These are a listing of photos and captions to supplement Apiary Reports made at our monthly business meeting and to serve as a record of what's been happening with our club bees currently and in the recent past.
Apiary Report - October 2024 Meeting
HURRICANE PREPARATION
Upper Entrance in Flood Zones per CLIMATEHUBS.USDA.GOV
If the beehives are on the ground in recessed areas, make sure they have an upper entrance. Floodwaters can block the lower entrances and suffocate the bees. Yes, upper entrances are recommended for bee hives in flood zones because they help bees escape if the bottom entrance is submerged. When a hive's bottom entrance is underwater, bees will start suffocating within minutes. The dead and dying bees will then fall to the bottom, blocking the entrance further and making it harder for the colony to get oxygen and release carbon dioxide
• Have each hive tilting slightly forward so that rainwater does not pool on the floor of the hive if solid bottom boards are used.
• Make sure that your beehives can resist strong winds. A simple brick on the top lid is not sufficient to keep the lid from flying off in winds above 50 miles per hour. Strapping the lid down with ratchet straps or securing with duct tape is an option, particularly for outlying yards. Hive boxes may also need to be strapped together, particularly if they are relatively new and the bees have not yet propolized them together sufficiently. Also consider removing unnecessary boxes (e.?. top-hive feeders) to minimize the wind profile.
If the beehives are on the ground in recessed areas, make sure they have an upper entrance. Floodwaters can block the lower entrances and suffocate the bees. Yes, upper entrances are recommended for bee hives in flood zones because they help bees escape if the bottom entrance is submerged. When a hive's bottom entrance is underwater, bees will start suffocating within minutes. The dead and dying bees will then fall to the bottom, blocking the entrance further and making it harder for the colony to get oxygen and release carbon dioxide
• Have each hive tilting slightly forward so that rainwater does not pool on the floor of the hive if solid bottom boards are used.
• Make sure that your beehives can resist strong winds. A simple brick on the top lid is not sufficient to keep the lid from flying off in winds above 50 miles per hour. Strapping the lid down with ratchet straps or securing with duct tape is an option, particularly for outlying yards. Hive boxes may also need to be strapped together, particularly if they are relatively new and the bees have not yet propolized them together sufficiently. Also consider removing unnecessary boxes (e.?. top-hive feeders) to minimize the wind profile.
Apiary Report - September 2024 Meeting
Apiary Report - July 2024 Meeting
Apiary Report - June 2024 Meeting
Apiary Report - May 2024 Meeting
Apiary Report - April 2024 Meeting
President Angela and Dennis did a much needed visit to club apiary. They found our KTBH (Kenya Top Bar Hive) were doing a great job and needed more laying space so we added brood-width bars to open up brood section. They populated the Flow-Hive thru splitting and equalizing. Flow hive now has queen and brood. The Langstroth hives were mostly on verge of swarming, max brood and bee density, so we removed a frame or two from each to open up their brood sections which gave the Flow Hive plenty of brood. They treated all hives with Apimon tablets (thymol cakes) and checked hive beetle traps (which we’re working very well at capturing and killing hive beetles). They are in need of a apiary day for entire club in near future. Friday, April 5, 2024
Apiary Report - February & March 2024 Meeting
Apiary Report - December 2023 Meeting & January 2024 Meeting
Apiary Report - November 2023 Meeting
Apiary Report - October 2023 Meeting
Apiary Report - August 2023 Meeting
Apiary Report - July 2023 Meeting
Apiary Report - June 2023 Meeting
Apiary Update: Besides checking hives and Marc teaching and allowing others to inspect hives we pulled one deep frame of pretty capped honey from the foundationless frame hive. Dennis demonstrated cutting and boxing comb plus he did a crush and strain on another frame of honey to obtain 4 squeeze bottles of liquid honey. We sold 4 of the heavier boxed cut comb for $79 in donations for club treasury. We still have 4 more boxes of comb and the liquid honey. A fun long afternoon in club apiary.
Apiary Report - May 2023 Meeting
Apiary Report - April 2023 Meeting
Member Victoria and Dennis did a follow up of the club hives five days after the Sunday apiary hands-on education event.
At the event we noticed one colony that had dwindled and in spite of having a laying queen. It was also lacking resources. Victoria and I planned to boost this weak 5-frame nuc with resources, but we were too late. It has absconded... no bees nor queen. We also checked to make sure the remaining 4 colonies all had marked queens. 3 colonies clearly had their original marks, but one had requeened, so we marked it pink since it was a superseded queen and not a purchased queen.
All hives are marked with the color of the queen's mark for easy reference at the next inspection. Fri, 3-17-23
At the event we noticed one colony that had dwindled and in spite of having a laying queen. It was also lacking resources. Victoria and I planned to boost this weak 5-frame nuc with resources, but we were too late. It has absconded... no bees nor queen. We also checked to make sure the remaining 4 colonies all had marked queens. 3 colonies clearly had their original marks, but one had requeened, so we marked it pink since it was a superseded queen and not a purchased queen.
All hives are marked with the color of the queen's mark for easy reference at the next inspection. Fri, 3-17-23
Apiary Report - March 2023 Meeting
Apiary Report - February 2023 Meeting
We have not had a club visit to our club apiary. Marc. was out-of-town. Dennis and Victoria look at them to see if bees have normal flights coming to-and-fro from the hive entrances, but have not checked inside. We need to schedule a Hands-On Apiary day for February... soon.
Apiary Report - January 2023 Meeting
Apiary Report - December 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - November 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - October 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - September 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - August 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - July 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - June 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - May 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - April 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - March 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report - February 2022 Meeting
Apiary Report: - by VP Marc Brennan Purchased 10 of Martha Carpenter Mite Mauler Queens from Bonnies Bees in Sebring (approved to spend $30 each queen at January meeting). Marc split our 5 hives into 5-frame nucs and left queenless for about 3 days. After the 3-day wait the 10 nucs each had their marked "yellow paint" caged queens installed. 10 nucs were moved from LaBelle to our new cooling down place in Alva where they will be left for about another 6 weeks and checked to see how many have the marked queens and have changed to the more calm temperament. Then plans will be made to move to their final destination in our new club apiary in Alva. Possibly, ultimately we may end up with some extra splits which we can get into hands of club members (for a price) or loaned (adopt-a-hive) to some members in good standing which have had recent hardships with their bees or to loan to see if a member with no bees can handle beekeeping... a test or trial, then the club could move hive to another needy member... or sell off. Dennis has went through all the woodenware (hive bodies etc.) and salvaged only the best and set aside that which either needs to be repaired or scrapped (discarded/repurposed). We will be purchasing new and/or additional woodenware and apiary items (approved to spend up to $300 at January meeting). Need to paint, repair, stencil, brand what we have in inventory. Deck box and five 10-frame Langstroth hives are now sitting on stand in new apiary... awaiting the arrival of the calm bees in 6 weeks. Some carpet weed-block is in place and all is looking nice. Member Jennafer S. is brainstorming these ideas with Marc, Dennis and eventually to the club for consideration.
