The Honey Factory

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Finished re-furbishing two small bee-hives yesterday. Removing the old weathered paint with a sander and elbow grease, painting three layers of water-based latex-paint and sealed it with UV-resistant polyurethane lacquer. Here's the result:

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Finished re-furbishing two small bee-hives yesterday. Removing the old weathered paint with a sander and elbow grease, painting three layers of water-based latex-paint and sealed it with UV-resistant polyurethane lacquer. Here's the result:

Installing NUCs. package or trapping swarms?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Installing NUCs. package or trapping swarms?

I have already ordered a package of Italian bees at the dant but i also secured a nuc of locally overwintered Russian bees. Not sure which one will go into which hive.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I have ordered a NUC of Saskatraz Carniolan cross for May pickup. The Colony I have of that strain have come through the winter very healthy and strong, so strong I have to make a split when the weather breaks. Hopefully I get this done before Blueberry flow starts. First year I was able to pull one medium box with 37 pounds of honey in the fall leaving them 120 pounds of stores and I still had to supply "bricks". Doing a Formic Pro treatment so everything is clean for the flow. People are already asking for honey. Fall honey had a little hot zing to it which I like, Spring will be a little sweeter and milder on the pallet, Been fortunate as there have been no "varmitts" on the trail cam.

 

[Apis mellifera]

From pollen coming in to this! Oh well.

 

[R2elk]

From pollen coming in to this! Oh well.
View attachment 3781153

I only got about 1/8" today.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

From pollen coming in to this! Oh well.
View attachment 3781153

With you, not at you. we got 3.5" of rain, low to mid 50s here, hoping to drop the top box to bottom Saturday, temps in the low 60s. Quick check some days back and had eggs and larva.

 

[R2elk]

No bee activity today. 14°F and it's white outside.

 

[Sally PB]

This was Saturday morning.

It's almost gone now, and will disappear quickly with a high of 58 today.

A week from Wednesday, ie, 3 April, we have another bee meeting, and the subject is splits. Exactly what I need to learn about! I hope to split my colony, and I think I'll buy a queen from somebody in the club, if anyone has one for sale.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

To Apis millifera, R2elk and Sally PB. Just the way I like snow, In Pictures!