Attempting to have uniform stocks can have issues including a classic touch of incompetence. It’s all about trying to reduce the likelihood of swarming. I’ve got some bait hives out ready for the inevitable. #beekeeping #honey #bee
That's a new one on me regards being able to shake bees from one hive into a weaker one with just a spray of I imagine was just normal air freshener. Another great tip. You don't know how much all these tips help fellow bee keepers. Keep it up and let's have some more of that grandson bottle flipping, this chanel isn't all about you 😂
Trevor my husband and I so enjoy your videos! What a beautiful countryside you have there!! Weve been watching for quite some time! We’ve had bees going on 8 years now and in Florida USA…our season seems to be about the same as yours. Our first pollen comes in around mid Dec first Jan? Your tips and tricks we always find helpful! Seems like our commercial guys here (for the most part) seem to not want to share any good information! Which is really sad but this world seems to be all about “me”..selfish. That being said we do have quite a few that make videos and share and many sideliners that are willing to share whatever they can to help! The tip that you shared to give the bees a gentle shake then move them to get rid of the foragers is genius and really common sense but I guess we don’t have enough of the commons sense to have thought that one out🤣🤣 so thanks for sharing!! And can’t wait to try to air freshener tip..how awesome!! Also we need some more tips and bottle flipping from your grandson!! He needs his fair share of air time also!! Much love from the other side of the pond!!💕💞
Hello Meloney and husband. Thank you so much for your extremely kind comments, I appreciate them. We are very lucky to live here amongst such natural beauty. I am not a particularly good beekeeper but I try to tell of my life with the bees rather than being a “teaching and preaching” channel. I am now of an age where I need to consider reducing the bees and that was part of the reason to record this while I can. You are the second person this week to ask for more of Ted. I know he’s only too happy to be involved and he’ll be back on soon. Thanks again, Trevor.
I love your no nonsense way of working, pretty much straight to the point with everything you're doing. Really great editing as well. 🐝👌🏻 I'm definitely going to be watching back over your videos.
Hello Trevor! Nice video good job! Yes, sometimes it happens that it is very difficult to find a queen. I tried tagging queens for a few seasons, but I didn't like it. I clip one wing of the troubled queen. I'm better at it. I use curved tip surgical scissors for this. They are the smallest size. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🤝🤝🤝🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝✌✌✌
Hello Ivan, I hope all is well with you. I used to clip one wing but don’t anymore. I don’t mark the queens either but I think a touch of paint would help me to find them. You can see that I struggle at times. 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝👍🤝🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
You might want to think about using a push in cage? The plastic ones break too easily and can fall out of the comb freeing the queen but the ones with long metal spikes work perfectly. Only yesterday I was marking a queen when the loose plunger fell out of the marking device and off she flew - thankfully back into the hive!!! We all have these **!!** moments!
Thanks for the comment and suggestion. That’s a good idea but I think it may not be for me. I don’t mark or clip and usually they stay put on the comb. I think I may cause more harm than good by chasing a queen with a push in cage, panicking and possibly skewering her on a point. I think they are great for somebody who is possibly less clumsy and quicker to react than me. 👍
Saying it simply just how it is, without talking for the sake of it. I think the older you get, the more difficult it is to find queens - I'm finding it increasingly difficult!
Thank you and yes you’re right. Trouble is, it’s not just finding queens that is becoming more difficult. We don’t understand the advantage of youth until we lose it.🤔
Queens can be difficult sometimes. l have had issues with finding them myself, the floor is a fairly common place to hide but the one that stands out is the queen that was staying absolutely still between the bottom of the comb and the bottom bars she was waiting till I had gone and l am sure she was watching me. Then there’s the flyer queen who flies away despite the fact an in lay queen shouldn’t be able to fly, sometimes they come back but often they don’t. Let’s hope the weather picks up a bit now May is here. Thanks for another video. Regards Jason
Thank you Jason. I see you have experience of awkward queens. They really aren’t supposed to fly when in full lay but as we know nothing is for certain with the bees.
Another excellent s it is video Trevor. At about 5 mins in you spoke of swapping positions of hive 40 and hive 90. Am i correct in assuming that this was to strengthen hive 40 by peeling the flying bees from the stronger hive into it ?. Do you ever put a weaker colony on top of a stronger colony and run as a two queen hive. I often do this and at the beginning of the June gap put the weaker hive which is now much stronger in place of the original brood box and move original queen elsewhere ready for hopefully summer flow with the weak colony now pretty strong.
Yes Phil your assumption is correct. I have never tried your method for boosting weak colonies but it’s a good idea. I’m constantly amazed at the feedback I get. Thank you.
When I’m joining bees together from different stocks, I give them a short spray oh household air freshener. The idea is to mask the scent of different bees and hopefully make for a smooth unification. During ordinary manipulations I just use the bee smoker.
Thanks and yes I’ve been told a few times over the years that I’m hard on myself and I can understand the sentiment. You’re right the feeling of having left them worse off is awful. The main redeeming factor for me is that with a lot of colonies I have to move onto the next one and not dwell on it. Much worse for someone with only a few.
I've literally just walked the dog on the Nottinghamshire/ derbyshire border and got talking to the farmer in the field not a mile from my apiary. So I asked what he was planting and he said Maize again. So I asked him why noone is planting rape around us anymore and he said its to do with a beetle that damages it so its just not worth it anymore
Hello, yes the problem is the cabbage stem flea beetle. The only way if realistically controlling them was by using a neonicotinoid seed dressing. That’s now banned. I do cover this in more detail in an earlier video - Hornet Talk - Podcast and looking at crops for bees. Thanks.
Do you take any hives to OSR? I`m asking myself if its worth it, have about 60 acres near the Mull of Galloway weather improving now, up until last Saturday it was cold
I have moved bees to OSR every year since 1975 but not this year. The ground has been so wet that the bees had to stay put. It’s dry enough now to travel but the colonies are now too large for moving easily. Some of them are moving into a third super. Some will reach OSR from their current locations but others may not. Several factors have left me less inclined to chase this crop. 1. If it’s modern hybrid OSR they probably won’t get anything off it. 2. I am well stocked with spring honey and there is definitely some difficulty in selling OSR honey on the wholesale market currently. (This may change as less is grown and if we also continue with a poor season or two.) 3. I am less able to work the long hard hours day and night that bee moving requires. I’m not ancient but right now after a tough day with stroppy bees I feel it. In your situation I would find out if the OSR is conventional or hybrid. If conventional then I think I would give it a go for the experience and adventure. Then all you have to worry about is harvesting it before it granulates but making sure the moisture level is ok. Good luck.👍
We use a very weak sugar syrup mix which is thymolised when uniting or mixing up bees, the syrup starts the bees cleaning each other and the thymol masks pheremone. Glad it’s not just us down south suffering with starving colonies, I never normally spring feed bug this year is a first in 24 year, no spring crop at all
