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General Beekeeping / Re: The result of ten inches of rain
« Last post by The15thMember on Yesterday at 11:31:48 am »
Sorry to hear that. Glad you did not suffer any more severe damage than this though.
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Sorry to hear that. Glad you did not suffer any more severe damage than this though. 2
General Beekeeping / The result of ten inches of rain
« Last post by Bakersdozen on July 19, 2025, 01:21:14 pm »Wednesday night through Thursday morning we received 10 inches of rain in 8 hours. There was flooding, including my neighborhood. We were lucky being higher in elevation that my immediate neighbors. They are still trying to dry out. One family lost two vehicles and suffered the worst damage.
The day after, I checked on apiary locations to make sure they road out the storm. This location, in the picture, was the only damage. The metal hive stand buckled a little under the weight of 4 supers filled with honey and the torrential rain. It looks like they slid forward first. I taped the back of the top brood box to stop the robbers while I worked. I took the supers and will go back to replace the hive stand after they calm down. The queen excluder and one super was still on the brood boxes. I put a entrance reducer on to help them with robbers. I lost a lot of honey to robbers.
The day after, I checked on apiary locations to make sure they road out the storm. This location, in the picture, was the only damage. The metal hive stand buckled a little under the weight of 4 supers filled with honey and the torrential rain. It looks like they slid forward first. I taped the back of the top brood box to stop the robbers while I worked. I took the supers and will go back to replace the hive stand after they calm down. The queen excluder and one super was still on the brood boxes. I put a entrance reducer on to help them with robbers. I lost a lot of honey to robbers.
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Honey, Bee Forage; Nectar & Pollen Sources / Sheep Sorrel
« Last post by Bakersdozen on July 14, 2025, 12:06:13 pm »I am curious about the bloom time of sheep sorrel. Does anyone have this growing in their area? Honey bees will work it for pollen and maybe even nectar. It is in the Buckwheat family. In Kansas, where I live it's considered and invasive plant. I remember it from my childhood out on the farm.
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Pests and Diseases / A sobering article about die-off
« Last post by Bakersdozen on July 09, 2025, 07:29:16 pm »5
Any and Every Thing / Re: Mosquito Massacre Bucket Challenge
« Last post by Bakersdozen on June 25, 2025, 10:07:44 am »I wondered the same. I have #8 on hand for closing off entrances to hives. The dunks are supposed to be safe for honey bees, dogs, etc. because the key ingredient is Bti. I have several non-food grade buckets around but no lids.
I couldn't even water my tomatoes last night without being bit several times.
I couldn't even water my tomatoes last night without being bit several times.
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Any and Every Thing / Re: Mosquito Massacre Bucket Challenge
« Last post by The15thMember on June 24, 2025, 01:47:09 pm »Well, #8 is what I call "honey bee fence". So that would keep out honeys and any bees or other bugs bigger than that. The question is, can it be smaller than that? How small can it be that mosquitos will freely fly through it? Because I'd want to keep as many other insects out of it as possible, so the smallest size that would let easily mosquitos through would be what I'd want. I don't know if #10 or #12 hardware cloth would work. I also don't know if you can find the smaller sizes locally. I only have one hardware store in my area that carries #8.
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Any and Every Thing / Mosquito Massacre Bucket Challenge
« Last post by Bakersdozen on June 24, 2025, 12:01:48 pm »In our area we have a company called Mosquito Joe. If you have them in your area you will know about them and that their backyard fog kills indiscriminately.
Here is a better solution.
https://homegrownnationalpark.org/mosquito-bucket-challenge/
If using hardware cloth to cover the bucket, any suggestions on what size? We want to keep the bees out but let the mosquitos in.
It's a simple idea that anyone can do.
Here is a better solution.
https://homegrownnationalpark.org/mosquito-bucket-challenge/
If using hardware cloth to cover the bucket, any suggestions on what size? We want to keep the bees out but let the mosquitos in.
It's a simple idea that anyone can do.
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Bees and Kids / Re: Pollinator Week Celebration
« Last post by The15thMember on June 22, 2025, 07:31:13 pm »Technically it is not a heat stroke unless you lose consciousness. But I was on my way!
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Bees and Kids / Re: Pollinator Week Celebration
« Last post by Bakersdozen on June 22, 2025, 06:27:54 pm »Wow! Doesn't that describe heat stroke?
It can hit you before you know what's going on.
It can hit you before you know what's going on.
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Bees and Kids / Re: Pollinator Week Celebration
« Last post by The15thMember on June 22, 2025, 06:05:12 pm »It's always miserable when it's hot out and you just have to power through. I was close to heat exhaustion one day last summer when I was working in the bee yard. I started to feel light-headed, and my body stopped sweating. It was no fun. I'm much more proactive about my hydration now if I know it's going to be hot out.