TBH Bee Keepers

[ROGERO25]

southn texas too many bugs

[johnpaul]

Can anybody recommend a class on queen rearing/grafting. I’m wanting to start breeding my own queens.

I'll shoot you a private message when I decent amount of free time and kinda walk you through how we run our queen rearing operation. We make about 25,000 cells every spring.

[Chew]

Got some honey today. Pulling another frame or two tomorrow. Bees are thriving. This is our first time so we think it's neater than heck to get our own honey.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgh53o4rG_Q"]First Honey Harvest from our bees @KCA Ranch & Homestead - YouTube[/ame]

[StickFlinger]

Just hopping in the thread because I think bees are neat and I help my grandfather tend a few hives in my off time. Growing up I would spend the summers pulling frames and slinging honey from ~22 hives on his property. Nowadays he's had a couple heart attacks and a stroke so he just has a few he gives sugar water to and keeps the beetles out. I do all the heavy lifting when it's time to get to work and we both love the rewards. Cheers to you guys keeping the bees alive and pollinating!

[Mikege1174]

Hmmm… I don’t know why the colors vary. Two different hives a few miles apart.

My buddy put some hives on my property in Duval county and the honey range in color from almost clear to a dark caramel color. The light color was really sweet and had a subtle honey flavor. The dark honey was less sweet, but had a strong honey flavor. It was all made in about a six week time frame. He got way more than expected. He got 7.5, five gallon buckets full. I am all new to this, so I am not sure if that is a good yield or not. I didn’t think it was too bad from only 6 hives.

[Biggs]

My buddy put some hives on my property in Duval county and the honey range in color from almost clear to a dark caramel color. The light color was really sweet and had a subtle honey flavor. The dark honey was less sweet, but had a strong honey flavor. It was all made in about a six week time frame. He got way more than expected. He got 7.5, five gallon buckets full. I am all new to this, so I am not sure if that is a good yield or not. I didn’t think it was too bad from only 6 hives.

That’s really good. Especially for this year.

[Biggs]

It was a building year. Each hive doubled the amount of drawn comb they had available. Next year should be better.

[Mikege1174]

It was a building year. Each hive doubled the amount of drawn comb they had available. Next year should be better.

What area of the state is that from?

[MdStrutnRut]

Very Jealous on the honey jars hopefully next year for me up here in Maryland. First year playin in the bees caught 12 swarms and all the fun plus adventures that come with them. 1 swarm still in trap up a tree 9 in boxes makin wax, honey and brood.

[RascalArms]

My buddy put some hives on my property in Duval county and the honey range in color from almost clear to a dark caramel color. The light color was really sweet and had a subtle honey flavor. The dark honey was less sweet, but had a strong honey flavor. It was all made in about a six week time frame. He got way more than expected. He got 7.5, five gallon buckets full. I am all new to this, so I am not sure if that is a good yield or not. I didn’t think it was too bad from only 6 hives.

It's strange the different range of taste and colors we've received over the years. Beekeeper says the rainfall and availability of the pollen and nectar of the different plants every year determines the flavor and co!or profiles. We have always had lighter colored yields so far. I'm sure I'm biased but wouldn't want to change anything even if I could.

[lovemylegacy]

3 hives, got about 75-80 lbs total, pulled 12 frames total. I take about half the honey.
Good to see more people getting into beekeeping.

[RiverRat1]

Need advise.

We put out 2 swarm traps and a nuc hoping to catch bees for the first time this year. We had about 1% of the flowers this year compared to normal. We had 1 bluebonnet LOL It was really sad...

So, am I right in assuming since hives had no food they never split?
And should I bring in my traps and nuc versus letting them sit out and age the rest of the summer and winter? Or leave them out so they age and smell more natural come next spring? Bad to paint them again? What would you guys do?

[Hogmauler]

Question from someone that has no knowledge of bees e crept they can sting you! If you take the honey what do they eat?

[sharkhunter]

Need advise.

We put out 2 swarm traps and a nuc hoping to catch bees for the first time this year. We had about 1% of the flowers this year compared to normal. We had 1 bluebonnet LOL It was really sad...

So, am I right in assuming since hives had no food they never split?
And should I bring in my traps and nuc versus letting them sit out and age the rest of the summer and winter? Or leave them out so they age and smell more natural come next spring? Bad to paint them again? What would you guys do?

I would bring them in or cover them. I would not paint them unless they really needed it. Hard times will cut down on the swarms for sure. I’d get them out early next spring. Use swarm commander and empty frames with a starter strip with bees wax in it. If you can get one old Frame of comb to put in the middle that’s the best swarm bait out there!

[sharkhunter]

Question from someone that has no knowledge of bees e crept they can sting you! If you take the honey what do they eat?

I never take it all. Most times they make 3x w
Hat they need. If they look light on food at any time feed them. I never harvest honey in the fall I leave that for them to make it through winter. I also add a sugar brick for emergency food if they need it.