Wednesday 9 March 2016

New beekeeping ideas


Hello All
Another blogging hiatus from me. I'm rubbish this year.
Thanks for the replies about moth-proofing. Cedar wood it is then. Pensive Pensioner mentioned cedar wood rings, which thread onto the coat hanger and I have found some on the internet at a reasonable price. Brilliant!
Cro and Fast SOS asked if we had problems with moths and yes, in the past we have, both in an Aran sweater and a wool Berber carpet. As the jacket cost more than he has EVER paid he wants to ensure he has it for years and years.

 I was talking to my godson in the pub the other night. He is a beekeeper of three years, while David and I have kept bees for forty years now. I reminded him that he has introduced us to two pieces of equipment that have improved and/ or simplified our beekeeping. Never too old to learn eh?
The first is a varroa floor. Varroa is a mite that lives in the bee hive on the bees, many hives have been lost to this little blighter and there are various pesticides employed to kill the mite. The varroa floor is a mesh floor that allows the mites to fall through and out of the hive, but not to return, where they die. A piece of white card placed under the hive enables you to see the mites and allows for a count to give an idea of the degree of infestation.
The mesh floor also means that the hive is well ventilated, thus keeping it dry and healthy.

The second piece of equipment is for feeding the bees. Prior to using these feeders it was necessary to remove the roof from the hive and place a round covered dish type feeder over the hole in the top box (an extra empty box was needed above this box to allow room for the feeder under the roof. This  is an manouver that necessitates pretty good weather as you don't want to chill the bees, nor shake the hive, thus risking shaking a cluster of bees (bees cluster to keep warm) All in all feeding bees or checking the feeders in winter can be quite invasive.
Let me introduce you to ....
Sugar syrup is poured into the cup, the lid is clicked on and the feeder turned upside down and placed into the door of the hive thus...
Even though the feeders are orange you can actually see the level of the liquid from the outside, so you know if they need filling up.  The feeder is removed when the bees are tucked up at night, refilled and replaced..bish bash bosh! How easy is that ? and they only cost  £1.25 each !!!

Incidentally Fast SOS if you are reading this (I saw your comment on Leigh's blog), the placement of the hives two foot from the garden wall and under (trimmed) trees is, I believe an ideal setting for bees, offering protection from heat, extreme cold and high winds and a convenient place for swarms to settle. The trees behind the hives have each had swarms settle in them last year. I really am not a fan of hives staged in open fields or lawns.
I am sure you have all noticed how beautifully, smart my hives are! Some of the boxes and roofs we made only last year and some are over twenty years old. Either side of these three hives are a further seven of equal beauty!
Off to the pub, back soon
Gillx

17 comments:

  1. Those are two really good gizmos, I'm most impressed:)

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  2. I love the feeder will have to look for those we have the mesh floors in the hives already I hope to be out checking hives this week end depending on the weather of course

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    1. I bought them online from Heather Bell beekeeping equipment. A Cornish firm. They are usually very reasonable.
      We hope to have a quick check too this weekend. it is suppose to be warmer.

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  3. Of course I'm going to applaud your mesh floors! And I've never seen a feeder like that, interesting! Thanks to for mentioning that about hive placement. It's always helpful to hear from someone with all your years of experience.

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    1. They really are wonderful aren't they? The jury is out on whether to leave the floors on through the winter or replace them with solid floors. I have done both this winter and will assess the effect when we go through the hives soon.
      Re experience, as you know if you have two beekeepers in a room you already have three opinions on what is right and wrong! so I am sure many will not agree with me!

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  4. awwww I love to read when you write about your Bees.
    Always so interesting.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Thanks parsnip. many people don't keep bees but still have a deep interested in them.
      Gill

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    2. I have a large plot of land but Would not be able to keep them.
      But I have lovely Arizona Bee that are solitary. Been looking up how to help them.
      A local artist builds art pieces that are also bee habitats.
      I plant a lot of rosemary that the bees love besides all my citrus trees.

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  5. Didn't I read somewhere recently that there is a new hive that has a tap at the bottom, and all is automated. Turn the tap and honey flows; brilliant!

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    1. Yes Cro. it is called a "Flow Hive" still being patented I believe.
      To move to the system would mean a HUGE layout as the hive and the combs are completely different and very expensive for each hive. I wonder if it work well in the UK as warmth is needed to make honey flow. We often have to heat the kitchen when extracting honey to encourage the honey out of the combs in the spinner.
      I'm definitely keeping my eye on it though for interests sake.
      Gill

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  6. Always good to find something new that makes an improvement. Do you have hive beetles there? That's the only problem we get in our hives. We use traps but if there is another clever way to get rid of them I'll try it.

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    1. No we don't. I just googled them and they look awful!!
      Our biggest pest problem is the varroa mite and wax moth at the moment, but as you know pests come and go. The meshing would probably be too small for the beetles to fall through and being beetles I expect they can fly back anyway!
      Gill

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  7. Interesting. I have friends who keep bees so I am referring this post to her.

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    1. Oh good. They probably know about these things if they aren't beekeeping oldies like us!
      Gill

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  8. I love DIY hives, so much better than the soul-less premade hives that cost a fortune. We could no doubt find a place for a hive in our garden, the problem for us would be that it is such a small garden we wouldn't be able to swing one of the cats without hitting a bee if we had a hive but it is something I am determined to do when we move in a couple of years time, no doubt I will be picking your brains regularly on the topic of bees when the time comes!

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    1. It is SO easy to spend money on equipment to the point that you will never get the money back. While keeping bees for their impact on food productions is a primary reason, few of us can be so philanthropic that we don't expect to at least break even.
      Chuckling here thinking of you swinging the proverbial cat and hitting a bee!
      Gill

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