The bee keeper diaries

[ChiefGator]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

On tap for this spring, I already have a couple of cutouts scheduled. I'm going to start charging for anything that I can't use a chainsaw on this year. Too much time and cost to do it for free unless it's easy.

Forgive my ignorance.. I am just starting to learn some beekeeping.. what do you mean by 'cutout'?

[Groves]

We had a warm day yesterday and the girls were bringing in scads of pollen. I can't remember what they are collecting from this time of year, but it was grayish yellow and those pollen sacks were bursting.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by ChiefGator

Forgive my ignorance.. I am just starting to learn some beekeeping.. what do you mean by 'cutout'?

Cutting the hive out of a tree, building, or other "structure".

[Iowanian]

Originally Posted by ChiefGator

Forgive my ignorance.. I am just starting to learn some beekeeping.. what do you mean by 'cutout'?

I've got some photos in the thread that will show what I'm talking about.

A "cut out" is a hive removal from a place where it isn't wanted. I've done or assisted with them in houses, garages, trees, buildings.... basically you locate the hive in the structure, try to identifY which cavities the hive is located. Once you've done that, you cut an access hole into the structure. After you have done that, you try to find the queen, and begin removing the hive a piece at a time. You cut the comb with brood(babies) into shapes and rubber band it into your empty frames. Sometimes you can keep some with honey, others we put some of those frames as well for food. We use a "bee vacuum" which is like a reduced power shop vac and suck the bees into a closed box. We relote the hive to its new home(one of our hives) and then place-shake the bees into the new hive and then release the queen.

If you're smart, as I'm learning you need to block the entrance for a couple of days so the bees won't abscond(fly away and waste your time and effort).

That's the basics. It's hard work, it's the most likely time to get stung, but it's fun and challenging.

My favorite or preferred are when we get calls that they are in homes/barns that are being torn down so we don't have to be careful for reconstruction.


In other news, I was wondering if you have any favorite bee men in YouTube ? I like 628dirt rooster and barnyard bees videos and learn a lot from them. There are a lot of noobs and douchers with bad information to sort through.


My favorite quote so far was a different guy who was wearing only shorts and when a bee flew up his shorts said "you're not a real bee keeper until you've been stung on the hammer".

[ChiefGator]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

I've got some photos in the thread that will show what I'm talking about....

Thanks, Iowanian!

I'm taking a four day course (spread over several months) from my county ag office. Just last weekend girlfriend and I attended a class on swarm control and got to split some hives. Good stuff. ( http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/alachuaco/...lachua-county/)

We are blessed with warmer weather most the year down here, so I think wintering is less of a worry here in Florida. But, Varroa mites and small hive beetles love it down here too...

I did notice the kid who grew up around bees was wearing short sleeves and no gloves. I think I may step it back to gloves and hat (and long sleeve shirt of course) in the future. Well, for doing a cutout, I guess I would want a full spacesuit honestly, but just working with the bees in good weather, they were pretty agreeable really.