Buzzzzzzzzzzz, bees here

[Whwoz]

About 18 months ago we had a hive of bees here over spring and summer for fruit and vegetable pollination purposes. We were hoping to have one back this spring and summer but with COVID it didn't happen. Now due to roadworks about 20 minutes drive away, near a house where our friends have two hives, we have those hives here. It is not so much that the bees do not like dust, but that they consider the machinery a hive threat and attack the drivers so bees needed to be moved for duration. Not a lot flowering here, but should be sufficient in locality to keep them happy. Plenty of honey in hive too, so no real stress. Kids love having them here, which is great.

[PlainJane]

How fascinating! I spend a lot of time in my garden watching bees.

[MissS]

The kids should learn a lot from watching those bees and seeing how they interact. I always enjoyed watching them and still do.

[Whwoz]

Ok, we have 4 bee hives here, or rather had this morning, bee man and one son turned up about 3 pm to inspect hives, just as well as while we were talking about what needed doing, the son suddenly said what's that, I think a hive has swarmed. Closer inspection confirmed that was indeed the case, grad a bee catch box, shake bees into it, queen must have fallen in as all bees suddenly start to head into hive. All good, leave for half an hour or so, so that all bees go in box, cover and allow to settle and hive number 5 is set. This will stay for 24 hours and be picked up tomorrow night and taken elsewhere by bee man so that they don't return to previous hive. Bees that gorged on food in lead up to swarming that they can't sting.

Inspection of the 4 original hives then proceeded, very interesting process, hives not too bad for this time of year, but could have been better. A lot of queen cells found in one hive, so some places in capture box and taken elsewhere, so second bonus hive for the day, a lot of upset bees and a few stings taken by those not fully covered, I scored 3 for the day and Mrs one.

[Paulf]

After many years of being goosey around any stinging, flying insect, the past several years I have calmed down and have yearned for some bee hives. I have a nephew who is a bee keeper and would love for him to help set up a hive in my area.

[Whwoz]

Well worth the effort @Paulf . Just need a spot a bit out of the way where they can face South and have water readily accessible, a good solid base to sit on and ideally sloping just a little bit incase water gets in so it can run out.

[Whwoz]

Unfortunately and unknown to us, the swarm left the box during the day yesterday and when our local bee man took it home it was empty rather than occupied as we expected. Need to find that swarm today if we can.

[Whwoz]

Good news on bee swarm front, they were actually in the box after all, just hunkered down and ignoreing all wake up calls.

[Seven Bends]

Good news on bee swarm front, they were actually in the box after all, just hunkered down and ignoreing all wake up calls.

I know that feeling; sometimes you just don't wanna get up. Hope they're enjoying their new home now.

[Whwoz]

Ok time to update this thread.

With the various works that we have had done, the bees were moved off our block but have now returned. First three hives, tow of which swarmed on successive days, so that we now have five hives. One is in a single box, three doubles and a triple. Bees were inspected yesterday (6/12/23) and found to be lacking in stored nectar/pollen with low capped honey levels. Out of the 14 or 16 hives our beeman has, he has been able to rob only 5 frames his week during his inspections at a time when there should be a lot of honey. This is not a happy place to be at the moment, especially when one hive had a hive beatle trap that fits under about 1/3 of the hive nearly full of dead bees. Not sure what is going on here, may get more of an idea when I can look at them under a disceting microscope. Crossed fingers no Varroa mites.

As a result of the low stores, I have been a bit more observant, and driven around a bit looking for flowering plants. Reasonable amount of wild blackberries, some Kunzea, Leptospermum (teatrees) and few Melaleucas and not a lot else (most of these are too far from home for our bees). Where last year there were paddocks of dandylion, this year it is all long grass. Very little clover observed either due to long grass.

Suspect that all the long grass has lead to a reduction in amount of flowers readily available for bees to easily access leading to bees that are probably feeling like they are on a diet. Possibility that those bees in trap were robbers??

Anyway in discussion with owner we have come to the conclusion that we may have to supplementary feed the bees to ensure that they survive over winter. Not our prefered position to be in, adds another layer of complexity to honey sales, but better than loosing bees. May have to seriously look at importing hummingbird feeders to act as bee feeders. Are these readily available still over there or with that white stuff appearing do they disappear from shops.

[MissS]

@Whwoz You can still find feeders everywhere. Amazon has loads of them as do all the stores. There are several YouTube videos on how to make your own.

[Whwoz]

Yesterday was 29C/84F and a little on the muggy side. Was not at home much and with the work that has been done on the bee hives, never thought to check them. Driving out to drop the kids off at school today, daughter says "what is that in the plum tree Dad, looks like bees" and sure enough it was. One hive must have swarmed yesterday.

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Today is wet, with a number of showers moving through overnight and so far this morning, not yet 10 am, which has helped keep the bees quite and made my job of getting them into a hive easier. Bee owner had a minor argument with a chainsaw , his hand came off second best and his son works, so definitely my job. Rang him to let him know that we have a swarm and get instructions on way home from dropping off the kids at school.

On with bee suit and grab hearth brush and box, shove box under hive, pull out frame and start gently sweeping bees onto frame and dumping into hive. Bees dopey due to cool air, made it much easier for first time. Lost only a few and only a couple of light stings through trousers, one from me squashing a bee.

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Was able to sweep most of those bees in lower photo into hive, others show bees happy in box. Bee owner will organise an alternative site for them and his son to move them tonight.

Wound up with a few bees on back of suit that I didn't realise where there, walked into house, we have an entry room, similar to a "mud"room, heard one take off, back outside, off with jacket and went Oh, there are that many of your hitchhiking

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Overall bees happy, owner happy, so I am happy

[PlainJane]

Wow, what a lucky break. Glad it all worked out.

[MissS]

Your daughter has a good eye. And you sir did quite an excellent job on your first time boxing a swarm. Well done!

[Whwoz]

Beekeeper dropped off another empty box today for me to add to the swarm I caught the other day. Went very well, bees barely realised that it was happening. Net result

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Moving the bees approx 1 meter each night from where the swarm landed to eventually be next to the other hives

[Whwoz]

It certainly is swarm season here, got a message from beekeeper about 5 saying he was heading out to collect a swarm and could he bring it out to our place.
No problemo I say. , About an hour later I catch up with him to see how he is going and word was not one swarm but three!! And could he bring them all out here. Just as well I set up that line of pallets!

[MissS]

Well that increases your colonies pretty quickly.

[Whwoz]

Well that increases your colonies pretty quickly.

Yes it does, just hope that they all find enough food

[Whwoz]

Only two swarms arrived tonight of the above mentioned three, one decided that they didn't like the new digs and took off, so seven hives out on pallets