Sunday, May 22, 2016

First swarm caught this season.

I had set up my trap behind Debra's house a week ago and checked it Friday.  It had a large amount of activity so I picked up my wife from the ferry and after a beer, it was dark enough to close up the entrance.  Any bees not making it back could go to the original hive and live.

Got back just at dark so I decided to just transfer the frames into one of the Octagons.  Yesterday it was cold and rainy so I fed them some honey comb and added some sugar water with HBH.  Today they are flying strong.  Will check on Thursday to see if the queen is laying.  Later

Monday, May 16, 2016

Showing my new A_Z hives to Staten Island Beekeepers

Saturday we held our annual spring meeting of the SIBA.  We discussed winter survival and what techniques were used by those who had survivals.  Almost everyone lost 1 hive, I was the clear winner with 6.  2 weeks ago I drove to NH to pick up my new A_Z hives and they became the center piece of the conversation as I demonstrated the unique features of the hive (http://www.slovenianbeekeeping.com/index-one.html.  As I was doing the demonstration I shifted to my recently populated Octagon hive and pulled the bottom tray to show how I use lime in the drop pan under the screened bottom board.  To our surprise, it was crawling with beetle larva, just as it was suppose to, but I didn't think so soon.  Only 3 weeks since I installed the package.  All I can think of was that 1 or 2 beetles must have come with the package.  I killed the only beetle I saw and all the larva were dried up by this morning.  I think the lime works better than Diatomaceous earth, and a lot less expensive.  I sprinkled a little more lime in and will inspect again later in the week.  My new package upstate at my new property is doing great in the Top Bar hive but I am going to switch it over to the new AZ hive later if it ever warms up.  I am presently working on a portable 10 box unit to take upstate.  With wheels, they can't tax me for having a structure on the property.  Later

The picture shows my 2 AZ hives stacked on top of each other with a shed built around them.  The access doors are in the back.  If interested, watch this video   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MitGad0qU4

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Slovinian AZ hives

Staten Island Honey for sale

AZ hive buildings for sale.  Custom sheds, built to order or per-designed.   Call  464-201 2461