Bees

[user 7704]

Those big red wasps are the ones that I really hate to get stung by. I always think I've been shot by BB gun when one of those things hits me. And the sting site always ulcerates.

We had hornets by the garden gate and last year they stung me so many times and they wound would be huge and red. Hate those things.

 

[DrHenley]

I'd rather have hornets than yellow jackets any day. At least I can see their danged nest and avoid them! The yellow jacket nests have always been well hidden.

 

[Maverick]

Our problems here are the cow killer wasp, bald face hornets and of course the yellow jackets.

 

[user 7704]

Going to Google Cow Killer Wasp

 

[Maverick]

Going to Google Cow Killer Wasp

I think a lot of people call them the velvet ant

 

[Maverick]

Going to Google Cow Killer Wasp

 

[DrHenley]

Yeah I never knew what they were called, I just thought they were giant incredibly tough ants. I never even knew they would sting. Try stepping on one. If you aren't on a really hard surface like concrete, you can stomp them into the ground and they will just walk away.

 

[Maverick]

My youngest daughter was stung when she 8 or 9, she passed out in 3 minutes, a friend helping us seen the wasp fall to the ground. We were chopping wood and she was stacking and grabbed it with the log i guess. She's been stung by hornets but never sounded like being stung from the cow killer.

 

[user 7704]

My youngest daughter was stung when she 8 or 9, she passed out in 3 minutes, a friend helping us seen the wasp fall to the ground. We were chopping wood and she was stacking and grabbed it with the log i guess. She's been stung by hornets but never sounded like being stung from the cow killer.

Ouch. I remember my daughter stepping on a hornet when she was 3ish. Nothing worse than your child in pain.

 

[user 7704]

We have those here but I never knew the name. I love learning new things.

 

[tmttactical]

@Maverick Really great video. I now know about the cow killer ant (wasp). That guy must be really desperate for money (YT funds) or crazy or both. NOT going to volunteer to get stung by anything, ever !!! Thanks for the video.

 

[DrHenley]

He also let himself get stung by a tarantula hawk wasp (rated 4 on the Schmidt sting pain index) and a bullet ant (4+). The velvet ant is rated 3 (the red paper wasp is also rated 3), yellow jackets are rated 2, sweat bees are rated 1.

 

[Maverick]

Damn, that guy must be in to some kind of sadomasochism, yellow jacket stings don't bother me all that much but those will. At Ft. Sherman in Panama we were warned about the bullet ant but luckily in the 5 years I was in central and south American I haven't seen not one.

 

[WGregMiller]

Damn, that guy must be in to some kind of sadomasochism, yellow jacket stings don't bother me all that much but those will. At Ft. Sherman in Panama we were warned about the bullet ant but luckily in the 5 years I was in central and south American I haven't seen not one.

Like the older folks here would say -‘He ain’t right’....

 

[user 7704]

You would think that for someone to do that it would be a "hold my beer" moment not thoroughly planned.

 

[DrHenley]

He slammed his hand onto a lionfish, caught four spines, and said it wasn't too bad...compared to a bullet ant. He accidentally got bit by a gila monster when he got too close to it. Yep, he's certifiable LOL

 

[user 7704]

Maybe he's like my son who is hyposensitive to pain and doesn't feel much pain.

He broke a bone and said pop, etc.

It's scary when they are young.

 

[TexasFreedom]

Hey TF, my mentor said that since we are now having really dry weather that I may need to supplement the bees feeding with some Sugar water.

Question: I there is honey on each frame of the super and I can't remove any to make room for the jar feeder,,,,,,

1. Do I put an empty deep on top of the super and put the feed in it? Or

2. Do I use it as an external feeder since it is temporary? I'm worried about ants.

3. Is it possible to put the the feeder jar in it's little plastic external holder and just let it sit on top of hive for a few days?

Thanks.

Wow.. I miss a couple of days & look at all the messages! OK, starting at top & will reply as I work down.
Remind me what type of feeder do you have. And how many boxes in this hive. #1 works find. #2 can be an issue, and robbing from other colonies can be as big an issue as ants. Did I mention before, search ebay for "bee ant barrier", a fellow sells them for under $10 a set (when getting 10 sets, a little more for 1 due to shipping) and they really work well for a small # of hives. Do not do #3, that will definitely cause issues.

 

[TexasFreedom]

I opened both hives. The hive that had the swarm has zero honey on the supers, but the deeps are heavy.

The other hive has a small about of honey on 4 frames. I pulled 3 frames from each and put in sugar water.

The bees were not as nice as usual. I may have had my smoke too warm or something. A bee got under my veil and stung me under my eye near my cheek. Tender meet. Then one stung me on my finger.

It's a good thing I don't have neighbors, because I was scantily clad by the time I stopped stripping off clothes.

My son got stung too. We are not bee virgins anymore.

Robin, be careful here. Well, for you yes, but also with feeding. The one with the heavy deep. Pull some frames. Make sure there is room for any brood. You don't want to back-fill the brood area as that will cause another swarm.

 

[TexasFreedom]

The bee hive strip tease, lol

Don't do it! Not because of what neighbors will say. But to protect yourself. You might get one or two stings if you are suited up. But take it off and you'll likely get more. And... this is why I tell everyone to fully suit up. Even with 'gentle bees', they can be tempermental, and you don't know how to read them and how to smoke them properly to prevent an temper tantrum from the girls. You can learn over time, but do you want all the stings along the way?

 

[user 7704]

I was told it was because it was getting ready to rain here. Never open bees unless it's sunny... check

I only pulled completely empty super frames.

 

[user 7704]

Maybe adding marijuana to smoker would chill the bees. Like wow man

 

[user 7704]

TF to answer your original question I have 2 hives each have 2 deeps and 1 super. I just bought another hive. I is just one deep. It's still in the box. Waiting to do a split in the spring.

I'm ordering new deeps and supers this week.

The only feeders I have are the quart jar type.

 

[TexasFreedom]

Robin, 2 deeps and a super. How full are they all? Stores and brood? No, don't go look if it's gonna rain. But as I said, you don't want to backfill the brood area. When weather clears, check again. If the deep is heavy, there is no rush. They'll want to boost stores before winter. When you can, inspect again, take pictures, talk to local mentor on how much they'll need. I do like the frame-feeders with the ladders from Mann Lake to minimize robbing/drowning. WIth the feeder you have, I'd put it inside an empty super above the inner cover and make sure they don't build comb up there.

Actually there have been plenty of discussions on using Maryjane for smokers. I say just use what you have, and what is legal! Grass, pine needles, cow pies...

But there are 3 key things to keep in mind. 1) you're a novice and you need guidance to not kill your bees. 2) use your local mentor, show him appreciation (bake him a pie!). 3) Nothing can 'advise' without doing an inspection, so take pictures/video and pass to mentor (local or distant depending on what it is) when weather is appropriate. Well, and 4) suit up for your own protection (or suffer stings, it's no venom in my veins!).

 

[user 7704]

Bottom deep is heavy with mostly capped brood.

2nd deep is about 60-70% heavy with both capped and uncapped brood.

Super on hive that has swarm is empty. Super on second hive has a small amount of honey on 30% of frames.

I removed 3 frames from both supers and added a quart of sugar water to supplement until I get new empty deeps delivered.

 

[TexasFreedom]

OK, so it sounds like you have tons of brood but next to zero stores? yup, definitely feed. Colonies that big should be able to suck down a full gallon of sugarwater a day. At least they do here in TX. I am assuming you have enough bees to cover all the brood?

But if they can bring in natural nectar, they'll ignore the sugarwater. Give it a day and check the quart bottle. If it's empty, refill it and refill it daily until they stop taking it AND being certain that they are not backfilling. If they empty it every 2 days, then refill it every 2 days.

"Backfilling" is when the brood area gets filled with stores (honey/sugarwater). If you check your brood, you should have maybe 1 inch of space between the last eggs/larvae and the start of honey/pollen. If you have less than that, stop feeding.

On your 2nd colony, if the 2nd deep is 70% full and you removed 3 frames, does that mean you have zero empty comb? Note that this sounds like a possible backfill situation. I'd give them a super above those deeps, put the 3 deep frames back in and remove the 3 super frames to squeeze in your feeder.

By you a colony probably needs 80-100 lbs of honey to survive winter (check with your mentor). Not brood, but honey (or sugar water if you're feeding). And they will need pollen once they start the spring brood rearing.

It sounds like your colonies are growing but the incoming stores aren't keeping up with demand? You can also look at your larvae, do they appear 'wet', in a white cloudy substance? Wet is good, that means the colony has plenty of stores & workers to feed the brood well. If they don't, then you need to feed sugarwater & possibly pollen (again, consult local mentor).

 

[user 7704]

I didn't remove any deep frames only 3 from the supers that were completely clean.

I'll open tomorrow to check the jars.

Do younknownwhat size the holes are in the lids. I would like to make my own lids, but definitely don't want to make the hole too large and have them leak sugar water

 

[TexasFreedom]

OK, my misunderstanding. I thought one was 2 deeps only. I don't do the mason jar lids with holes, so I'm not one to ask. Remember, my hero calls himself "The Lazy Beekeeper". If I can give them a gallon at 1 shot, doesn't that sound easier than going in the hive 4 times with a quart each time? ANd the risk of it leaking (attracting ants or worse going down brood & killing them)? No thanks.

Keep in mind, each person has their individual preferences & priorities. Give the jar 24 hours, so if you put it in at 2pm today, check tomorrow at 2pm.

 

[user 7704]

TF I opened the hives and the sugar water is almost full.

I'm guessing they are getting food from the flowers.

 

[TexasFreedom]

That's one thing I've learned. Listen to the bees, they will tell you what they need. Just leave the jar in there for a week, we'll see if they suck it down . You don't want it out there more than 2 weeks as it'll ferment.