Life The bee keeper diaries - Page 41

**Iowanian** · 02-02-2017, 06:59 PM

It's a great time to buy stock in eppy pens.

This thread is a repository for bee keepers or those interested.

A couple of years ago, a couple of friends an my brother started puttering with honey bees. I didn't buy off because, well, I've never been a big fan of bees or getting stung by them. Last summer I tagged along a couple of times to check their hives and to remove honey bees from a house, public building and an old garage.

I realized at the end of the summer when I was helping them process some, that it's actually pretty interesting, and fits into my expanding "grow my own" logic. I'm not full blown hippy but I see a lot of logic in the self sustaining food thing and I'm doing some of that too.

That said, this thread is about bees, honey bees, bee keeping and bee fighting war stories.

I'm taking the leap and plan to get 2-3 hives this spring and maybe build some bee swarm traps to make it cheaper or to make a few bucks.

Join me and I'll share the real life lessons of an ameture bee keeper. I'm sure I'm going to learn some things the hard way.

**wazu** · 05-10-2025, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Did they move the hives during the day? That really dumb if so because the foragers are out and confused.
They can live a few days if it’s warm, if it gets cool enough at night Nehru going to die.

If I were you, just before dark go see where they cluster…will be near where the hive was….and spray them with raid.

If they are just gonna live a few days I think I'd just wait them out.

crayzkirk · 05-10-2025, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wazu

If they are just gonna live a few days I think I'd just wait them out.

They did move them during the day, it's been a week since then. There's lots of flowers around for them to forage. They're fairly aggressive. Not very knowledgeable about bees; they don't live long without the hive and without a queen, can't make a new hive. Seems like they should be dead by now. Without a hive, what happens to the honey that's produced from them consuming pollen?

**Iowanian** · 05-10-2025, 07:38 PM

They’re just confused. If they cluster in the evening and they’re getting mean….spray them. They won’t last a long time. It they may get meaner as they get more desperate.

crayzkirk · 05-10-2025, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

They’re just confused. If they cluster in the evening and they’re getting mean….spray them. They won’t last a long time. It they may get meaner as they get more desperate.

Thanks for the info...

**Buehler445** · 05-11-2025, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Snare drum joke punchline.

I have been getting stung too much the past week, and seem to be swelling more this year.

One of the swarm catches I had a photographer there so there should be some cool pics to share on that.

Had to be said. Sorry bro.

**Rausch** · 05-11-2025, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

One of my forearms looks like popeye today…from stings, not wiener curls.

We just watched KC in their 5th SB in 6 years.

I fap more now than a 12 year old at a cheerleader conference. It's hard to find ways to get the wife out the house this much.

**Smed1065** · 05-11-2025, 02:21 PM

I smoke my bees when I have trouble. Very effective.

**Smed1065** · 05-11-2025, 02:23 PM

Home » Nature

How Does Smoke Affect Honey Bees?

Written by Rujuta PradhanLast Updated On: 21 Mar 2024Published On: 18 Dec 2015

Table of Contents (click to expand)

Smoking is a safe way to calm the bees so that the beekeeper can inspect the hive. The smoke masks bees’ sense of smell and prevents the transfer of intruder alarm signals. Smoke fools bees into thinking there is a forest fire, so they essentially get drunk on honey, which calms them.

Valiant · 05-12-2025, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pennywise

I heard this on the radio this am. The butterflies are also disappearing.

Butterfly populations declining rapidly in U.S. with 22% disappearing in 2 decades, study finds

Butterfly populations declining rapidly in U.S. with 22% disappearing in 2 decades, study finds
By Sarah Metz

Updated on: March 6, 2025 / 8:35 PM EST / CBS News

Butterflies, known for their beauty and vital role in pollination, are vanishing from U.S. landscapes at an alarming rate. A comprehensive study, published Thursday in the journal Science, found that 22% of butterflies in the United States disappeared between 2000 and 2020.

The new research offers a stark warning about the potential future of these cherished insects.

"Losing one out of every five butterflies over 20 years should be a big wake-up call to people," said Dr. Eliza Grames, an assistant professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University and co-author of the study. "These declines are not stopping."

While butterflies are the most extensively monitored insect group in the U.S., most past studies have been limited by geography or focused on specific species, a news release on the study said. The researchers behind the Science study used data from more than 12.6 million butterflies spanning 342 individual species, drawing from 76,000 surveys across 35 nationwide monitoring programs.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/butterf...science-study/

I am a young gen x. But I remember going to happy rock in 80s as a kid in day trips from last petite day care.

Bugs everywhere. Hundreds of bees, big grass hoppers, butterfly's, dragonflies.

Now? Void of bugs.

Drive to southern Missouri in the 80s. Had.to stop multiple times at night to clean bugs off windows. Now. There and back no problem.

We killed off everything. Starts with monochromatic lawns with only grass and with no native flowers and all the pesticides used by home owners and those trucks that used to drive around in Jackson County spraying.

**Iowanian** · 05-18-2025, 10:15 AM

This week I think I got 7 swarms. I have had half a dozen calls about doing cutout removals. I drove an hour to get a swarm Friday and it was gone when I got there. Upon my return home I found a large swarm of wild bees had moved into my equipment stack in the shop.

I’ve looked at some of the removals, but they are such a pain in the ass. I’m going to set up some “trap outs” in 2 trees today I think. I have a house I’m considering doing for payment, and I have a cabin I’m going to do a removal on for a family member.

I have a tree in a cemetery and another in a bad location near a school and pool that need removed, but I’m not risking liability. On those I said I’d work with a tree removal guy, if he dies the cutting I’ll bring the logs home and do the removals to a hive here.

I had tried to get the bees out of my equipment and out them into a hive. I thought I’d gotten them, but later found a large cluster hanging on the shop door. I scooped them up and added to the hive I’d made…..and that evening, they’re back. I vacuumed them this time, and upon further inspection, found a very large cluster hanging on the back side of my honey super box stack. I gathered them up, relocated the hive to another farm, and dumped in the boxes.

I was t able to get all the bees because they were dispersed. Yesterday, those assholes were mean. I was attacked tilling a garden, scooping dirt, walking through the damn yard to grab a shirt I’d left….like 7-8times either stung or had to kill a single bee attacking me. I got angry and raided the remaining cluster I found in the evening…..not going to lie, id hand enough of that shit.

The kids have a pup that’s probably 5-6months old…he obviously tangled with the bees before bed and his face was swollen badly. Gave him a Benadryl and he was ok…..but now I’m catching a lot of shit for moving the bees so much closer to the house this year. They’re 50-100 yards from thr house instead of 250-300 so time will tell if that was a mistake.

booger · 05-18-2025, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Had to be said. Sorry bro.

Speaking of taking it to the face…

I got these new 24oz glass bottles with lids from Amazon. I use the one for water and lemon to drink and the other just different natural things I make to drink. One of them is raw honey apple cider vinegar ginger and lemon for keeping blood sugar balanced. That one requires shaking. I’m shaking away at one the other day and my dog looks at me and goes it looks like a shake weight commercial up in this bitch! Then he replies slow down tiger you’re going to take a full load to the face! I have to stop letting him watch South Park reruns.

booger · 05-18-2025, 11:33 AM

Good tip with dogs and Benadryl is powder type not the pink tablets. 25 mg per 25 lbs dog equals 1 capsule. Add another capsule per 25 lbs. if I remember correctly. Mine is like 140 now. They can be little princess bitches so stir the pill powder in some wet dog food out of the can. A pill crusher off eBay is handy with k9s. Not your first rodeo just thought I’d share my experience. I got a bottle of this off eBay. Might outlast the dog lol

https://ebay.us/m/CO6WyC

Pennywise · Yesterday, 05:35 PM

Would you use 4 wheelers or horses to round these up?

250 million honey bees escaped after a semi-truck carrying 70,000 pounds in hives overturned in Whatcom County, Washington on Friday.

Over two dozen beekeepers were called in to help contain the situation.

“No one could have predicted 250 MILLION BEES would be loose on a road,”… pic.twitter.com/da5tBP8sKd
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) May 31, 2025

**ptlyon** · Yesterday, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pennywise

Would you use 4 wheelers or horses to round these up?

250 million honey bees escaped after a semi-truck carrying 70,000 pounds in hives overturned in Whatcom County, Washington on Friday.

Over two dozen beekeepers were called in to help contain the situation.

“No one could have predicted 250 MILLION BEES would be loose on a road,”… pic.twitter.com/da5tBP8sKd
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) May 31, 2025

No one could? Tommy boy did!!!

**Iowanian** · Yesterday, 11:53 PM

That would be a real shit show to unfornicate….

I’ve been on a bee rampage and should have some videos soon. I’ve taken another ass kicking on tape….idid a hive removal from a water pit in center field of a softball field so a game could happen….and got 2 swarms from the same tree at the same time today.

I’ve got a couple of queenless hives from swarms…no idea why…and one with a text book laying worker situation to resolve. That will be a good one to video and explain. Stay tuned.

Eat local honey.

02-02-2017, 06:59 PM
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $1638454	The bee keeper diaries It's a great time to buy stock in eppy pens. This thread is a repository for bee keepers or those interested. A couple of years ago, a couple of friends an my brother started puttering with honey bees. I didn't buy off because, well, I've never been a big fan of bees or getting stung by them. Last summer I tagged along a couple of times to check their hives and to remove honey bees from a house, public building and an old garage. I realized at the end of the summer when I was helping them process some, that it's actually pretty interesting, and fits into my expanding "grow my own" logic. I'm not full blown hippy but I see a lot of logic in the self sustaining food thing and I'm doing some of that too. That said, this thread is about bees, honey bees, bee keeping and bee fighting war stories. I'm taking the leap and plan to get 2-3 hives this spring and maybe build some bee swarm traps to make it cheaper or to make a few bucks. Join me and I'll share the real life lessons of an ameture bee keeper. I'm sure I'm going to learn some things the hard way. Attached Thumbnails
Posts: 62,946

05-10-2025, 07:38 PM	#603
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $1638454	They’re just confused. If they cluster in the evening and they’re getting mean….spray them. They won’t last a long time. It they may get meaner as they get more desperate.
Posts: 62,946

05-11-2025, 02:21 PM	#607
Smed1065 Supporter Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Returning From Hell Casino cash: $4713673	I smoke my bees when I have trouble. Very effective.
Posts: 10,212

05-11-2025, 02:23 PM	#608
Smed1065 Supporter Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Returning From Hell Casino cash: $4713673	Mathematics Social Science Videos About Us Home » Nature How Does Smoke Affect Honey Bees? Written by Rujuta PradhanLast Updated On: 21 Mar 2024Published On: 18 Dec 2015 Table of Contents (click to expand) Smoking is a safe way to calm the bees so that the beekeeper can inspect the hive. The smoke masks bees’ sense of smell and prevents the transfer of intruder alarm signals. Smoke fools bees into thinking there is a forest fire, so they essentially get drunk on honey, which calms them.
Posts: 10,212	1 0

05-18-2025, 10:15 AM	#610
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $1638454	This week I think I got 7 swarms. I have had half a dozen calls about doing cutout removals. I drove an hour to get a swarm Friday and it was gone when I got there. Upon my return home I found a large swarm of wild bees had moved into my equipment stack in the shop. I’ve looked at some of the removals, but they are such a pain in the ass. I’m going to set up some “trap outs” in 2 trees today I think. I have a house I’m considering doing for payment, and I have a cabin I’m going to do a removal on for a family member. I have a tree in a cemetery and another in a bad location near a school and pool that need removed, but I’m not risking liability. On those I said I’d work with a tree removal guy, if he dies the cutting I’ll bring the logs home and do the removals to a hive here. I had tried to get the bees out of my equipment and out them into a hive. I thought I’d gotten them, but later found a large cluster hanging on the shop door. I scooped them up and added to the hive I’d made…..and that evening, they’re back. I vacuumed them this time, and upon further inspection, found a very large cluster hanging on the back side of my honey super box stack. I gathered them up, relocated the hive to another farm, and dumped in the boxes. I was t able to get all the bees because they were dispersed. Yesterday, those assholes were mean. I was attacked tilling a garden, scooping dirt, walking through the damn yard to grab a shirt I’d left….like 7-8times either stung or had to kill a single bee attacking me. I got angry and raided the remaining cluster I found in the evening…..not going to lie, id hand enough of that shit. The kids have a pup that’s probably 5-6months old…he obviously tangled with the bees before bed and his face was swollen badly. Gave him a Benadryl and he was ok…..but now I’m catching a lot of shit for moving the bees so much closer to the house this year. They’re 50-100 yards from thr house instead of 250-300 so time will tell if that was a mistake.
Posts: 62,946	1 0

05-18-2025, 11:33 AM	#612
booger Don't Tug on Superman's Cape Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: clear out in the sticks Casino cash: $-2481450	Good tip with dogs and Benadryl is powder type not the pink tablets. 25 mg per 25 lbs dog equals 1 capsule. Add another capsule per 25 lbs. if I remember correctly. Mine is like 140 now. They can be little princess bitches so stir the pill powder in some wet dog food out of the can. A pill crusher off eBay is handy with k9s. Not your first rodeo just thought I’d share my experience. I got a bottle of this off eBay. Might outlast the dog lol https://ebay.us/m/CO6WyC __________________ 1 Thessalonians 5:3 “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” KJV
Posts: 12,968

Yesterday, 05:35 PM	#613
Pennywise Freckles Playboy Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Derry, Maine Casino cash: $-770000	Would you use 4 wheelers or horses to round these up? 250 million honey bees escaped after a semi-truck carrying 70,000 pounds in hives overturned in Whatcom County, Washington on Friday. Over two dozen beekeepers were called in to help contain the situation. “No one could have predicted 250 MILLION BEES would be loose on a road,”… pic.twitter.com/da5tBP8sKd — Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) May 31, 2025 __________________
Posts: 9,572

Yesterday, 11:53 PM	#615
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $1638454	That would be a real shit show to unfornicate…. I’ve been on a bee rampage and should have some videos soon. I’ve taken another ass kicking on tape….idid a hive removal from a water pit in center field of a softball field so a game could happen….and got 2 swarms from the same tree at the same time today. I’ve got a couple of queenless hives from swarms…no idea why…and one with a text book laying worker situation to resolve. That will be a good one to video and explain. Stay tuned. Eat local honey.
Posts: 62,946	1 0