Mr. David: You are an amazing human being! I truly enjoy seeing your face light up when you mentor others and talk about beekeeping. Passion drives success, this is you being successful.
The most expensive mistake is an impulsive start to beekeeping. Everyone should first join their local club, participate in a beginner program or better yet do an apprenticeship for a year before spending any money on any beekeeping equipment beyond a veil and a hive tool.
Most costly is losing my bees over the winter. The next expensive is the extractor, then the oa vaporizer. 2024 is my 2nd year beekeeping and I love it!
I trapped my own marvelous strong genetic local bees. Bought Layens horizontal hive for $200, bought cheap set of tools off Amazon $20, use a heavy windbreaker I had, cheap beehats on clearance at tractor supply, 5$, had wonderful frames made for $90/20. In a dearth so went through a big bag from Costco of organic sugar, $9.49 . Book, "Keeping Bees With a Smile." $25. Watch tons of bee videos for entertainment and info on how to NOT do bees! Lol Friend beekeeper in. Mexico.. I'm in Ohio. Great bee colony. $350!
Yesterday Oct 10 I put a non thriving hive and papered them into another hive The queen did not lay much. I did not see her but the other Q will take care of her. Q's are not laying much very dry burn ban I feed them sugar should I make pollen patties. Still need to smoke them for mites. Chicken take care of beetle bugs. Do your bees follow you around when they are hunger?
Hi David. I have a hive with 2 queens. 8 frame equipment 2 deeps. I’m in New York. I’ve been feeding them 1:1 since the beginning of September. I did an inspection last weekend. They are very light on honey. Good population of bees. But they had one frame of capped brood. 4-5 frames of eggs and larva. Lots of pollen and bee bread. I switched to 2:1 sugar using a zip lock bag under a feeding shim under a quilt box. How long can I use liquid before it’s too cold? I figured I will have to feed them all winter. When should I switch to a fondant? Thanks