« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Down

Author Topic: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?  (Read 5422 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« on: May 10, 2017, 11:26:14 am »
I think we can all agree that we all make mistakes :yes: so it got me to thinking , what's the worst mistake you think you have made as a beekeeper? Maybe it could be several things. I try to learn from my mistakes as I am sure we all do, so my thought is if we share them maybe we could learn more from each other.
Logged
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2017, 12:09:10 pm »
I have mentioned this one in the past (Jack always reminds me >:().
I used to just use a straight dado as my hand holds, something I no longer do.
I had a special hive with a super-queen, and when I was checking it one day I noticed a few swarm cells on the go. I did not want to lose this queen at any cost so I started hunting for her. I did not find her in the upper box (was I too late, was she already gone?) so I set the upper box on its side on top of the lower box so as not to damage any of the swarm cells hanging down. I went to my truck to get an empty box to set the upper deep on so the cells were safe so I could go through the lower box. When I got back I picked up the upper box and swung it over to the side to set it on the empty deep..........................you guessed it, I had picked up the upper deep upside down (couldn't tell by the hand holds) and sent all the frames flying onto the ground. :o :o :o
I freaked out! I quickly set the upper deep down and as carefully as I could picked up the scattered frames and piles of bees and put them back in, thinking the whole time "I've killed her, I've killed her". After calming down I started to go through the lower deep, hoping beyond all hope that she was down there and safe the whole time!
I got lucky, cause that's exactly where she was! :eusa_dance:
Moral of the story, never rush, you are not as smart as you think you are, and sometimes you just get outhouse lucky! ;D
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2017, 12:30:08 pm »
Ooh Geez! Where do I begin... Let me count they ways  :\'(

But the first thing that popped into my mind was last year when I marked a lovely and hard working queen. I put her in the little wooden queen cage to dry for 3 minutes, and inadvertently set her down in the direct sun. Fried her.


Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline blueblood

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1768
  • Thanked: 39 times
  • Gender: Male
    • https://www.facebook.com/scottshoneyandlipbalms
  • Location: Central Indiana, USA
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2017, 02:03:33 pm »
Good thread.  My worst mistake was not starting this craft 35 years ago!
Logged

Offline Barry n Abbie

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 108
  • Thanked: 6 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Abbigail Honey
  • Location: Cole Harbour NS
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2017, 02:11:03 pm »
Wearing shorts instead of long pants around a queen less nucs.   
Logged
Barry

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2017, 02:26:10 pm »
Good story Perry  :goodone:

Agreed Blue, I would have been much stronger then, and a better memory  ;)
Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline tedh

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1346
  • Thanked: 65 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Henry County, Iowa
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2017, 03:10:00 pm »
Probably not the worst but a good lesson none the less.  Josh and I had two over wintered hives, our first winter and our first inspection.  Opened "my" hive and, oh my lord, a queen cell!  I must pull the frame with the queen and a few frames of brood and some stores to start a nuc and prevent a swarm.  Next week or so we inspected the nuc and dear me another queen cell!  I must pull the frame with the queen
, add frames of brood and stores to avoid the swarm!  Next week or so we inspected that nuc, yeah, another queen cell.  The lesson?  Supercedur cells do NOT swarm cells make.  Ted
Logged
Share that which you have an abundance of.  In doing so both the giver and receiver are enriched.

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2017, 04:09:50 pm »
Well guys I am starting  to feel so much better  :-[ ;D so far the biggest mistake I've made is asking for advise then not following the good advise that was given ...human nature I guess.
Logged
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2017, 04:12:30 pm »
Quote from: Jen on May 10, 2017, 02:26:10 pm
Good story Perry  :goodone:

Agreed Blue, I would have been much stronger then, and a better memory  ;)
hey Jen what was this thread about again I forgot...I am right there with ya on the memory thing :)
Logged
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2017, 04:20:40 pm »
Gbee.. What thread?.. Were we on a thread?


Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline neillsayers

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2173
  • Thanked: 197 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Arkansas Ozarks, U.S.A.
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2017, 10:57:56 pm »
Quote from: Jen on May 10, 2017, 04:20:40 pm
Gbee.. What thread?.. Were we on a thread?



 :laugh:
Logged
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2017, 11:24:01 pm »
Perry I can feel your pain on losing a queen, as I didn't lose one but I was for sure I did. Lost a whole nights sleep over it to. It was a beautiful Wayne's bee queen to. I am glad it worked out for me I wasn't looking forward to telling wally because it was mostly because I didn't listen to him to start with. We live and learn. There's  something to be said for experience,  and even more to be said when someone ignores the one with experience  ;D ;D :)
Logged
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline kingd

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
  • Thanked: 4 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Caledonia,Michigan
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #12 on: May 11, 2017, 07:27:53 am »
My worst so far is checking all my hives for weight except one,
Yep it starved
Logged

Offline Les

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1260
  • Thanked: 97 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Kingston, NY
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2017, 08:59:51 am »
Like Blueblood, wish I started this earlier but the first stupid thing we did was get out first package of bees, attempt to mark the queen and we dropped her!!
Or maybe the first mistake was buying a package of bees from Georgia....never again! The second mistake was not putting on robbing screens during a dearth. Watched in horror as the hive was robbed out and she was a beauty.
Logged

Offline brooksbeefarm

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2566
  • Thanked: 89 times
  • Location: fair grove, mo.
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2017, 09:29:02 am »
My worst mistake was listening to my barber and ordered 3 packages of Midnight bees from Sears & Roebuck  back in 1965 !!! :yes: I have spent thousands of dollars on bees from then to now :o. Bu, i don't regret any of it :no:Beekeeping is a disease and habit forming and once you are infected it's terminal  :laugh: I now keep 50+ hives and have good luck with them by doing the opposite of what i ask Perry when i have a problem. :laugh: :laugh: Man that felt good!!! Jack
Logged

Offline neillsayers

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2173
  • Thanked: 197 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Arkansas Ozarks, U.S.A.
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #15 on: May 11, 2017, 01:03:40 pm »
Wow, let me count the ways! :)

I guess freaking out and trying to hive a swarm after dark with no PPE on. Zowie!!!! :)
Logged
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #16 on: May 11, 2017, 03:14:32 pm »
I know it's probably hard for a lot of you folks to believe that Jack and I are capable of making more than just one mistake, but here's another. ;D
When I first started keeping bees, the cages that queens came in were the 3 hole type, and the "rule" at the time was to take a nail and poke a hole in the candy end after having removed the cork to help speed up her release. I did this for several years uneventfully.
Then one year for whatever reason the queens arrived in the "California" type queen cage, in which a plastic tube full of candy has been inserted into the cage. Well, when I went to poke a hole in the candy the whole darn tube slid into the cavity that held the queen and bent her over double. I frantically yanked the tube out and set the cage on the top bars and watched her drag herself over and fall between a couple of frames.
NEVER again will I use the nail "trick". If it takes the bees an extra day to release her, so what?





I've paid my dues
Time after time.
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime.
And bad mistakes ‒
I've made a few.
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through.
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Green bee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 526
  • Thanked: 47 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia nc
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #17 on: May 11, 2017, 06:22:04 pm »
Perry I I don't know why but this sounds like something that would happen to me. :yes: just one question did she make it? I am assuming she didn't.
Logged
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Offline Nugget Shooter

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 512
  • Thanked: 69 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Nugget Shooter
  • Location: Arizona's Sonoran Desert in Growing Zone 9b
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #18 on: May 11, 2017, 06:31:37 pm »
Hmmmmmm, rolling into early year 2 I must say over thinking is my worst enemy  :yes: I have slowly been getting better  :laugh:



Logged
Cheers, Bill

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: What's the worst mistake you ever made as a beekeeper?
« Reply #19 on: May 11, 2017, 06:38:17 pm »
Quote from: Green bee on May 11, 2017, 06:22:04 pm
Perry I I don't know why but this sounds like something that would happen to me. :yes: just one question did she make it? I am assuming she didn't.

 :sad: :sad:
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Up
« previous next »