Guilfordbeekeepers.org

I just got done opening every one of my hives to install FormicPro treatments, and noticed the same thing about SHBs. I don't have traps or sheets this year, but the bees seem to be doing a great job of pushing and corralling them to the top corners of the inner cover. I'm squashing anywhere from 5-...

After a VERY prolific March/April, I have not seen or heard of any swarms in probably a month... Interesting observation about the stinging nature of the swarm you caught - it's rare that I ever use anything other than just a veil, but will think twice about that if I run into one now!

For anyone who's had to deal with skunks harassing their colonies, is this typically just an issue during the winter or can it be a year-round problem? I had issues at a new out-yard this winter and went through the trouble of installing a low electric fence and other measures. It seems to have stop...

I had another swarm show up yesterday on the same branch of the same magnolia that I captured one last week! This one was more difficult to get in the box, as I think it was traveling with at least one virgin queen in the mix... This morning I noticed a small group of bees out on the white sheet act...

And I'm continually reminded how just having an active hive(s) can act as a swarm magnet! I've been helping a new young beekeeper in Lindley Park overwinter a nuc and then set him up with a split from one of my hives just last week. On April 3, two separate big swarms landed in the same tree in his ...

Yesterday was a busy day! Had a friend report a "cloud of bees" flying in our neighborhood on Friday, and finally got a call early yesterday morning that they were spotted clustered on a bird house in Sunset Hills Park. Thought it was going to be an easy capture, until I discovered they we...

Yes, it finally worked! I had sprayed a low flexible branch in my magnolia with Swarm Commander a couple days ago (like I've done for a few years now), hoping that one day it would actually work and a swarm would land there for easy collection. Sure enough, I got home this afternoon and there it was...

Is there any specific advice or guidance for treating a newly caught/trapped swarm with OA vaporization this time of year? The obvious goal would be to get a complete mite knockdown while the colony is 100% broodless and before honey supers go on, but I didn't want to do it too soon and disturb the ...

Got a call this afternoon about a swarm not too far from my house in urban Greensboro. I'd call it a basketball-size swarm (definitely the biggest I've been able to catch), and luckily it was only about 10' up in a Camellia. Lesson learned: No more screened bottom board for my swarm catching box! I ...

Same here. Plenty of dead drones on the ground over the past couple weeks, but several eating the dry sugar I checked on yesterday and a couple flying yesterday. I imagine by Saturday the bees are going to be getting excited!

Keeping an eye on those red maples!

Update: I made it out to Summerfield this afternoon to peek in at my other 6 hives (anticipating the same situation). I was right - all 6 hives had eaten the sugar bricks and built out the space in the feeding shim with burr comb. There were eggs, larvae, capped drone cells, honey, etc. Even though ...

I just spoke to another beekeeper in the exact same situation with 6 of his 9 hives. My plan right now is to wait till the next warmish day and scrape and remove all the burr comb. I'm going to check and assume the lower medium box is empty, remove it, and put it on top. I'm going to trade out half ...

Hopefully these photos work...

Hopefully these photos work...

Just got back from vacation and decided to check on my sugar brick situation after reading Jacobs' post... Three of the four hives at my house have consumed the entire brick within a month, and have completely filled the feeding shim with new COMB, EGGS, LARVAE, and HONEY! I have no idea what to do ...

Just got back from vacation and decided to check on my sugar brick situation after reading Jacobs' post... Three of the four hives at my house have consumed the entire brick within a month, and have completely filled the feeding shim with new COMB, EGGS, LARVAE, and HONEY! I have no idea what to do ...

In my switch to an all-medium setup, I have one last remaining deep hive body (on the bottom) that I need to remove and retire. My plan was to wait until this winter when they were generally broodless and the cluster had moved up into the two mediums above it, and then pull off that bottom deep. A s...

If it were me, I would certainly treat both hives - IMMEDIATELY! If they only have two hives and are going to go through the trouble of treating the infected hive, they might as well do them both (if only for practice and as a precaution).

I've never heard of a 120 mite count...

Had a tiny swarm show up in my back yard on a branch about 7' off the ground! I scrambled and got them on two frames in a nuc box with a made-up lid and bottom board. Then, I had two more swarms show up at my roof-top hives this afternoon. I think I got one to go into a Red Oak box with a hole cut i...

Ha - that's a great question Wally. I have a feeling that's something I made up on my own! In my mind I was probably thinking they would need immediate resources due to the time of year, but never once did I consider the impact of robbing. Since this was my first attempted trap-out in the fall, now ...