as -8 centigrade) to get the temperature in the container down. Daytime temperatures are around 20 centigrade. I know one beekeeper in the tropics who uses a container without refrigeration but when putting the supers in doses them with phostoxin. He does not have a lot of problems. The other things for containers is that do not lend themselves to use with a forklift. It is usually a case of Spanish work i.e. manual in and manual out. For me also, I have lifting cleats on my supers so they will not hold 4 across. I have to have the outside two rows on bearers (about 3 -4 inches high) so the lifting cleats can slide in under one another. A lot of beekeepers here in Australia are moving towards them for small hive beetle control of supers. They can even be used to store combs before extracting and, if refrigerated, wax moth and small hive beetle are not a problem. Otherwise they are great. No chemical residues in the combs and they take the place of an extra shed to store supers. Trevor Weatherhead AUSTRALIA :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 07:00:07 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Frank Wyatt Subject: Re: container super storage I am also considering using an old storage container for super storage. At present I have (1)one old truck bed cooler that I have been using (I am out of space). This old cooler is insulated, but keeps the supers with drawn comb very well. I have not seen any evidence of comb melting; yet. The only concern I have at this time is making sure I have no wax moth damage. I have been storing comb outside under a barn shed with the supers cris crossed for ventalation. This has caused some damage by rodents and moths. Frank Wyatt Eden, NC :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 09:32:42 -0400 Reply-To: jkriebel@speakeasy.net Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Jonathan Kriebel Organization: Veritec, Ltd Subject: Re: Queen Excluders In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-2" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit "...You can make your own shims, but the thickness of is to be no less or greater than "bee space..." Well, how is that possible? I saw them in the catalogue. I have shims I made for feeding fondant, but think it is impossible to have the shim =bee space, since there is already space between the frames of the top and bottom supers. What about putting a 1/2" hole in the super? Upward angled to prevent water from getting in? Thanks...JK Jonathan B. Kriebel Das Sauen Õhr Farm 3229 Zepp Rd. Green Lane, PA 18054-2357 Telephone: (610) 864-8581 Facsimile: (215) 234-8573 jbkriebel@speakeasy.net :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 10:05:43 -0400 Reply-To: jfischer@supercollider.com Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: James Fischer Organization: Bedford Advanced Technology Test Lab Effort Subject: Re: Queen Excluders >> "...You can make your own shims, but the thickness >> of is to be no less or greater than "bee space..." > Well, how is that possible? I saw them in the catalogue. > I have shims I made for feeding fondant, but think it is > impossible to have the shim = bee space, since there is > already space between the frames of the top and bottom supers. You are correct. The addition of a shim creates "more than" proper bee space between the two supers, if one had proper bee space to start. Not to worry... yes it is a massive violation of "bee space", but the idea here is to put the shims in place for the flow, and remove them with the supers, harvesting soon enough that the bees have no time to make bridge comb. Use of Imrie shims carries several inherent assumptions which may not be true for every beekeeper, and/or may not be understood to be inherent assumptions: 1) You need a good supply of drawn comb. Putting shims between supers of undrawn foundation is just asking for a terrible mess. A shim can be added once both supers are drawn, but I would not do so before drawing. (Of course, this just may be my cognitively-challenged bees, yours might be better about drawing the foundation before drawing random comb in every other possible space...) 2) You need to harvest early and often, to pull supers before bridge comb gets built, and you need to extract quickly so that you can slap the extracted supers back onto the hives while the flow continues. There is no use to using shims to "increase the speed with which nectar is harvested", and then not take advantage of "faster" as a beekeeper. >What about putting a 1/2" hole in the super? Upward angled to > prevent water from getting in? Sure, you could do that, shims are just a way to avoid drilling holes and blocking the holes when they are not needed. Shims also provide a smaller opening, one that is easier for the bees to defend in the event that robbing gets started. (Of course, point [2] above assumes that you aren't going to let the honey stay on the hives long enough to allow bees to get in a robbing mood.) jim (Who's new honey labels say "So good, you shouldn't even try it once" to comply with Truth In Advertising laws) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 11:56:46 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Lloyd Spear Subject: drawing comb MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In his helpful response to questions of why bees are not drawing comb, Scott said "Bottom line is, bees only build as much comb as they need. If they haven't drawn it out yet, they don't need it." Well, maybe... IMHO, a more likely reason is that the hive does not yet have enough bees of an appropriate age to draw comb. When bees are being fed to draw foundation, it is not unusual to see little comb drawn for the first 4 weeks or so. What is going on in the interim is that the feed is being converted into brood. Once that brood 'hatches', they start out as nurse bees and then move into the stage where they will produce wax...if there continues to be enough food to produce that wax. Because of the feeding, the supply of bees of an appropriate age to maximize wax production will double or triple in just a few days. I have seen situations where a gallon of syrup was taken over 3 weeks, with virtually no comb built, and then the next gallon was taken in a week and 10 frames in a deep were drawn in less than a week! Don't get discouraged. Keep feeding. The comb will get drawn! Lloyd Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc. Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 18:11:02 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: cass cohenour Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed I agree with james, however I have developed a shim of my own with a pending patent which will soon be available. It resembles a slatted rack, in 9 and 10 frame models. With the addition of the slats between frames there is no violation of bee space. My first few prototyes were prone to breakage due to propolis build up and the thin nature of the shim. After experimenting and modifying from dato to router cuts on the front and rear of the shim, the breakage problem has been cured. I find it to be extremly easy to add to or take away from the hive. Like James said, the opening is easied to defend and the shim is not quite as unsightly as a whole bored through the side of your box. _________________________________________________________________ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:22:01 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: allen dick Subject: Cracks and Holes MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > the shim is not quite as unsightly as a whole bored > through the side of your box. I suppose aesthetics are personal. but a nice neat hole looks much better to me than a hive cracked in the middle. Besides, holes are cheap, durable and lightweight. You won't forget them at home, and they won't break in transit. Moreover, the patent has run out on most designs, so we can use them without paying royalties. Also -- for those who care about the amount of light admitted and the area of added ventilation, mostly those in cooler climes and those drawing foundation -- a 1" hole gives about .8 of a square inch, and a 3/16" shim (the thinnest practical) gives 2.8, if I did my math correctly. A 3/8" shim would double that to 5.6 square inches. I have written here before on holes vs. slits, so will not bother going through it all again. There seem to be some who favour wide-open ventilation at all times, and others, such as myself, who prefer to manage the amount of ventilation to suit the circumstances, and who prefer to conserve heat much of the year. Having tested both holes and slits quite extensively, I settled on 1" holes as being the ideal in my situation. Many, especially beginners, may be well advised to avoid making large slits in their hives until they are sure they know what the effects will be, but, as we have learned, in all these things, YYMV. allen A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/ Currently on holidays. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 20:55:36 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter Edwards Subject: Re: Silent spring in Northern Europe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Chris wrote: > Bees have been using ivy in Northern > Europe for thousands of years. Just from the evolutionary point of view it seems > unlikely that a plant that flowers late when there are fewer pollinating > insects around will produce a nectar that is detrimental to the major pollinator. Are bees the major pollinator of ivy? Being the last major nectar source, the ivy around these parts seems to be covered in every type of flying insect left alive, especially flies and wasps. Peter Edwards beekeepers@stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 20:57:36 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter Edwards Subject: Re: Queen Excluders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dave Cushman wrote: > Queen excluders are available with different spacings ... Are they? Who stocks them? Peter Edwards beekeepers@stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 10:22:53 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: JZ/BZ cages (was: requeening) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Jim asked, > What extra protection does the plastic cage afford the > queen over the wood cage? I can't really say. Both times I discovered live JZ/BZ caged queens in queen-right colonies I was peeking in a little early to assess acceptance. Both times the queens were unharmed in the JZ/BZ cage with the candy still in the tube. Both times I discovered the split was queen-right based on eggs in brood combs. Obviously the eggs didn't come from the caged queen, so I did a meticulous inspection and finally found the original queen. Both times I peekeed after only 3 days (I usually wait a week). Both times the JZ/BZ caged queen was spared! So, extra protection? Dunno, but definitely less surface exposure. If I'm using a wooden cage, I make sure there is at least one Pierco frame in the split. I insert the wooden cage face/screen down between the Pierco and neighboring wooden frame. The flexibility of the Pierco frame allows room, but it's tight (you really have to torque that frame). Inserted thusly, the queen is exposed on the entire screen surface. Contrast that to a queen in the JZ/BZ cage which is placed between two frames. The sides of the JZ/BZ are "sealed" by the beeswax surfaces of the frames. The only exposure of queen to bees in the JZ/BZ cage are the slits on the curved sides (much less surface area than the face of the screen in a wooden cage). That's the best SWAG I can take. Obviously, "Both" does not constitute a large enough test case to make any valid conclusions, and a hypothesis that the JZ/BZ cages offer better protection to caged queens in a queen-right nuc is not something I am purposely going to study. But on the two occasions when I screwed up this spring, I thought, "Hmmm, these JZ/BZ cages aren't so bad!" Was it the cages? I don't know. Maybe it was checking after 3 days, but I've found dead queens after 3 days in wooden cages, so I focused on what was different - the JZ/BZ cage. FWIW. Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 18:31:46 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: cass cohenour Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed For example, take a slatted rack which has the slats running front to back. Rip the band board on a table saw leaving 5/32 inch lip above and below the slats. Notch out an opening on the front for a bee door. After adding this between the supers, you will have between 1/4" to 3/8" ( or roughly 5/16") between the slats and the frames, which allows for proper bee space. This modification allows for use with supers containing foundation. I used the slatted rack as an example because it is easy to invision. My model has the slats running straight through, front to back. This is the third year I have been using my own shims and the bees build way less less burr comb on it than the queen excluder. Anyone want to place an order? Cass Cohenour Camp Creek Bee Farm HC 64 Box 393 Julian,WV 25529 (304)369-0735 _________________________________________________________________ Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee® Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 08:54:55 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dave Cushman Subject: Re: Queen Excluders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Peter > > Queen excluders are available with different spacings ... > > Are they? Who stocks them? All you have to do is measure the different types... Different suppliers source their wares from various manufacturers and each is slightly different... http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/excludertypes.html By being aware of the racial type of your bee and it's morphometric characteristics, you can tune the excluder to suit the bees. I do have two more types of QX that have not yet been photographed and measured... They will be added within a few weeks. However do not expect to ask the supplier what the figures are for what they supply, in the same sense that many consider that the cellsize of foundation is 'standard', many think that queen excluders are all the same. The principle is even applied to a wider spacing drone 'excluder' to enable drone retention... http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/dronex/dronex.html Best Regards & 73s, Dave Cushman... G8MZY Beekeeping & Bee Breeding Website Email: cyberbeek@tiscali.co.uk or dave@dave-cushman.net http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman & http://www.dave-cushman.net :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 16:15:23 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "Bogansky,Ronald J." Subject: Shims & Excluders Comments: cc: bogansrj@yahoo.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hello All, Some good discussion on shims, excluders and ventilation. I like both the concept and design of the Imire shim, however there are times when I can't get the supers off fast enough and end up with burr comb. As Allen mentioned it is also is one more piece of equipment to make and sometimes break. They are still really handy especially when feeding fondant. I have also become a strong believer in top ventilation. I thank Lloyd Spear for putting me on to the wood shims cut from a cedar shingle attached right to the inner cover. I really don't like brood in my honey supers so I try and use excluders. Many times, however, I would end up pulling them off because on some colonies they were becoming honey excluders. Maybe because of bee size as was mentioned in another post. Last year I thought I would combine the shingle shim and the excluder giving the bees an opening above the excluder. This worked well except for a few colonies that just seemed to avoid the excluder at all cost. This year I took it all a step further. First I cut a large number shims from wood shingles. They are about the size of a paint stir stick so they don't take up much room and are easily replaced if lost or broken. I can slip one or two between supers anywhere to create openings, and because of the taper I also can control the size of the opening. You can cut them to different lengths if you do not like the shim to protrude out. Because they are so easy and inexpensive to make I just break off the extra length. The bees seem to like having the additional entrances and during a recent spell of hot weather I did not notice any beards forming at the bottom board entrance. Overall I am pleased with this new "tool" and plan to continue using them in the future. I also found a way to encourage bees to more readily accept the excluder. My standard configuration for a brood chamber is a shallow or medium on the bottom, a full depth above that with a medium on top. I was trying to phase out full depths all together but found them to be necessary if I make nucs to sell in the Spring. In early spring the brood is in the top half of the full depth and the upper medium. When time comes to add the honey supers, and I always put mine on earlier then needed, I ensure the queen is in the lower chamber and slip an excluder between the top med and the full. I then place the honey supers on top. I shake most of the bees out of the upper med usually while looking for the queen. As soon as everything is together they go right back up into the medium because of the brood that is still there. As this brood emerges the cells are filled with honey. The queen has ample space below and the brood chamber does not become honey bound. My thought was to remove the excluder as soon as the med was full and let the honey keep the queen down, but I have not found it necessary to do this. After the harvest, the excluder is removed and the bees are guaranteed one medium for their winter stores and anything else they would like to put below. The method may not be 100% but it seems to be working well and I have not had any swarms. I got the idea when producing comb honey. The only difference there is I usually remove the medium and use it to start another colony and then place the Ross Round supers (which almost acts as a QE) above the full depth. The queen rarely goes in the comb super. As I said it seems to be working and I will try it again next year. One other suggestion. Don't have kids. If you can't avoid that, don't have daughters. If you still can't avoid that don't let them get married at the same time of EAS. Ron Ron Bogansky Kutztown, (eastern) PA, USA Ron + :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 18:08:33 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: GImasterBK@AOL.COM Subject: Re: requeening MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Your purchased MARKED queen simply flew away, and returned later and of course was accepted. Then she started to lay about 2-3 days later. Did you make a mistake with the queen cage placement? A wooden screened queen cage should be VERTICALLY hung between two hive frames with CANDY SIDE up, to prevent dead attendant bees from blocking the entrance hole. So many people just don't understand the TIME involved in the procedures or techniques of beekeeping. Had you lost the MARKED queen, depending on the date the queen cells you added later were capped, it could have been 8 more days before a virgin queen emerged, about another 6-8 days before she went out to mate, and another 2-3 days before she laid her first egg, totaling as much as 19 days plus another 21 = 40 days before the first egg laid emerges as a new worker bee. Perhaps you should STUDY or READ much more about honey bee gestation and bee behavior. If your bees are going to "do well", it is up-to-you to know a great deal about them, so you can HELP them to dramatically improve over what they have historically done in the wild. I hope I have helped. Maybe you should read my PINK PAGES that are on many Internet programs FREE OF CHARGE. George W. Imirie, Jr. Certified EAS Master Beekeeper Starting my 73rd year of beekeeping in central Maryland Past President of Maryland State Beekeepers Past Maryland Delegate to the National Honey Board Founder and still President for 20 years of Maryland's largest beekeepers association with 175 members and 10 Master Beekeepers Author of George's PINK PAGES monthly for the past 15 years Author of American Beekeeping Federation Newsletter Hobbyist's Tips :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 22:40:21 -0400 Reply-To: jkriebel@speakeasy.net Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Jonathan Kriebel Organization: Veritec, Ltd Subject: Re: Shims & Excluders-now comb honey In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-2" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit "... In early spring the brood is in the top half of the full depth and the upper medium..." So you have two Mediums and a deep for Winter? I am interested in the comb honey production method you discussed. I have four Sue Cobey NWC queens coming tomorrow. Two are going to re-queen hives (as in my boogered split), and the other two are for "nucs" I plan to make from knocking down a hive for comb production. "... I got the idea when producing comb honey. The only difference there is I usually remove the medium and use it to start another colony and then place the Ross Round supers (which almost acts as a QE) above the full depth. The queen rarely goes in the comb super..." I have three deeps on one colony (they got honey bound before I was able to pull frames, and insert empty ones). This was an extremely strong hive last year, as I got 60# of honey from them, and they started as a package. BTW, it seems I have a champion hive this year too, as they are already on their 2nd super. Anyway, I was going to pull the extra deep from that colony and use it (and a few frames from other [healthy] hives to make two new hives. I was going to partition off deeps, as I don't have any nuc boxes made yet. But this would seem unnecessary as I should have enough frames to fill out the box(es). But back to the comb issue. I plan on putting the RR super onto the hive after I pull the deep. Any suggestions? Ron, you are nearby, how's your honey flow? My only concern about comb production is the 800 or so acres of woods surrounding us. I put in a few acres of clover last year, but worry that the bees will be predisposed to propolise the RR supers, and make a general mess. "... Don't have kids. If you can't avoid that, don't have daughters. If you still can't avoid that don't let them get married at the same time of EAS..." She's six, and her brother is four. But being an at-home dad makes the same effect. No EAS for me either. Jonathan B. Kriebel Das Sauen Õhr Farm 3229 Zepp Rd. Green Lane, PA 18054-2357 Telephone: (610) 864-8581 Facsimile: (215) 234-8573 jbkriebel@speakeasy.net :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 20:11:13 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: GImasterBK@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Shims & Excluders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 6/30/04 7:01:58 PM, BOGANSRJ@AIRPRODUCTS.COM writes: << One other suggestion. Don't have kids. If you can't avoid that, don't have daughters. If you still can't avoid that don't let them get married at the same time of EAS. >> Hi Ron, I had 4 sons, NO daughters, DAMN IT. Now I have 4 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, of which two are girls age 8 and 3, and I LOVE THEM so much. Now widowed after 59 years of marriage, disabled by 5 strokes so I can no longer walk or talk very well, my 4 sons are as useless as tits on a boar. You are so fortunate to have daughters, even if they marry during EAS. I'm still taking care of bees on my golf cart, but have reduced from 100+ colonies to just 12 in my back yard. Nice to hear from you! George Imirie :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 15:31:31 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: CSlade777@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Silent Spring in Northern Europe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Are bees the major pollinator of ivy? Being the last major nectar source, > the ivy around these parts seems to be covered in every type of flying > insect left alive, especially flies and wasps. > Agreed that very many insects visit ivy, especially until the first frost; but the early flowering ivy bushes are as noisy as cotoneaster and, if they are near a hive, honey bees will predominate. When the weather gets colder honeybees provide the only reliable major foraging force on warm days. Of course bees won't fly further than they need to and so ivy bushes that are now near hives will have to rely on whatever other insects are still around. Chris :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::