Search found 164 matches

by mike91553
Sun Apr 14, 2024 6:26 am
Forum: Just Stuff
Topic: Tulip Poplar Flowers
Replies: 1
Views: 3298

Tulip Poplar Flowers

Earliest tree I know of Northwest Alamance started around 4-11-24 guessing from the age of the flowers
by mike91553
Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:47 pm
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Good citizens
Replies: 0
Views: 4484

Good citizens

We have many now that are concerned and want to help bees. Today a motorist -shopper was in the Academy Sports parking lot and drove through a cloud of bees and saw them settle in a small tree. After much time searching for someone to call they found my number. Got most of them in before the rain th...
by mike91553
Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:44 pm
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Alamance County Swarms
Replies: 0
Views: 4543

Alamance County Swarms

Swarm was seen high on Friday then moved down low sometime before Monday when they finally called someone. Ira Poston collected about 3 lbs of bees. Two more were caught is the city of Burlington Tuesday and Wednesday.
by mike91553
Mon May 02, 2022 6:05 am
Forum: Beekeeping 101
Topic: OA treatment for newly caught swarms?
Replies: 2
Views: 17317

Re: OA treatment for newly caught swarms?

I have done that as soon as I get them home before I place the box on its hive stand. For me too much trouble running extension cords and remembering to do it later. Have not seen any absconds because of this
by mike91553
Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:13 pm
Forum: Beekeeping 101
Topic: Nectar flow
Replies: 16
Views: 88922

Re: Nectar flow

I just saw tulip poplar opened flowers this morning in NW Alamance County
by mike91553
Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:16 pm
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Swarm 6/8/2020
Replies: 2
Views: 10793

Re: Swarm 6/8/2020

That would be called a maiden swarm according to "Historical Beekeeping Articles" A swarm from a swarm in the same year

Swarms from the same colony come in this order

1 Prime swarm - 2 cast swarm- 3 colt swarm-4 filly swarm
by mike91553
Wed May 13, 2020 11:21 pm
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Chaseing down a swarm
Replies: 0
Views: 11815

Chaseing down a swarm

Got a call yesterday one of my hives had swarmed onto the side of a fence post. This yards about 9 miles from home and I saw a huge mass of bees from the road as I drove up. Went for a closer look and to turn off the electric fence and all of a sudden they were airborne . Grabbed my box with frames ...
by mike91553
Wed May 13, 2020 10:58 pm
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Swarm 4/29/20
Replies: 1
Views: 8554

Re: Swarm 4/29/20

Rewaxing is the key to make them use it, otherwise they might look at a day or two and then adios
by mike91553
Tue Feb 04, 2020 12:14 am
Forum: Just Stuff
Topic: Drones 2020
Replies: 3
Views: 23329

Re: Drones 2020

I read that a swarm was reported in Wilson today. The call went to the Ag extension,
by mike91553
Sat Aug 24, 2019 4:52 am
Forum: Beekeeping 101
Topic: What's the going price for pure honey.
Replies: 3
Views: 16194

Re: What's the going price for pure honey.

I would say $10 per lb. $13 a pint and $25 a qt.

Some get more and some less.

some people across the state have said that they charge $1 per ounce for any size
by mike91553
Tue Apr 23, 2019 9:04 pm
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Swarm shot down
Replies: 0
Views: 12246

Swarm shot down

4-22-19 I did this about 15 years ago but this time could record most of it. We did shoot down another cluster after they regrouped and I had stopped the camera. Strange but this was my 22nd capture for the year on April 22 with a little help from my .22 rifle. Guess sometime truth is stranger than ...
by mike91553
Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:46 pm
Forum: Beekeeping 101
Topic: Tulip Poplars blooming!
Replies: 13
Views: 43352

Re: Tulip Poplars blooming!

I saw some today and mostly new blooms on a few early trees. American Holly started opening the last few days also and there are some fields of crimson clover in full bloom in range of some of my hives as well. I wish all my swarms were still in the parent hive hard at work.
by mike91553
Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:05 pm
Forum: Just Stuff
Topic: Drones 2019
Replies: 6
Views: 34223

Re: 2019 SWARMS

I broke open drone pupa in about every hive I opened and never saw any mites today. Happy with that. One hive had a lot of extra drones and also many drones in worker cells so that queen is about wore out. But the good news was 2 supersedurde cells with one capped. We should have some good flying we...
by mike91553
Sun Feb 17, 2019 1:07 pm
Forum: Just Stuff
Topic: Drones 2019
Replies: 6
Views: 34223

Re: Drones 2019

A Burlington beekeeper saw drones leaving his hive earlier this week.
by mike91553
Tue Jun 05, 2018 6:34 pm
Forum: Beekeeping 101
Topic: Nectar Flows
Replies: 20
Views: 128251

Re: Nectar Flows

My bees are eating more than they are bringing in. I built a super last year to hold 12 pint jars and the bees built comb and stored some honey both last year and this year only to eat it up first when the flow stopped. They had nearly capped a couple jars this year but its gone now.
by mike91553
Thu May 03, 2018 6:26 am
Forum: Beekeeping 101
Topic: How long can a swarm hang?
Replies: 0
Views: 11932

How long can a swarm hang?

I misjudged this swarm and lost it. The caller Monday said the bees arrived a week ago last Sunday and after several days he decided to call someone and told me they were 10 ft high and he had seen them every day. I concluded that they were probably building comb there and waited until about dark so...
by mike91553
Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:32 am
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Swarm-4/28/18
Replies: 2
Views: 10236

Re: Swarm-4/28/18

On a swarm that small could that be a queen taking a rest stop back from her mating flight?
by mike91553
Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:03 pm
Forum: Beekeeping 101
Topic: Nectar Flows
Replies: 20
Views: 128251

Re: Nectar Flows

I split a hive last Wed and put in 3 empty deep brood frames for the Q to lay in. Went back Sun and they were all full of nectar. I think they swarmed anyway.
by mike91553
Mon Aug 28, 2017 7:10 am
Forum: Wanted/For Sale
Topic: Honey Bee forage for spring
Replies: 0
Views: 17101

Honey Bee forage for spring

Rapeseed is the best best thing you can plant for March and April nectar and pollen source with highly nutritious pollen and it makes good honey. Now (August-September ) is the best planting time. I have seed $12 for 5lbs or 15lbs for $30 I use 15lbs to plant an acre or a little more. Its also a goo...
by mike91553
Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:27 pm
Forum: Extractions, cut outs, removals and swarms
Topic: Swarm--4/27/17
Replies: 1
Views: 8901

Re: Swarm--4/27/17

I've seen it work first hand several times this year on a swarm in the air before they settled. If you can get up wind and spray one squirt onto the box and let the wind carry some to the bees you can watch them turn and all fly toward the source of the smell. By the way they put one of my videos on...