What did you learn today?

[blackcavebees]

My old granny always said, "You learn something new everyday." That is surely true of bees and beekeeping, although some of it isn't always right!

Just a thread to illicit what pearls of wisdom (or matchsticks of myth) you learned today from the bees. Brother Adam said let the bees teach you.

What did you learn today?

 

[blackcavebees]

I'll start ... In making up splits, if you mix bees from 2 hives they will fight whereas bees from 3 or more hives wont. Disease free of course

 

[Teemore]

Today: advice from some old beekeepers is not always sound.....

 

[madasafish]

Most of what is written about bees has some foundation in fact. But equally, just because it works does not mean it is best.

 

[pargyle]

Most of what is written about bees has some foundation in fact. But equally, just because it works does not mean it is best

Advice from some old beekeepers is not always sound.....

Welll with those two gems - that's a good start for me today !!

 

[domino]

Supers may not feel that heavy when you take them off to inspect but they weigh a fair bit when you're lugging them half a mile over a field.

 

[Luminos]

Just because you come bearing gifts for the bees (syrup, fondant) doesn't mean they aren't going to sting you

 

[Dishmop]

That bees and r/c helicopters dont mix.

You'd never believe how much it hurts when a bee being propelled by a heli blade hits your forehead.

Safety glasses on order.

 

[itma]

Just how tightly a few bees can cling onto the straw fibres of a wastepaper basket being used as a skep.
And how hard it is to shake bees out of such a thing and into an Apidea. I just hoped I'd got the queen before I gave up the attempt and left them to unite themselves. They did - in the Apidea! (Even I get lucky sometimes.)

Lesson 1 - continue avoiding skeps.
Lesson 2 - if unavoidable, don't expect to shake them out as nicely as from a cardboard box. Use any other transfer method other than shaking.



Anyway, we will see what happens with the really pitifully tiny little starving cast I was given this morning. Maybe they'll teach me something too - like wanting a 40 litre home ... even if its wildly unsuitable for them!

 

[simonwig]

Interesting ITMA

For probably aesthetic/pseudo historical reasons I've been wanting a skep mainly for swarms.

The only two I've caught have been cardboard boxes, easy to shake out.

Does anyone else advise against skeps for swarms?

Simon

 

[enrico]

I use an old 1970's linen basket Ali Baba style that I cut the bottom off, works a treat, kept the lid and use that to seal them in for moving..... Dead good!
E

 

[Finman]

My old granny always said, "You learn something new everyday." y?

Must bad a bad dementia if everything is new in the morning.

But seriously, there is somewhere limit that you know enough and you need not to learn every day something new, at least in beekeeping.

If you feel that you MUST learn every day something new, I just say, get a life that you need not think about it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You'd never believe how much it hurts when a bee being propelled by a heli blade hits your forehead.
.

Next time - make sure the bee is strapped in to her seat securely!

But seriously, there is somewhere limit that you know enough and you need not to learn every day something new, at least in beekeeping.

True Funny - your head must be so swollen -
with all the knowledge stuffed in there there is no room for any new or up to date information!

 

[itma]

Interesting ITMA

For probably aesthetic/pseudo historical reasons I've been wanting a skep mainly for swarms.

The only two I've caught have been cardboard boxes, easy to shake out.

Does anyone else advise against skeps for swarms?

Simon

Part of the problem was that there were really so very very few bees. Normally, you'd shake out a great lump of bees and Q is highly likely to be among them. The few that remain will follow Q soon enough.
This cast I was given is currently occupying just one frame in the Apidea.
There was no big lump to shake out! I don't know them all by name, but maybe, in a couple of days ...
To survive, they are going to need more numbers ...

 

[Finman]

True Funny - your head must be so swollen -
!

No. My leg is swollen. It is 3 time bigger than another leg. I got blood poisoning to my leg, and I have only been in bed 10 days. In have got antibiot direct into vein 6 days. After that I have 3 weeks antibiot cure via mouth.

First I collapsed in the extraction room in the middle of uncapping work.
I did not knew what is going on. It cleared out 4 days later, and then directly to hospital. Leg was red like cherry and awfully painfull.

This disease killed people 60 years ago when there was no cure.


I am glad jenkinsbrynmair, that I have one, a real friend, out there. 2000 km far away.
(that distance is a glad thing)

.

What I learned today: I have sveral friends in UK forum who really loves me, far far away

.

 

[dpearce4]

No. My leg is swollen. It is 3 time bigger than another leg. I got blood poisoning to my leg, and I have only been in bed 10 days. In have got antibiot direct into vein 6 days. After that I have 3 weeks antibiot cure via mouth.

First I collapsed in the extraction room in the middle of uncapping work.
I did not knew what is going on. It cleared out 4 days later, and then directly to hospital. Leg was red like cherry and awfully painfull.

This disease killed people 60 years ago when there was no cure.


I am glad jenkinsbrynmair, that I have one, a real friend, out there. 2000 km far away.
(that distance is a glad thing)

.

What I learned today: I have sveral friends in UK forum who really loves me, far far away

.

OMG Finmister how did you get the blood poisoning? Sounds really bad.

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Sorry to see that you are having a bad time Finman. I hope the antibiotics do the work they are intended to. Septicemia is no joke. Hope you get well soon. Get someone to bring you honey.

 

[pargyle]

Despite your derision of my one hive status Finman ... I do feel for you, I had a very bad leg earlier this year and it is very debilitating. Hope the antibiotics do the trick and you are back to your usual self in no time ... on second thoughts - you are your usual self ! Just hope your leg improves.

 

[Finman]

.
I love you all, but most of all that 2000 km distance between us.

 

[pargyle]

.
I love you all, but most of all that 2000 km distance between us.

Yep ... we love you too but we are more than grateful that your are all that way away as well .... Just as well your infection has not spread to your fingers - it would have been very quiet here today