Class Update

Admin

Welcome bee enthusiasts! This dedicated space serves as your central hub for all class-related matters. Expect announcements, schedule adjustments, and answers to your burning questions.

Guidelines:

Make it a habit to check this space every other day, especially before any scheduled class, for updates.
The first person to make a post on this Tag will win a prize, to be awarded during the first class.
Share your hive concerns, offering detailed information for a clearer picture.
Questions are gold – if you're curious, someone else likely is too!
During the class, we recommend asking your questions in this space instead of the General Tag section. This way, we can easily locate and address your inquiries without searching extensively across the discussion board.

Your posts are invaluable learning tools for everyone.

lattemommy

We have been interested in beekeeping for many years and are looking forward to the class!

Admin

Congratulations on taking that first step! We're thrilled for the class to begin. Dave and I are in the process of putting the final touches on it, aiming to create an engaging and informative experience for you. As we approach the final days before the class, feel free to ask any questions you may have right here on Comb Connection. Your curiosity and engagement are key to making this beekeeping journey rewarding for you!

Admin

Hello everyone! Our first class is approaching, and I wanted to remind you I have updated the start time to 8:30 a.m., not 9:00 a.m. We'll be covering some important initial details to ensure everything runs smoothly. Your punctuality would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to our time together!

Kevin

Question: What beekeeper Blog or video's is closest to our climate? I have watched a lot from Texas, Georgia, and that area , but the timing is different than ours. Western Wa. is closer but way wetter. David Burns is in Illinois but are there some closer .
Kevin

Admin

Adapting information from online sources to local conditions and climate considerations can indeed be challenging. While online forums and platforms like YouTube can offer valuable insights, they may not always directly apply to our region or climate.

Local climate variations play a significant role in beekeeping practices and timing. Trusting reputable sources like Burns, who provide accurate and relevant guidance, is essential. However, it's also important to extrapolate and adapt that information to suit our local conditions.

As the combconnection platform continues to grow, ensuring that individuals are vetted for their expertise in the local context will help maintain the quality and reliability of the information shared here in this area. This vetting process can help ensure that beekeepers receive information that is applicable and beneficial us.

Returning to your question, it's important to note that there isn't a discussion board that perfectly aligns with our needs. This is precisely why we established CombConnection. The videos shared on this platform contain relevant information that is carefully selected. I think this would be worthwhile to discuss this topic in class, would you kindly bring it up.

Kevin

Admin
sure, I will bring it up.

Baileyshort

Is it possible to successfully winterize your bees each winter?

rhfire

I can say yes but that’s not the answer you want. If you want to know how, that’s the tough part. Successfully winterizing bees is not a one-size-fits-all process and can vary from year to year and hive to hive based on various factors such as, hive health, and available resources.

If you want me to tell you how I can’t, I don’t know the circumstances. With that, preparation for winter begins much earlier than the onset of cold weather, extending from spring through summer and fall. Providing adequate food stores, managing hive health, and addressing potential issues like pests and diseases are all crucial components and an ongoing process.

Kevin

rod and dave, first day of class was wonderful, very informative. thanks for doing this.

Admin

Thank you, we enjoyed it.

Admin

Good Morning! Just a quick reminder that that class starts at 9 but please arrive early to visit and settle in, Thank you.

Kevin

Do very many people trap swarms in the palouse? There seems to be a lot in the south east. I don't hear about much swarm trapping around here .

SweeetTaste

Kevin Kevin, yes swarms are captured here also. Perhaps we don't get as many as south east or southern Idaho, but there are swarms here. Part of the problem is being notified and being able to respond quickly to get the swarm. If the swarm is moving, they will set down in one place to take a break and then be off again in a matter of minutes or an hour. If the stopping location is favorable they may stay overnight or for a day or two.

Either way, you have to be ready to move out quickly to get the swarm.

Also, there is the problem of height and accessibility. Above six feet or so off the ground in a tree or bush, they are more difficult to capture requiring the use of a tall ladder and a bee vac or a long pole with a box or bucket on it. If they are inside siding, or soffits there is the problem of getting to them without destroying the homeowners abode.

Yes there are swarms on the Palouse. Swarm traps work well if baited with drawn comb and scented with lemon grass essential oil or commercial products such as Swarm Commander.

SweeetTaste

Last Saturday, I mentioned the Latah County Fair and the honey contest requiring one quart of extracted honey. The Fair officials contacted me and said that starting this year, 2024, the honey entries only need to be larger than three ounces.

Last year, there were only four entries, so hopefully this year there will be a bit more competition.

Rhonda

Hello,

When I introduced my bees to the hive I didn't put the inner cover on, just the top. I totally forgot. The bees then made a huge comb on the lid, that is where my queen is. I moved the comb so it is between two frames. Is this okay? I wasn't sure. I put the inner cover on it now. They had also made some smaller combs and I moved them also. Let me know if this is what I was suppose to do, or did I just make things worse? I have added pictures.

SweeetTaste

Rhonda Hi Rhonda, the bees are making burr comb instead of drawing the foundation out.
-Give them a puff or two of smoke.
-Throughout this process, keep a sharp lookout for the queen as you want her to stay in the box.
-Pull a few of the empty frames out to give you room to work.
-Cut the burr comb off the foundation with your hive tool and carefully shake the bees into the box. With the extra room, you can shake them while they are still in the box.
-Cut the comb off the top cover and scrape it with your hive tool.
-If any bees stay on the comb, put it by the entrance and they will return to the hive.
Note: This is really nice comb and it is easy to use it later for rewaxing old frames, making candles or using it as a wood finish.
-When you see them building burr comb again, keep cutting it out.
The goal is to have them draw out the foundation and sometimes that requires checking that hive every other day for burr comb.

In my photo from July '22, you can see some really nice burr comb that my bees built in just over 24 hours. I had pulled frames from this nuc to put in a box with a new queen cell. I did not have a spare frame in the apiary and was not able to put more frames into the original nuc until the next morning. The bees were really busy.

rhfire

Thanks for sharing that and Dave is right on. When we talk about “bee space” it's that sweet spot, about 3/8 of an inch, that bees prefer. Give them too much or too little space, and they'll take matters into their own hands, making alterations to suit their needs. So keep all your frames evenly pushed together will keep the bee space correct.

Rhonda

Thanks everyone for helping. I need to work on my "framing" technique. I will go move this out today when it gets a tad bit warmer.